Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i convertible gets a growth spurt
Value-minded Chromebook also joins the party
The latest version of Lenovo’d detachable Windows tablet/laptop is official, and officially bigger than ever. The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i lands with an 11.5in display, up from 10.3in on the outgoing model, while keeping its other dimensions in check for maximum portability.
The 11.5in touchscreen has a 2K resolution with 100% DCI-P3 colour coverage, which could make it a good choice for budget-minded creators that are constantly on the move. They can expect a 400 nit peak brightness, too, which could be handy when working outside in the sunshine.
There’s a 5MP webcam built into the display bezel, and an 8MP camera at the rear for (slightly) more detailed snaps. underneath you have the choice of Intel N100 or N200 processors, paired with either 4 or 8GB of RAM and 128 or 256GB of built-in storage. The 35Whr battery should be able to manage over eight hours of 1080p video playback, and manage an extra two hours from just 15 minutes hooked up to mains power.
The keyboard quickly detaches from the screen, which at less than 9mm thick can comfortably be used in tablet mode. It also supports Lenovo’s Digital Pen stylus for note-taking and sketching.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i will be going on sale from June onwards, with prices starting from €449 (around £400).
Arriving a little sooner is the IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook. This wallet-friendly 14in ultraportable goes on sale in May for €349 (about £310), bringing MediaTek internals, a Full HD touchscreen, and all-day battery life.
Lenovo has added front-facing speakers to the latest generation model, along with USB Type-C connectivity, a 1080p webcam with privacy shutter and dedicated mute button on the keyboard.
It weighs in at 1.3kg, and the MediaTek Kompanio 500 series CPU is power efficient enough to squeeze as much as 13.5 hours out of the battery for true all-day use. You can also expect on-board Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and a microSD card slot, plus either 64 or 128GB of on-board storage.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
