"As the name suggests, this Android tablet proves to be intelligent and flexible with many useful functions."
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Built-in stand
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You can hang it up
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Works as a smart home hub
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Google Assistant built in
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The YouTube dashboard is broken
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Unbalanced weight
The Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab is an Android tablet that really stands out from its competitors. It offers a number of useful functions in a 10.1-inch device, including a versatile stand, Google Assistant, Smart Hub functions and much more. Here you can see how intelligent the Yoga Smart Tab really is.
design
Where most tablets need outside help in the form of covers or stands, the Yoga Smart Tab is designed to do everything you need. It has a built-in stand that pops out to watch films at the push of a button and can be adjusted to the desired angle. It also has a support to make typing easier when it is on a flat surface. You can even hang it on a wall with the stand if ever needed.
Since there are speakers on one side of the tablet, holding is a bit cumbersome, especially in portrait mode, as it is heavier on one side than the other. It's also a bit chunky which made my arm tired. It weighs 581 grams. The Galaxy Tab S6 weighs 420 g and the Amazon Fire HD 10 504 g. That doesn't seem to make much difference, but if you hold a tablet in your hand for an hour or two, every little bit counts.
The 10.1-inch FHD IPS screen (1920 x 1200) is very clear and shows no major distortions when viewed from different angles. The colors are vivid and when looking at photos it almost seemed like I was looking at a high quality print.
software
The Yoga Smart Tab is smarter than a regular tablet because it has a special Google Assistant mode and a variety of skills. Opening the tablet stand automatically activates the Google Assistant environment mode. The tablet turns the constantly on display into an intelligent screen that shows the weather, your agenda, entertainment, memories and much more. Most tablets don't have environmental mode access, so this is a great additional feature.
I really like the ambient option because it's even more useful than your average Android tablet.
If you don't want all that jazz on your screen, you can also use the feature to turn your tablet into a photo frame or remote control for your Google Assistant-compatible smart home devices. I really like the ambient option because it is even more useful than the average Android tablet. In addition, it has 360-degree far-field voice recognition, so Google Assistant can hear you no matter where you are in the room.
Audio quality
Another feature that distinguishes the Yoga Smart Tab from other tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is the fact that it has speakers on both sides of the screen. The two JBL HiFi speakers and Dolby Atmos support do a pretty good job.
If you turn up the volume all the way, it loses its quality.
The bass is nice as long as you don't want it to knock too hard or to listen at full volume. If you turn the volume all the way up, it loses quality. This can be a problem if you enjoy listening to YouTube videos on your tablet, although most tablets have this problem.
performance
The Yoga Smart Tab also has a literal Smart Tab. You drag the tab to the right and a YouTube dashboard opens. While this is practical, it is also incorrect. Sometimes I wasn't able to play videos on the dashboard (I just saw the sinking circle of doom). However, when I opened the actual YouTube app, the videos played perfectly.
The screen's performance was excellent. Scrolling, navigating, and opening apps went smoothly without the lag you see on some tablets. However, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor and 4 GB of RAM, it's not a good choice for graphics-intensive games. Many 3D titles will stutter and hesitate.
The battery life on the tab is decent. It can take up to 11 hours if you only surf the Internet and offers up to 10 hours of video playback. This is comparable to the battery life of the Galaxy Tab S6.
Our opinion
The Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab may not be perfect, but it is a reliable, dual-purpose device that combines the smart display with a tablet. Thanks to its versatile stand and smart home hub functions, it is more useful than many tablets on the market. Otherwise, the screen and sound are on par with the competition. The only real downside is the unbalanced feel and extra weight when you hold the Smart Tab.
Are there any better options out there?
Perhaps. It just depends on your needs. If you're looking for an excellent Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab S6 is hard to beat. However, one thing that the S6 doesn't have is the Google Assistant environment mode feature. This means that it cannot be used as a hub for your smart devices like the Yoga Smart Tab. If the hub was not so interesting for you, you can choose the S6. If the price matters, the Yoga Smart Tab is around half the price of the S6 at around $ 300.
How long it will take?
The Smart Tab is very well made and I think it will go the distance because it is made of aluminum instead of just plastic. It also comes with a one year warranty.
Should you buy it
Yes, if you have many smart home products compatible with Google Assistant, this tablet is a good choice.
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