Lenovo Tab 4 hands-on review

Lenovo Tab 4 hands-on review: We went hands-on with Lenovo’s Tab 4 10, one of four variants of the company’s new slate, which wears a number of hats. Coming in two sizes, each of which has two performance skews, with different ‘packs’ that make it a great choice for families, business users or kids.

All four versions feature similar design language, with the Tab 4 8 and 8 Plus rocking 8-inch displays, whilst the Tab 4 10 and 10 Plus (as you might be able to guess) pack 10.1-inch screens. The standard Tab 4 10, like the standard Tab 4 8, packs a 1280×800 IPS LCD that certainly isn’t the punchiest panel around, but looks more than capable of delivering worthwhile visuals if you’re not a media connoisseur or planning on using the Tab 4 for graphical work (the company’s Yoga Book is your weapon of choice if that is the case, though).

Lenovo Tab 4 8 & Tab 4 10: Specs at a glance

	Tab 4 8	Tab 4 10
Screen size	8-inches	10.1-inches
Screen resolution	WXGA (1280×800)
Weight	310 grams	505 grams
OS	Android 7.0
Front camera	2-megapixels (fixed focus)
Rear camera	5-megapixels (autofocus)
Processor	1.4GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425
Memory	2GB RAM
Storage	16GB. Expandable via microSD up to 128GB
Battery	4850mAh	7000mAh
4G?	Optional
Extras	KIDOZ support, Dolby Atmos	KIDOZ support, Dolby Atmos, Productivity interface

Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus & Tab 4 10 Plus: Specs at a glance

	Tab 4 8 Plus	Tab 4 10 Plus
Screen size	8-inches	10.1-inches
Screen resolution	Full HD (1920×1080)
Weight	300 grams	475 grams
OS	Android 7.0
Front camera	5-megapixels (fixed focus)
Rear camera	8-megapixels (autofocus)
Processor	2.0GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
Memory	4GB RAM
Storage	64GB. Expandable via microSD up to 128GB
Battery	4850mAh w/ Quick Charge 3.0	7000mAh w/ Quick Charge 3.0
4G?	Optional
Extras	KIDOZ support, Dolby Atmos	KIDOZ support, Dolby Atmos, Productivity interface

Lenovo Tab 4: Hands-on review

Beneath the display, set into some relatively broad bezels is a fingerprint sensor, which will prove particularly useful if you want to keep your Tab 4 locked off from your kids, whilst stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support are set into the top of its silver frame. The shiny glass back is an absolute fingerprint magnet, which isn’t all that surprising, but if you pick the Polar White colourway over the Slate Back, at least smudges will be harder to spot.

As you can see performance is differentiated solely by whether you’re picking up the ‘Plus’ model of either sized device, with the same chipsets, cameras, memory and storage options getting a bump based on that same distinction. The 10.1-inch slates will dole out greater battery longevity thanks to 7000mAh cells in place of 4850mAh cells, but due to the jump in processors, only the Plus models benefit from Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

On the software front, you can expect the same Android 7.0 experience across the board, but Lenovo has ensured that whichever model you pick is already geared for productivity with Microsoft’s suite of Office apps included too. Want to take things a step further, however, then the Productivity Pack will be your best choice.

Both the Tab 4 10 and 10 Plus can be had with a bundled Bluetooth keyboard that folds up to serve as a protective case, folds out so you can prop your Tab 4 up using its built-in stand and features an integrated trackpad too. By connecting the keyboard cover you also get access to an enhance productivity interface that features windowed app support, a taskbar and instant app switch, not unlike the experience found on Sony’s Xperia Z4 tablet and BKB50 keyboard.

If you see the Tab 4 as less of a workhorse and more of a way to keep your children entertained, then the Kids Pack transforms Lenovo’s latest slate into a noteworthy rival to Amazon’s Kindle Fire Kids Edition. This pack includes a blue light filter, a shock-resistant bumper case, back plates and stickers to really transform the look of the hardware. On the software side, Lenovo has teamed up with KIDOZ to create a dedicated child-friendly space on the Tab 4, with curated content and parental controls so that the little tykes can only play and go where they’re supposed to for as long as they’re allowed to.

Together between the two sizes, two performance variants, the optional 4G LTE versions and both the Productivity and Kids Packs, the new Lenovo Tab 4 is a veritable chameleon of a slate that offers impressively broad appeal in spite of its unassuming hardware setup.

The basic WiFi-only Tab 4 8 costs €169 with the top end Tab 4 10 Plus clocking in at €299. We’re still waiting on UK pricing and availability, along with pricing for the Tab 4 packs, but come full review time, we’ll have all those details too.