Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ review

At £299 (around US$300, $552), the Lenovo Yoga 10 HD+ is trying to mix with the big names in the tablet market and it kind of pulls it off. The hardware is unique and unusual and has the potential to be a decent device both for media consumption and doing a bit of work when in stand mode.

For the money though, I would expect a little more power. Yes, it is fast enough mostly, but the interface lacks that slickness that higher end devices provide.

The battery cylinder and stand make up for it if superb battery life and a tablet that can stand itself up are key to your needs, but otherwise there are better options out there.

We liked

Amazing battery endurance makes the Yoga a reliable performer. The sharp and fairly bright screen combined with stereo front facing speakers make for a great media experience.

A relatively simple and clean software build that includes a couple of useful apps makes for a pleasant user experience. Added security options give excellent control over what apps can do on your tablet.

We disliked

The bulk the battery cylinder adds makes holding the Yoga 10 HD+ a bit awkward and makes it heavy. It is priced a bit too high for relatively meagre specs and doesn't offer the slickness of performance that I would expect at this price point.

When using the Yoga in tilt mode, the Lenovo logo is upside down. The Android ecosystem doesn't offer great support for tablets of this size.

Final verdict

If you are looking for a 10-inch Android tablet, you can do worse than the Yoga 10 HD+, but if its key features are not important to you, devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 come in at a similar price.

As a combined Android tablet for media consumption and a bit of work, the Yoga is appealing with its front facing stereo speakers enhancing media consumption and the stand working well with a Bluetooth keyboard connected.

If you will use it on the go, the LTE model is only £329 which changes the value proposition quite a bit. And at the end of the day, you won't find an Android tablet with better battery life right now.

Ultimately it comes down to your needs. As a general use Android tablet it falls behind the competition at any price as it is bulky and awkward to hold and use for any length of time. Its strengths are in its versatility, but I am not convinced that is a price worth paying.

First reviewed: August 2014