BARCELONA—The tablet market may be slowing, but that hasn't stopped Lenovo from releasing a number of well-designed and powerful new Android slates.
The lineup includes affordable multimedia devices, sleek, top-tier tablets, and options to make them into 2-in-1 productivity devices or kids' tablet. We went hands on with all of them (and their accessory packs) at MWC, and overall we were impressed by their combination of build quality, hardware, and price.
Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus and 10 Plus
The Lenovo Tab 4 series consists of four relatively affordable Android-powered devices. On the higher end, you have the $199 8-inch Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus and the $249 10-inch Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus.
Both slates have slim designs, with a layer of glass on the front and back. The 10 Plus measures 9.7 by 6.8 by 0.3 inches (HWD) and weighs a fairly hefty 1.1 pounds. The 8 Plus has more modest dimensions of 8.3 by 4.8 by 0.3 inches and 0.7 pounds. The glass gives them a slick feel that tends to attract fingerprints, but it does make for a classy look that reflects the light in different patterns. Both slates are available in Sparkling White and Aurora Black color options.
On the front, the 10 Plus has a 10-inch 1,920-by-1,200 display with good viewing angles and color reproduction. The 8 Plus also has a Full HD display, but its 8-inch form factor packs in more pixels, making it a bit crisper. I was able to use it on a shaded terrace outdoors and found that though it was visible outdoors, the screen was a bit reflective. Under direct sunlight, visibility may pose an issue. That said, graphics and text were crisp, and the displays seemed much sharper than the HD panel of the standard Tab 4 line.
For watching movies and video, you'll find satisfyingly loud front-facing stereo speakers on the top and bottom bezel of both devices. On the 8 Plus, a combined fingerprint sensor/power button can be found on the right with a volume rocker above. On top, you'll get a 3.5mm audio jack and oddly enough, a USB-C charging port.
The 10 Plus has a slightly different placement, with the fingerprint sensor on the front, below the screen, while the power/fingerprint button and volume rocker both find their hone on the right. The left side of both tablets has a black flap with Lenovo branding that gives you access to a microSD card slot with the USB-C port and the 3.5mm audio jack. I found the placement somewhat odd, but you should still be able to use both slates while they're charging without much difficulty, and they should charge fast thanks to Qualcomm's Quick Charge 3.0.
Under the hood, the 8 Plus and 10 Plus have a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor clocked at 2.0GHz. They also have the same configurations of 3GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage or 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Both slates were fast and responsive when multitasking and launched most apps quickly.
Both slates also have 8-megapixel rear-facing sensors and 5-megapixel front-facing cameras. They took clear shots overall, but I was in a well-lit setting. The real test will be in lower light.
In terms of battery life, I expect the Tab 4 10 Plus to last longer thanks to its 7000mAh cell, compared with the smaller 4850mAh capacity of the Tab 4 8 Plus. Of course, we'll have to wait and see how the two slates fair in our grueling battery test when we get them in to PC Labs.
In other regards, similarities abound. Both devices run Android 7.0 Nougat with a look that largely resembles stock Android aside from some minor design changes and Lenovo's pre-installed apps. One of Lenovo's special features includes the ability to set up multiple user accounts and switch between them, including a child's profile (more on that below). Connectivity protocols include dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2, but not NFC.
Lenovo Tab 4 8 and Tab 4 10
On the more modest end, the Tab 4 8 and Tab 4 10 are the multimedia workhorses, starting at $109 and $148, respectively, making them close competitors to the Kindle Fire HD 8 and HD 10. The more affordable price does come with some compromises, though.
For starters, both slates have a chunkier polycarbonate builds. The Tab 4 8 measures 8.7 by 4.9 by 0.3 inches (HWD) and weighs 0.64 pounds. The Tab 4 10 is even bulkier at 9.7 by 6.7 by 9.3 inches and 1.1 pounds. Despite the soft touch back, neither tablet feels as premium as the sleek glass-and-metal Tab 4 Plus series. That said, they aren't fingerprint magnets, and they're less likely to shatter when dropped, which is always a nice bonus.
In terms of port and button placement, they resemble their more premium siblings. The only omission you'll find is the lack of a fingerprint sensor. With regard to hardware, both have a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor clocked at 1.4GHz. Memory configurations include 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage or 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Launching apps and multitasking was relatively responsive, but I did notice that the Tab 4 8 and Tab 4 10 were a bit slower than their high-end counterparts. Software may not be final yet, so we'll reserve judgment until release.
You'll also find their respective 10-inch and 8-inch panels are lower resolution 1,280-by-800 displays. Compared with their plus siblings, the screens aren't as crisp or bright, and tend to wash out more easily when viewed from the side. Fortunately, you'll still find front-facing dual-stereo speakers powered by Dolby Atmos, which makes them nice for multimedia use.
The 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and 2-megapixel front-facing camera take decent shots in good light, but weren't as clear as the Tab 4 10 Plus and Tab 4 8 Plus.
Like their higher-end siblings, they run Android 7.0 Nougat with a mostly stock Android skin, along with the same multiuser account system.
Productivity and Kids
Lenovo wants to make it clear that the Tab 4 series has plenty of flexibility. The company is offering two optional add ons to convert the slates into either a kid's tablet or a 2-in-1 Android laptop. The Kid's Pack ($20 for the 8-inch and $24.99 for the 10-inch) includes a pack of accessories like a shock-resistant bumper, a blue light filter, and 3M stickers to protect against scratches. The tablet has a Lenovo Kid's account that can be set up with built-in parental controls to limit content access and usage time for children.
The adults aren't left out either. They can get the Productivity Pack for the 10-inch Tab 4 ($49.99), which consists of a unique Bluetooth keyboard that also doubles as a protective sleeve and a kickstand, similar in some ways to the Microsoft Surface. Here, the Tab 4 can take advantage of a revamped UI which gives you a taskbar, instant app switching, multi-window support, and optimization for use with a keyboard.
All four tablets will be available globally in May, with some variation of price and availability from country to country. Check back for more details and our full reviews.