Last week we showed you the Venue 8 Pro, Dell’s first foray into the 8-inch tablet world running Windows 8.1. This week, we have Lenovo’s answer: the Miix2. Available at Amazon and costing $299 with 32GB of internal storage (64 GB optional available), these two devices have more in common than differences. Still, there are a few variances worth noting.
Head past the break for our unboxing and quick video tour of Lenovo’s 8-inch competitor. Want to see it against the Dell? Stay tuned as we’re testing them out now.
Lenovo IdeaTab Miix2 specifications
- Windows 8.1 (full, not RT)
- Intel® Atom™ (Bay Trail) Quad-Core Processor Z3740 (2M Cache, up to 1.86 GHz)
- 8” HD (1280x800) Display With IPS Technology
- 2 GB RAM (LPDDR3-1066)
- 32 GB Flash memory (64 GB also available); microSD expansion (up to 64 GB)
- Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
- 8 MP rear camera; 2 MP front facing camera
- Capacitive Windows key (front bezel)
- Wi-Fi 802.11bgn; Bluetooth 4.0
- 350g (0.77 lbs)
- 8.35 mm thick
On paper, the Dell and Lenovo are very similar, though the Dell has a Z3740D processor with slightly different memory. Both are clocked the same, though some count the 1.86 GHz burst speed as the clock speed, which is 1.33 GHz—so don’t get too confused on that as they’re both performing at similar speeds.
The Miix2 is certainly light and nimble, more so than the Dell, although it does feel a tad too flimsy. We also didn’t care for the buttons, which lack the ‘click’ of the Dell’s, feeling less reliable and requiring more effort to use.
Lenovo is also unabashedly unapologetic about slapping Windows 8, Intel, and FCC stickers on the back, making it look like a high school locker. Sure, you can peel them off but it’s a terrible looking first impression.
We did have some trouble getting things going on first boot and syncing to our account. Mail errors, apps not downloading and not connecting to the Store were the most frequent. After forcing Windows Update, which found a few dozen patches waiting, things got back on track, but it was not an ideal “out of box” experience. We also have an issue on occasion where plugging it into charge turns the display off and it’s hard to get the device back on.
Oh, and it has McAfee pre-installed, which is like sticking your fingers in your eyes. You can uninstall it and we highly recommend that you do just that.
When it comes to performance and the display, we have no complaints. The IPS screen and Intel processor don’t disappoint.
For $299, the Miix2 is looking to be a okay tablet, but our gut instinct tells us the Dell is built slightly better, even if a smidgen heavier and not as elegant looking.
We’ll put the Dell and Lenovo up against each other in the coming days. Any one in our audience have the Lenovo? Sound off and let us know what you’ve noticed.
