Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 8 Review: A Budget-Friendly Android Slate
Introducing The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 8
It may be a bit too early to be shopping for the holidays just yet, but doing a little research never hurts, particularly if you’re in the market for a new mobile device. Tablet makers are continually in the process of slimming down their devices and boosting battery life, even in the entry-level space, where products like the Android-based Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 8 play. Lenovo gave this tablet an aggressive price point of $169.99 and designed it for entertainment use, which ought to make the Yoga Tab 3 8 appealing to a broad range of potential consumers.
So, we decided to take the tablet for a spin and see if it has something to offer savvy, frugal consumers this holiday season...
Lenovo bills the Yoga Tab 3 8 as the “Ultimate Entertainment Tablet,” capable of streaming video in true HD on a nice 8-inch display. The device features its own kickstand so you can prop it on a desk or table with the push of a button. However, its low price point likely means there's a compromise in hardware somewhere along the way, compared to more expensive systems. Let examine things a bit...
The last number in the Yoga Tab 3 8’s name refers to the 8-inch display, which has a resolution of 1280x800. That’s technically an HD resolution since it's higher than 720p, and it’s not surprising to see in a tablet in this category. Pricier 8-inch tablets will likely have higher resolutions - the Dell Venue 8 7000 features a resolution of 2560x1600 at $349, for example. The Yoga Tab 3 8’s screen features IPS for wide viewing angles and better color reproduction, and of course, supports multi-touch so you can swipe, pinch and tap as needed.
Powering the Yoga Tab 3 8 is a 1.3GHz Qualcomm APQ8009 quad-core processor with Adreno 304 graphics, which is a mid-range SoC. The Yoga Tab 3 8 has a paltry 1GB of RAM and offers just 16GB of storage, but you can bump that up to as much as 128GB, thanks to the micro SD card slot.
The Yoga Tab 3 8’s connectivity features are standard fare as well. The tablet features 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, which will suit most users just fine, but may not appeal to users who have upgraded their wireless networks to 802.11ac. The Tab 3 8 can connect to those networks too, of course, but it won’t be able to take advantage of the faster connection speed.
Lenovo opted for a single camera on the Yoga Tab 3 8, but made it capable of rotating 180 degrees, so you have either a front or back camera when you need it. The 8MP camera lacks a flash but has auto-focus and handles still images and video. On the audio side of things, the tablet has dual speakers and features Dolby Atmos software to give you a little extra control over sound quality and to improve the acoustic profile in general over un-optimized solutions.
The Yoga Tab 3 8 has a 2-cell, 6200mAH Li-Ion battery that Lenovo says can power the tablet for up to 20 hours. We’ll check out the Yoga Tab 3’s battery life later in the review, but for now let’s take a look at its design.
So, we decided to take the tablet for a spin and see if it has something to offer savvy, frugal consumers this holiday season...
Lenovo bills the Yoga Tab 3 8 as the “Ultimate Entertainment Tablet,” capable of streaming video in true HD on a nice 8-inch display. The device features its own kickstand so you can prop it on a desk or table with the push of a button. However, its low price point likely means there's a compromise in hardware somewhere along the way, compared to more expensive systems. Let examine things a bit...
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| Processor | Qualcomm APQ8009 quad-core (1.3GHz) |
| OS | Android 5.1 Lollipop |
| Audio | Dual, front-facing speakers with Dolby Atmos |
| Memory | 1GB |
| Storage | 16GB internal, up to 128GB via micro SD card slot |
| Battery | 2-cell 6200mAH Li-Ion |
| Display | 8-inch multi-touch IPS LCD (1280x800) |
| Weight | 1.03 pounds |
| Dimensions | 5.74 x 8.26 x 0.13 (WxHxD) |
| Color | Slate Black |
| Cameras | 8MP with auto-focus, rotates front/back |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Compass, Hall, Vibrator |
| Connectivity | Broadcom 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Ports | 1 x micro USB 1 x micro SD 1 x micro 3.5mm audio jack |
| Price | $169.99 ($199.99 MSRP) |
The last number in the Yoga Tab 3 8’s name refers to the 8-inch display, which has a resolution of 1280x800. That’s technically an HD resolution since it's higher than 720p, and it’s not surprising to see in a tablet in this category. Pricier 8-inch tablets will likely have higher resolutions - the Dell Venue 8 7000 features a resolution of 2560x1600 at $349, for example. The Yoga Tab 3 8’s screen features IPS for wide viewing angles and better color reproduction, and of course, supports multi-touch so you can swipe, pinch and tap as needed.
Powering the Yoga Tab 3 8 is a 1.3GHz Qualcomm APQ8009 quad-core processor with Adreno 304 graphics, which is a mid-range SoC. The Yoga Tab 3 8 has a paltry 1GB of RAM and offers just 16GB of storage, but you can bump that up to as much as 128GB, thanks to the micro SD card slot.
The Yoga Tab 3 8’s connectivity features are standard fare as well. The tablet features 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, which will suit most users just fine, but may not appeal to users who have upgraded their wireless networks to 802.11ac. The Tab 3 8 can connect to those networks too, of course, but it won’t be able to take advantage of the faster connection speed.
Lenovo opted for a single camera on the Yoga Tab 3 8, but made it capable of rotating 180 degrees, so you have either a front or back camera when you need it. The 8MP camera lacks a flash but has auto-focus and handles still images and video. On the audio side of things, the tablet has dual speakers and features Dolby Atmos software to give you a little extra control over sound quality and to improve the acoustic profile in general over un-optimized solutions.
The Yoga Tab 3 8 has a 2-cell, 6200mAH Li-Ion battery that Lenovo says can power the tablet for up to 20 hours. We’ll check out the Yoga Tab 3’s battery life later in the review, but for now let’s take a look at its design.
