Why You Can Trust CNET Lenovo made a tablet PC for cash-strapped freelancers
If you need a tablet and a Windows 10 laptop and can't afford more than $200, the Miix 320 might be the answer.
- More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
Lenovo sees its new Miix 320, announced at Mobile World Congress , as a good idea for people who don't spend a whole lot of time at a desk, don't need high-end components to get their work done, particularly if that work might mean being away from an outlet for a good part of the day or night.
Available in April, the Miix 320 is a 10-inch Windows 10 tablet PC starting at just $200 (approximately AU$260 or £160). That price includes a detachable keyboard and trackpad that gives you more of a laptop experience. The whole thing measures 17.5 mm (0.7 inches) thick and weighs 1.02 kg (2.2 pounds) with the keyboard, and Lenovo claims up to 10 hours of battery life.
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And after looking at the specs, the long running time seems feasible:
- Intel Atom X5 processor
- Intel HD graphics
- Up to 4GB of memory
- Up to 128GB eMMC storage
- 10.1-inch, 1,920x1,200-pixel touchscreen
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi with optional LTE
- Two USB ports on the keyboard dock
- 2-megapixel front-facing and 5-megapixel rear-facing cameras
So yeah, it's not going to blow you away with performance. Plus, the $200 base configuration is probably going to have just 2GB of memory and 32GB of storage, which puts it in line with a low-end Chromebook. Still, if your performance needs are less important than flexibility, this could be a simple, inexpensive way to go.
Also, if you're disappointed by the lack of active pen support, cheer up: Lenovo says a version with that feature will arrive in July, but no pricing was announced.
