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Last Updated on March 29, 2020
Another day, another Windows 8 tablet. That’s not necessarily a bad thing for consumers; Windows 8 has a lot to offer in the tablet environment. The problem, at least for manufacturers, is that the proliferation of Windows tablets has made it difficult for any individual tablet to stand out.
This is the quandary Lenovo faces with its ten-inch IdeaPad Miix. It’s a solid device, but solid may not be enough in an oversaturated market.
Hands-On Impressions
Constructed primarily from polycarbonate, the Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 10 feels pretty unimpressive. It isn’t flimsy enough to cause major durability concerns, but it lacks a certain solidness that marks a premium device.
At 10.4-by-6.8-by-0.4 inches and 1.3 pounds, it is appealingly slim and light. It doesn’t quite match up with tablets like the Acer Iconia W510 or Lenovo’s own ThinkPad Tablet 2, but it’s still thin and light enough to be comfortable during extended use. The device feels a bit too long when used in portrait mode, but it’s not a big issue.
Tablet Tour
Working our way around the Lenovo Miix 10
The bottom features the docking port and micro-USB socket. The microSD card slot, which is recessed and covered by a plastic hatch, is a bit inconvenient on this tablet in comparison to devices which use an uncovered slot. The micro-HDMI is also disappointing since it requires a separate adapter, but it isn’t a deal-breaker.
Resolving the Details
The Miix’s 10.1-inch, 1,366-by-768 display is similar to both the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 and Acer’s Iconia W510, which is to say that it’s pretty forgettable. The resolution produces a fair bit of fuzziness on the ten-inch display, especially with text and other small items.
Color and contrast are generally quite good, however, and the IPS panel delivers good brightness and viewing angles. Windows 8 tablets generally have similar displays, making a tablet comparison something of a wash.
Under the Hood
As with displays, the performance hardware of many Windows 8 tablets is more or less identical. As such, the Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 10 features the standard 1.8-gigahertz Intel Atom Z2760 processor and two gigabytes of RAM.
The result, predictably, is performance that’s almost identical compared to tablets with the same hardware. The hardware is good enough for routine tasks, which seems to be what Windows 8 tablets are most used for. Performance is generally smooth and responsive for word processing, web browsing, and simple apps.
Just don’t expect to play games or do other hardware-intensive tasks that Intel Core i5-powered tablets excel at.
Tablet Roundup
All things considered, the Lenovo Miix 10 is a fairly forgettable tablet. The performance specifications and display are mostly identical to the competition, and the price tag may not be justified.
The inclusion of a folio-type keyboard dock is a nice touch for students and business-oriented users, but still there are better options for the money. Users who want a tablet more suited for gaming and multimedia use would be better served by eschewing the Atom-based class of tablets altogether and opting for a Core i5 tablet.