Lenovo is one of the most prolific Android tablet makers on the market, and it's just unveiled two brand-new slates as part of its Tech World conference.
The first of these is the Lenovo Tab P11 5G, a slate with an 11-inch 2K screen, a mid-range Snapdragon 750G chipset, and quad speakers tuned by JBL. Those specs position it as a mid-range slate, and make it a potential rival to Apple's upcoming new iPad (2021), at least in terms of price – and Apple's tablet likely won't have 5G.
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There's also the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro, which sounds like more of a premium device – and perhaps an iPad Pro (2021) rival. Its screen is 12.6 inches with a 2K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support.
The chipset is the top-end Snapdragon 870 chipset, which is paired with up to 8GB RAM, and it comes either in Wi-Fi or 5G connection options. The Tab P12 Pro supports Lenovo's Precision Pen 3, an Apple Pencil-style stylus that automatically clips to the back, and the power button has a fingerprint scanner built-in, like the iPad Air 4.
In addition to these slates, Lenovo unveiled Project Unity, its software which pairs your Tab P12 Pro with a laptop from the company, and lets you use the tablet as a second screen while also using Android applications and functions on it.
Analysis: prime time for students
If the two new Lenovo Android tablets are fairly priced, they could be great value for students, with the P11 useful as a handy portable gadget and the P12 Pro looking ideal for students who need processing power and/or a sketch pad.
That's doubly the case thanks to the timing of their announcement, at a time when many students are returning to school or college.
Though Android tablets lack some of the premium professional or business apps that iPads and iOS boasts, students don't need this – they just need things like word processing, social media, games, entertainment, and, for some, creative tools like graphic design or presentation creation.
Since budgets are tight for many students, good-value Android tablets are likely to prove popular – and Lenovo's latest slates could fit the bill, depending on how they're priced.
