When you think of tablets, earth-shattering bass is not something that comes to mind, unless you are using Lenovo’s new Tab Plus, which produces sound through four tweeters and four woofers split across each side of the tablet (when used in landscape mode). It’s a mini entertainment device that checks most boxes that we look at while buying an Android tablet.
Sonic boom
What it aims to do is simple: Be a two-in-one entertainment system for streaming, listening to music, or playing the occasional video game. One look at the device and you will notice that speakers play a very important role. It comes with octa JBL speakers and Dolby Atmos. You heard that right: Eight speakers. They perform exactly as you would expect — the sound is extremely clear with sufficiently deep bass even if they don’t hit the number of decibels to make it a party speaker.
The audio system on this tablet turns it into one of those wireless speakers. If you want to throw a spontaneous party with your friends at home or in the office this is the machine to have. Having this many speakers and a kickstand, the lower half of the tablet is almost twice as thick as the upper half: There is a thickness jump from 7.7 mm to 13.5 mm. It is a sacrifice that some could be willing to make even if it affects the weight of the tablet, which is 650g. The weight is fairly well-distributed, with the difference being almost unnoticeable when you hold it in landscape mode.
An integrated pop-out kickstand on the back makes it easier to use the tablet
It’s easy to love a tablet that knows what it is for. It’s never going to beat iPad’s performance but it surely looks like something my wife will spend her entire day on. In fact, the last few days have been spent binge-watching House (once again) and films like Up In The Air and The Equalizer 3. The display is excellent even if it’s LCD and not OLED, which many premium tablets have. The Lenovo Tab Plus performs well in terms of colours and I was also impressed by the contrast of the 11.5-inch panel.
There is a hefty kickstand on the back, which means you don’t need to add a folio cover. The kickstand is well-designed and can be adjusted to keep the tablet in an upright position at various angles. There is no chance of the hinges becoming loose. Whether you are sitting at the table or want to keep the tablet on the bed, the kickstand helps.
The real magic of the tablet is felt listening to music. For a few days, I kept aside all my portable speakers and home assistants to enjoy music on the Tab Plus. It doesn’t have the generous dimensions of a new generation TV but as an audio system, this is wonderful. Having a good set of speakers helps video game enthusiasts even when they are not using earbuds. Be it Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile or Asphalt 9: Legends, sound quality didn’t suffer.
Even when it comes to performance, the tablet does well with the MediaTek Helio G99 processor. Agreed, it’s not the fastest of processors but it’s enough for a tablet that’s mostly going to act like an entertainment hub. However, more demanding gamers might want to look at other devices that satisfy their thirst for FPS and high graphics. In terms of memory, it has 8GB RAM and 128GB storage (supports expandable SD card).
Should you buy it?
The cameras — 8MP on the front and rear — are good enough to capture this and that around you but you will mostly use it for video calls. Another quibble involves the degree of reflection seen on the screen.
On a positive note, I can t complain about the battery. At 8600mAh, it lasts 12-14 hours of continuous use, with support for 45W charging. It comes with Bluetooth 5.2, which is not the newest standard but it’s functional.
To get the most out of Tab Plus’ sound capabilities, Lenovo has included the option to wirelessly connect other devices to the tablet
The device comes loaded with Android 14 and expect OS upgrades till Android 16 and four years of security patches till January 2028. This is a tablet with a clear target audience. It’s wonderful for watching movies and listening to music. Lenovo Tab Plus is indeed a mini entertainment hub.
At a glance
Device: Lenovo Tab Plus
Price: Upwards of Rs 22,999
High notes
Booming sound
Comes with a built-in kickstand
Good-quality display
Decent battery performance
Muffled notes
The screen could have been less reflective
The cameras are just about enough for video calls
