In September 2019, Apple’s iPad OS was released to the public. For years, tabs had struggled in the productivity game and couldn’t really walk the talk as serious laptop alternatives. It’s why Apple’s iPad OS was a significant moment for the entire category. Less than half a year later, most of the world switched to varying degrees of lockdowns sparking a new WFH (work from home) normal as we know it. While laptop manufacturers saw an unprecedented boom, there was also a ripple effect in the tab category. While entry-level tabs became the favourite for ‘study from home’, many consumers began rediscovering the versatility of premium tabs that allowed you to quickly swing from gaming to MS Excel mode.
Samsung has been the undisputed king of premium tabs on planet Android. The brand’s Galaxy S6 and S7 tabs have leveraged the WFH wave with a bunch of useful productivity accessories. Lenovo’s new Tab P11 Pro lands in this space and makes a play for users seeking a capable work + play device. It certainly looks the part. It’s tough to tell between the likes of the Apple iPad Air or Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S7 from a distance; you can add the Tab P11 Pro to that list. From the industrial build, clean lines and minimal bezels, this tab has a similar design DNA. The important thing is it looks every inch premium, in case you need to make an impression at a client meeting.
The display is probably the biggest consumer driver in the tab category. Lenovo has ‘specced’ this with a terrific display – a 11.5-inch 2K OLED display (2560 x 1600 pixels) that peaks at 500 nits. Blacks are deep, colours are vibrant; whether you’re gaming or binge watching, this display is all you need. Lenovo also keeps the heft under 500 gm; it’s geared for those long hours flipping through a graphic novel or gaming. Quad speakers are now a bare necessity in the premium tab category; the P11 Pro sticks with this trend. These speakers are powered by JBL and deliver an immersive experience. Just like Apple and Samsung’s premium tabs, Lenovo skips the 3.5 mm headphone jack. Your favourite wired headphones might become redundant soon.
Screen times (and many of us will say working hours) have seen a huge spike in the post-pandemic WFH era. We switch to gaming or Netflix mode even after a whole day spent staring at the screen. The 8600 mAh battery won’t let you down. I didn’t have to charge this device even after a whole day of usage across apps. Lenovo pegs the video playback at about 15 hours.
We were not able to validate Lenovo’s pitch around the Tab P11 Pro’s productivity game. Lenovo didn’t ship the optional keyboard and the Precision Pen 2 (akin to the Apple Pencil). The specs of the keyboard are quite impressive - 3mm letter key spaces and 1.3 mm travel; you’re unlikely to be cramped for room. The real issue is a lack of a versatile Tab-specific OS, we really can’t wait for an Android answer to iPad OS. Lenovo has added a few apps like Bamboo Paper that allow you to make the best of the Precision Pen 2, while the Android versions of MS Office apps are quite handy too.
Lenovo’s Tab P11 Pro is a solid Android Tab. It has enough firepower (it’s propelled by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 Processor that teams up with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of Internal memory) to get stuff done and looks slinky. It also has a stellar display and a premium build that make it a serious contender in this category. The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro costs Rs 49,990.
Views expressed by the author are personal