Lenovo YOGA Tab 3 Pro puts entertainment front and center at IFA 2015

Tablets, with their big screens and big batteries, are the ultimate portable entertainment devices. That’s the spiel that Lenovo is trying to make, first with its new PHAB phablets and now to an even larger degree, its YOGA Tab tablets, now in its 3rd generation. From the handy YOGA Tab 3 8” to affordable YOGA Tab 3 10″ to the high performance YOGA Tab 3 Pro, Lenovo is offering heavy media consumers, especially TV and movie bingers, some new choices for their next Android slate purchase.

Lenovo YOGA Tab 3 Pro

At the top of the food chain is the new YOGA Tab 3 Pro, where Leonvo pulled out all the stops when it came to specs and brand names. Well, almost. There’s a 10.1-inch screen with a 2560×1600 QHD resolution, with pixels driven by an Intel Atom x5-Z8500, a quad-core processor that runs up to 2.24 GHz. RAM, however, maxes out at 2 GB and storage is only 32 GB, though with an option to expand up to 128 GB more with a microSD card slot. The rear camera is a decent 13 megapixel one and the front has 5 megapixels, strangely with fixed focus.

Of course, those specs aren’t really the real deal with the YOGA Tab 3 Pro, aside from the screen. It’s real strength comes from the parts that give it its strong multimedia flavor. Like that built-in project that allows users to beam their videos and pictures to a 70-inch screen space anywhere they are. Four front-facing JBL speakers provide the powerful audio to complement the visual prowess of the tablet, enhanced by Dolby Atmos technology. And to emphasize its affinity for playing videos, the YOGA Tab 3 Pro comes with Netflix pre-installed. All of these powered by a massive 10,200 mAh battery.

• CPU: 64-bit quad-core 2.24 GHz Intel Atom x5-Z8500
• RAM: 2 GB
• Storage: 32 GB, microSD up to 128 GB
• Display: 10.1 inches, 2560×1600
• OS: Android 5.1
• Main Camera: 13 megapixels, AF
• Secondary Camera: 5 megapixels, fixed focus
• Network: GSM, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, TDD-LTE, FDD-LTE
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• Battery: 10,200 mAh, non-removable
• Dimensions: 247 x 179 x 4.68 mm
• Weight: 665 g

Lenovo YOGA Tab 3, 8 and 10 inches

While not as high-profile as their Pro sibling, the YOGA Tab 3 tablets are nonetheless still built for a bit of enjoyment, as long as that doesn’t mean taxing the tablet too much. Powered by a Qualcomm quad-core processor and 1 GB of RAM, the YOGA Tab 3 features a 1280×800 HD screen, in 8 and 10 inch sizes. In place of the projector, Lenovo put the tablet’s 8 megapixel shooter on the rotating barrel. And even without JBL speakers, the audio is still tuned to Dolby’s Atmos virtual surround system. The 6,200 mAh battery is still larger than any phablet’s and will be sure to get you through a day’s worth of binging on your favorite shows.

YOGA Tab 3 8-inch

• CPU: Quad-core 1.1 GHz Qualcomm APQ8009
• RAM: 1 GB
• Storage: 16 GB, microSD up to 128 GB
• Display: 8.0 inches, 1280×800
• OS: Android 5.1
• Main Camera: 8 megapixels, rotating
• Secondary Camera: N/A
• Network: GSM, TD-SCDMA, TDD-LTE, FDD-LTE
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• Battery: 6,200 non-removable
• Dimensions: 210 x 146 x 7.0 mm
• Weight: 466-472 g

YOGA Tab 3 10-inch

• CPU: Quad-core 13 GHz Qualcomm APQ8009
• RAM: 1 GB
• Storage: 16 GB, microSD up to 128 GB
• Display: 10.1 inches, 1280×800
• OS: Android 5.1
• Main Camera: 8 megapixels, AF, rotating
• Secondary Camera: N/A
• Network: GSM, TD-SCDMA, TDD-LTE, FDD-LTE
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• Battery: 8,400 non-removable
• Dimensions: 253 x 185 x 9.5 mm
• Weight: 655 g

Availability

The Lenovo YOGA Tab 3 Plus will be available starting November with a price tag of $499 for the Wi-Fi only model and $599 for the LTE option. The YOGA Tab 3 8-inch will go on sale in October at $169 and $199 for Wi-Fi and LTE configurations, respectively. The 10-inch variant comes later in November as well, and naturally starts at a higher price of $199 (Wi-Fi) and $249 (LTE).