The category-defining Chromebook Duet from Lenovo is getting a sequel, more than a year after its debut. The Chromebook Duet 5 (known outside of North America as the IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook) is a reimagining, head-to-toe, of the budget-oriented Duet with a higher price, new processor and, most importantly, a 13.3-inch OLED display.
Lenovo claims that the Duet 5 will be the first of many Duet additions. This is in an ambitious attempt to make the detachable form factor available at multiple price points. For the moment, the company will still sell the 10.1-inch Duet.
A 2-in-1 Chrome OS tablet and keyboard with detachable keyboard
Lenovo claims that the new OLED display covers 100 per cent of the DCI–P3 color gamut and emits 70 percent less blue light than an ordinary LCD panel. The Duet 5 will be undoubtedly one of the most affordable laptops to ever feature this technology, at a starting price point of $429.99.
This Chromebook is one of many thin and light OLED laptops that have been recently introduced in the market. Asus also has added Windows-powered OLED models in its IdeaPad range, while Lenovo also has the IdeaPad line of IdeaPads. Asus has equipped a variety of its consumer and enterprise lines with the technology (including its ultraportable ZenBook and budget VivoBook). OLED is not a new trend. In January, Samsung (the largest OLED vendor in the world) announced that it would start mass producing laptop-sized OLED screens at 90Hz.
The Chromebook Duet 5 will run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 computing platform, which was announced in May. This chip is intended for entry-level laptops. It was recently featured in the $349 Samsung Galaxy Book Go. Although Chrome OS has been slower than Windows, it is still faster than Windows.
This year, a number of laptop models have incorporated the detachable form factor. It is most commonly associated with Microsoft's Surface Pro devices. Asus now offers the Chromebook Detachable CM3, a direct competitor to the Duet, but it is more expensive. It has a built in stylus garage and a kickstand which folds horizontally and vertically. The HP Elite Folio is $1,629, which also has a Snapdragon processor, but runs Windows and is covered in leather. Lenovo tested the form factor earlier this year in an X-Series ThinkPad equipped with the X12 Detachable and an Intel Core i5 processor.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7c Gen2 compute platform will power the Chromebook Duet 5.
The original Duet's low price, portability and long battery life are what make it so attractive. (We were able to get well over 11 hours continuous use in our testing. The Duet 5 weighs more than the smaller Duet, and is significantly more expensive. The predecessor is priced at $279. Duet 5 uses a different processor than the Duet 5 and has a screen that is traditionally more power-hungry. This means battery life is uncertain. The ThinkPad X1 fold, Lenovo's latest attempt at an OLED detachable OLED display, was a failure in this area. Although a 13.3-inch OLED screen looks great, it will be difficult to determine if it is a good investment.
The Chromebook Duet 5 will be available by October.
