Review: Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 w/ Windows

Lenovo has been my go-to company for all things Windows; whether its for tablets or laptops, it just seems like the right path no matter what. I have yet to come across a disappointing point where the products quality was in question. Much like the products before it, the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 aims to replace your daily tablet along with adding a bit of a twist with the add-on keyboard. How will Lenovo change the way you look at your Windows tablet?

Lenovo’s stapled design is immediately noticeable with its not-so-cheap plastic design with the cylinder-shaped bottom where most of the internals are held.  Its also no slouch with its top of the line specs using a Intel Atom Z3745 processor, 2gb of ram and 32gb of internal storage (expandable by up to 64gb).  The cylinder shape primarily helps due to two things, when held in portrait mode, it gives you a kind of handle to comfortably hold up the tablet while staring at the screen.  Secondly, there is a stand embedded in the tablet so you don’t have to purchase a third party accessory to hold it up (by far one of the best parts of all Lenovo tablets).

The Yoga Tablet 2 weighs in a 1.39lbs, which is a bit heavier than some tablets today but it doesn’t make it unbearable to carry.  This tablet also comes with its own Bluetooth keyboard which great, not many other tablets can say they have one included as a packaged deal without costing extra.  The keys are very tactile and responsive and it has great battery life, but much like the tablet, the keyboard is small.  I have rather large hands (and fingers) and I find myself hitting two buttons all the time.  The mouse pad is also inconsistent and most likely its due to the size.  Of course, someone with smaller hands won’t encounter the same problem.  You will, however, have some problems keeping the keyboard on the tablet.  If you do move too much, the magnets might not be strong enough, most of the time.

This tablet is much like most of the tablets I’ve used, running windows 8.1.  The Intel Atom processor handled mostly everything like a charm and I found myself rarely having to restart it.  The use of touch screen and mouse pad is always appreciated since its easier to pin point something or just much more accurate depending on the circumstance.  I found myself taking full advantage of the nice front facing speakers to watch a movie while writing up some work with no problems at all.  This shouldn’t come to anyone’s surprise as I have yet to run into problems with any of the tablets so far.  Applications like Netflix, Hulu or Plex never staggered or showed any sign of lag.

While writing up some notes during some meetings and looking at some powerpoints, I never really hit any weak points while using the tablets.  I did however find myself using the on screen keyboard  more than the actually physical one.  Whether it was the magnets not really holding up, the keys being too small or the mouse pad being dysfunctional, it was almost always better to just have the tablet and nothing else.

Lenovo presents a 10.1″ Full HD 1920 by 1200 IPS display which was an absolute joy to use during the review process.  I did find myself consuming more media since it was always by my side.  The colors are accurate and not too punchy and it never really had any problems no matter what angle I watched it in.  It may not be bright enough to tickle your fancy while outside, but its not significant enough to call this a “bad display.”

Packing a 9600mAh battery, Lenovo states that you will get at least 15 hours of battery life with the Yoga Tablet 2.  Its safe to say that unless you’re a heavier consumer than I am and your marathon-ing your way through endless seasons of Friends on Netflix, then you’ll make it very easily through 2 days.  The usual day for me consisted of taking a few notes during meetings while web browsing, watching a few episodes or even a full movie if time allowed and a whole bunch more web browsing.  Occasionally, I had a PowerPoint presentation that I would specifically show people on the tablet just to see if I could put some extra strain on the battery though it never really affected it much.

Lenovo brings yet another solid performer to its arsenal.  A great screen, solid specs, with some good speakers, you have a front runner for a Windows tablet.  With a few adjustments to the keyboard, you can have a solid replacement (laptop) for more of a portable use.  You can head over to Lenovo and get one now for $369.99 in black (only color available.)  Remember, for that price it comes with an integrated stand and bluetooth keyboard, sounds like a steal.