Lenovo has launched a brand new tablet Yoga Tab 13, which primarily fits the role of a multimedia assistant thanks to the deployment of a large and high-quality display, four speakers and a practical stand. On top of all that, it throws in powerful hardware and long battery life. Could this be a compelling tablet for the premium segment?
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: The package includes all we need
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Premium design
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Good looking high-quality display
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Impressive sound
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Hardware performance will satisfy even the most demanding users
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Clean Android 11 OS
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Missing 5G but with HDMI support
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Does the Yoga Tab 13 have a camera?
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Price and where to buy?
- Lenovo Yoga Tab 13: Alternatives
Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 Specs
| Display | 13″ LTPS (2160 x 1350) 400 nits, 60Hz refresh rate, 10-point multitouch |
| Processor | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 870, octa-core, up to 3.2GHz |
| Operating System | Android 11 |
| Battery life | 12 hours |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB |
| Camera | Front 8MP |
| Weight | 803g |
| Ports | Micro-HDMI™ with HDCP 1.4 support USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 |
| Pen supported | Yes – Lenovo Precision Pen 2 |
The package includes all we need
The bulky package this time contains not only the tablet itself but also a USB cable, a charger, a USB-Type C to 3.5mm jack adapter and a miniHDMI to HDMI cable.
Premium looking design
Many Lenovo tablets stand out with a distinctive look that, at first glance, combines two disparate lines, and the Yoga Tab 13 is a successful example of this. While one side is rather more angular, the opposite end is rounded and noticeably thicker. However, that’s what makes the tablet very easy to hold, carry with one hand, even if we’re talking about a device with a large (for tablets) 13-inch display.
However, its convex and rounded part also has one disadvantage. When you put the tablet down, it’s quite lopsided, which is not conducive to handling. Fortunately, Lenovo has found a relatively easy solution for this that many competing manufacturers could take inspiration from. The tablet comes with a built-in kickstand on the back that lets you set the Yoga Tab 13 up exactly how it works best for you. A plus is also the rubber part that rests on the pads, so the tablet won’t slip. In addition, the stand is really solid and can also serve as a hanger to hang the tablet on the wall, or to carry the Yoga Tab very comfortably by it, which you will perhaps use more than you think.
There is a suede material used to cover the top of the back of the tablet, with a good looking Yoga series logo. Unfortunately, the wow factor in this only lasts for a while before dust and dirt start to stick to it and cleaning is not very easy. The rest of the back is made of strong and sturdy plastic. For a premium tablet, we would have preferred to see metal, however, this would have increased the already high weight of over 800 grams.
There are also two connectors that might catch your eye on the tablet body: the USB-C and the surprising miniHDMI, each on one side of the oval. On the body, you will also find the necessary buttons for volume control and unlocking the tablet.
Good looking high-quality display
The tablet is equipped with a 13-inch IPS panel with fine resolution and a maximum brightness of 400 nits.
The 13-inch LCD features 2K (2160×1350 pixels) resolution, with a density of 196 pixels per inch. Although it falls short of the iPad Air (264ppi), both displays are bright and crisp. The Yoga Tab 13 is certified for Netflix HD streaming and supports Dolby Vision for vibrant and dynamic colours.
The result is truly impressive and in this aspect is Lenovo fully competitive player. The small bezels around the display are also pleasing. What’s missing, though, is a higher than current 60Hz refresh rate. This would be especially appreciated by gamers, but for normal work 60 Hz is fully sufficient. Nonetheless, the display is perfect for multimedia consumption. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3.
Impressive sound
There are a total of four speakers on the tablet body, two on each side. The resulting sound is truly impressive and ideal for travel when you want to enjoy at least basic audio for games or movies. I appreciate the fact that the emphasis is placed on depth. A lack of a 3.5mm jack can be disappointing to some, although we can hardly categorize it as a product’s disability, in days where wireless headphones are now so common and available in a wide range from high performance to very affordable ones.
Hardware performance will satisfy even the most demanding users
The Yoga Tab 13’s higher class is demonstrated by the deployment of a powerful Snapdragon 870 processor that will satisfy even the most demanding users. Gaming will thus be no problem. What’s more, the processor is assisted by 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM. Slightly limiting is the non-extendable internal 128GB memory as the Yoga Tab 13 doesn’t have a microSD slot.
The Yoga Tab’s 13 memory has roughly 105 GB available out of the box with the remaining memory taken by the operating system. The only solution to extend the tablet’s memory would be signing up for cloud storage if you still don’t have one.
Clean Android 11 OS
This time, Lenovo placed a strong emphasis on simplicity and clarity and installed the latest Android 11 with almost no extensions or unnecessary applications on their Yoga Tab 13 tablets.
The optimization is great, with lightning-fast navigation through the environment and launching apps, accompanied by nice, uncluttered animations so video content and games can be played without any difficulty.
Missing 5G but with HDMI support
Yoga Tab 13 comes with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 as standard features. Someone would still be pleased with the infrared port or NFC, but both are unfortunately missing.
Quite a disappointing might be that the Yoga Tab 13 doesn’t have a SIM card slot so there is no support for mobile networks. You can however still access the Internet via fast Wi-Fi, or Ethernet via a USB-C to Ethernet adapter.
The tablet also has a GPS module, so you can use it not only for viewing maps but also for navigation.
A really nice feature is the in-built miniHDMI connector, thanks to which you can easily connect the tablet to a monitor or TV either at home or during your conferences or presentations.
Does the Yoga Tab 13 have a camera?
The Yoga Tab 13 might be aimed at a slightly different audience than usual as it, unfortunately, lacks any kind of rear camera. However, let’s be honest, how often do we really use the rear cameras on tablets? The Yoga 13 does, however, include a front-facing 8-megapixel camera which is primarily intended for video calls.
Price and where to buy
In a press release published on September 7th, 2021, the Lenovo company has announced the Yoga Tab 13 to be sold from October 2021. You can now buy the Yoga 13 from various retailers such as AO.com, Amazon, Very.co.uk, Argos or Currys, as well as directly from Lenovo.
The price on the Lenovo store is currently set at £699.
Conclusion
The Lenovo’s Yoga Tab 14 turns out to be a great multimedia device, not only for home but also pretty much usable for office work, especially thanks to the direct HDMI support. It is unfortunate that it doesn’t have a cellular module to be able to receive 5G or even 4G LTE signal, however, there are always ways how to overcome this (Wi-Fi hotspot from your mobile phone or using USB-C to Ethernet adapter).
The lack of the rear camera will not have a big effect on the decision making as it is not usually an important factor when determining what your new tablet could be.
Despite a few missing features, and for a slightly higher price than others in this sector, you get a well-built tablet with a premium design, good, loud speakers, amazing hardware performance without annoying lags and seamless controls and a great display with 2K resolution vibrant colours.
Alternatives
Unfortunately, the ambitions of the novelty are undermined by the high price starting at just under £700. This puts it in the crosshairs of, for example, the iPad Air, which even though has a different operating system and has a smaller display and offers twice as much memory and 4G LTE for a very similar price.
You can also consider the top-of-the-range Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+, which has better performance, a higher-quality display and offers 5G and expandable memory. The S7+ goes from £799, while the S7 (no 5G, smaller battery) for £619.
