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Just in case Lenovo's Android tablet roster didn't feel expansive, diverse, and... confusing enough prior to this back-to-school season, the company is now selling two interesting new mid-rangers stateside. The Idea Tab Plus seems to have made its US commercial debut mere hours after its IFA announcement in Berlin on Friday, while the "regular" Idea Tab never got a glamorous launch, silently popping up on various Lenovo regional websites in recent weeks.
Two devices, three models, plenty of reasons for you to consider a purchase
If the $389.99 and up Idea Tab Pro felt a little rich for your blood when it began selling a few months ago, the $289.99 Lenovo Idea Tab Plus could well be just what the doctor ordered, striking a nearly flawless balance between quality (at least on paper) and affordability.
These Idea Tab Plus specs are nothing to sneeze at
12.1-inch LCD screen with 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution;
MediaTek Dimensity 6400 processor;
Android 15;
Two guaranteed OS upgrades and four years of security patches;
8GB RAM;
128GB internal storage space;
microSD card slot;
13MP rear-facing camera;
8MP front-facing camera;
Four speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos;
10,200mAh battery;
45W charging support;
530 grams weight;
278.8 x 181.05 x 6.29mm dimensions;
Luna Grey color;
Lenovo Tab Pen included.
Marketed as "thinner than a notebook" and lighter "than a bottle of water", the Idea Tab Plus looks... about as sleek and stylish as an Android slate in its price bracket can look without making (too many) under-the-hood compromises. That Dimensity 6400 SoC, in case you're wondering, is the same one used by respectable new phones like the Realme 15T, although it's obviously not as fast as the Dimensity 8300 inside the costlier aforementioned Idea Tab Pro.
Lenovo Idea Tab
$189
99
Wi-Fi Only, 128GB Storage, 4GB RAM, MediaTek Dimensity 6300 Processor, 11-Inch IPS Screen with 2560 x 1600 Pixel Resolution, 8MP Rear-Facing Camera, 5MP Front-Facing Camera, Quad Speaker System with Dolby Atmos Audio Technology, 7,040mAh Battery, 20W Charging Support, microSD Card Slot, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Android 15, Luna Grey Color
The 6.29mm waist, meanwhile, grows to 8.55mm at the tablet's thickest point (which is still not bad), with that battery likely to prove a key strength and selling point over other sub-$300 devices as it can purportedly last for up to 13 hours (of YouTube streaming) on a single (blazing fast) charge.
And these are the not-too-shabby Lenovo Idea Tab specs
11-inch display with 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution and 90Hz refresh rate capabilities;
MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor;
Android 15;
Two guaranteed OS upgrades and four years of security patches;
4 and 8GB RAM options;
128GB internal storage space;
microSD card slot;
8MP rear-facing camera;
5MP front-facing camera;
Quad Dolby Atmos-enhanced speaker system;
7,040mAh battery;
20W charging support;
480 grams weight;
254.59 x 166.15 x 6.99mm dimensions;
Luna Grey color.
Unlike the single-model (in the US) Idea Tab Plus, the non-Plus Idea Tab comes with 4GB RAM at a retail price of $189.99 and 40 bucks more for an extra four gigs of the good stuff. Both variants seem to deliver pretty great value for your money, somewhat surprisingly supporting 90Hz screen refresh rate technology while squeezing a significantly smaller battery into a slightly thicker body than that of the larger Idea Tab Plus.
Are you thinking of buying any of Lenovo's mid-range tablets?
The Idea Tab with 4GB RAM might be too cheap to turn down
0%
The Idea Tab with 8GB RAM sounds pretty sweet to me
38.46%
I badly want the Idea Tab Plus
15.38%
I'm still looking at the slightly older Idea Tab Pro
23.08%
I have no interest in a Lenovo Idea Tab
23.08%
The Galaxy Tab S10 FE duo is in (even bigger) trouble
When it comes to competitively priced mid-range tablets, it's hard to find better options available in the US today than the trio composed of the Lenovo Idea Tab, Idea Tab Plus, and Idea Tab Pro.
The Idea Tab is not exactly a powerhouse, but it's affordable enough to beat many other mid-rangers in terms of value for money. | Image Credit -- Lenovo
Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE Plus, for instance, feel (more than) a little overpriced for what they have to offer... even if they're clearly superior from an elegance standpoint. But the Lenovo Idea Tab Plus remarkably includes an S Pen-rivaling stylus in its considerably lower price, while the "standard" Idea Tab is arguably cheap enough to offset its otherwise obvious and bothersome flaws.
The Lenovo Idea Tab is likely to get a lower-cost rival in the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 soon, but it doesn't look like that thing will be able to compete in the same league as far as raw power and battery life are concerned.
Should you pull the trigger?
In my view (and I've gone on record with this opinion multiple times in the past), Lenovo makes thebest budget tablets around right now. And yes, before you ask, I'm speaking from personal experience, as I've owned a few different Lenovo slates over the years, and I've (generally) been satisfied with everything from their build quality to their overall performance, battery life, sound quality, and screen quality.
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Can I guarantee that the Lenovo Idea Tab and Idea Tab Plus will please you in every one of those areas if you decide to make a purchase today? Absolutely not. But in terms of (theoretical) bang for your buck, these ultra-affordable big guys pretty much have no competition at the time of this writing, which I'm sure will be enough for many of you to take a (small) gamble on (one of) them.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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