Lenovo is pitching the Yoga Tab 13 as a premium leisure slate, nevertheless its large show display screen, extremely efficient processor, robust battery life, and inclusion of a useful kickstand allow it to behave as excess of a Netflix automotive. In a market dominated by low-cost fare, Lenovo has crafted a high-end capsule to compete with among the many best from Apple, Samsung, and others. Is that this the playful productiveness confederate you need in your life or is it one different me-too try to run with the huge boys? Uncover out throughout the Android Authority Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 review.
About this Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 review: I examined the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 over a interval of seven days. It was working Android 11 on the June 2021 security patch. The unit was equipped by Lenovo for this review.
What you wish to know regarding the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13
Eric Zeman / Android Authority
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: $679.99 / £649 / €799
Lenovo sells higher than a dozen fully completely different tablets which can be obtainable in a wide range of sizes, with diversified prices and choices. The majority are smaller slates throughout the $150 to $300 range. These tablets are most ceaselessly meant to perform media machines to appease the needs of youngsters or novice clients. The Yoga Tab 13 objectives considerably higher.
Like Lenovo’s similarly-branded, versatile Yoga laptops, the Yoga capsule range is unique and affords one factor higher than the widespread piece of {{hardware}}. The essential ingredient is the built-in kickstand/hook combo that permits you to stand or grasp the Yoga Tab 13 almost anyplace. It opens up fully new strategies to utilize the capsule that the majority others merely cannot match.
See moreover: Probably the greatest low-cost tablets
Moreover, this particular capsule is basically probably the most high-spec’d amongst Lenovo’s Android roster, which makes it an fascinating chance for these trying to find prime effectivity. It competes instantly with the Apple iPad Air, the vanilla Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, and the higher Galaxy Tab S7 FE fashions as far as pricing is frightened.
Lenovo sells a single mannequin of the Yoga Tab 13. There are no memory or storage variations from which to resolve on. Not like some competing tablets, the Yoga Tab 13 is on the market in a single color: Shadow Black. Inside the US, it is solely obtainable available on the market instantly from Lenovo’s web page and Best Buy.
How is the design?
Eric Zeman / Android Authority
Lenovo’s Yoga tablets stand apart. Really. They normally perform two distinct design parts that differentiate them from the crowded self-discipline of flat slates. First, they’ve a bulging, cylindrical spine alongside one edge, and second, they embody an adjustable kickstand for positioning the capsule upright on a desk or mattress.
The spine makes the Yoga Tab 13 very simple to grip with one hand. That’s one factor I’ve on a regular basis favored regarding the sort concern. On the flip side, it means you’ve got a software that’s not uniform in thickness forwards and backwards as most tablets are. The kickstand is definitely helpful. Further tablets (ahem, Apple and Samsung) must embody them. The Yoga Tab 13’s thick metallic kickstand doubles as a hook for hanging the capsule in the direction of a wall or comparable. It’s truly robust and holds any angle you set. I like that the kickstand has a rubber coating on it, which helps cease it from slipping.
Eric Zeman / Android Authority
These stands out as the primary stuff you uncover regarding the Yoga Tab 13’s design, nevertheless the second will definitely be the size. Due to the 13-inch show display screen, the Tab 13 is a gigantic slab of plastic and glass. It measures 293.35 x 203.98 x 6.2/24.9mm and weighs 803g. That makes it greater and heavier than the Apple iPad Skilled and Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus.
The Yoga Tab 13 is sort of the whopper.
The Gorilla Glass 3-protected present glass is totally flat and it is fitted into the unibody chassis snugly the place it meets the physique. I need the chassis had been constructed from metallic and by no means plastic. Which may truly up the “wow” concern of the {{hardware}}. In spite of everything, which may almost undoubtedly add to the load as successfully. The plastic supplies is of robust top quality and feels sturdy and rigid. Lenovo lined a portion of the rear panel with Alcantara, a cushty, suede-like substance that truly gives the design some pop. The Shadow Black colorway appears to be good too and stands out alongside the identical previous gray and silver tablets (though not pretty as quite a bit as a result of the colorful iPad Air fashions).
Eric Zeman / Android Authority
One function of the spine, except for bettering usability, is housing the audio system. The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 has 4 JBL audio system, two throughout the spine and two on prime, that generate Dolby Atmos sound. These audio system make the Tab 13 an outstanding choice for watching movement photos or rocking out to tunes, as a result of the sound is rich and loud.
A few further points worth stating. Lenovo constructed a USB-C 3.2 gen 1 port into one side of the capsule and a micro HDMI port into the alternative. This lets you value the capsule whereas moreover using it as a second present (when plugged proper right into a PC.) There’s no headphone jack, neither is there help for microSD memory taking part in playing cards.
It could be too large or cumbersome for some clients, nevertheless the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 is a powerful capsule that does higher than most competing slabs on account of its distinctive sort concern.
How is the show display screen?
Eric Zeman / Android Authority
At 13 inches all through the diagonal, the Yoga Tab 13 has merely regarding the largest present obtainable from any capsule. Apple’s iPad Skilled incorporates a 12.9-inch show display screen, and the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus and Tab S7 FE have 12.4-inch screens. Few others are as large.
The 2,160 x 1,350-pixel panel pushes out 400nits of brightness and runs a daily 60Hz refresh cost. It’s Dolby Imaginative and prescient rated, which makes it a pure place to stream high-quality video content material materials. It’s an LTPS LCD panel comparatively than an AMOLED show display screen, and that’s obvious when it comes to distinction and dynamic range.
The present is an excellent canvas for regardless of train you keep in mind.
That acknowledged, the present is an excellent canvas for regardless of train you keep in mind. The extreme choice ensures that each little factor on the show display screen is crisp and sharp, the brightness is bigger than sufficient for indoor and outdoors use, and the refresh cost is sweet ample for a lot of duties you assign to the Yoga Tab 13. Video content material materials, notably, might be very pleasing on the show display screen, nevertheless I moreover found it an incredible place for managing paperwork and detailed internet sites.
The present settings help all the anticipated devices, along with adaptive brightness, eye security mode, darkish theme, and so forth.
It doesn’t pretty dazzle like a Samsung Large AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh cost does, nevertheless the Yoga Tab 13’s LCD show display screen is a pleasant panel for a capsule on this worth range.
Is battery life any good?
Eric Zeman / Android Authority
Lenovo stuffed a ten,000mAh battery into the chassis of the Yoga Tab 13. That’s about on par with the battery measurement of competing tablets. Lenovo fees the battery for as a lot as 12 hours of screen-on time.
In my testing, the Yoga Tab 13 continually pushed earlier 10.5 hours of battery life, and reached merely over 11 hours on one occasion. That’s a bit wanting Lenovo’s claims, nevertheless nonetheless in a powerful range for this class of capsule. Apple’s iPads, for comparability, prime out on the 10-hour mark, whereas Samsung Tab S7 assortment slates run a bit nearer to 12.
Related: Probably the greatest moveable chargers and power banks — a purchaser’s data
When it comes time to power the capsule up, Lenovo’s obtained your once more. The company included a 30W charger and cable throughout the subject that recharges the capsule in about 2.25 hours. That’s far decrease than the three.5 hours it takes to value the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE. Kudos to Lenovo for packing the high-speed charger with the capsule.
What’s effectivity like?
Lenovo carried out it good and gave the Yoga Tab 13 an outstanding processor throughout the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870. This flagship-level SoC incorporates an Adreno 650 GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. It’s not pretty Qualcomm’s top-level chipset, however it absolutely generates higher than ample power to take care of the capsule a rockin’ and a rollin’.
The Yoga Tab 13 excelled at frequently effectivity. The capsule was on a regular basis swift regardless of the obligation at hand. It not at all felt sluggish or slowed down. Memory- and processor-intensive apps akin to Adobe’s Lightroom or video video games akin to Asphalt 9 ran simply and with out stutters or lags. The capsule moreover managed to take care of up with plenty of tabs open throughout the notoriously power-hungry Chrome browser.
When it bought right here time to run some benchmarks, the Yoga Tab 13 set some robust scores. It fully crushed the 5G variant of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE in AnTuTu, Geekbench 5, and 3DMark. The assessments ran simply and shortly, showcasing the Snapdragon 870’s power. The capsule moreover managed to realize a powerful one-minute 30 seconds on our homegrown Tempo Verify G benchmark, handily besting the Tab S7 FE’s two minutes 48 seconds.
The Yoga Tab 13 is stuffed with power nevertheless is disappointingly restricted to solely 128GB of onboard storage.
Previous the processor, there are a few completely different points to discuss. First, storage. The capsule is, disappointingly, restricted to solely 128GB of onboard storage. There are no additional SKUs from Lenovo. Further importantly, there’s moreover no help for microSD taking part in playing cards or expandable storage. This curtails the number of apps and the amount of content material materials you might keep it up the capsule. Samsung and Apple present further storage decisions of their competing tablets.
On the wi-fi entrance, the Lenovo capsule excels. It helps Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Whereas it might need been good to see Wi-Fi 6E on board, the Wi-Fi 6 radio did an outstanding job streaming content material materials, downloading apps, and retaining the capsule associated at trendy speeds. It was a quite a bit sooner companion than the Galaxy Tab S7 FE (5G model) and is significantly better future-proofed.
That’s the sort of effectivity we want to see from an Android slate. It’s not an absolute barnstormer and it gained’t downside Apple’s tablets for the best spot, however it absolutely’s extraordinarily aggressive.
Is there explicit capsule software program program onboard?
Eric Zeman / Android Authority
The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 ships with Android 11 as its base platform. Lenovo has a light-weight software program program pores and pores and skin on the Yoga 13 that principally impacts the appears of the settings menu and completely different system-level screens. The important experience of using Android is unencumbered by Lenovo, which is appreciated.
We don’t perceive how devoted Lenovo is to providing system-level upgrades or security updates for its tablets. The company doesn’t have the easiest monitor doc for updating its telephones, nonetheless. We’ve requested Lenovo and may exchange this review as soon as we’re given a powerful reply. For now, though, you shouldn’t go in anticipating the similar long-term software program program help as you get with Samsung and Apple tablets.
As has been the case for years now, Android doesn’t on a regular basis current the easiest experience on tablets. App builders don’t all adapt their features to the capsule sort concern, which means they typically render weird on the show display screen or auto-rotate to portrait view solely, and so forth. That’s solely a actuality of life on Android tablets and one factor it is a should to endure on the Yoga Tab 13.
Further learning: Probably the greatest 8 Android tablets for youngsters
Lenovo did toss in a few extras, though. The first is Youngsters Space. Youngsters Space is a loyal setting meant for youthful children. It provides entry to a library of pre-loaded apps, books, and films which may be age-appropriate, permits children to customize their experience akin to designing an avatar, and packs in parental controls via the Google Family Hyperlink app for managing show display screen time and the like. When you will have youthful ones at residence, this may be among the finest methods to deal with their time with the capsule, though it requires you to create a managed Google account for each youngster.
Youngsters Space
Leisure Space
There’s moreover Google’s Leisure Space. Leisure Space gathers a number of your content material materials in a single panel that you simply simply entry by swiping correct on the home show display screen. Proper right here, there are three tabs that permit you to swap between video, recreation, and e e book content material materials. As an illustration, after you load up the capsule with apps akin to Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus, all of them appear throughout the Leisure Space full with strategies and additional. It’s a helpful technique to deal with your content material materials that acts a bit identical to the Apple TV app that’s obtainable on iPads. The apps are nonetheless obtainable individually throughout the app drawer for individuals who don’t want to use the perform. One issue that’s missing from Leisure Space? Music. For some motive, music apps and suppliers shouldn’t constructed into Google’s Leisure Space.
The remaining?
Eric Zeman / Android Authority
- Digicam: Curiously, the Yoga Tab 13 has solely an 8MP user-facing camera. There are no rear-facing cameras for normal photographs. Lenovo expects video calls to be the primary use-case for the Yoga Tab 13’s solely camera, and it’ll probably seize as a lot as 1080p video. Footage and video recorded by the camera are of widespread top quality at best. The first downside is an inclination for the camera to blow out the background if there’s any amount of sunshine. The capsule moreover incorporates a time-of-flight sensor for “artificial intelligence” choices. These are restricted to enhanced background blur in pictures and films.
- Stylus: For individuals who want to pair a stylus alongside along with your capsule, you’ll be able to accomplish that with the Yoga Tab 13 nevertheless it’ll worth you extra. The capsule is appropriate with Lenovo’s Precision Pen 2. The Yoga Tab 13 would not embody anyplace to storage or in another case retailer the stylus, so that you simply’ll must deal with it individually from the capsule.
- Tools: Lenovo-made gear for the Yoga Tab 13 are sorely lacking. There are no personalized cases, show display screen protectors, keyboards, or one thing comparable obtainable from Lenovo itself. Which means you’ll must rely on third-party distributors to protect and enhance your capsule. The absence of a loyal keyboard is particularly vexing, as a result of it cuts down on the capsule’s productiveness enchantment.
- Biometrics: There are none. Sure, you need to make the most of the doorway camera for main facial recognition, nevertheless the Yoga Tab 13 doesn’t have devoted biometric {{hardware}}, akin to a fingerprint reader or an IR camera for further right face scanning. That appears as if an unlimited miss in a capsule at this worth degree.
Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 specs
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 | |
|---|---|
| Present | 13-inch LTPS LCD 2,160 x 1,350 choice 400nits 60Hz Dolby Imaginative and prescient |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 870, octa-core, as a lot as 3.2GHz Adreno 650 GPU |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | 128GB |
| Battery | 10,000mAh 30W wired charging |
| Digicam | 8MP RGB + TOF |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 Micro HDMI with HDCP 1.4 help Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Dimensions/Weight | 293.35 x 203.98 x 6.2/24.9mm 803g |
| Colors | Shadow Black |
Price and opponents
Lenovo Yoga Tab 13
Lenovo Yoga Tab 13
The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 Android capsule incorporates a giant, 13-inch present in a slim sort concern that incorporates a built-in kickstand, prime processor, and stellar battery life.
Lenovo bills $679 for the Yoga Tab 13. That worth feels correct given the generous show display screen, top-flight processor, and the rest of the bountiful spec sheet.
At 13 inches, the Tab 13 packs one among many largest screens obtainable in an Android capsule. The Snapdragon 870 processor fully delivers the merchandise when it comes time to hold out. Battery life is aggressive and the capsule incorporates a great deal of connectivity decisions. Moreover, Lenovo didn’t weigh the capsule down with pointless individual interface skins and bloatware. Instead, it included the Google Youngsters Space and Leisure Space devices that help homeowners deal with their clients and content material materials.
I do need there have been just a few alternate SKUs offering fully completely different RAM/storage configurations. The 128GB storage allotment leaves the Yoga Tab 13 trailing the opponents some. I moreover need the Lenovo Precision Pen 2 stylus ($69) wasn’t an optionally obtainable accent and was instead included with the capsule as a result of it’s an obvious match for the capsule’s large show display screen.
At 13-inches, the Yoga Tab 13 packs one among many largest screens obtainable in an Android capsule.
If stylus-toting tablets are what you search, Samsung’s trio of Tab S7 slates may be a greater possibility for you. The Wi-Fi variant of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE ($599) with 6GB of RAM and 128GB traces up successfully with the Tab 13, given its large 12.4-inch show display screen. The Snapdragon 778G processor gained’t current as quite a bit oomph, nonetheless, and the dearer 5G model has a good weaker chipset for perplexing causes. For individuals who don’t ideas a smaller show display screen, the 11-inch Tab S7 ($649) packs a quite a bit higher processor than the FE, along with greater cameras. For individuals who can stomach the higher price tag, the Tab S7 Plus ($849) nearly matches the Tab 13’s large present and it has all the ability and effectivity of the smaller Tab S7. All three of these tablets embody a stylus.
Looking out for one factor smaller, one factor with a lot much less power, or one factor that’s merely cheaper? Lenovo’s obtained you lined with a selection of tablets. As an illustration, there’s the Lenovo P11 Skilled ($340), which has a smaller show display screen and reduce spec’d processor, along with the Yoga Tab 11 ($320), which has a grip-style sort concern and kickstand very like the Yoga Tab 13.
Apple’s iPad Air (2020) ($599) will on a regular basis be a primary contender throughout the capsule home. Apple’s mid-range slate is a bit smaller with a ten.9-inch show display screen, however it absolutely has the ultra-speedy Apple-designed A14 Bionic processor and quite a lot of customized iPad apps throughout the App Retailer.
Related: Probably the greatest Android tablets
Closing, for $80 decrease than Lenovo’s Yoga Tab 13 you can probably ranking the Microsoft Flooring Go 2 ($599), a laptop/capsule hybrid working full Dwelling home windows with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and each an Intel Pentium or Core processor.
Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 review: The choice
Eric Zeman / Android Authority
With the Yoga Tab 13, Lenovo has charged into the premium Android capsule home with a powerful contender. It goes head-to-head with the easiest from Samsung and Apple and in some conditions bests the opponents.
The high-resolution, 13-inch present provides ample room for motion pictures, video video games, and work paperwork when important. Blended with the ability of the Snapdragon 870 processor, the Yoga Tab 13 has higher than ample energy to take care of troublesome apps and guarantee they provide the impression of being good on the show display screen. Add to that the 4 top quality audio system and you have got an incredible media machine.
Let’s not neglect the distinctive sort concern of the Yoga Tab 13. Whereas the cylindrical bulge isn’t commonplace capsule fare, the accompanying kickstand and hook give the Tab 13 the pliability to face or grasp the place completely different tablets merely cannot. This sort of built-in utility goes an important distance.
The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 is an excellent piece of {{hardware}} that’s easy to advocate.
Lenovo rounds out the experience with robust battery life, wonderful wi-fi effectivity, and an Alcantara finish that gives a contact of luxe to the slate. I moreover acknowledge the near-stock Android software program program with kid-focused devices that make proudly proudly owning the Tab 13 easier on households.
Tools — or the dearth thereof — are among the many many Yoga Tab 13’s largest limitations. To start out out, the capsule doesn’t ship with a stylus, forcing you to spend extra do you need to want one. Moreover, Lenovo hasn’t crafted one thing like a loyal case or keyboard to amp up the work enchantment of the machine. Not every capsule should be a bit machine, nevertheless with this quite a bit power on faucet, it’s slightly little bit of a missed different proper right here.
There are moreover unavoidable question marks over software program program help and some questionable {{hardware}} omissions — most notably, the one storage chance, the dearth of a rear camera, and the absence of any biometric security decisions. The 60Hz-only show display screen moreover feels considerably behind the curve compared with the precept Galaxy Tab S7 assortment.
Nonetheless, the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 is an excellent super-sized capsule with a novel design that’s easy to advocate to anyone trying to find a top-quality leisure slate.
