Lenovo’s latest 2-in-1 laptop is called the Lenovo Miix 510. It’s a detachable 2-in-1, meaning the 12.2 inch screen can be separated from the keyboard – turning the device into a portable tablet. The 80U10066US model I’ll be reviewing today offers some real competition to other ultralight devices currently on the market.
Review
As I’ve mentioned in the introductory paragraph, the Lenovo Miix 510 80U10066US is a detachable laptop. Lenovo have fitted it with special watchband hinges, which can rotate up to 150 degrees. They’re made out of some 280 individual steel pieces and offer a blend of strength and flexibility. They are placed on the screen’s backside and will offer extra stability when used as either a tablet or a laptop.
The design keeps track with Lenovo’s latest guidelines: moderately rounded corners, two-tone interior/exterior, with the former being black and the latter, platinum silver. The tablet part may seem bulky at first, but that’s where all of its hardware is located and, as we’ll notice further down, performance is impressive.
Performance
I’ll start with the processor. The Lenovo Miix 510 80U10066US is powered by a 6th generation Intel Core i3-6100U CPU. It has a clock speed of 2.3 GHz, 3 megabytes of cache size and a benchmark score of roughly 3900 points. It’s already established that the i3-6100U is a really potent smaller brother of the i5, with the differences between the two being smaller than you’d probably imagine.
This specific model comes with 4 gigabytes of DDR4-2133 SDRAM installed. It’s currently unclear whether the standard memory can be improved by the end user or not. Still, 4 gigabytes is a decent amount of memory. You’ll be able to complete everyday tasks easily, as well as edit photos and multitask.
Storage space is rated at 128 gigabytes and comes in the form of SATA3 PCIe SSD. A solid state drive is miles better than a hard drive, especially in a ultraportable device, such as the Miix 510. It has no moving parts, it’s lighter, conserves energy and handles data WAY faster than any mechanical hard drive could.
Considering the CPU-RAM-SSD combo, I’d say this 2-in-1 laptop is a perfect choice for folks who need an everyday ultraportable device to handle emails, documents, internet browsing, media streaming and other daily activities. The Miix 510 80U10066US is sure to manage everything an average user might expect from it.
Display quality
Lenovo’s Miix 510 has a 12.2 inch LED-backlit IPS FHD+ MultiTouch screen. It’s a brilliant display that performs well in bright sunshine conditions. Also, it renders vivid and rich colors, thanks to its IPS technology. Furthermore, it strays away from the traditional 16:9 ratio and delves into a more unconventional territory: 1920 x 1200. You gain 120 vertical pixels, extremely useful when reading webpages, without compromising the whole movie watching experience.
I think the 12.2 inch screen works fantastic as a hybrid between a ultraportable 11.6″ and a more practical 13.3″. You get the best of both worlds, with little compromise in between.
Interface and connectivity
There aren’t many available ports on the Lenovo Miix 510 80U10066US, but I find the selection adequate for most people’s needs:
- 1 x USB-C port
- 1 x USB 3.0 port
- 1 x COMBO audio jack
Notice there’s a distinct lack of an HDMI port. Don’t worry, since you’ll be able to output video to an HDMI compliant TV/monitor, via the USB-C port and an adapter. Some extra hassle for the end user, although I don’t see the HDMI port being widely used on the Miix anyway.
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As for connectivity options, here they are (nothing out of the ordinary):
- 802.11ac WiFi
- Bluetooth 4.0
The 802.11ac wireless card will enable up to 3 times faster download speeds compared to older versions of wireless protocols.
Portability and battery life
When talking about portability, it’s worth noting that the bulk of the Lenovo Miix is contained within the tablet part of the ensemble. Here’s where those aesthetic watchband hinges come into play. The bottom pad doesn’t hold any components except for the keyboard and touchpad combo.
Jumping to numbers, the Miix 510 weighs 2 pounds without the keyboard, and 2.65 pounds with it attached. These figures make the Miix one of the most portable Windows operated laptops on the market. Its lightness will surely be appreciated by active people and avid travelers.
However, battery life doesn’t rise to the same standards as its lightweight chassis. Don’t get me wrong, a charge will be enough for up to 7 and a half hours of video playback. This is a day’s worth of juice, which is great. Still, I would have expected better battery stats – more in the range of 9-10 hours of autonomy.
Conclusion
So, the Lenovo Miix 510 80U10066US has one real drawback – the not as good as I had expected battery life, and one minor drawback – the lack of an HDMI port. That’s it. The rest of the laptop is pretty well built, it features quality materials, potent hardware assortment, a great display and is portable enough to carry with you wherever you go.
The Miix 510 is the perfect choice for seasoned travelers, creative types and students.
