The use of a tablet can be very dynamic, serving as a middle ground between a laptop and desktop, a drawing tablet, an e-book reader, or a portable entertainment machine.
Today, we’re reviewing the Lenovo Tab Plus. While this tablet is capable of handling many tasks, it was designed to be an exceptional entertainment center.
We’ll examine its basic capabilities for everyday tasks, delve deep into its entertainment center features, and ultimately compare its price to its value potential.
Lenovo Tab Plus Overview
Exterior
As usual, the tablet is primarily a screen. The screen is an 11.5-inch IPS panel with a 2K (2000 x 1200) resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 400 nits. Hidden within the bezel is the 8MP front camera. The display is certified by TÜV Rheinland for eye care.
The body is unique with two levels of thickness: the top part resembles the normal thickness of a tablet, while the bottom is enlarged to house a pair of speakers and a kickstand.
Impressively, the Lenovo Tab Plus is IP52 rated, so it can resist limited dust and water spray. While this rating is limited, I believe it makes the tablet perfect for use in the bathroom, keeping users entertained while attending to their needs.
On the top right of the tablet are the volume rocker and unlock button. Near the button is also the 8MP main camera. While this camera won’t impress everyone, it’s good enough for scanning documents or conducting video calls and meetings.
Within the system
The tablet is powered by a MediaTek Helio G99 processor paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage. With this level of hardware, it’s likely that the tablet can only handle lighter tasks, leaving the heavy lifting to a laptop or PC. The Lenovo Tab Plus also supports up to 1TB of expandable storage via a microSD card.
Lenovo has equipped the Tab Plus with an 8600mAh battery, rated to provide up to 12 hours of streaming time officially. We’ll put the tablet to the test later. For charging, the tablet supports 45W fast charging, claiming to fully charge the tablet in 90 minutes.
Best quality of Lenovo Tab Plus: The Speakers
To further improve sound quality, these JBL speakers are tuned according to Dolby Atmos standards to provide a better spatial sound experience. Another feature Lenovo includes with the Tab Plus is allow the tablet to be connected as a Bluetooth speakers for other devices.
Twitters
The highlight of the tablet is the eight JBL speakers, totaling 26W of power. Among these eight speakers, four are what Lenovo calls “matrix tweeters.” Based on our understanding, these tweeters are arranged in a balanced array to offer better sound balancing.
This arrangement primarily improves soundstage by enhancing spatial cues and producing stronger sound pressure for a much louder volume.
Woofers
The remaining speakers are woofers, speaker units that focus on bass. Frankly speaking, I would normally scoff at the claim of woofers on small devices that hardly have space, but Lenovo has shown me that they’re onto something.
Force-balance woofers are woofers deployed in a dual-driver configuration where two woofers are placed in opposition to each other, moving in opposite directions.
This arrangement effectively cancels out cabinet vibrations, which can introduce unwanted distortion and coloration. By reducing these resonances, force-balance woofers deliver a cleaner, more accurate bass response with less distortion and a more controlled sound.
Audio Jack
To further enhance the audio experience, the tablet’s audio jack supports high-resolution audio, allowing users to play audio up to 24-bit 96kHz resolution.
Lenovo Tab Plus Benchmark
Performance
The tablet’s performance won’t win any awards. Its performance is comparable to the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, Dimensity 7050, and Exynos 1380. With this level of performance, it can still handle any tasks a user throws at it, but for heavier workloads, it’s best to leave those to a PC or laptop.
Battery performance
Based on our tests, at full brightness, the tablet is capable of lasting for 8 hours and 39 minutes. While this doesn’t quite reach the 12 hours promised by Lenovo, it’s still a commendable performance. The 12-hour estimate is likely based on testing under less demanding conditions, such as lower brightness settings, which would be more typical during real-world usage.
Lenovo Tab Plus as Media Center: One step forward Two step back
One Step forward
If you read our earlier segment about the speaker structure of the Lenovo Tab Plus, you know that the tablet can produce amazing audio. The Tab Plus sounds like a boom box, delivering loud and powerful sound. While I wouldn’t say this is the best audio experience I’ve heard from a tablet before, it comes very close.
One Step back
A good binging experience rely on two key factors, Audio, and Visual. While we have already establish the Lenovo has make everything possible for the Tab Plus to have amazing audio, the same can’t be same with the display.
The 2K 11.5″ IPS display is a vibrant display, it has beautiful color and it come up to 90Hz refresh rates, with peak brightness of 400 nits officially. With this display, there is no problem binging show on Netflix or YouTube. However, with peak brightness of 400 nits it is noticeable the lack of contracts in certain shows.
While I mention binging show, I have to point out that the Lenovo Tab Plus will not provide the full cinematic experience. This this due to the lack of any form HDR support, no HDR 10 nor Dolby Vision. This will definitely impact the viewing experience user can get out from the tablet, especially when it comes to theatrical release title with HDR support.
Who the Lenovo Tab Plus meant for
The Lenovo Tab Plus is designed with traveling nomads in mind who enjoy binge-watching shows but don’t mind the lack of HDR. Its powerful JBL speakers, combined with Dolby Atmos, provide an immersive audio experience that’s perfect for entertainment on the go. The tablet’s kickstand allows for hands-free viewing, making it ideal for long flights or train rides.
For those who need more than just entertainment, the Tab Plus offers a variety of accessories, including a folio cover, stylus, and keyboard. This makes it easy to carry around and use for work or productivity tasks. However, due to its mid-range processor, the tablet is better suited for lighter workloads. For more demanding tasks, a laptop or PC would be a better choice.
Lenovo Tab Plus Conclusion
The Lenovo Tab Plus offers a compelling blend of entertainment and portability. Its impressive audio system, powered by JBL speakers and Dolby Atmos, provides a cinematic experience that rivals dedicated home theater systems. While its display may not be the most cutting-edge, it’s still suitable for most media consumption. The tablet’s design, with its kickstand and IP52 rating, makes it a practical choice for on-the-go use.
However, the Tab Plus’s performance limitations, particularly for demanding tasks, may not satisfy users seeking a high-powered device. At a price point of RM1699, there are other stronger contenders like the Redmi Pad Pro and Xiaomi Pad 6 in the market, with beefier SoCs and potentially better displays. However, I can personally vouch for the fact that the speaker systems on those tablets do not sound as good as the one on the Lenovo Tab Plus.
If you’re primarily looking for an entertainment tablet with excellent audio and a comfortable viewing experience, the Lenovo Tab Plus is a strong contender. But if you need a tablet for intensive multitasking or demanding applications, you might want to explore other options.
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