The new Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i is a Windows 10 tablet with a 10.3 inch full HD inch display, an Intel Gemini Lake Refresh processor, a detachable keyboard, and support for digital pen input. Basically, it’s Lenovo’s answer to the Microsoft Surface Go, and it’s priced competitively — Lenovo says the IdeaPad Duet 3i will be available in July for €429 (about $470) and up.
For that starting price, you’ll get a model with an Intel Celeron N4020 processor and 4GB of RAM, but Lenovo will also offer versions with up to an Intel Pentium Silver N5030 processor and 8GB of RAM.
Unlike the Surface Go, the starting price does include a folio keyboard cover. But you’ll have to pay extra if you want an optional Lenovo Digital Pen. Another optional feature? 4G LTE support.
Here’s a run-down of some key specs for the IdeaPad Duet 3i:
| Display | 10.3″ 1920 x 1200 (330-nits, 100% sRGB) |
| CPU | Celeron N4020 or Pentium Slver N5030 |
| RAM | 4GB/8GB |
| Storage | Up to 128GB eMMC 5.0 |
| Cameras | 5MP rear (auto-focus) + 2MP front (fixed-focus) |
| Ports | 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (DisplayPort 3 + USB PD), 3.5mm audio |
| Wireless | WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, optional 4G LTE |
| Speakers | 2 x 1W w/Dolby Audio |
| Mics | Dual microphones |
| OS | Windows 10 S or Windows 10 Pro |
| Dimensions | 9.8″ x 6.5″ x 0.4″ |
| Weight | 1.3 pounds (tablet only) or 1.9 pounds (tablet + keyboard) |
If the Go 2 LTE didn’t have the m3 option, I’d probably get this to replace my Go 1 LTE. Good to see some competition from major OEMs in the 10″ screen and smaller PC market.
I’m glad to see some competition in this area. Someone needs to review and test how this Lenovo’s N4020 and N5030 compare to the Go 2’s 4425Y and the Chuwi Hi10 X’s N4100. That should be interesting to read.
It should be a while before anyone competes with the Go 2’s m3 version. I love my Samsung Galaxy Book 10, but I guess it wasn’t a commercial success.
Isn’t the celeron worse than the pentium gold in the Surface go which is already criticized for being so slow that it barely qualifies as usable?
I get wanting to hit a low price point, but the competition is too good to be tossing out potatoes that cannot handle their own OS. The iPad 10.2 is unbeatable for the price as a 2 in 1 for average user tasks now that it has mouse support. Then there’s the chromebook duet which I guarantee runs better than this windows version for only $300.
The N4020 has some Passmark scores already registered, and it seems to be more powerful than the 4415y in the Surface Go (1800 for the N4020 and 1600 for the 4415y). However, that says nothing for GPU performance, and other factors such as some microarchitecture features that the 4415y will have but the N4020 will be missing. The 4415y has 2c/4t, and the N4020 only has 2 threads.
Some things might run better on the N4020, and other things will run better on the 4415y.
The current Surface Go 2 has a newer generation processor, the 4425Y.
Comparing Lenovo’s prices and specs to that of Microsoft’s people may assume Microsoft is losing money on its hardware.
How so??? Lenovo offers this with keyboard and slightly slower processor for $60 less than the basic Surface Go 2 with a keyboard.
You are right that I somehow missed the fact that the keyboard is part of the package. Still major PC makers (including Lenovo) haven’t managed to offer meaningful alternative to Microsoft’s Surface line (in terms of design and price) for how many years? At least this is the way I see it.
First, I agree that there needs to be more competition. I’ve had a few Surfaces and I’ve loved them all, but I’ve also been very happy with two Surface clones or alternatives. The first is my Acer Switch 12 which offers Surface Pro performance for far less money. The second is my Samsung Galaxy Book 10, which is like a Surface 3 on steroids with its m3 chip.
I assume what you mean by Samsung Galaxy Book 10 is what they call Galaxy Book 10.6 and I agree, it may have been a cool product once. But my problem is, it was a once only product with some battery issues as I read. Microsoft Surface took many iterations to perfect. You can buy a current Microsoft Surface every year or a one year old model with a healthy discount, but a current specced Galaxy Book 10.6?
Now I search for the Acer Switch 12, and as it comes to my memory, it’s the same yesteryear’s story as well, you can order one old version off Amazon (and so can you old Microsoft Surfaces, so I can’t comment if the Acers were ever cheaper, the basic Surface Pro is $750 and the new Swift 12s weren’t cheaper either), but Acer also don’t give Microsoft a competition in this product category year after year.
Bottom line. Yeah, we need more competition.