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Bundle 1: i7-8550U,16GB Ram, 1TB SSD Memory, Backlit keyboard, Grey

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Bundle 1: i5-8250U,8GB Ram, 512GB SSD Memory, Backlit keyboard,Grey

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2-in-1 ​IdeaPad MIIX 520 = Windows Touch Tablet + Keyboard Laptop

Lenovo Ideapad Miix 520 review: A superb Windows tablet with a powerful 8th gen intel processor

The Lenovo Ideapad Miix 520 aspires to compete with Microsoft’s Surface Pro, and it checks nearly all of the boxes: excellent performance; a bright, high-resolution display; and a comfortable typing experience. Nevertheless, the Miix 520 is a great alternative to the pricier Surface lineup.

As Windows tablets coalesce toward the 12.2-inch panel size used by the Miix 520, comparing them is all about tradeoffs. The Miix 520, which is currently available in only one configuration upgrades the typical tablet display from 1080p to a 1920x1200 panel. 

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Description

Lenovo Miix 520: Build quality and display

Save for Lenovo’s silvery “watchband” hinge, the Miix 520’s platinum silver exterior is discreet, as is the case with most tablets,there’s much more of a sense of “busy:” a fan grille runs along the top of the tablet, ports cluster to the left-hand-side, and speaker grilles pop out here and there.

The watchband hinge isn’t just for show. It supports the weight of the tablet (which, at 2.72 pounds with the keyboard, is a bit heavier than the competition), and it reclines to 150 degrees (the same range as the Surface Pro) with hardly a wobble. Lenovo uses the thin “sheath” kickstand that most tablet makers (except HP) employ, though, which can jab your thighs after prolonged use.

When powering on the Miix 520, you may notice one of the design touches that please habitual Lenovo users: the on-screen battery gauge. You also have the option (via the Lenovo Vantage software, discussed later) of placing a battery icon widget on your taskbar. 

While the Miix 520’s 12.2-inch, 1920 x 1200 IPS panel taxes battery life and lacks the visual pop of, say, the OLED screen used by the Samsung Galaxy Book, the experience is worth it. There’s a perceptible improvement in display quality compared to 1920x1080. The luminosity maxes out at just 298 nits, which is somewhat less than the competition, but we consider something between 250 and 270 nits to be comfortable for average use.

Unfortunately, one aspect where the Miix 520 skimps too much is Windows Hello. The tablet lacks a fingerprint reader, and the 5MP front-facing camera is not Windows Hello-capable. The rear-facing 8MP camera is suitable for Mixed Reality Viewer, a fun new feature in Windows 10 where you can snap a photo with your tablet and then drop in one of thousands of 3D objects to spice it up.

Lenovo Miix 520: Keyboard, ports, and speakers

Lenovo is known for its keyboards, and the Miix 520 generally does not disappoint. Instead of the Alcantara fabrics that have become the design trend du jour, Lenovo opts for a more basic pleather, which surrounds the keyboard and works just fine. Each key is large enough to offer a comfortable landing, and the 1.5mm travel lends itself to prolonged typing.

The row of relatively tiny function keys at the top includes dedicated controls for toggling the touchpad, adjusting the brightness and sound, and locking the tablet. Users can also toggle the keyboard backlight, a nice touch that isn’t always duplicated on rival machines. Unlike the Lenovo X-series tablets, the Miix 520 also forgoes both trackpad buttons, as well as the iconic red TrackPoint pointing stick.

Though the trackpad feels rather small, the glass surface allows smooth scrolling, and clicks registered in all but the very upper regions of the trackpad. 

Lenovo more than makes up for that with the seemingly bulletproot magnetic connection between the keyboard and the tablet itself. Like other tablets, the Miix 520 uses a dual hinge that folds back, creating two points of contact and angling the keyboard slightly. The keyboard grips so tightly that I was able to suspend the tablet itself from the keyboard. In other words, if the tablet is perched on your lap and falls backward over your knees, it probably ain’t going anywhere.

Ports are a key concern with any Windows tablet, especially as manufacturers manage the transition from legacy USB-A connectors to the new USB-C standard. The Miix 520 wisely splits the difference with two USB 3.0 ports: one Type A and one Type C. The Type C port doesn’t support the high-speed Thunderbolt protocol, nor is it used for charging—there’s still a dedicated power port, leaving both ports available for use. No dongles are included.

Don’t forget about the microSD slot tucked away on the back of the tablet, either. (On Lenovo’s website, the manufacturer erroneously reports that the Miix 520 includes a microSIM slot instead.)

The Miix 520’s speakers deliver audio at satisfactory levels—a little softer than, say, a comparable HP tablet, but with good midrange and response in the upper registers. Over headphones, the Miix 520 digs deep to deliver the low-end bass response its own internal speakers lack, with some of the most enjoyable audio I’ve experienced from a tablet. A nice bonus is an actual Dolby Audio app, complete with the graphics equalizer so often missing from Windows machines. (Somewhat sadly, though, it lacks any presets.) 

The Miix 520 ships with what Lenovo calls the Active Pen 2, a sturdy stylus with 4,096 levels of pressure, though no tilt support. Lenovo also helpfully includes Wacom’s own Wacom Pen stylus app to manage the Active Pen 2.

Though using the Active Pen 2 is a breeze, assembling it is much more complicated than with other pens. You’ll need to unscrew the top, then use a coin to disassemble that piece into two more pieces, install the smallest pair of coin batteries I’ve ever seen, reassemble the top, then drop in a AAAA battery to power the whole contraption. It’s a task you’ll want to devote some care to. Lenovo appears to use separate batteries for powering the wireless connection to the tablet as well as the general stylus functions, but the payoff isn’t immediately apparent.

Extra software

Lenovo generally excluded bloatware from the Miix 520. The company bundles a trial of McAfee LiveSafe, the Microsoft Office apps (which require a subscription to Office 365 to activate) and Minecraft, plus the ubiquitous Candy Crush Soda Saga and March of Empires: War of Lords.

Somewhat oddly, Lenovo bundled both its own Lenovo Settings app as well as the new Lenovo Vantage, a smartly designed utility to do everything from manage updates to explore several offers. When opened, though, Lenovo Settings simply informs the user that the Settings app and Vantage have merged, and Settings can be uninstalled. Maybe you could go the extra mile next time, Lenovo?

Vantage and the related Lenovo App Explorer also serve as front doors of sorts to additional, optional apps like Lenovo Le-Note, a OneNote-like inking app that allows you jot a note on the screen, even when the tablet is locked.

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