Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro Review

Even on the craziest list of device types, the idea of ​​combining a tablet and a media projector didn’t come up. The idea isn’t totally crazy, it just looks like something ripped from the pages of a science fiction movie. 449$ Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro It seems like a strange idea, born of our need to have bigger screens and share what we enjoy with everyone around us.

The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro is a 10.1-inch Android tablet for an Intel processor that takes away the typical Qualcomm features of such devices. It also challenges what we know about tablet form factors by keeping a cylindrical body and a support leg on its left edge.

Can a tablet be a great projector and let you comfortably share your movies, television shows and more with anyone? I’m sure most people are wondering this. I had a different question in mind. Could the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro include a usable projector as a tablet without sacrificing too much?

Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro Review – Design and Internals

Take a paper towel roll and tape a piece of paper over it. That’s how I heard about the design of the Yoga Tab 3 Pro. I can say that the device is designed more like a closed book. The barrel is where Lenovo hopes people will hold their hand when using it in portrait mode. The barrel tip gives users something solid to grab. Reading eBooks on the tablet never felt as good as it did on the Yoga Tab 3 Pro. A kickstand from this base also allows the tablet to stand upright, eliminating the use of stands when watching videos.

The barrel is the most striking part of the Yoga Tab 3 Pro, but it competes with the 10.1-inch 2560 x 1600 display for attention. Four high-performance speakers with Dolby Surround Sound are placed between the body and the screen. The bottom half of the Android tablet (front, side and back) is covered in hardened aluminum that feels great in the hand. This is especially nice because the case curves toward your fingers. Lenovo has added a dark leather-like material to the back of the Yoga Tab 3 Pro. The hardened aluminum exterior combined with the body makes this the best feeling tablet I’ve ever held.

The buttons and ports are mostly in the same places as on previous Tab devices. The power button is still very easy to press as it sits on the rim of the barrel. The volume is located just north of the barrel. Headphone jack moved. Now just to the right of the rim of the barrel. There is a dedicated button to turn on the projector, a great example from Lenovo.

The Yoga Tab 3 Pro only has 16GB of storage inside, but has a card reader to add 128GB of storage or more. The 13-megapixel front camera without flash allows users to take pictures. The front-facing 5 megapixel camera is acceptable for video chatting and taking self-portraits. Connects to PCs using microUSB. There’s also 802.11 AC wireless support: the latest wireless network for homes and offices. I was expecting all of these.

Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro Review – Experience

What I didn’t expect was that the Yoga Tab 3 Pro had some very cleverly implemented extras. These are aimed at keeping you moving and making the projector the best it can be.

I was worried about the battery life of the Yoga Tab 3 Pro as it has a high resolution display and a projector inside. Lenovo rates the device achieving “up to 18 hours of battery life.” I used the device to read, watch video streams and play music via the PBS app on a nearby wall. During my month with the device, I was sometimes without a charge for three to four days. Using the projector has of course had an impact on battery life. The fast charger gets you mobile again faster than the average tablet.

The projector itself is very well made. Tap the button and you can choose to just switch to the projector or duplicate what’s on your screen. Touches on the screen are recorded as dots on the projector, making it easy to get an idea of ​​where your final touch is.

The software that runs the projector is great. The Yoga Tab 3 Pro automatically adjusts its focus based on how far you are from the projection surface. It also adjusts the angles by changing the direction as you move the device into place. The procedure was painless. Content from the projector looks crisp even at the full 70 inches the device is capable of producing. However, be forewarned that you need a lot of space to get that full screen size. What’s more, the default Android 5.1 has software that allows you to quickly navigate to a certain type of media instead of searching for content.

Yoga Tab 3 Projector with beacon on.

Projectors emit light and light interference can be a big issue for the Yoga Tab 3 Pro. There is no way to use the Yoga Tab 3 Pro in a room with a beacon. Sometimes it struggles with the evening sun, too. It cannot emit enough light without turning off the lights and closing the blinds. The four built-in speakers will easily fill a room with sound, but you’ll need to tweak some settings to get some basics. These are some of the best speakers I’ve heard on a tablet, and they complement the projector very well.

Yoga Tab 3 Projector with beacon off.

Only two things about the tablet experience really bothered me. The cameras are good overall, but the rear-facing camera is still in a very awkward place. It is located just above the barrel of the device, which you have to hold to take pictures in landscape mode. Every time I used the device I found myself accidentally turning off the camera.

Another problem for me was the Intel Atom X5-Z8500 processor inside. The tablet feels a bit slow when detecting taps and switching between apps.

Lenovo’s AnyPen Technology is included with this device. This feature lets you use anything metal – and Lenovo means everything – as a stylus. I used a pencil without drawing on it.

Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro Review – Must Buy

If you’re looking for a great media tablet, Lenovo is on to something with the Yoga Tab 3 Pro.

I wish the projector could better deal with stray light during the day, but it’s understandable that it won’t. I also wish Lenovo would rethink the placement of the power button. The Yoga Tab 3 Pro is also a bit sluggish, which surprised me. It’s a media tablet, though, so people won’t have to produce documents or edit images on it.

Fantastic build quality and attention to detail make the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro the Android media tablet to beat. AnyPen, automatic adjustments and a dedicated projector button took it to the top. I don’t think the recipient will regret it.