Lenovo's new detachable Chromebook costs less than Apple's Magic Keyboard

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By Sean Riley
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A productive 2-in-1 Chromebook for less than $300

(Image credit: Future)

We went hands-on with the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook at CES this year and the unique design, solid display, and impressive pricing all got our attention.

You are finally about to have the chance to pick one up yourself as the affordable 2-in-1 arrived on Best Buy at a starting price of $299 with a release date of May 6 (via Tom's Guide).  

The iPad Pro isn't in any danger from the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, but for those who are considering the standard Apple iPad, the IdeaPad Duet is a considerably more affordable option that undercuts the price of the iPad even before you factor in a keyboard.

(Image credit: Future)

The IdeaPad Duet Chromebook has a unique look; the tablet itself has a reasonably traditional-looking aluminum frame with a camera on the back. But it's the detachable back cover and the included keyboard that make it a more interesting option. The removable back is made of dark gray fabric with an integrated kickstand that adheres to the metal tablet with magnets. 

The 10.1-inch screen seemed bright during our hands-on and at 1920 x 1200-pixels, it should make for a reasonable media consumption option. 

Given the Duet Chromebook's size, it shouldn't be a surprise that the keyboard is a little on the small side, but it does feature a touchpad and a reasonable 1.3mm of key travel.

There have to be some cost-cutting measures to get this thing below $300 and the processor is the biggest factor. Powering the tablet is a Mediatek Helio P60T paired with an ARM G72 MP3 graphics card and 4GB of RAM. Internal storage is pretty good for a Chromebook, particularly in this price range, at 128GB.

(Image credit: Future)

Rounding out the rest of the specs are a 7,180 mAh battery that Lenovo claims will get 10 hours of battery life and a 2MP front-facing camera and 8MP rear camera. The IdeaPad Duet Chromebook has just a single USB-C port, so you are going to need to check out our best USB Type-C hubs if you want to plug into more than a single peripheral.

Sean Riley
Sean Riley

Sean Riley has been covering tech professionally for over a decade now. Most of that time was as a freelancer covering varied topics including phones, wearables, tablets, smart home devices, laptops, AR, VR, mobile payments, fintech, and more.  Sean is the resident mobile expert at Laptop Mag, specializing in phones and wearables, you'll find plenty of news, reviews, how-to, and opinion pieces on these subjects from him here. But Laptop Mag has also proven a perfect fit for that broad range of interests with reviews and news on the latest laptops, VR games, and computer accessories along with coverage on everything from NFTs to cybersecurity and more.