Nokia Lumia 2520 vs. Lenovo Miix 2: What Is the Best Tablet?

(Nokia)

Can’t decide which one of these 10-inch Windows tablets is right for you? We compare the Nokia Lumia 2520 vs. the Lenovo Miix 2 so you don’t have to! Here’s everything you need to know in order to make a decision.

1. Operating System

Got a #Lenovo Miix 2 10.1 today. Thought it was a promising "hybrid" device. I was wrong. Blame @Lenovo or @Microsoft?

— Marcus Eriksson (@marese98) February 13, 2014

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While both of these tablets run Windows, the Nokia tablet runs Windows RT, while the Lenovo tablet runs Windows 8.1.

The Guardian‘s Samuel Gibbs was disappointed with the limitations of Windows RT in his review of the 2520.

Gibbs writes:

“The biggest disadvantage of Windows RT – and it’s a doozy – is that it cannot run full Windows applications. That means no Adobe Photoshop, no web browser other than Internet Explorer, no music software like iTunes, no syncing cloud-storage services such as Dropbox.”

As for Lenovo’s offering, it runs Windows 8.1 (32-bit). If you’re confused about the difference between Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1, Microsoft has a handy FAQ that may help. Part of this FAQ breaks down the limitations of Windows RT, which are as follows:

“Some features aren’t included in Windows RT 8.1:

Windows Media Player
Windows Media Center
HomeGroup creation (you can join an existing HomeGroup but you can’t create a new one)
The ability to connect to your Windows RT 8.1 PC from another PC using Remote Desktop
Domain join

With Windows RT 8.1, you can install apps directly from the Windows Store, but you can’t install desktop apps that you used with previous versions of Windows.”

2. Form and Design

By the way that shipping Lumia 2520 power keyboard only works w. AT&T, not Verizon. See @barbbowman for more: http://t.co/NQApxpcOM5

— Mary Jo Foley (@maryjofoley) February 13, 2014

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Both tablets come in a 10-inch size, but the two tablets are actually quite different in terms of form and design.

The Nokia Lumia 2520 comes in four colors (black, white, red, and blue), and has rounded edges that make it feel “warm and inviting,” according to The Verge‘s Dan Seifert. With the keyboard attached, the total weight is 2.6 pounds.

In contrast, the 10-inch Lenovo Miix 2 tablet has a very different look, and fewer color options. It has an attachable keyboard, too, but this one can be used to convert from tablet mode to laptop mode to stand mode. It weighs in at just under 2.3 pounds, with keyboard dock attached.

3. Cool Features

Spotted at #CES2014 @ToddBishop @Geekwire checking out the new @Lenovo Miix. 2 10 pic.twitter.com/RSPqiB6HlL

— OEM at Microsoft (@MicrosoftOEM) January 6, 2014

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The Lenovo Miix 2 has a whole host of cool features. One of the most remarkable is Veriface™ Face Recognition Software, which uses a stored image of your face to quickly recognize you and sign you in. In addition, the Miix 2 is backward-compatible with previous Windows operating systems and software.

The Nokia Lumia 2520 is no slouch in the features department, either, particularly if you have a Nokia Lumia smartphone. You can stream your smartphone photos and videos on your tablet, and also save your HERE destinations on your tablet for viewing on your smartphone.

4. Battery Life

Lumia 2520 tablet isn't perfect but a nice first tab from Nokia: http://t.co/xI7d0u3vNT

— Ebenezer Samuel (@ebenezersamuel) February 11, 2014

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In their review of the Nokia Lumia 2520, TechnoBuffalo writes:

“We often found ourselves using the tablet during an entire work week, for about five days, on and off until the battery was dead with brightness at about 80 percent. It offered some of the best battery life of any tablet we’ve ever tested, and with a lower screen brightness we probably could have hit about seven days of life.”

Lenovo states that the Miix2 battery will last for 8 hours while browsing the web on Wi-Fi.

5. Price and Final Thoughts

Tablet or laptop – which should you go for? Guy Clapperton has this advice: http://t.co/yv2mqOFzPL

— GuardianSmallBiz (@GdnSmallBiz) February 17, 2014

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For a lot of people, the biggest factor is price. Nokia has the Lumia 2520 listed at $399. Lenovo has their 10-inch Miix 2 starting at $499, which includes a $100 discount.

For the budget conscious, that $100 difference may be enough to tip the scales in favor of the Nokia Lumia 2520, especially given the fact that the Miix 2 has an Intel Quad Core (1.33GHz) processor (compared to the Lumia 2520’s 2.2 GHz Snapdragon™ 800 Quad Core Processor.)

That being said, in terms of tablet design and operating system, the Miix 2 might be the better option…particularly for business use.

Considering getting someone an electronics gift this holiday season? Check out our Gifts section for tons of great gift recommendations, or visit our ultimate guides to the best gifts for women and best gifts for men.