Lenovo’s new laptop/tablet hybrid is ARM powered

Lenovo has announced the Miix 630, a new Windows 10 S based laptop/tablet hybrid powered by an ARM processor.

The processor is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 – a processor commonly found in high-end Android smartphones like the Pixel 2, LG V30 and HTC U11. ARM processors differ from desktop processors in that they cost less, take less power and produce less heat. The downside is that x86 desktop apps require an emulator to run, meaning that software compatibility is not always ensured.

To date, HP and Asus are the only other manufacturers to make ARM powered Windows 10 S machines with the HP Envy X2 and Asus NovaGo.

The Lenovo Miix 630 features a detachable 12.3-inch touchscreen, 4GB or 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of SSD storage which can be expanded using the microSD card slot. Other features include integrated 4G LTE and a digital pen.

The laptop runs Windows 10 S out of the box, but it can be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro without extra cost. Thanks to the mobile processor, Lenovo says the Miix 630 can reach up to 20 hours of battery life.

Windows 10 S is a lighter version of Windows 10 that is a bit more locked down; it won’t run apps that aren’t available in the Windows Store. The upside is that Windows 10 S is a little faster than the full version due to having fewer background apps running.

The Lenovo Miix 630 is launching overseas starting at USD$799.99 and is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2018. Local pricing and availability is yet to be confirmed.