Lenovo has just dropped a ton of new laptops at MWC 2023, which includes a new updated IdeaPad Duet 3i. And while I will save judgement for the full hands-on review, on paper this could be one of the sleeper hits in the cheap 2-in-1 category.
Why? Well it comes down to two important improvements: the processor and the display. I’ll go into more detail just below, but with the benefit of a bigger, gorgeous display and faster internals (along with an affordable price point), we may have something special here.
Big claims, small price
It all starts with a sleek and lightweight construction — coming in at 10.7 x 6.8 x 0.4 inches with a total weight (tablet and folio case) of 2.52 pounds. This paired with the fact it maintains a metallic construction for the tablet and a durable plastic for the case means you can easily throw this into a backpack with confidence in its durability.
But let’s talk about the big party trick here, which is the larger 11.5-inch touchscreen display. The 2000 x 1200-pixel resolution results in a 5:3 aspect ratio to provide an additional tallness to it for peak productivity. Plus, the 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and 400-nit peak brightness should make this versatile enough for working in different lighting conditions.
Tear it open and you’ll see the insides have been given an update too with the new Intel N-series processors, up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. Keep in mind that this has been built for casual productivity and binge watching, and you’ll see this is more than enough. Oh, and it means that 35.6Whr battery is capable of up to 8.5 hours of use on one charge.
And of course, as is the final benefit of the Duet, that €449 price (available in Europe starting June 2023) means you can get a very capable Windows 2-in-1 for less than most tablets nowadays.
Outlook
While there are many other things to talk about (5MP webcam, 8MP rear camera, Doly Audio, support for an optional stylus, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports, Wi-Fi 6 and much more), the fact Lenovo has gone hard on making that display so much more attractive for work makes this a mighty tempting low cost option.
Availability has not been announced for North America currently, but here’s hoping you all get it across the Atlantic, because unless there are any nasty surprises with these new N-series chips, we’re in for a cheap treat.
