The 8-inch Windows Tablets all look similar but underneath the specifications there’s always one or two unique features. The Lenovo Miix 2 8 offers us the lightest 8-inch Windows 8 tablet build, GPS, a good price and some good looks but are there any issues lurking under the cover? We take a deep-dive in our Lenovo Miix 2 8 review.
After spending so much time with the first line of 8-inch tablets it was good to spend a bit more time with a retail version of the Lenovo Thinkpad 8, a tablet that offers a number of additional features but costs a little more. A quick disk, CPU and OpenGL test gave us confirmation that this product has more than just a higher resolution screen.
The Z3770 CPU, 8MP camera, USB3.0 port, large battery and 1920×1200 resolution are easy to see on the specification list but what’s not easy to see is the quality of the screen and the speed of the disk which, at 160MB/s is the best read speed we’ve seen on a Baytrail-T tablet.
In the video below you’ll see the following test results:
The CPU scores there are a little higher than the Z3740-based tablets but not by that much. The OpenGL scores are on-par with the other tablets. In this quick test it appears that despite the better processor there’s not much advantage over Z3740-based tablets. The disk performance is solid though.
In comparison with other devices it’s difficult to really call out a winner because the Thinkpad 8 has a few features that make it unique. The USB3.0 port, for example, enables a better USB docking experience. The 128GB SSD option is unique an the 1920×1200 screen also on the list of unique features.
If you don’t need these features then the compact dimensions of the Dell Venue 8 Pro make it the consumer-focused winner but if you want to have the best all-round set of possibilities, the Thinkpad 8 is worth the extra money, unless you believe that there might be a 4GB/64-Bit version on the horizon.
Thanks to TabletBlog.de for the loaner at CeBIT. (Their unboxing here in German.)
This completes my assessment of every single 8-inch Windows tablet out there today. I’ve fully reviewed the Toshiba Encore WT8, the ASUS Vivotab Note 8 and am currently reviewing the Dell Venue 8 Pro. At MWC last week I got hold of the Lenovo Thinkpad 8, the Lenovo Miix 2 8 and the Acer W4 to complete the flush. I spent as much time as I could trying to work out where they fit and sure enough they all have their position. All three devices I tested at MWC are good tablets but the Thinkpad 8 is definitely the more advanced of the three with its impressive 8.3-inch 1920×1200 screen and light weight. The Lenovo Miix 2 8 is a good looking tablet and offers all the basics in a lightweight and smooth-edged unit but it was the Acer W4 I was most surprised at. With a 19Wh battery, 3G (option), HDMI, two keyboard accessories and a very good IPS screen it seems to have pulled together an impressive product.
I ran a last-minute Google Hangout this evening which worked out well because not only was I able to present 5 Windows 8.1 tablets, I was also able to answer questions from the viewers. During the session I recorded a higher quality video for YouTube and both videos are embedded in this article.
The Lenovo Miix 2 10 is a 2-in-1 Windows 8.1 tablet with a keyboard dock, not a laptop with detachable tablet! You’ll find out why in the detailed Lenovo Miix 2 10 review below along with details on performance, battery life, usability and quality. We’ve also included a comparison with the ASUS Transformer Book T100.
A lot of you have asked about the differences between the Lenovo Miix 2 10 and the ASUS Transformer Book T100 so I’ve been onto Intel Germany and they’ve helped us out with a T100 for us to test with. All your questions will be answered soon!
After a wobbly start in the US I think the Lenovo Miix 2 is about to take off. Lenovo have dropped the unexpectedly high price for the 128GB model to $599 and now offer the 64GB version at $499. With that they’ve made good on their original pricing plan. The price is $100 more than you can find the ASUS T100 for though and that option, which has been very popular over the last 2 months, has longer battery life!
The question of T100 Vs Miix 2 10 is a complex one and I will be helping you to answer that question soon as both devices are here in the office now. Obviously the screen and keyboard are the main points of comparison but there’s also the availability to consider. The T100 has been so popular that it’s being offered at $499 in some cases where it’s in-stock.
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Click the images for the specification pages.
The Lenovo Miix 2 10 is shipping now and available through the Lenovo.com website with the coupon code MIIX10DEAL In Europe we’ve seen it in shops at 469 Euro (inc. taxes.)
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