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The Chromebook is officially 10 years old. Yup, in 2011, Google partnered with Acer and Samsung to give us a simple to use, cloud-based laptop that wouldn’t break the bank. And though the Chromebook has been reproduced by over a dozen manufacturers in a series of shapes and sizes, nobody could have predicted how important it would be to have an accessible, low-cost version of a laptop for a year that saw families working remotely at home. Go figure.
To mark this decade of easy-peasy computing, we chose to review the 10-inch, lightweight Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, which is a slim, feature-rich two-in-one laptop/tablet with detachable keyboard.
Price and Availability: You can get the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook now for $230 at Office Depot, $231.45 on Amazon, $240 at Staples, $249 at Best Buy and $279 at Lenovo.
Why We Chose It: If you’re looking for a portable Chromebook that’s functional and affordable, the Lenovo IdeaPad cannot be beat. A hybrid laptop/tablet with a 10-inch touchscreen and matching 10-inch magnetized, detachable keyboard, there’s a ton of utility in this little package.
We were particularly interested in being able to pass it around the household, depending on our changing needs. Oh, you’re allowed to go into school today? Throw it in your backpack. What? You need to do a Zoom meeting in the bathroom so nobody can bother you? Here you go, it fits on the edge of the sink. And, of course, if you’ve finished your work, just lose the keyboard and go stream the WandaVision finale. We’ll discuss later.
The 16:10 display is kind of like a giant phone. Plus, it’s plenty bright and so easy to snap on the keyboard—which isn’t backlit but does the trick. An extra magnetic cover comes with the IdeaPad Duet and this is what will offer a hinged kickstand to keep it in position. It’s all so simple to put together, you won’t even need the instructions.
We also appreciate its USB-C port, which lets you connect a larger monitor for more intense work. And with over 20 hours of battery life, if we ever get to travel long hauls again, this is a no-brainer.
Why You Need It: With the big 10-year anniversary, Google launched some brand-new features which are worth checking out. Here are a few of our favorite solutions we used while trying out the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook.
- Phone Hub links your Android phone to any Chromebook, allowing you to receive and respond to text messages, turn on a mobile hotspot, check battery life and even find your phone if need be. iPhone users have had something similar with the Mac, so this is a nice update for Android fans.
- WiFi Sync lets you share network settings with even more devices, so if you save a WiFi network on your phone, your Chromebook will automatically log in when you turn it on.
- Quick Answers is a helpful addition, letting you highlight and right click on anything you want more information on.
- Streamlined Setup for Parents lets you set up a kid’s Google account which can be managed with the Family Link parental controls, then immediately add a school account. Yeah, that means you can make sure they’re not watching TokTok when they’re supposed to be on a Zoom class. This got a thumbs up from the adults in our household.
What Others Are Saying: The Verge understands that the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook packs a bang for your buck. “If you’re looking for a convertible in the sub-$300 range that kind of has a foot in both doors, the Duet is the best you will find.”
Engadget was pleasantly surprised at its utility and sees it as an upgraded throwback to the days of Chromebook yore. “Given the lack of an Intel processor, I had serious concerns about whether its performance would be sufficient for my workflow. But after spending some quality time with this tiny device, I came away impressed by what Lenovo pulled off here.”
Final Conclusion: The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet is a feature forward two-in-one Chromebook which can be easily passed around the household for all your different needs. And its low price makes it almost too good to pass up.
