Tablets are getting better every year, matching laptops in productivity, entertainment, and gaming. Lenovo, known for PCs and laptops, has made its mark in the tablet segment with the Yoga Tab series, which features smart innovations. The new Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus is a premium slab with a sleek design, designed for power users seeking to excel at both work and entertainment. It was shown for the first time at CES 2025.
With a 12.7-inch IPS screen, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, an included stylus, and perfectly crafted chassis alongside an attractive price point, the Yoga Tab Plus is well positioned against the Apple iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab. But does it truly deliver? Over the past two weeks, I’ve put it to the test to find out.
- INDEX
- DESIGN AND BUILD
- DISPLAY AND AUDIO
- HARDWARE AND PERFORMANCE
- LENOVO AI NOW
- BATTERY LIFE
- FINAL THOUGHTS
The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus comes in two sophisticated color options: Tidal Teal, a shade inspired by the ocean’s green hues, and Seashell, a refined sand beige that exudes elegance. The tablet’s premium build, featuring metal and glass, gives it a polished and sturdy feel, immediately conveying a sense of high quality. However, it lacks any certification for durability against stress, water, or dust (IPxx), which feels like a missed opportunity.
A standout design feature is the inclusion of a magnetic foldable stand, bundled with the keyboard but separate from it. This stand, wrapped in imitation leather, blends seamlessly with the tablet’s aesthetic and offers practical versatility. It allows you to prop the device on a table without needing a case, making it ideal for activities like movie-watching, note-taking with the stylus, or video calls.
Even with its high quality construction features, the Yoga Tab Plus does not perform as impressively as expected in weight and space allocation. At 640 grams, it is heavier than the 12.9 inch iPad Pro, which has a larger screen but is lighter by 85 grams. If this weight difference becomes significant over longer periods of on-the-go use, it would particularly be the case when the tablet is held for extended times. The Galaxy Tab S10 is also 70 grams lighter despite having a barely smaller screen, making it a more convenient device to carry around.
Lenovo has wisely placed a fingerprint reader on the power button, which addresses the issue of security and usability perfectly. Quick and easy unlocking is enables by the user’s finger being the the sensor’s position. This feature is much more dependable for security purposes than facial recognition, which is prone to being skipped or failing because of low lights.
The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus Review: Build Quality
Though the Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus impresses with premium build quality, it does lack in weight optimization. At 640 grams it is heavier than the Galaxy Tab S10 by 70 grams and the 12.9 inch Ipad Pro by 85 grams. This increased weight can result in discomfort for the user during prolonged usage. On the security side, having placed a fingerprint reader into the power button makes for a faster and more reliable method of unlocking, which is more dependable than facial recognition, especially in low light conditions.
Display and Audio
When it comes to sound and display, the IPS technology used by the competitors is replaced by Yoga Tab Plus’s 12.7 inch screen with 2944 x 1840 resolution. While IPS has the benefits of precise colors, averange energy consumption, and no burn in issues , it does lack in maximum brightness and contrast when compared to OLED screens. Also the use of warmer color tones leads to more shallow black colors. Even though the lack of flickering makes it comfortable for extended period of use, the screen reflections do affect outdoor visibility.
The audio system is supported by two tweeters and four subwoofers that work together to provide rich sound to music and videos. Distortion happens at maximum volume, but pulling back resolves the issue and provides excellent sound. Having Dolby Atmos certification along with Harman/Kardon tuning places the speakers at the very top of the tablet market, and the support for high HDMI codecs (AAC, aptX, LDAC) alongside Withvine L1 for Full HD streaming only improves the experience further.
HARDWARE AND PERFORMANCE
LENOVO AI NOW
With Lenovo AI Now, users can perform AI document querying, transcription, and image enhancement tasks using the Llama 3 8B model on-device, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s NPU. Although still in beta, these productivity tools, alongside Google AI, can be useful. Having aAMD 14 as a launch option for 2025’s software experience is good, but the lack of 4 years of promised major updates makes it feel outdated.
BITTERY LIFE
Compared to the iPad Pro and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, the 10,200 mAh battery only holds 13 hours of web browsing and 6.5 hours of HDR video playback at max brightness. Paying 45W, the tablet reaches 50% in about 50 minutes, but takes just above 2 hours to charge completely.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus is a premium contender with solid performance, great build quality, and impressive audio. The weight it bears along with the limitations of the IPS display, outdated software, and the iPad Pro or Galaxy Tab S10, makes value afford a compelling option for anyone looking for a versatile, well-rounded tablet.
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