Snapping the magnetic keyboard into place was easy as pie, and the keys have a satisfying and clicky tactile response. I have a bone to pick with the Lenovo Chromebook Duet’s edge-to-edge, iron-black detachable keyboard. Lenovo Chromebook Duet keyboard and touchpad With the latest Chrome 81 update, Google added some new touchscreen gestures that I successfully experimented with on the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, including swiping and holding to launch the split-screen mode. The Duet’s display also beat the brilliance of the average Chromebook (270 nits). The Lenovo Chromebook Duet doesn’t have the most brilliant screen, reaching 372 nits of brightness, but this mini 2-in-1 shined brighter than its rivals The Samsung Chromebook 3 only output 259 nits of brightness while the HP Chromebook x360 12b is even dimmer with 216 nits of brightness. The Duet also surpassed the color accuracy of the average Chromebook by a landslide (12.61). This aligns with the Samsung Chromebook 3’s 0.2 Delta-E rating, but the Duet beats the HP Chromebook x360 12b’s 0.3 rating. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet is also highly color accurate with a near-perfect 0.2 Delta-E rating (closer to 0 is best). So, you want to know about the Duet’s ports? I’d remove the “s” - this Chromebook only has one USB Type-C port that supports power charging, data transfer, DisplayPort and USB on-the-go. The miniature Chrome OS laptop is smaller than its rivals: the Samsung Chromebook 3’s footprint is 11 x 8 x 0.7 inches while the HP Chromebook x360 12b takes up 11 x 9 x 0.7 inches.

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet with the keyboard and kickstand cover has the dimensions of 9.6 x 6.7 x 0.7 inches while the tablet alone is 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.3 inches. The Duet weighs less than its competitors: the Samsung Chromebook 3 (2.5 pounds) and the HP Chromebook x360 12b (3 pounds). The whole package, stand cover and keyboard included, weighs only 2 pounds.

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a featherweight machine that can fit snugly in the small compartment of my travel tote. You can also fold the laptop into a book-like form and onlookers would be amazed to discover that you’re not holding a little notebook.

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