While most users have avoided Chromebook tablets and detachable models like the plague, I’ve been using them for years. I’ve spent the better part of the past five years writing and surfing the web on a 2018 HP Chromebook x2 12, and I’ve watched the ChromeOS tablet experience gradually improve. The versatility is great, although I’d be hard-pressed to find a use case for the tablet’s functionality other than occasionally signing documents. I love my HP Chromebook x2 12, but it’s starting to show its age, so I’m very intrigued by the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024).
The Duet 11 isn’t a Chromebook Plus device, but it’s a smaller, updated version of one of the best Chromebook devices available. Portable and great value, but has some performance issues and size limitations.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024)
If you’re looking for a versatile and affordable ChromeOS tablet, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024) is a great choice. It’s highly portable, has a beautiful screen, and comes with a cover and keyboard. You can also use the kickstand to prop the device up horizontally or vertically, which is a nice touch.
- small and portable
- great value for money
- beautiful and vivid screen
- Kickstand is versatile
- keyboard is narrow
- Performance issues occur regularly
- Not suitable for working on your lap
Price, availability and specs
A versatile and affordable Chromebook option
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024) prices start at $360 for the 4GB model and $400 for the 8GB model. Available at Best Buy and Lenovo. A compatible Lenovo USI Pen 2, which did not come with our review unit, costs $50 separately, but can often be found on sale for less. Depending on where you purchase, Duet and Pen 2 may be bundled together.
What’s great about Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024)?
Achieving excellent portability with a beautiful screen
First and foremost, I just want to say that I find the Duet 11 inherently adorable and a joy to use. I can’t explain why, but every time I see it, I want to pick it up and use it. It’s also nice that the cover, keyboard, and charger are included at no additional charge. It’s a little disappointing that a pen isn’t included, but you can’t win everything.
The Duet 11 has a lot of features, but the most obvious one is its beautiful screen. It features a 10.95-inch 2K WUXGA (1920 x 1200) display with a 16:10 screen ratio and 400 nits peak brightness. These numbers and letters are translated into a crystal-clear display with beautiful colors and excellent brightness, perfect for browsing, watching videos, and more.
If you prefer to use a tablet, Duet 11 is compatible with any USI 2.0 stylus. However, the Lenovo USI Pen 2 gives you a “paper-like writing experience” and additional features. The Duet also has a nice spot for magnetically attaching the Pen 2 to the back of the Duet to ensure a snug fit in the case. This is a great feeling. Unfortunately, my review model didn’t include the Pen 2, so I wasn’t able to test this.
Android and ChromeOS tablets often have bad cameras. The photos they take are usually grainy, don’t capture much detail, and only work in the best light. Actually, the only thing I’ve found good is document scanning, but even then the results vary widely. Much the same can be said about the Duet 11’s camera, but it’s definitely better than most tablets. Don’t get me wrong. The 8MP rear shooter is certainly not better than a smartphone camera, but it can take useful photos. It’s also very good at scanning documents, and we expect this to be its primary use case.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 Camera Reel
The 5 MP camera on the front isn’t the nicest front camera I’ve ever used. Still, it’s definitely better than average, and its ability to record videos and participate in video conferences is more than adequate. This is pretty comparable to the camera on the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34, which has an excellent front-facing camera. The standout feature here is the physical privacy shutter. It is made from sturdy aluminum and locks securely in place.
Duet 5’s versatility and portability are what make it stand out. It’s compact and lightweight, making it incredibly easy to carry. The kickstand design is very convenient as one end of the hinge is thicker than the other. This means it can be used to support your device in portrait or landscape orientation. When you prop the device upright, the hinge design tilts the screen back slightly, which is very well thought out. Using your device in portrait mode is convenient for taking notes, playing games, and watching YouTube Shorts and TikTok.
Although it doesn’t have the most bass, the speakers are incredibly loud and sound great whether you’re watching YouTube videos or listening to music on Spotify.
In addition to the hinge that allows for different orientations, the placement of the dual USB-C ports is perfect for switching between modes. When using the device in landscape orientation, there is a USB-C port on the left side of the device for easy charging. When using the device in portrait orientation, the USB-C port is on the right side. Multiple ports mean it’s easy to charge your device or connect accessories in either orientation without tugging at your device. This device has a battery life of around 12 hours, so charging via the USB-C port is not common. This is great.
Coming to the sides of the Duet, there is a 3.5mm audio/mic jack on the left side of the device, and there are also 1W speakers on the left and right sides of the device. With a device this small, I was worried that the speaker would be sacrificed for portability, but that wasn’t the case. The bass isn’t very strong, but it’s incredibly loud and sounds great whether you’re watching YouTube videos or listening to music on Spotify.
What’s bad about Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024)?
Portability also has its downsides.
I’m a fan of the Duet 11’s portability, but there are some tradeoffs. The keyboard is solid and compact, but the size and layout make typing difficult for people with large hands like mine. Because your hands are cramped on the keyboard, you often mistype words or keyboard shortcuts. I understand that portability means the keyboard has to be small, but I honestly find it hard to believe that an adult could type on this keyboard for long periods of time. I had almost the opposite problem with my Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024), where I felt the keyboard was too big to use properly.
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Perfect tool for gaming and other on-the-go use
It’s nice that the keyboard, pen, and cover case stick together magnetically, but I don’t think it’s strong enough to be reliable. I can’t count the number of times I tried to open the kickstand and accidentally removed the cover. It’s easy to put it back on, but it shouldn’t come off so easily. I had a similar problem with my keyboard. If you pick up your tablet and shake it a little, such as when walking across a room, it will easily fall off. These items need to be connected to the tablet in order to stand it up and type on it, so it’s important to connect them as tightly as possible.
Another small annoyance is that the device is very difficult to open. There are no convenient handles or notches to open it. Given the weight of the tablet and the looseness of the cover, it’s difficult to get a firm grip. I tried opening it from various angles, but it required a lot of force and was difficult to open with one hand.
My biggest gripe with the Duet 5 is using it on uneven surfaces. The sturdiness of the kickstand and keyboard can easily break if you use it on your lap or lying down with your legs upright. I use my computer this way most often. Tablet-first two-in-ones have historically struggled in this regard, but you can’t help but be disappointed either way. If you’re lying down with your feet up, the 50-degree range of motion on the hinge makes it difficult to use the Duet 11 without straining your neck or tipping the device over. I think it would be even more useful if the hinge worked like the Microsoft Surface Pro. We also found that the flexible connection fabric between the keyboard and the tablet added to the frustration with the device, similar to the Pixel Slate a few years ago.
I also encountered periodic performance issues with Duet 11. The MediaTek Kompanio 838 is a great processor that works fine most of the time, but it’s not without performance issues. It often lags or slows down a bit when you perform complex tasks or switch between apps frequently. There were also many instances where I turned on my device, tapped an app, or tapped a website pinned to the shelf, and nothing happened. No matter how many times you click or tap an app or website to open it, it just won’t work. After restarting, the device started working as expected, but this problem still occurs more often than expected. This could be a problem with the ChromeOS software, but since the device has the latest stable update, we don’t know exactly what’s causing it.
Should I buy it?
Good cost performance
ChromeOS tablets are a tough sell because they don’t have a good use case. Personally, I haven’t found much use for tablets, especially ChromeOS tablets, so I wouldn’t choose them as a form factor. But if you’re an artist, sign a lot of documents, or just plan to consume a lot of content, a tablet probably makes sense. If you’re one of these people, the Duet 11 is probably the best Chromebook tablet for you.
If you don’t have a strong use case for a tablet, you’ll probably stick with a more traditional Chromebook. You can get a great Chromebook with similar performance and specs, such as the Acer Chromebook Plus 515, for a similar price. There may be slightly more expensive Chromebook Plus models with additional AI features, such as Lenovo, available at similar prices. IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus. In any case, traditional Chromebook laptops have much more user-friendly keyboards than the Duet 5, making it much easier to use on your lap. I think the Duet 5 is an attractive device, but I think a clamshell Chromebook would be better. It’s an option for most people.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024)
If you’re looking for a versatile and affordable ChromeOS tablet, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024) is a great choice. It’s highly portable, has a beautiful screen, and comes with a cover and keyboard. You can also use the kickstand to prop the device up horizontally or vertically, which is a nice touch.
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