Android tablets have been mostly a miss for most users, at least in the U.S. The iPad has been dominating the tablet scene, but there is a space for quality budget tablets and the Lenovo Tab Plus (2024) is probably the best budget Android tablet you can get. Samsung makes an excellent premium Android tablet, but the budget category doesn’t belong to them. The Lenovo Tab Plus starts at $200, and you can even get it cheaper with sales, and it’s better than the price tag implies.
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
I have almost given up on Android tablets, but the Lenovo Tab Plus does give me hope. The iPad remains king, but it’s also expensive. Let’s get into the full review of the Lenovo Tab Plus, 2024 version.
The Quick Take
I’m not a huge fan of Android tablets, I’ve made that known for years. But there are a handful of tablets that are pretty decent. I was not expecting the Lenovo Tab Plus to be one of them. I think what really made this tablet stand out are the speakers. The sound on this tablet makes it an excellent content consumption device, so watching movies on it is very enjoyable. Here’s what I liked and didn’t like.
- What I liked
- Solid build quality for a budget tablet
- Materials used are far above a budget tablet, shocking
- The display is bright and colorful
- The speakers are probably the best speakers on any budget tablet, almost iPad level
- Great battery life
- The built-in stand is spectacular
- What I didn’t like
- The cameras are just OK, but really, tablet photos are just weird
- Performance is fine, but expect heavy gaming will lag
I would recommend this tablet for its sound quality and excellence for movie watching. Perfect for kids and people who just want to watch content.
Specifications
The Lenovo Tab Plus has the following features and specifications:
- Processor: MediaTek® Helio G99 (8C, 2x A76 @2.20GHz + 6x A55 @2.00GHz) Operating System
- Operating System:
- Android 14
- Upgradable until Android 16
- Security patches until January 2028
- Memory: 8 GB
- Storage:
- Up to 256GB integrated storage
- Supports up to 1TB expandable storage
- Battery:
- 8600mAh
- 45W fast charging
- Audio: 8x JBL speakers tuned with Dolby Atmos
- Camera:
- Front: 8MP, fixed focus
- Rear: 8MP, autofocus
- Connectivity:
- Ports/Slots:
- USB-C 2.0 (charging + audio)
- Headphone/mic combo
- MicroSD slot
- Wireless Wi-Fi 5 802.11AC (1 x 1) Bluetooth® 5.2
- Ports/Slots:
- Display: 11.5″ 2K (2000 X 1200) TFT LCD, 400 nits, 90Hz refresh rate, touchscreen, TUV certified
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 174.25mm x 268.3mm x 7.77mm, with speaker bump 13.58mm / 6.86″ x 10.56″ x 0.31″
- Weight: Starting at .65kg / 1.43lbs
- Pen: Lenovo Tab Pen Plus (optional)
- Color: Luna Grey
- Security: Security patches until January 2028
- Preloaded Software:
- Entertainment Space
- Google TV
- Lenovo Freestyle
- Lenovo Vantage
- Music
- MyScript Calculator 2
- Nebo
- Standby Mode
- YouTube
- WPS Office
What’s In The Box
- Lenovo Tab Plus
- USB-C 2.0 Charging Cable
- 45W Charging Adapter
- MicroSD Tray Pin
- Quick Start Guide
- Safety & Warranty Guide
Design
Holy cow! The Lenovo Tab Plus design is truly impressive for its sub two hundred dollar price point. You get yourself a full aluminum build with really high-end materials being used. I was expecting a plastic tablet, and that is not what you get here.
The front is pretty plain, just the display with a hole punch camera. The bottom is equally uneventful. The top edge houses the volume rocker, SD Card tray, and mics. The right edge houses the USB-C charging port, one set of the JBL speakers, and some venting. The left edge houses the AUX port, the other set of JBL speakers, and the power button.
Both the left, and right edges have some really nice accenting around the speakers that give the design a premium look. The back houses the camera and an excellent kickstand that works really well and is sturdy and versatile. So far, very impressed with this design and build.
The Lenovo Tab Plus has a solid build, but it’s not too heavy at less than a pound a half. That weight goes up slightly if you use the included cover. The cover is just okay, it does a good job for protection, but I didn’t like the look of it. But fine for keeping the tablet protected.
Overall, the design is actually very nice for a budget tablet. I was shocked at how nice the materials were and how good-looking the Lenovo Tab Plus is overall.
Display
A brief reminder about the Lenovo Tab Plus, this is a budget tablet, people. Not all aspects of this thing are going to compete with tablets in a much higher price category. That said, the display housed in this chassis is an 11.5″ 2K (2000 X 1200) TFT LCD, 400 nits, 90Hz refresh rate, touchscreen, TUV certified display.
It’s a good resolution with a decent refresh rate. Brightness is also good, but I will say there is some glare and off axis viewing can sometimes be an issue. Not a dealbreaker because the price point supports this.
Colors are pretty neutral, this is not an AMOLED display so no over saturation and colors are less punchy. Blacks are fine, if you’re paying attention, you can see they are not as deep as an AMOLED, but again, the price point and display tech support the price.
The Whites are clean though and the text is crisp. The 90Hz refresh rate gives you smooth scrolling and a pleasant use with light gaming.
Overall, this is an excellent display for a budget tablet. It’s not as punchy as an AMOLED, but it’s really a great display for what you pay.
Android Software
The Lenovo Tab Plus comes with Android 14, but Lenovo claims they will give it updates to Android 16. So that is an excellent thing. This means you spend, not a lot of money, on a tablet that will have a few years of OS updates.
There is some bloatware installed on this tablet, which sucks, but you can uninstall it. I know companies pay for having their apps installed on these types of tablets, and it helps reduce costs. But it is still annoying. Things like TikTok, Block Blast, Block Puzzle Adventure, Booking dot com, and other apps are all preinstalled.
Normally, I would be very upset by this, but given the price of this tablet, it’s tolerable. And you can delete these apps. Overall, the software is great on the OS side. The bloatware is annoying.
Performance and Camera
Don’t expect massive gaming performance from the Lenovo Tab Plus. This is not a gaming tablet. But you can play some games on it. I think even heavy games are doable for a short time, but serious gamers should look elsewhere.
For everyday performance, like web browsing, email, social media, and watching movies, it works very well. The MediaTek® Helio G99 paired with 8GB of RAM is enough for most normal users and should hold up well.
As for the cameras. I roped them in with performance because they are just okay. Not anything special, but I don’t think many people take serious photos with tablets. The front facing camera works fine for video calls and whatnot. The rear camera is just okay. But again, the price here meets the hardware.
Speakers
The speakers are where the Lenovo Tab Plus shines. These are impressive and excellent speakers that are tuned by JBL. Usually, speakers on tablets are pretty bad. But the Lenovo Tab Plus gives you EIGHT speakers which provide EXCELLENT sound.
I am serious when I say that these are even better than some higher end Android tablet speakers. They are pretty damn close to the iPad’s speakers, and that is saying a lot.
The bottom end is REALLY good on them, and watching movies is one of the most enjoyable activities to do on this tablet. Lenovo really knocked it out of the park on these speakers. They, alone, are worth the price of this tablet.
Battery Life
The 8,600mAh battery is massive, and you get a 45W fast charger in the box. This tablet can last for days, depending on what you’re doing. I didn’t stress test it, but it lasted me for three or four days with light use and YouTube watching. This is an excellent battery.
Price/Value
There’s not much more to say about the Lenovo Tab Plus. Is it perfect? Nope. It is not perfect. But its price point is forgiving. I can tolerate many of its downfalls because its good points are greater. I would recommend this tablet for anyone just wanting a content consumption device that has fantastic sound.
Lenovo Tab Plus 2024
$199.99
Nailed it
- Solid build quality for a budget tablet
- Materials used are far above a budget tablet, shocking
- The display is bright and colorful
- The speakers are probably the best speakers on any budget tablet, almost iPad level
- Great battery life
- The built-in stand is spectacular
Needs work
- The cameras are just OK, but really, tablet photos are just weird
- Performance is fine, but expect heavy gaming will lag
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