Fast? Fast enough

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor inside the Lenovo Miix 630 isn’t new, but it’s new to PCs, and a lot of people are curious if it’ll provide enough grunt. We haven’t had a chance to fully test the chip yet – no one has, because we’re a few months away from any hitting stores – but we’ve gone hands-on with every Qualcomm-powered Windows device announced so far.

　　Matt Smith/Digital TrendsMatt Smith/Digital Trends

　　Our verdict? It’s good enough. The performance gap is detectable if you’re picky. Apps can take an extra second to load, and animations aren’t always as smooth as they could be. It’s far from a bad experience, though, and not any different from an entry-level laptop. The Qualcomm processor is paired with 4GB or 8GB or RAM, and 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB of solid state storage. Overall, we think the Miix 630’s performance should satisfy most people.

　　Keyboard folios can be a bit fussy, and the Miix 630 doesn’t solve that issue.

　　There’s something else that’ll satisfy more than most people – battery life. Qualcomm’s power-sipping chip helps the small 2-in-1 manage up to 20 hours of battery life, and weeks of standby time. This is exactly on par with the HP Envy x2, so the Miix 630 isn’t outrunning its most direct competitor. Still, it’ll last a lot longer than any current Windows 2-in-1.

　　Using a Qualcomm chip also means LTE mobile data comes standard. We didn’t get a chance to test that out, but Lenovo says the Miix 630 includes support for both a standard SIM card or eSIM. When enabled, you should have access to mobile data anywhere in your carrier’s coverage.

　　

What about the price?

The Miix 630 will be available in the second quarter of 2018 for $800. HP actually hasn’t revealed pricing on its HP Envy x2 with Qualcomm processor, but Asus’ NovaGo will also retail for $800.

　　We think the fate of Lenovo’s Always Connected PC will hinge on the price of the HP. We prefer the Envy x2’s look, feel, and lower weight, but HP has hinted it’ll charge more for its luxury feel. That might give the Miix 630 room to stand out as a budget option for early adopters of Always Connected PCs.