The Lenovo MIIX 300 (rumored as MIIX 3) has been designed to hit an incredible low price of $149, which is kind of nutty if you think that it runs the full Windows 8.1 operating system. Surprisingly, it uses an IPS display (1280×800, 300 NIT brightness), which typically has wide view angles, and a higher quality than other LCD-based technologies. Of course, there are quality differences among IPS displays, but it’s nice to see this technology show up in entry-level devices such as this one.
Inside, you will find an Intel ATOM processor (BayTrail-T CR, quad-core) with 2GB of RAM and a battery that Lenovo says can last 7 hours (of video playback, probably). Lenovo also points out that both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity options are available. Windows 8.1 is pre-installed (“with Bing” they say…) and there’s a 1-year free access to Office 365, which is pretty cool if you’re an Office user. There is “up to” 64GB of storage, but the exact configurations are unknown for now. We do know that there is a microSD card slot.
There are two cameras: one 5 Megapixel in the back, and a 2 Megapixel in the front, for video-chats (or selfies). With a 9.3mm design, it’s not the thinnest design on the market, but with a clean line and a 360g weight, it is simple and attractive — especially for $149. At this price point, I would love to see people use it to hack stuff like robots and even surveillance cameras, since it costs less than a Dropcam for example. Previously, Lenovo had a similar MIIX 2 tablet.