Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Lenovo’s cheap Surface Pro alternative is down to $270

By Albert Bassili October 15, 2024

A Lenovo Chromebook Duet at an angle on a white background. — Lenovo

While Microsoft Surface laptops are great, they tend to be quite pricey, especially if you’re looking for something a bit more robust, like what some of the best laptops offer. That applies to the Surface Pro as well, and if you want something that’s a bit more affordable while offering a similar experience, then this Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 is a great option. In fact, you can snag it for just $270 from Lenovo instead of the usual $420, which saves you a solid $160 in the process.

Why you should buy the Chromebook Duet 3

One great thing about Chromebooks is that they run on ChromeOS, which is a lot lighter than Windows, meaning you don’t need as powerful hardware to run it, and that’s where the Chromebook Duet 3 shines. In fact, when we got our hands on it, we felt that “this little Chrome OS tablet can handle a surprising range of tasks, falling short of only the most demanding productivity and creative workflows.” A lot of that is due to the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 processor under the hood, which is powerful enough to run this little device while also allowing for pretty much any productivity and day-to-day tasks.

The display is 10.95 inches and runs a pretty impressive 2K resolution, so even if you just want to watch content, it’s a great device. It also comes with 8GB of RAM, which isn’t a ton, but is more than enough for the Duet 3 and for the price you’re paying. Similarly, the 128GB of storage is on the lower end, so you’ll have to supplement it with one of these cloud storage services or maybe one of these external hard drive deals. Another thing worth keeping in mind is that not all apps you may use are on ChromeOS, so if you’re thinking of making the jump, be sure that all your essential stuff is available on ChromeOS.

At the end of the day, the Chromebook Duet 3 is an excellent option for those who want a more budget-friendly portable device that acts like a tablet, and with this deal from Lenovo, you get that for just $270. That said, if you’d like a bit more performance, be sure to check out some of these other great Chromebook deals or maybe even just our general best laptop deals roundup.

Topics

Deals Writer

Albert’s been a tech and gaming writer for over a decade, writing for websites such as CNET, PopSci, and How-To-Geek, and…

Computing

Dell knocks $450 off it’s Dell G16 gaming laptop with RTX 4070

A woman using the Dell G16 gaming laptop in a coffee shop.

Gaming laptops have come a long way from the past few years when they used to be massive and bulky, and if you're looking for a great mid-range option, this configuration of the Dell G16 is worth checking out. The Dell G16 is actually an updated version of the older G15, which was a bit of a workhorse when it comes to budget-oriented gaming laptops. In this case, you get a great laptop with an RTX 40-series GPU from Dell directly for just $1,300, which is $450 off the usual $1,750 it goes for.

Why you should buy the Dell G16 Gaming Laptop
As the name might suggest, the Dell G16 comes with a 16-inch screen that runs a 2560 x 1600 resolution, with the ability to hit a whopping 240Hz refresh rate, which is perfect for those who enjoy playing competitive games. Under the hood you get yourself an RTX 4070 mobile, which is roughly equivalent to the performance of a desktop RTX 4060. Even so, it's a solid card for gaming at 2K, although you will have to make some graphical compromises, especially if you're aiming for higher refresh rates than 100 or so.

Computing

Best refurbished laptop deals: How to find cheap used computers

microsoft surface laptop go 2020 on desk

There is so much stuff that needs access to a computer these days that it's almost necessary to have one to be able to do anything. Of course, not everybody wants to spend a ton of money on the newest and best laptops, which is why refurbished laptops are a great alternative. Not only are they generally cheaper, but most of the time, the worst thing about them is cosmetic damage, so it's something that's easy to overlook, especially if you aren't going to be using it 24/7. Also, most refurbished laptops come with some form of guarantee, so even if there is some kind of issue, you can send it back and get a refund.

Computing

For just $550 you can snag this entry-level gaming laptop with an RTX 3050

The Lenovo LOQ laptop on a white background.

While gaming laptops used to be quite big, bulky, and expensive, the past few years have seen a big jump in technology, and now most gaming laptops tend to be quite thin and easy to carry around. Not only that, but there are some nice budget-oriented options as well, such as this configuration of the Lenovo LOQ. What makes it impressive is that it's been discounted at Best Buy down to $550 and yet comes with an entry-level RTX 30-series GPU, which is rare at this price bracket. In fact, this laptop usually goes for $800, so you're getting a whopping $250 discount in the process.

Why you should buy the Lenovo LOQ 15.6-inch gaming laptop
The beating heart of any gaming laptop is its GPU, and in this case, you get yourself an RTX 3050, which admittedly is an entry-level graphics card, but for the $550 price tag, it's actually really impressive to see. In terms of gaming, you're going to easily be able to play casual and indie games, as well as older games from the last few years. You can also get away with playing some free-to-play games, and with the screen's FHD resolution and 144Hz refresh rate, you can actually optimize your settings for better framerate, which is a nice addition.