First glance at the Lenovo Miix 510 and you'll be looking for the Microsoft logo. But no, this isn't the Surface 4, this is the Chinese maker's savvy take on the 2-in-1.

Our quick take

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Lenovo miix 510 2016

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We say savvy because the Miix 510 comes with both the keyboard and stylus included in the box - the Microsoft Surface 3, by comparison, has never offered a keyboard bundled into its box. And it's that £109+ saving that makes the Lenovo an enticing prospect.

Ok, it might not exactly be original - although the company is more than capable, just take a look at our preview of the awesome Yoga Book - but the form factor of the Miix 510 is exactly the kind of thing consumers are looking to buy right now. Lenovo knows it, as do other makers offering similar products.

Compared to the earlier Miix 700 model, the Miix 510 actually steps things up a notch: it embodies an Intel Core i processor (6th Gen Skylake, not the latest 7th Gen Kaby Lake), not the fanless offering of Core M as found in the Miix 700, which means the 510 needs fan cooling. That's what those top vents are all about. It also means the new model isn't silent in operation, but we wouldn't call it noisy either.

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Products that ape their peers tend to cut corners, but that doesn't seem to be the case with the Lenovo Miix 510. It's just as solid in build as a Microsoft Surface 3, with a metal hinge to the rear that can adjust through almost any given angle you desire and hold rigid - which is ideal for low-slung or high-riding positioning.

Plus Lenovo has thrown in its own design calling card. To the rear of that hinge are watchstrap-like adornments, which not only serve for functionality's sake, but also look rather snazzy to boot. It's a bit more boisterous than the Surface in that regard.

In other areas it's Lenovo that has the upper hand against the Surface in terms of features. In addition to the full-size USB port that both devices offer, the Miix 510 has thrown in an extra USB Type-C port to ensure future proofing, while a separate charging port ensures that neither of these sockets will ever be unnecessarily out of use. There's a microSD slot too.

Considering the keyboard is included in the Miix 510's box, too, it's a decent magnetic clip-on offering. It will contently dangle from the main unit's base, thanks to a strong magnetic connection, plus that four-pin connection takes no alignment skill or faffing about to pair the two parts. Once connected, everything is ready to go immediately, no waiting around.

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The keyboard also acts as a case, with a leather-style exterior and embossed Lenovo logo, which looks decent rather than cheap. And while on the subject of price, the Miix 510's £699 starting price undercuts the Surface 3 and Surface Pro 4 models.

The one area where the Lenovo sits behind the Surface is in screen resolution: its 12.2-inch panel has a 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution, which is more than ample, but can't knock king Microsoft off its 2-in-1 throne in that regard.