Ask me for a advice on a laptop computer and I am going to have over a dozen choices loaded and able to go relying in your wants; however inform me you need to spend lower than $500 and people choices dwindle quickly. It isn’t that there is not something obtainable at that value vary, however there are usually so many compromises that I’ve a tough time telling you to not simply save up somewhat extra to get one thing actually good.
That is why I had some trepidation when the $499 Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook crossed my desk for assessment and why I used to be so ecstatic after lower than a day with it as I knew I now had a go-to reply anytime requested me for a laptop computer below $500. This 13-inch removable 2-in-1 Chromebook with its dazzling OLED show is healthier than it has any proper to be for its value, which makes it a perfect main or secondary laptop computer for a variety of individuals.
Let’s take a fast take a look at what makes this my finest laptop computer below $500.
OLED or bust!
There’s quite a bit to suggest concerning the Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook, however 13.3-inch OLED touchscreen show is the showstopper. Delivering 85.2% of the DCI-P3 coloration gamut (in comparison with the 70% Chromebook common) and a very good 361 nits of brightness, once more destroying the Chromebook common of 270 nits.
The 16:9 panel is a pleasure to look at video on and makes even net looking somewhat extra colourful. And in case you are a photographer, it is 0.22 rating on the Delta-E coloration accuracy take a look at means it is an excellent reference show for utilizing one of many photoshop different for Chromebooks.
Enjoyable with 2-in-1s
At 13.3 inches the Duet 5 is a little bit of a handful as a pill, however the removable kind issue makes it a wonderful transportable TV to make use of round the home or use on a flight when you take away the keyboard. The built-in stand on the again means that you can put it at precisely the correct viewing angle irrespective of the place you wish to watch it.
When you find yourself executed the material keyboard snaps proper again on. Whereas it is not sturdy sufficient to make use of in your lap, the keyboard is excellent when positioned on a desktop. I used to be in a position to simply cruise to 85 phrases per minute typing on it, just one wpm off my typical pace. The 4.2 x 2.4-inch touchpad will show you how to navigate across the show when you do not really feel like utilizing the touchscreen.
Battery life for days
The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook got here up simply shy of our laptops with the perfect battery life with 13 hours and 31 minutes on a single cost. That is solely 35 minutes shy of the MacBook Air M2, which weighs a further 0.7 kilos and prices one other $700.
So what is the catch?
I awarded the Duet 5 Chromebook 4.5 out of 5 stars and an Editor’s Alternative award, however which means it is not good, so what value it that half level? The efficiency is not excellent.
It is a Chromebook, so that you would not assume it should take the place of a gaming laptop computer (though GeForce Now Final is likely to be fairly nice on it) or a content material creator laptop computer. Nevertheless, so long as your use case for a laptop computer is a reasonably frequent mix of net looking, productiveness work, and content material consumption the Duet 5 Chromebook is greater than equal to the duty. I used to be in a position to simply juggle a few Google Chrome tabs with two 1080p YouTube movies working whereas additionally working in Google Docs and there was no stuttering or slowdowns.
Closing ideas
As I stated on the outset, you’re going to make some trade-offs if you wish to spend below $500 on a laptop computer, the important thing with the Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook to me is that it makes the correct trade-offs, whereas delivering excellent worth in different areas.
The show and battery life are incredible, simply on par with laptops twice its value. I like the 2-in-1 kind issue and the material cowl feels nice and provides it a novel look. That Lenovo managed to make a keyboard cowl this skinny work in addition to it does is equally mystifying.
So long as you are not planning to edit video, get into engineering, or recreation natively on the Duet 5 Chromebook, this laptop computer ought to have the ability to sustain along with your wants with out blowing your finances. In the event you’re in search of a sub-$500 laptop computer, congratulations, your search is over.
