Lenovo Ideapad Duet 5i Review: Super Versatile
RETAIL Price: $789.99
Disclaimer: Lenovo sent us a unit of the Ideapad Duet 5i free of charge to review, but all thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are our own and were not discussed with the company prior to publishing.
A couple of years back, I was extremely excited to purchase the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. While I’ve never been a fan of the Microsoft Surface-like form factor for a 2-in-1 laptop, the Duet was a huge step forward for the next generation of ChromeOS. That was worth the compromise for being on Google’s computing ecosystem. Since then, Lenovo and other laptop makers have greatly expanded their product lines. Lenovo sent us the Ideapad Duet 5i to review which retails for $789.99. With Windows 11 as the operating system instead of ChromeOS, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this type of computing device. After plenty of time with it, I found the tablet to be extremely versatile. There’s definitely more ways to use it than two. While many of my original feelings towards this form factor still haven't changed, the Duet 5i did help move the needle forward for me.
Putting The “I” In Duet
We’ll start off with the basics. The “i” in the Duet 5i stands for Intel as the PC giant uses a 12th gen Intel Core i3-1215U processor to handle the workload. The lowest configuration we have comes with 8 GB of ram, and 128 GB of SSD. I actually have had pretty good experiences with this chipset in the past. Based on specs alone, one could assign this Windows device into the lower mid-range of the market segment. Of course, this isn’t just any ordinary clamshell laptop though. Anybody looking at the Duet 5i as a contender for their personal device is doing so because of the versatile form factor.
2-In-1
Included with the purchase comes an attachable backlit folio keyboard that magnetically attaches to the tablet. That’s a classic 2-in-1 structure as the Duet 5i instantly becomes a tablet the second it detaches from the keyboard. While we’re on the subject of the keyboard, it isn’t always a given that an included keyboard is good. The one here is good. I’m impressed with the level of quality Lenovo gives as an included keyboard. It comes in only a Stone Blue color that matches the cool shimmering body of the tablet. The mixture of plastic and cloth actually works pretty well together. The plastic body on both the Duet 5i and the folio keyboard feels well built and exudes as much of a premium feel as plastic can possibly provide. There’s considerable heft behind the combined 2.6 lbs of electronics here. I feel as though the laptop is quite sturdy to transport around and the folio keyboard acts as a good case to protect the tablet. It’s nice to have a durable daily computing device you don’t have to worry about damaging without a case.
As for the layout of the folio keyboard, the keys are concise while still well spaced apart. It was a comfortable typing experience for my fingers to float from one key to another. There’s a very shallow input with the keyboard that recoils just enough to not feel too hollow. I personally had no problems typing on here. However, it also wasn’t anything too uniquely satisfying either. As with many laptop situations, the trackpad experience seems to usually match the level of quality as the keyboard. There’s a decent sized rectangular trackpad that is responsive and feels satisfactory to operate. I don’t really have anything negative to say about both the keyboard and the trackpad. They do a good job while feigning a sense of quality.
What I don’t like about the folio keyboard is the strip in which the magnetic connector resides on. It sits on a thin panel of plastic that is propped up by a narrow residue of cloth that extends off the keyboard body. While the cloth material does feel durable with tight intertwined sewing, this dangling flap gives me anxiety. I understand the design language and why this section needs to be flexible in order for the keyboard to lay flat on the surface, but I’m just not a fan of this type of look. Interestingly enough though, the tablet doesn’t need to actually be connected to the keyboard magnetically for the keyboard to function. You can simply prop the tablet up with its built-in body stand and set the keyboard inches away for a more comfortable viewing experience. I find that very neat and actually more comfortable to have that Nintendo Switch type of portable experience.
Product Specs +
8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage
Intel Core i3-1215U
Integrated Intel UHD GPU
Windows 11 Home
12.3-inch LCD display
2560 x 1600p 60 hz refresh rate
Front and Rear 5 MP cameras
Build Quality
The kickstand on the body is superb. Once again, I’m not a huge fan of these built into the body kick stands, but I can’t deny that there is a superb quality behind the design of the Duet 5i’s hinge. Mechanically, it pushes and pulls in a smooth manner. There’s some resistance to the motion that adds support to the base. Some of the 2-in-1’s I’ve used in the past are either way too loose or way too stiff. The Duet 5i has this perfected down to a tee. The stand also offers a pretty decent range of flexibility in which it props up the tablet. It can rest the tablet anywhere between 120° to about 150° positions. As I spent more time with the Duet 5i and the various ways you can use this type of tablet/laptop, I found myself understanding why there is a market that has materialized years removed from the first Surface. The fact that one minute I can be sitting on the floor reading a novel in tablet form, then the next it's attached to a keyboard on a table and I can get right to working on an article, I think I’m finally seeing the attractiveness here.
performance
The i3 CPU has just enough strength to get tasks flowing in an enjoyable manner. None of the applications I use on a daily basis were unusable. Devices like the Duet 5i are meant to provide both personal enjoyment and business performance. It handled the work suite things fine, but the entertainment aspect just barely squeaked by. Without a dedicated graphics card and only 8 GB of ram, gaming isn’t really a suitable option when considering this as an only laptop. I could still run Rise of the Tomb Raider at 1080p with the lowest settings, but it certainly wasn’t the most enjoyable that game can be while playing it on here. While Lara Croft makes every system look much better than it actually performs, the benchmarks gave an average of about 20 FPS. If you really wanted to play some games on here like Tomb Raider, I guess it is somewhat playable but you’re better off looking elsewhere.
Rise of the Tomb Raider didn’t perform too well
Lenovo does compensate by providing us with a magnificent viewing experience. The Duet 5i has a 12.3-inch LCD display that pushes a resolution of 2560x1600p. That’s a sharp quad-HD screen at a 16:10 aspect ratio that has great viewing angles. It’s important for the Duet 5i to be able to provide nice pictures from all angles as a tablet often serves as a media sharing experience. Since it does have the ability to also be tinkered in different angles with the stand, I feel that Lenovo did a good job here. The colors are nice and vivid. If you have a good landscape wallpaper and the tablet is lying on a table, it does catch your attention when passing by. The touch screen aspect of the display is also a benefit to have on a laptop device. My own biases aside, Windows on a display of this size is much more manageable from a touch aspect than it was in the early days of the Surfaces. I actually found myself able to just navigate Windows on full desktop mode with my finger and it wasn’t a chore. I’ve never been a fan of tablet mode on Windows devices so this was a welcome surprise for me. ChromeOS isn’t objectively better at this 2-in-1 game or anything, but I’ve just been very accustomed to that manner of operation.
16:10 is a little too long to hold comfortably in tablet mode
The longer aspect ratio is a bit awkward to hold as a tablet in portrait mode. A lot of tablet makers have gravitated more towards the squarish body shape as it is easier to hold for visual consumption. The 16:10 does make this a great look for movies and games though.
The dual speakers are also a big contributor to the media enjoyment. They project and fill a room nicely without being distorted at higher levels. It’s a warm sound that has a media based distinction. I liked the sound coming out of here.
Tablet Form Sacrifices
Since this is a tablet based computing device, all of the ports are on the frame of the display. There are two USB-C slots on the left side of the frame. One of them is for power as the tablet charges with a USB-C brick. The power button and volume rockers are on the other side, accompanying a headphone jack. That’s not a lot of ports, but you can use dongles to expand accessories for more intensive work purposes. The top of the frame is where the device’s air vents reside. It stretches all the way across the top of the frame. The fans turn on pretty frequently and are noticeable even when idling. It’s not the worst I’ve heard from a device of this nature, but I am spoiled by fanless tablets. This is one trade-off for a bump in performance. Some people don’t mind fan noise and others do. If I was using this in a quiet library setting, the folks at the table next to me definitely will be able to hear it.
Intel mobile processors can be a little power hungry at times. I haven’t really seen it affect the overall experience on the Duet 5i. It can pull off about an average of 9 hours off a single charge. Of course that varies depending on how I use the device, but in general I would say it has decent battery life that can handle a professional work day. Speaking of a work day, one beneficial thing to consider is that Lenovo gives us two cameras on this tablet. Unlike clamshell laptops with only an inner webcam, the Duet 5i has a layout similar to a smartphone. On top of having that 5 MP webcam on the display bezel, there’s also a 5 MP rear camera on the back panel. That’s nice to have for people who actually do swap between a selfie shot to a landscape view during a web meeting in the field. This probably won’t matter to a lot of normal laptop users, but I do surmise that some people looking to buy a 2-in-1 laptop actually do look at finding one that has the ability to present in this manner.
Starting to Change My mind
For someone who isn’t a fan of this form factor, I actually think the Duet 5i is a pretty darn good computing device. It does the tablet thing pretty well, while providing enough just enough oomph inside to be taken seriously as a work device. I don’t have much to dislike here. At this point, the only thing truly holding me back from embracing this 2-in-1 space is processing and graphical power for gaming and video editing. When I’m able to just plop a beautiful display onto a table and have the keyboard sitting on my lap to play an MMORPG or edit a video efficiently, that’s the ultimate form of versatility that I can see myself being spoiled by.
Alex
Caught in between the conundrum of his fascination with retro and the future, Alex has a very unique taste in technology. Never one to follow trends like his millennial peers yet constantly desiring to get ahead of the curve, he sees technology like he does his other love: comic books. Always looking for the best value or a hidden gem, his collector mindset reflects on some of his favorite gadgets: the Moto X (2015), HTC U11 and the Google Pixelbook. If there’s a good tech deal out there, Alex is on the hunt!