The Lenovo Miix 510 is a 2-in-1 Windows tablet that is thin and light with a large-screen, a detachable keyboard that doubles up as its cover, a Lenovo Active Pen stylus and a soft, flexible carry case. With a durable aluminium design and its signature watchband hinges for the tablet’s kickstand, it is a worthy successor to the ever-famous Surface Pro 4.
The Miix 510 offers a premium look and feel, with its magnesium-aluminium chassis shadowed only by the synthetic leather-like-material of the 2-in-1’s keyboard folio. The tablet’s back and sides are made from aluminium which, by the way, can be easily scratched and kind of necessitate using the soft cover-case.
On the backside is the kickstand with its eye-catching watchband hinges that are made from 280 individual pieces of stainless steel. This stand allows you to use the kickstand at almost any angle and hold the tablet securely while working in laptop mode. Opening the stand is a two-handed exercise but it is something we ignored considering how steady the tablet is at all viewing angles. We did have some difficulty in balancing it on the lap; the tablet kept slipping away however we positioned it.
The keyboard uses a two-stage magnetic latch and pogo plugs to pass signals to the tablet. It latches effortlessly to the tablet and is more responsive than most Bluetooth keyboards. A small touchpad sits directly below the keyboard’s spacebar and allows for smooth swipes, clicks and multi-finger gestures. The Miix 510 also has a five-megapixel back camera and a two-megapixel front-facing camera.
The machine’s responsive PCIe SSD allows the device to boot in seconds and programs and files load very fast. Volume controls, the power button, and an audio jack are on the right side of the screen, while USB-C and USB 3.0 ports, and the power jack, are on the left. There’s a slot under the kickstand for either a MicroSD card or a SIM card depending on the chosen configuration.
The screen is extremely responsive and touch sensitivity is excellent. The display is colourful with 1,920-by-1,200 resolution and with its 12.2 inch IPS display, the viewing angles are superb whether you’re working on the desk or watching a video at an angle.
For pressure-sensitive input you can use the bundled Active Pen that sports two small buttons for right-click and erase. The Active Pen comes with a removable plastic nub that connects it to the USB 3.0 port for storage. We wish that Lenovo had put more thought into provision of a storage option, since after mounting the Pen the USB port is blocked from any other use. The tablet’s cloth pouch also has a built-in loop for holding the Active Pen, but it is not one of the most secure places for storing.
While streaming YouTube videos, the back of the tablet section got quite warm. The entire top edge is covered by ventilation slots and the occasional noise from the Miix 700’s cooling fan can be annoying, especially if you are working in a quiet room. Sound from the built-in speakers is nothing to boast about but it is good enough to comfortably fill a medium size room. Battery life is not as impressive as we expected from the MiiX 510. Moderate usage plus some video streaming allowed us to clock a maximum of six hours, making it the only notable downside to the 2-in-1.
The Miix 510 does heat up on heavy usage and we would not recommend it to gamers but it is well suited for an ordinary day’s work. The sound from its fan is also apparent only if you are sitting in a very quiet place like a library, but unnoticeable if you are in a café or a reasonably populated office. Overall, the Lenovo Miix 510 is well-built with some attractive features, a sturdy kickstand and a robust connection between the tablet and keyboard sections. The fact that the detachable keyboard and Active Pen are bundled with no extra cost is an added benefit, although the inability to store it without disabling the single USB 3.0 port is a drawback but certainly not a deal breaker.
Price: AED 3,999
