Review: Lenovo Chromebook Duet Gen 9 (11 Inch, MediaTek)

For most of my adult life, the idea of using a laptop with a screen under 13 inches made me reflexively recoil. That may seem a little unfair, but I came of age when shoddy netbooks—with their tiny screens, low prices, and horrible performance—were hitting bargain bins everywhere. That experience, along with having to talk several family members looking for a good deal out of buying one, left a sour taste in my mouth.

I say all of this to convey how wrong I was (and maybe teach a lesson about letting old biases go, but I digress). It’s not like there has been a glut of sub-12-inch laptops out there since the netbook market died, but its main standard bearer, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, has garnered high praise since its first iteration in 2020. Now, the company’s latest version is here, and it absolutely won me over.

Photograph: Daniel Thorp-Lancaster

The idea behind the Chromebook Duet is simple: It’s an ultraportable Chromebook with a detachable keyboard that lets you quickly switch between tablet and laptop modes. The 11-inch Chromebook Duet Gen 9 carries that idea forward, swapping in a MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor for a little more power. This isn’t meant to be your main computer, but a compact machine you can quickly toss in a bag and use just about anywhere without much fuss.

Beyond the MediaTek processor, the Chromebook Duet Gen 9 comes with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage for $370 or 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage for $400 (my review device is the latter). In either case, you’ll get an 11-inch LCD flanked by two speakers, along with an 8-MP rear camera and a 5-MP front-facing camera with a privacy shutter. The screen is wrapped in a sturdy metal chassis, while the detachable keyboard has a metal top deck with a gray leather-esque material on its rear.

Photograph: Daniel Thorp-Lancaster

The overall package feels great and has a professional look thanks to the combination of silver and gray throughout. Despite its small size, it feels dense, though it’s still light at 2.09 pounds with the keyboard and removable stand cover attached. Speaking of that stand cover, it kicks out at an angle and can be bent nearly flat, giving you a wide range of positions to choose from when setting up shop at a table. The display is super crisp, and the 1,920 x 1,200-pixel resolution glossy screen is pleasing to stare at for long periods with sharp details and good colors.

Performance with the new MediaTek processor is great for such a low-cost device aimed at a casual audience. ChromeOS feels very snappy and I didn’t run into any slowdowns unless I deliberately tried to push the envelope with more than a dozen Chrome tabs open and YouTube playing. Remember, this is not a Chromebook Plus model, a moniker for products that meet certain specs and performance criteria.

Photograph: Daniel Thorp-Lancaster

One of the areas that takes some getting used to is the cramped keyboard deck. This is a tiny device, after all, so the keyboard and trackpad are much smaller than I’m used to. I was eventually able to acclimate to the key sizes, but the trackpad never felt great to use and I found myself constantly sliding my fingers off of it when scrolling or trying to navigate options during some light gaming.

It’s also worth noting that there are only two USB-C ports on the Chromebook Duet Gen 9. Either one can be used for charging and you can always add a USB-C hub to get more ports, but it’s far from what you’re likely used to on a full-size laptop. On the bright side, you should be able to get through a full day before needing one of those ports for charging (I hit around 9.5 hours of battery life on my streaming video test).

Photograph: Daniel Thorp-Lancaster

I didn’t find myself using the included pen much, but it’s great to have it there when you need to sign documents or do a little doodling. Luckily, it stays well out of your way when you don’t need it, attaching magnetically to the back of the display. When you have the kickstand cover attached, it keeps the pen extra secure with little nubs that hold it in place.

On trips out to a coffee shop or when moving around the rooms of my apartment, I found myself reaching for the Chromebook Duet Gen 9 more than I expected. It’s a fun device to use, though you’ll quickly realize you can’t multitask with multiple windows like you might on a dedicated monitor or larger-screen laptop. While that can be a negative if you need to get some heavy work done, I found it an asset when I wanted to force myself to focus on one thing like watching a show.

Photograph: Daniel Thorp-Lancaster

One thing I’d love to see Lenovo include in a future iteration is cellular connectivity. A device this portable would be even better if you didn’t have to stay tethered to Wi-Fi at all times. It would risk hitting the battery life pretty hard though, so I can understand why some may not want it.

If you’re looking for a casual device you can easily stash in a bag or tote around the house for light work and browsing, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet Gen 9 is a great little companion for under $400. I hesitate to recommend the model with 4 GB of RAM given its low storage space and the hit to performance you’d likely see, so just spend the little extra on the 8 GB model. If you need a larger screen or need to do anything more than light work, I suggest looking at our Best Chromebooks guide for a Chromebook Plus laptop instead.