Lenovo Miix 3 10 Quick Review: Versatile 10-inch Tablet With Stylish Keyboard

Lenovo Miix 3 10 Quick Review: Versatile 10-inch Tablet With Stylish Keyboard

By: Juan Loco

Miix 3 10

We review the Lenovo Miix 3 10!

Lenovo introduced an affordable 2-in-1 tablet/PC that’s set to compete with other popular tablet convertibles in the Philippine market. That device is the 10-inch Miix 3 which sports a sports a Bay Trail Intel Atom Processor, full HD IPS display, 2GB RAM, 64GB of storage all for just under Php 20,000. In Europe, a similar 32GB version retails for around 320 euros.

Lenovo Miix 3 10 Specs

  • 1.33 GHz Intel Atom Z3735F quad-core processor
  • Intel HD Graphics
  • 2GB RAM
  • 10.1 inch Full HD IPS display, 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution
  • 2-megaixel front camera
  • 64GB expandable via microSD
  • 6800mAh battery
  • Microsoft Windows 8.1 32 Bit
  • Folio case with keyboard, Microsoft Office 365 (1 year license)

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Initial Review: Very good tablet for the price, but battery life disappoints

The body of the Miix 3, though made of plastic, does not feel cheap. Its rounded edges of the back make it easy to hold. The sides of the tablet appear to be some kind of metal which allows the tablet to fit perfectly in the magnetic keyboard dock.

Unlike its competitors like the Asus T100, Acer Switch 10 and the Cherry Mobile Shift, the Miix 3 does not have a keyboard dock with additional 500 GB storage and a full-sized USB port. Its battery life also does not match with the 11-hour up time of the ASUS T100. The design of the Miix 3 hews closer the Cherry Mobile Alpha Morph than its other competitors.

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What the Miix 10 lacks in additional hard disk space and battery life, it tries to make up for with a great display, an excellent keyboard and folio case and built-in storage at a price that is possibly P3,000 lower than the tablet convertible offerings of Asus and Acer.

The keyboard is quite spacious, not cramped like the keyboards of competing devices. The keys and trackpad are quite responsive. The folio case is covered by rubber has a pretty nice patterned design. The tablet fits into the folio case via a magnetic dock and two clips on the side. Removing the tablet from the keyboard folio often requires some effort with the clips, unlike most convertibles that require just one click of the lock. The tablet stands by folding the back cover. The folding stand requires a flat surface and is not stable enough when typing on your lap.

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The retailer says that the Full HD IPS display comes in scratch resistant Gorilla Glass. It does feel sturdier than the screen of its competitors, and the 10-point touch screen is very responsive. The colors are vibrant, though its sometimes hampered by moderate glare. The display, though superior to most convertibles, is also the biggest drain on the underwhelming 6,800 mAh battery.

The Miix 3 comes with a free one-year subscription to Microsoft Office 365, unlike the ASUS T100 that comes with a lifetime version of Office Home and Student. You can also access Microsoft’s One Drive for added online storage.

The unit I bought has a quirk with the micro SD card reader. There are times when the micro SD card is not detected. It is annoying because one has to remove the flap cover of the micro SD card slot and re-insert the micro SD card. To do this, you have to first remove the tablet from the dock because the flap is covered by the folio clip that keeps the tablet in place.

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The Miix 3 has one speaker grill on the left and is quite frankly very weak compared to the dual speakers on the back of the ASUS T100.

If your work on the tablet is focused mainly on Office apps, web browsing, social media and occasional video viewing, and if you could live without the 500 GB storage of other convertibles, this unit could work well for you.

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