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The Lenvo Ideapad Miix 700 features a by-now familiar keyboard-cover-augmented tablet design

When Microsoft introduced the Surface, it caused a corking corporeality of defoliation in the industry, and consternation amid its partners. Later on all, Microsoft relies almost entirely on the strength of its hardware OEM partners, both for the direct acquirement generated by Windows and for subsequent Office revenue. Microsoft claimed it was selling its own devices in large part out of frustration with the state of Windows computers. It felt there was room for improvement and innovation in blueprint and functionality. Unfortunately, the first Surface didn't make much of a marketplace touch, just it helped popularize the convertible category, and the active stylus, as well every bit breaking the design bottleneck that had surrounded the Ultrabook category.

Nearly four years, and several versions of Surface products, afterwards, Microsoft's strategy has reaped some dramatic rewards. My feel with Lenovo's new IdeaPad Miix 700 is a corking case of the initiative's success. It's possible that the Miix 700 would never have happened without the example, and competitive push, that the Surface family provided. Of course, Microsoft wins either way, whether the Surface products themselves sell, or they promote the creation of innovative new Windows-based devices that create royalty and application software revenue for them.

Faux is the sincerest form of flattery

If you taped over the logos, and Lenovo's distinctive watchband-fashion hinge, you lot could easily fault the Miix 700 for a Surface Pro model. The Miix 700 mimics the formerly unique keyboard embrace and adjustable kickstand features of the Surface lineup. The Miix keyboard even includes a magnet so it tin can be used slanted slightly upwards like the Surface. I actually like typing on the Miix better than on the Microsoft Type cover for the SP3, although the upgraded version Microsoft has released for the SP3 and SP4 matches typing on the Miix. Some users have reported glitches with the Miix's keyboard, but I oasis't experienced any. Looks-wise, the Miix'southward stylish touches definitely requite it some uniqueness. Build quality of the by and large metal Miix is also really solid, even compared to the well-built Surface models.

I'm a big fan of backlit keyboards, and so the backlight on Microsoft'south version is a large win for me. But the white keycap pigment on the Miix seems to be highly-reflective, so in some cases the reflection from the screen tin can most make them seem backlit. Microsoft has besides had more than time to work with active stylus engineering science, and then I find its latest incarnation a lilliputian more natural to write with than the Lenovo version. Both are very good.

Lenovo Miix 700 could be a Surface Pro iii.5

Surface Pro 3 looks almost identical to the Lenovo Miix 700The Miix positions itself fairly nicely between the SP3 and SP4. Compared to the SP3, Information technology features an updated CPU (information technology uses fries from Intel's new Core M "Skylake" family), and a similar screen (12-inch 2160 x 1440). Both the Miix and the SP3 tin be purchased with either 4GB or 8GB or RAM. The SP3 tin be purchased with an SSD every bit large as 512GB, while the max on the Miix is 256GB. Both besides feature enterprise-requested TPM chips. Both the SP3 and Miix 700 weigh about ane.7 pounds without the keyboard. In my feel, the Miix has better battery life (both when running and when sleeping) than my SP3 — although in fairness my SP3 battery is over a year one-time.

Base prices on the Miix and Surface Pro 3 are also fairly similar — ranging from near $550 to $ane,100 for the SP3 and $700 to $1,100 for the Miix, depending on configuration. One place where they differ is accessories. The SP3 typically includes the Surface Pen, merely not the keyboard (most another $120, although there are bundles that include one), while the Miix 700 includes the keyboard, but not the Agile Pen (another $40). The Surface Pro 4 picks upwardly where the SP3 and Miix leave off. That lineup features faster processors that are newer than those found on the SP3, a higher-resolution display, options for more memory and storage, better cameras and speakers, and a higher price tag — starting at around $850 and going all the way to almost $ii,000.

Closing the storage gap using a microSD card

Adding a Lexar 200GB microSD card more than doubled the storage on my review Miix 700As phone buyers have known for a long time, it is ofttimes less expensive to buy a model with less memory and and so add together external storage. That hasn't been as effective on convertible tablets, as the storage amounts are much larger. That's starting to change though. I added a Lexar 200GB microSD card to the 128GB Miix 700 review unit, successfully more doubling its available storage for $100. There are a couple tradeoffs with this arroyo — the storage isn't a seamless part of your system drive, and won't be nearly equally fast as an SSD — simply at 95 MB/second, the card is fast enough to use for storing photos, music, and movies.

Technically, you tin also upgrade the SSD inside the Miix 700 (it is an m.2 class factor, similar that found in many tablets) by simply removing the screwed-on back embrace. From past experience, this can crusade some hiccups for some of the more than advanced Windows x kick features, and for the 1-button restore software, so it may not be for everyone.

Lenovo adds a few squeamish software touches

Every bit far equally software, all these tablet convertibles come with Windows 10. The SP3 and SP4 send with Windows 10 Pro, while the Miix 700 is available with either Pro or Home, depending on the configuration. Lenovo has gotten in some hot water in the by for the software information technology bundles on some of its systems, but I've found that with both the Miix 700 and the Yoga that I reviewed recently, the add-on software has been tastefully chosen and useful.

WRITEit shows a lot of promise for annotating screens, pages, and documents, but isn't the easiest tool to figure out

In particular, the Miix comes with WRITEit, an app that lets you scribble just about anywhere, in whatsoever application, and adds your text either equally a comment or translates it into typed text. Its OneKey Recovery is also great for those who demand to hand off machines to others, or who have most of their information backed upwardly in the cloud and need to be able to quickly reset or fix a system — like reviewers, for case! The other applications, REACHit and SHAREit, are more typical of the cloud-sharing apps you lot'd find bundled on many computer models these days.

Choices in devices make users the ultimate winners

It's not bad to see a variety of options for users in this space. Your pick between these devices, and some others that compete with them, is likely to come up down to relatively small things. For example, Lenovo enterprise customers are pleased that they can go along their purchasing and vendor direction simplified by staying with Lenovo for tablets, while some retail buyers who like the convenience of walking into a Microsoft shop for assistance, accessories, or service might well opt for a Surface model for that reason (you can buy quite a few Lenovo models from the Microsoft Shop, but the Miix 700 is not currently one of them).