ASUS Chromebook Detachable CM3 review: upgrading a winning formula [VIDEO] - Chrome Unboxed

If we go all the way back to CES 2020, you’ll remember Lenovo debuting the Chromebook Duet: a new take on the affordable Chromebook tablet formula that we knew right away would be a hit.

It’s a small tablet that runs Chrome OS, has a 10-inch screen, is primarily a tablet, and comes bundled with all the things you need to jump between laptop and tablet when you feel so inclined.

16:10 was great for the Duet and it’s pretty great here, too.

Speaking of the keyboard, that’s the next thing we need to discuss: the keyboard on the Duet is bad and is, at best, only usable when necessary.

The keyboard on the CM3 is far better overall.

Since the device is a bit bigger with slightly larger bezels, there’s way more room for a decent keyboard and this is perhaps the biggest upgrade over the Duet the CM3 delivers.

Again, this isn’t my keyboard of choice for long articles, but it is leaps and bounds better than using the Duet for longer sessions.

I don’t have a ton of use for my tablets in portrait, but if you have a use case where this would be beneficial – something like music or presentations, perhaps – it’s a nice tool to have in your back pocket.

Now, apart from these changes, most of this Chromebook is just like the Duet.

For me, if I were going to buy a smaller, slower Chromebook device to have around all the time, I think the upgrades in the ASUS are worth some extra money.

I can’t decide those things for you, but I CAN tell you that, on the whole, the ASUS CM3 is a better Chromebook and a better tablet than the Duet and if the improvements I’ve mentioned sound like things you’d really prioritize, it might be the better long-term purchase for you.

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