28 PCWorld JUNE 2020NEWS LENOVO IDEAPAD CHROMEBOOK DUET
DESIGN
The highlights of the IdeaPad
Chromebook Duet’s design are its
display, keyboard, and kickstand.
Those parts are included for the
price, but if you want a (USI-
compatible) pen, that will cost extra.
We’re accustomed to fairly
low-rent, low-res, low-brightness
displays on most Chromebooks,
but the Chromebook Duet pushes
all that aside. Its 10.1-inch display
has a healthy Full HD resolution of
1920x1200 pixels. Its 3:2 aspect
ratio is better for productivity than 16:9, as a
taller display lets you see more of your
spreadsheet or document.
We’re also not used to seeing nice
keyboards on most Chromebooks, but the
IdeaPad Chromebook Duet seems to have a
pretty nice one. It attaches to the tablet using
pogo pins. Although it’s very thin, the keys
have a good travel of 1.3mm.
The pitch (the distance from
center to center of adjacent
keys) is 18mm, not too cramped
considering the size. The
trackpad is centered under the
spacebar.
The fabric-clad stand cover
that attaches to the back panel
bends in the middle to form a
kickstand that’s adjustable up to
135 degrees. It reminds us ofMicrosoft’s Surface Go (go.pcworld.com/
mgo2), except this one is removable.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook Duet is
the latest attempt to meld Chromebook
productivity with more portable versatility.
Can the affordable price shift more users away
from plain old clamshells? We’ll let you know
when we publish our review.The kickstand on
the Lenovo IdeaPad
Chromebook Duet’s
stand cover is adjustable
up to 135 degrees.The Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook Duet’s detachable keyboard
offers 1.3mm of travel and 18mm of pitch between the keys.