Get a Nextbook Flexx 10.1-inch Windows hybrid for $178

This is an update of a post from last year. Better specs, cheaper by a buck. Woot!

The term "hybrid PC" has pretty much vanished from the tech vernacular, but it still applies to a certain product category: a laptop with a removable screen. Or maybe a tablet with a keyboard dock. However you choose to interpret it, it's a best-of-both-worlds solution: tablet one minute, laptop the next.

Of course, such advanced hardware costs a small fortune, right? Wrong: Walmart has the Nextbook Flexx 10.1-inch Windows hybrid for $178 shipped (plus tax). This isn't a sale; this is the everyday price on this newly updated model.

The Nextbook brand is carried exclusively at Walmart, Sam's Club and Target. Needless to say, it's aimed squarely at the entry-level crowd -- not that there's anything wrong with that.

I'm glad to see that, unlike its predecessor, this model actually has a product name -- and "Flexx" is actually a darn good one. More importantly, the system itself offers pretty amazing value for the money.

Physically, it's the same as the previous model, which I found to be a solid, sturdy piece of hardware. The screen and keyboard together weigh just under 3 pounds, and the screen by itself (aka the tablet) weighs about 1.5 pounds.

I especially liked the keyboard, which, although necessarily a bit cramped, feels great overall. It's not the least bit mushy, a welcome surprise. Even the touchpad is surprisingly roomy. The screen now has a locking mechanism that keeps it connected to the keyboard dock.

Also, the hinge is cleverly designed to raise the rear of the keyboard to a comfortable typing angle. The entire setup is a little top-heavy, though, which can make for awkward typing on a lap.

This model features double the RAM (2GB) of its predecessor, 32GB of expandable storage and three USB ports (two full-size, one Micro-USB). The screen remains bright and colorful, though still a little low-res at 1,280x800. (I rarely found myself noticing that.)

You also get a one-year subscription to Office 365, which would normally cost you $70. Unfortunately, the same is not true of the Flexx's 11.6-inch bigger brother, which is also mighty compelling at $227. That's a bummer, because the larger Flexx bumps the screen resolution to 1,366x768 pixels, doubles the storage to 64GB and adds very sharp teal accents.

Walmart may run a sale on these at some point, but as they are right now, the Flexx 10.1 and Flexx 11.6 offer tremendous value. I'm impressed by both.

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