Lenovo unveils Miix 2: 8-inch tablet, Bay Trail, and Office for $299
Lenovo is going small with the Miix 2 tablet. The 8-inch slate puts Bay Trail, Intel's newest Atom technology, inside a svelte case and includes Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 for only $299. The optional smart cover ($20) with a stylus rounds out the Miix 2.
The dimensions of the Miix 2 are impressive: 5.18in x 8.48in x .32in, so the tablet is very small. The weight is just 0.77lb making it a highly portable 8-inch tablet that runs Windows 8.1.
The Lenovo Miix 2 is one of the first tablets that will be available with an Intel Bay Trail quad-core processor. This latest iteration of the Atom family is designed to run faster and longer than previous generations. The full specifications show just how much Windows tablet you can get for less than $300:
- Intel Bay Trail-T Quad Core processor
- Genuine Windows 8.1
- 8” HD display (1280x800) with multi-touch and 178 degree wide viewing angle; 16:10 widescreen
- 2GB LP-DDR3 memory
- 32/64 GB eMMC storage
- Weight: .77 lbs.
- Dimensions: 5.18” x 8.48” x .32”
- Integrated Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and 3G-GPS3 connectivity
- 2MP front camera / 5MP rear camera
- Up to 7 hrs. of battery life
- Price: $299 (32GB) & $349 (64GB), Cover with stylus-pen = $20
Featured
The quoted battery life of 7 hours is not as long as we would expect from the newer Intel processor but we'll have to see it in action to make a final determination about it. Tablets need to get at least 10 hours away from an outlet to get through a work day.
Lenovo has informed ZDNet that the stylus/pen that comes with the optional $20 smart cover is capacitive (for working with touch screens) and does not use an active digitizer. Normally capacitive digitizers and the pens with a spongy tip they use are not as accurate as those that use an active digitizer. We'll have to try it to see how well it works for things like handwritten input.
The Lenovo Miix 2 will be available at the end of October starting at $299 (32GB) and $349 (64GB). It will be available from Lenovo and major retailers.
See also: