My latest Chromebook review is of the new Lenovo Duet 11, the latest iteration of Lenovo’s detachable tablet. Very shortly a package including the tablet, keyboard and pen will sell for $349 at Best Buy. Check this compensated affiliate link to see if it has dropped.
The device itself is lightweight, clocking in at about 2.41 pounds with everything attached and 1.2 pounds as a standalone tablet. The screen is a 10.95-inch display with a 2K resolution, offering a sharp image for a device at this price point. It’s also powered by a MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor and comes with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage in my review loaner configuration. However, one downside is the lack of an SD card slot, so any storage expansion would need to happen through USB drives.
One thing that stands out is its versatility. The kickstand works in both portrait and landscape orientations, and the pen attaches magnetically to the back of the device. The keyboard, while small, is decent in terms of tactile response, although it does lack backlighting, which could be an issue in low-light settings. Similarly, the device has no biometric login options, so you’ll be typing in a PIN each time you want to unlock it.
Battery life is around 10 hours, which should be enough for most casual use cases, and the performance holds up for general tasks like web browsing and video playback. In terms of connectivity, the Duet 11 includes two full-service USB-C ports, which is a nice feature for a device in this price range. These ports support video, power, and data, but unfortunately, it can only output to one external monitor at a time.
For casual gaming, I tested out Roblox and Minecraft, and both performed surprisingly well, even with a Bluetooth controller connected. The Wi-Fi 6 support ensures stable cloud gaming via Xbox Cloud Gaming, and I didn’t notice any significant issues while streaming games.
On the creative side, the pen input works smoothly, with minimal latency, making it a solid option for note-taking. However, the screen’s slick surface might not provide the best drawing experience for artists. Still, Chrome OS’s built-in handwriting recognition is a nice touch.
The device also runs Android apps through the Google Play Store, allowing users to load up mobile apps alongside Chrome OS applications. This flexibility is a major selling point for anyone looking for a multipurpose device. For productivity, the Chromebook also supports Linux applications, making it capable of running software like LibreOffice for offline use. This versatility is enhanced by the Chrome OS support window, which extends to 2034, giving buyers a full decade of software updates.
Overall, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 is an affordable, flexible device that offers a lot of functionality for the price. It’s not going to compete with higher-end machines, but for casual users, students, or those who want a lightweight, multipurpose device, it’s worth considering