Specification	Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5	Google Pixel Slate
Dimensions & Weight	7.35" x 12.4" x .29" 1.5 lbs (700 g)	11.45 x 7.95 x 0.28 inches 1.59 lbs
Display	13.3" 1920x1080 pixels Touchscreen OLED	All-new Molecular Display 12.3” LCD 3000x2000 LTPS Touchscreen
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Compute Platform Gen 2 8 core Qualcomm Adreno 618 GPU	8th Gen Intel Core m3, i5 or i7 or Celeron Intel UHD graphics
RAM & Storage	up to 8GB LPDDR4X on board up to 256GB eMMC storage	4GB, 8GB, or 16GB RAM 32, 64, 128 or 256GB eMMc storage
Battery & Charging	Up to 15 hours with fast charge Estimated based on lower brightness settings	Up to 12 hours 48 WHr battery 45W charging
Security	Titan C Security Chip	Pixel Imprint™ fingerprint sensor on power button Titan C security chip for better on device security
Front camera	5-megapixel	Duo Cam optimized for video calling: 8MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture,
World-facing camera	8-megapixel	Duo Cam optimized for video calling: 8MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture,
Port(s)	2x USB-C (Gen 2) 5-point pogo pins	2 USB-C ports for charging and 4K display connection Connector for keyboard
Audio	4x Dolby Audio speakers Smart amp	Dual front-firing speakers for better surround sound 2 mics for improved noise cancellation
Connectivity	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, MIMO, 2x2, 2.4GHz/5GHz dual band Bluetooth 5.1	WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2x2 MIMO, dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz) Bluetooth 4.2
Software	Chrome OS	Chrome OS
Other Features	Detachable keyboard Abyss Blue, Storm Grey Starts at $429	Anodized aluminum body Detachable keyboard Pixelbook Pen support Starts at $499

Design and display

Starting off with design and build, these tablets are similar in a number of ways. First, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 is around the same weight as the Pixel Slate, according to the specs sheets. This is something to take note of, especially since the Pixel Slate actually has a slightly smaller screen. Both tablets are similarly thin and compact, but keep in mind they both weigh substantially more if you add the optional detachable keyboard in either case. One thing we do know is that the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 actually comes bundled with the detachable keyboard in the box. The Pixel Slate has an optional detachable keyboard, which must be bought separately and is still quite expensive. The inclusion of the detachable keyboard in the base price is a definite win for the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5. Both tablets are made of metal and quite durable. The Pixel Slate is constructed from magnesium alloy while the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 is made from an aluminum alloy. Both of these tablets also support pen input. The Pixel Slate requires the optional Pixelbook Pen, bought separately for $99, though you can find it on sale easily these days. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 supports the USI pen standard, but you still need to buy the USI pen separately, either from Lenovo or from a third-party manufacturer on Amazon. One key difference is the biometric security found in the Pixel Slate. The Pixel Slate features a fingerprint scanner embedded in its power button. This is refreshing to see as many high-end Chromebooks leave off biometric security options that improve user experience. Unfortunately, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 doesn't have a fingerprint scanner option on any of the many configurations. As for the displays, you get a high-resolution panel on both of these Chrome tablets. However, the Pixel slate is the winner in overall ppi with its 3000 x 2000 Molecular Display. The display on the Pixel Slate doesn't have the best color accuracy though, so we'll need to see how the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5's FHD panel compares there when we review it. Either way, you're getting an above-average panel with solid brightness from both of these devices around 400 nits.

Keyboard and pen support

As mentioned earlier, the keyboard and pen on the Pixel Slate are completely optional add-ons. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 includes both the detachable keyboard, but the USI pen is sold separately. With the Pixel Slate, you're going to spend an additional $300 just to enjoy keyboard and pen support on the device. This is the biggest consideration right now if you need to use your Chrome tablet for work and need a keyboard or pen input. When it comes to keyboard quality, much is still unknown about the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5. The initial reviews of the Pixel Slate keyboard were favorable, although the Slate did have a lot of buggy Bluetooth issues. Still, the Pixel Slate does offer a keyboard with multiple typing orientations and a comfortable layout. The Duet 5 keyboard layout looks nice and a bit more spacious than the original Duet from 2020, but we can't say for sure that it will be comparable until we test it out.

Performance and battery

Performance is sometimes tough to predict on a prerelease product, but the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 should be the winner between these two quite handily. Although we don't know much about real-world performance just yet as we haven't ran any benchmarks at this point, the newer Snapdragon 7c second generation in Lenovo's tablet should theoretically outscore the Pixel Slate in benchmarks. One thing we know for sure, the Pixel Slate has its own share of performance hiccups. Playing high-end Android games like PUBG or Asphalt 9 is very difficult on the Slate. Multi-tasking can also be difficult on the Slate if you want to use multiple Linux apps or run demanding programs for photo or video editing in Chrome OS. It seems likely the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 will take the crown in overall performance on paper and in practice, something we can and will test in our review when the Duet 5 is available next month. In theory, both devices get similar battery ratings from their respective OEMs. The Pixel Slate reviews indicate the Google tablet gets about 7-8 hours of real world use, compared to the 12 hours claimed on the spec sheet. This is fairly common to see and we would typically expect similar battery life from Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5. However, Lenovo claims the Duet 5 is actually capable of 15 hours of battery life on a single charge. That's quite a bold statement. One thing that might improve battery life however, is the Snapdragon 7c second generation processor inside the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5. If Lenovo optimized the tablet to take advantage of the 7c's capabilities, we could see significantly improved battery life.

Cameras and audio

Over the course of the last 18 months, video calling rose to prominence thanks to the ongoing pandemic. Most Chromebooks still have mediocre 720p webcams and don't feature a rear camera at all. Camera quality is an outstanding feature on both of these tablets. Both the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 and Pixel Slate feature FHD+ resolution cameras on both the front and back. The Pixel Slate includes an 8 MP camera on both front and back, while the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 features a 5 MP front camera and 8MP wide-vision rear camera. In the age of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, these cameras are a big deal. The Pixel Slate has some of the better speakers you can find on any Chrome OS device. At launch, the audio quality was one of the key appeals for Google's tablet. Lenovo is looking to compete with audio though, featuring a quad speaker setup with the Chromebook Duet 5. Considering how nice the original Duet sounded with only dual speakers, there's a good chance Lenovo will impress in this department.

Conclusion

While both devices have pros and cons, in 2021 the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 has too many features missing from the Pixel Slate. Not only do you get a newer Snapdragon 7c second generation processor inside, you also get an included detachable keyboard, USI pen, and longer Chrome OS support timeline. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 looks poised to be one of the best Chromebooks of 2021. The inclusion of the USI pen and detachable keyboard is really the largest selling point for me. If you buy a similar package with the Pixel Slate, it's going to cost nearly $300 more just for those accessories. If you're a Google loyalist, that might sound worth it, but I wouldn't recommend the Pixel Slate in 2021 due to its extreme age.