BERLIN — While I wasn't a big fan of the Miix 700, Lenovo's previous Surface competitor, the company isn't quite ready to give up on detachable market. Instead, it's giving the Miix line another go with the Lenovo Miix 510, a 12-inch 2-in-1 with the portability and power of a top-notch convertible, and a rock bottom price starting at just $600.
And despite its enticing entry price, the Miix 510 has a lot of room to grow. When the Miix goes on sale in October, it will have a 12.2-inch 1920 x 1200 display, and you will be able to configure it with up to a 6th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe SSD. You can even opt for built-in 4G LTE connectivity. That means if you are willing to spend to beef up your system, you can get good specs and probably still save money when compared to an equivalent Surface Pro 4.
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Let's not forget that while trying to improve on its first generation detachable, Lenovo hasn't gotten rid of what made the Miix line so exciting in the first place — features such as an active stylus and detachable keyboard that come in the box, Lenovo's signature watchband hinge built into the kickstand, two USB ports (Type-A and Type-C), and even an expandable microSD slot.
But what might be the most promising thing about the Miix 510 is that when I tested it out briefly at Lenovo's launch event at IFA 2016 today (August 31), I didn't run into any of the drops and keyboard connectivity issues I encountered when I reviewed the Miix 700 back in March. That seems to indicate Lenovo is well on its way to redeeming the Miix's name, and if the company can find a way to also deliver solid battery life, the next Miix could finally be the wallet-friendly Surface competitor I hoped it would be.
Like a lot of products with lofty goals and prices that seem to good to be true, we'll have to wait for more in-depth testing to render a final verdict. So check back with Laptop Mag for more IFA 2016 coverage throughout the week and a full review of the Miix 510 later this fall.
