Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 Evaluation: Flexible Cinema Magic

The high-end Android pill market, as soon as a abandoned wasteland, has sprung to life in 2022. The place in years previous there was nary a competitor to the likes of the iPad Professional line, now numerous producers try their arms at delivering a real different.

Lenovo’s reply to this problem is the Yoga Tab 13, the most recent in its line of premium-priced curiosities that every sport a novel characteristic. Combining the trademark Yoga kickstand, highly effective audio system, a high-end processor and a big show, it actually has all the things it must ship on the leisure entrance.

It even sports activities a Mini-HDMI port, permitting it to behave as an exterior or second monitor, probably increasing its usefulness exponentially.

However with such achieved competitors at play and a beginning RRP of £699/US$679, is the Yoga Tab 13 a sufficiently polished providing to justify the premium value? Learn on for our full evaluate.

Design & Construct

Helpful kickstand
Metallic and cloth
Hefty weight

The place there’s a Yoga pill, there’s an included kickstand within the again, and identical to the cheaper Yoga Tab 11, the Tab 13 isn’t any exception. Useless centre within the rear, it’s a giant affair made from sturdy stainless-steel, providing loads of resistance in any respect angles.

What this implies for common use is sort of unparalleled versatility. It is a pill that may sit, or grasp, virtually anyplace with out the necessity of exterior support to take action. From watching movies in mattress to functioning as a drawing stand, the stand permits the pill to be greater than it might be with out.

Fittingly given the value level, the remainder of the pill feels premium. The body is constructed from aluminium, and half of the rear is certain in Alcantara cloth, which could not put on terribly nicely over time however is good to the contact and supplies one thing completely different to rivals.

I did discover some small points with match and end, together with a poorly rounded, considerably sharp nook, however total it felt stable for essentially the most half. As per different Yoga Tabs, the wedge-shaped design maintaining many of the weight in your hand when holding it in portrait orientation.

At 803g nevertheless, I actually wouldn’t wish to see the pill take a tumble. With comparatively skinny bezels and a number of heft the outcomes might probably be catastrophic, because of this, I might advocate a case with any buy.

Display screen & Audio system

Laptop computer dimension show
2K decision
LCD panel

It should be mentioned on the outset, the display screen on the Yoga Tab 13 is giant. Because the title suggests it’s 13in on the diagonal, the identical dimension as many laptop computer shows.

It’s large enough that some extra conventional pill duties, comparable to watching video out of your lap, turn out to be barely uncomfortable. Others conversely turn out to be less complicated, comparable to utilizing the pill as a small TV, with the added dimension making studying subtitles particularly a lot simpler.

On the subject of the show high quality, I used to be principally impressed. Starting with the decision, at 2K the Tab 13 has loads of sharpness on provide. Particular person pixels had been by no means discernible to the bare eye, and the concentrate on decision advantages studying particularly, with textual content remaining legible at significantly small font sizes.

Shifting on to color copy, this can be a equally constructive story. Because it has an LCD panel, the Yoga Tab 13 lacks among the color pop and superior distinction of OLED outfitted rivals. Colors are neither too heat or too chilly, focussing on a balanced illustration however at this value, OLED could be an inexpensive expectation.

In 2022, it could even be comprehensible to anticipate a better refresh price. As rivals profit from 120Hz panels and quicker, that the Yoga Tab 13 is proscribed to 60Hz is unlucky. This doesn’t influence video viewing, nevertheless it implies that the likes of navigating via the interface and operations on the whole really feel barely slower than they may in any other case.

The dearth of excessive brightness can also be unlucky. At 400 nits the pill can get vibrant sufficient for a lot of (indoor) use-cases, however struggles in vibrant daylight, compounded by the comparatively reflective glass on the show. The less expensive iPad 10.2 (2021), for instance, is rated at 500 nits.

The Tab 13 comes outfitted with 4 audio system tuned by JBL with Dolby Atmos help, aiming to offer as immersive an expertise as doable. And even when the system can’t fairly attain the lofty heights promised, it has among the finest sounding audio system we’ve got ever come throughout in a pill.

Bass is punchy, trebles are tight and there’s a diploma of stereo separation. Working significantly nicely for motion pictures, these imply that it isn’t essential to pair the pill with a Bluetooth speaker and are one thing of a sport changer as a consequence.

Muddying issues just a bit is the considerably squiffy efficiency of the audio software program, which doubtless wants some tuning. Trying to steadiness output to no matter content material is being considered, it tends to depart audio ‘swinging’ out and in, going up and down in quantity significantly, and being fairly distracting within the course of.

Specs & Efficiency

Snapdragon 870
8GB RAM
128 or 256GB storage

An attention-grabbing inclusion with the Tab 13 is the Snapdragon 870, which is a repackaged Snapdragon 865, the most well-liked high-end chip of 2020. Paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage by default (although Lenovo does listing a 256GB SKU), it is sufficient to see the Yoga Tab 13 fly on the whole utilization.

Irrespective of whether or not taking part in intensive video games or just looking via the interface or on the internet, there was nothing I might do to trigger the pill to stumble. All through all of this, it additionally managed to remain cool, a consequence of getting extra space through which to unfold warmth.

If you’re a cellular gaming fanatic, the Tab 13 plus a Bluetooth controller might make fairly a tempting proposition, particularly for retro gaming. The efficiency was borne out in benchmarking, with the system scoring 956 and 3040 in single and multi-core respectively, each in extra of what the likes of the Exynos-sporting Samsung S21 Extremely managed to realize.

A barely extra delicate a part of the spec sheet however distinguished in advertising and marketing materials, is the inclusion of a Micro-HDMI port. A Micro-HDMI to HDMI cable is included with the system, and what this implies is that it permits the Tab 13 to perform as an exterior show when linked to the likes of a laptop computer.

For these with spreadsheet heavy workloads, this can be a godsend, particularly for dwelling areas that can’t accommodate a extra conventional dual-monitor set-up. It’s unlucky that when linked the system loses its contact enter, however nonetheless, it implies that any shortcomings the Android software program could current to work are mitigated utterly. It is a characteristic I might like to see adopted extra extensively, and Lenovo is to be praised for its inclusion right here.

Cameras

There may be nothing within the advertising and marketing for the Yoga Tab 13 that mentions the digital camera system, and that is merely for one purpose, that it isn’t excellent.

This isn’t to say that the Tab 13 is worse than opponents on this regard, for no pill is marketed on its digital camera capabilities. Moderately, it’s unlucky that the only included digital camera seems to battle in most conditions, particularly with a scarcity of dynamic vary.

I discovered it to be appropriate for the odd zoom name, nevertheless not rather more. The dearth of a rear digital camera is considerably weird at this value, particularly contemplating the less expensive Yoga Tab 11 has one. Not that we advocate pill pictures however they will are available in helpful in sure conditions.

Battery Life & Charging

Massive 10,000mAh battery
30W quick charging
Adapter included

Fittingly given its giant dimension, the Yoga Tab 13 has fairly a giant battery, which at 10,000mAh is among the many heftiest packs we’ve got seen included on a pill. With a comparatively power-hungry processor and a high-resolution show to drive, I discovered that battery life on the whole phrases was middling to good.

That’s to say, I might usually eke out round 12-13 hours of use, according to what Lenovo suggests as a restrict. Would I’ve favored to see the pill go somewhat additional? Definitely, however because of this, that is greater than ok for watching video round the home and doing common ‘pill’ issues.

In our normal PCMark Work 3.zero battery take a look at, the Yoga Tab 13 managed a decent 10 hours and 10 minutes.

When a quick charger is plugged within the pill can juice up at 30W, which was round sufficient to realize 39% over the course of half an hour. This isn’t fairly the quickest obtainable available on the market however shall be greater than sufficient for the wants of most.

Software program

It’s changing into a drained line, however Android for tablets, even after round a decade in improvement, doesn’t but really feel like a completed product. Moderately than seeming designed for the elevated display screen actual property supplied by the likes of a pill, the Android interface and most apps are merely the identical as these supplied for telephones, however larger.

For some apps particularly this will make sure parts unusable, and on a tool that prices this a lot, it’s unlucky that the expertise of utilizing the pill can really feel much less premium than the system itself.

Android 12L is on the best way however Lenovo hasn’t mentioned whether or not the system will get the OS.

That mentioned, there are a couple of inclusions right here that try to alter issues considerably. Google has added an ‘Leisure Area’ which aggregates video content material rather than the standard Google Feed, whereas Children Area makes an attempt to silo content material for youngsters (assuming they are going to be entrusted with one thing this costly).

Lenovo has a couple of inclusions that principally quantity to a couple help apps and nothing extra. An attention-grabbing omission is the ‘Productiveness’ area supplied by the producer on different tablets, together with within the Yoga line, which could have been a helpful inclusion.

Worth & Availability

The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 is accessible now for £699.99 or US$679.99, though happily it is simply discovered at decrease costs.

Within the UK you should buy it from Lenovo in addition to Amazon, John Lewis, Very and AO. These within the US can head to Lenovo, Amazon, BestBuy and Newegg.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus affords an identical processor, a extra premium display screen and the DeX desktop interface for the same outlay, whereas the iPad Air affords extra energy, a equally good show, nice audio system and higher software program compatibility for a lower cost.

See extra choices in our finest tablets chart in addition to particular finest Android tablets chart.

Verdict

The query of what makes a ‘good’ pill has lengthy since been answered – it wants a superb show, good audio system, sufficient energy to not be a distraction and first rate battery life.

On most of those counts, the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 delivers after which some, with a novel type issue and the flexibility to perform as an exterior show being specific highlights.

However for barely squiffy construct high quality, the dearth of a extra premium display screen and a excessive asking value this is able to have been a straightforward suggestion over among the competitors.

Specs
Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Specs

Android 12

13in (2000 x 1200) LCD IPS, 400 nits, 60Hz

Snapdragon 870 processor

8GB RAM

128/256GB inner storage

8Mp auto-focus selfie digital camera

Quad audio system

Twin-band Wi-Fi 802.13 a/b/g/n/ac

Bluetooth 5.2

GPS: A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO

NFC: No