Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 review

The Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 can be equipped with a 4G LTE modem which is incredibly handy for firing up webpages on the move. There's another model that comes with a 3D camera, but this means that you can't have the modem included as it's Wi-Fi only.

Spec sheet

Here is the Lenovo MIIX 700 configuration sent to Techradar for review:

• CPU: 1.20GHz Intel Core m7-6Y75 (1866MHz 4MB)
• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515
• RAM: 8GB Onboard LPDDR3 1866MHz
• Screen: 12.0-inch FHD+ IPS LED MultiTouch (2160x1440)
• Storage: 256GB SSD SATA III
• Ports: 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, Micro HDMI™-out, microSD™, Audio Combo Jack
• Connectivity: Intel Wireless 8260 (2x2 AC) with BT4.1 + 4G LTE modem
• Camera: Front : 5MP / Rear : 5MP with Auto Focus and Flash
• Weight: Tablet: 1.7 lbs (780 g), Keyboard: 0.7 lbs (330 g)
• Size: 11.5" x 0.35" x 8.27" (W x D x H) / Keyboard: 11.53" x 0.22" x 8.82"

The IdeaPad Miix 700's catchily titled m7-6Y75 processor is of similar strength to the one in the Surface 3. Like that device, the Miix has no internal fan so it's completely silent even on high loads.

The power supply cable is proprietary and slots into one of two USB sockets, which are similar to USB plugs with a little extra lip in one corner. This means that if you're using the charger and pen holder at the same time there won't be any USBs free. Hopefully in the future Lenovo's hybrids will merge use Micro USB chargers, as a number of Chromebooks already do, or even use USB-C like Dell's XPS 12 and Latitude 13 7000.

Benchmarks

Here's how the Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

• Cinebench: CPU: 139 points; Graphics: 18.66 fps
• GeekBench: GeekBench: 2275 (single-core); 4530 (multi-core)
• PCMark 8 (Home Test): 2,131 points
• PCMark 8 Battery Life: 4 hours and 39 minutes

The Skylake processor inside is designed to be power efficient (hence the lack of fan) and is the same one can be found in Apple's 12-inch MacBook (Early 2016). It's not as powerful in tests as the Surface Pro 4's i5-6300U, which scores 2,406 in the PC Mark Home test compared to the Miix's 2,131 points.

The generous 256GB SSD is quick, as is the 8GB of RAM. Both equal the Surface Pros 3 and Surface Pro 4 models we previously tested.

The Miix 700's power efficiency certainly stands out. In the battery test the device trounces both Surfaces, clocking up a whopping 4 hours and 39 minutes compared to the Surface 4's 3 hours and 15 minutes, and the Surface 3's weedy 2 hours 38 minutes. However, as our review notes, these were not entirely indicative of its day-to-day performance. The Lenovo is fast to charge, and at 42% remaining Windows stated that it was 1 hr 15 until the device would be fully-charged.

In other benchmarks, the Miix 700 scores the lowest in Geekbench's CPU test, with the Surface Pro 4 taking the crown at over 6,500, the iPad Pro at nearly 5,500, and Lenovo's machine at 4,530.

The onboard Intel Graphics 515 isn't going to play GTA V at 60 fps but it's adequate for playing older games - such as Team Fortress 2.

Bundled software

The following software was bundled with the device:

• Lenovo Photo Master
• McAfee
• Lenovo Solution Center
• Lenovo OneKey Recovery
• Lenovo Companion 3.0
• Lenovo Photo Master
• Lenovo SHAREit
• Lenovo REACHit
• Lenovo WRITEit