Lenovo ThinkPad 8 Windows 8.1 Tablet Review

Putting a full installation of Windows 8.1 on a tablet may seem like overkill, but you also can easily see the appeal. Yes, a 1920x1200 resolution on an 8.3-inch screen makes for some tiny icons and tinier text. Yes, it can be a little tricky to select options in the Control Panel with your fingers. But if you've ever been using a tablet and switched over to your laptop because you can perform the task more easily or can't run software on your tablet that you can on the laptop, a Windows 8.1 tablet might be just what you're looking for.


And if you are looking for a Windows 8.1 tablet, should you be checking out the Lenovo ThinkPad 8? Yes, we think it's worthy of being on your short list. The screen is bright and beautiful and sure, it can't game like quite and Nvidia SHIELD, but gaming isn't why you're primarily interested in this kind of device. You want Windows, and you want it to run smoothly, which it does on the ThinkPad 8. The 8MP camera takes quality photos and the QuickShot Cover's camera-activating trick is actually pretty useful.

What you'll want to weigh carefully is whether you're comfortable with the ThinkPad 8's battery life and whether you're willing to pay its higher price tag. At $399 ($499 for the unit we reviewed), the ThinkPad 8 is noticeably more expensive than the Dell Venue 8 Pro, for example. But the ThinkPad 8 has a higher resolution, among other differences, and that may be enough to put it over the the top. We will say this: if you go with the ThinkPad 8, get the cover, too. You won't regret it.

Full Windows 8.1 at your fingertips	Pricing is a bit steep
Light, slim, sturdy chassis	Graphics capabilities, while respectable, are just midland
Quality front and back cameras