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Lenovo’s latest ChromeOS tablet is a formidable upgrade from the original Duet Chromebook tablet and it makes a perfect secondary or companion device for lightweight tasks and content consumption. Unfortunately, smaller ChromeOS tablets (excluding the HP x2 11) have generally been limited to 4GB of RAM. While that’s not a deal breaker for most, it really restricts the capability of a device like the Duet 3 that is powered by the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 SoC. This chip is quite capable and when it’s matched with 8GB of RAM, it can actually handle a little bit of a workload.
This is exactly why the larger 13.3″ Duet 5 is more desirable for many. You get that crispy OLED display and enough RAM to actually use the 2-in-1 as a productivity machine. Honestly, it’s a shame. ChromeOS tablets are actually getting really good and those who are used to smaller devices like the standard iPad deserve a Chromebook with flagship caliber internals. The Chromebook Duet 3 is a perfect example. It looks and feels just as premium as its larger sibling and we have often expressed our frustration at the fact that OEMs seem content not giving smaller tablets more than 4GB of RAM.
Well, it appears that we aren’t alone and Lenovo has heard the cries of the people. Out of nowhere, Lenovo has quietly listed a new version of the Chromebook Duet 3 on the company’s website and it just so happens that it is equipped with 8GB of RAM. Apart from the upgraded RAM, this model appears to be identical to the version at Best Buy but there is one more feature that this one has that the BB model doesn’t. The USI 2.0 Lenovo Pen is included. It wasn’t clear from the product page if that were true but I was able to track down the spec sheet for this specific model and sure enough, the stylus comes with it. BONUS!
Here’s the best part. The new 8GB version of the Duet 3 with the included pen only costs $50 more than the 4GB model at Best Buy which doesn’t include the pen. That does put it at $429 which is only $70 less than the Duet 5 but for those who really prefer a 10-11″ tablet, this is a solid price. Chances are good that we’ll see some holiday discounts on the Chromebook Duet 3 but if you want one right now, you can still score 6% cashback if you use Raketen at check out. Also, qualified educators and other eligible shoppers may want to check Lenovo’s discount program. My military veteran status knocked $30 off of the price and that makes this deal that much sweeter.
