Lenovo’s latest tablets have Android 12L and competitive prices

By Peter Hunt Szpytek August 31, 2022

Lenovo is upping its game for those looking to both browse the internet on the go and comfortably work from home with the introduction of two new devices: two new Android tablets that could be pretty decent iPad alternatives.

Android tablets aren’t a huge focus for many brands these days, so it’s always nice to see Lenovo remain committed to the form factor. But are its latest releases any good? Here’s what you’ll find with the new Lenovo Tab P11 and Tan P11 Pro.

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro tablet. — Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Lenovo

Both tablets are the second iterations of the P11 family and, as such, boast a handful of small optimizations and improvements from the previous iterations. The base model sports a MediaTek Helio G99 SoC, while the Pro version runs on the more capable MediaTek Kompanio 1300T. The displays for both devices vary immensely; the base version has an 11.5-inch LCD 2K screen, while the Tab P11 Pro sports a slightly smaller 11.2-inch OLED 2.5K display that supports HDR10+.

On just about every level (other than the slight screen size difference,) the Tab P11 Pro outdoes the base model. Both offer the usual slew of RAM and storage options, with the Tab P11 starting at 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and ranging up to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The Tab P11 Pro starts at 4GB RAM and 128GB storage and can go all the way up to 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.

The Lenovo Tab P11 tablet. — Lenovo Tab P11 Lenovo

While neither device is a major technical powerhouse, both certainly bring things to the table, especially when considering that they’re both made with keyboard and smart pencil support in mind. Additionally, they run on Android 12L but will be supported up to Android 14.

Both the Tab P11 and Tab P11 Pro are currently only available in Europe and will be for sale later this year. The Tab P11 Pro will retail starting at 499 euros in September. Those looking for the base model of the second-gen Tab P11 will need to wait until November when it will retail starting at 299 euros.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Peter Hunt Szpytek

Mobile Writer

A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…

Mobile

Microsoft Surface Duo reportedly getting Android 12L despite missing Android 11

Surface Duo 2 on a textured background.

Microsoft has failed on its promise to deliver the Android 11 update to its first Surface Duo foldable before the end of 2021. The update was already over a year late, with Android 12 launching in October 2021 to Pixels and other Android phones. Now, a report from the Microsoft-focused tech blog Windows Central claims that Microsoft will deliver the Android 11 update soon, with an Android 12L update following shortly in lieu of Android 12 sometime in 2022.

The Surface Duo launched with Android 10 in 2020, with Microsoft promising to deliver two years of updates. While other, more mainstream Android phone and tablet companies have pushed out Android 11 and even Android 12 to larger fleets of devices, the company has yet to deliver a single major update to the original Duo. It did launch Duo 2 in 2021 with Android 11, but none of the most useful improvements have trickled down to the original Duo yet.

Mobile

Google makes big screens better with Android 12L for foldables and tablets

Browser shown on the open Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Today, Google announced a new version of Android, Android 12L, aimed at building out the Android 12 experience for larger-screened devices (via Google Developers). It is primarily aimed at tablets and foldables, but users of Chromebooks will also benefit from it.

Google has historically struggled with nailing a large-screen Android experience ever since it released and later rolled back the changes it made with Android Honeycomb. While the company has since shipped tablets running Android like the Nexus 10 and Pixel C, the experience of these have been criticized for mostly being a blown-up phone interface, a charge that still holds for tablets running unmodified Android such as the recently released Nokia T20.

Mobile

Lenovo’s new Tab P12 Pro, Tab P11 5G offer power and portability

Lenovo Tab 12 Pro main image with keyboard.

Samsung has long been the go-to brand for the best Android tablets, but Lenovo is trying to change that with the new Lenovo Tab P12 Pro and Tab P11 5G. Both new slates are geared toward a mix of 2-in-1 portability, productivity, and multimedia, though the P11 5G won’t launch in the U.S.
Lenovo Tab P12 Pro
When it comes to hardware, the P12 Pro compares favorably with other top-tier tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+. Weighing 565 grams, it’s lighter than most laptops and on par with other tablets of similar size. It comes with a 12.6-inch 2560 x 1600 AMOLED screen, and it supports a 120Hz refresh rate. The panel can reach 600 nits of brightness, giving it good visibility in most settings.

The unique feature is that the refresh rate adjusts automatically based on your needs, kicking up to 120Hz when gaming, then down to 60Hz for basic browsing and other less demanding activities to save battery life. There are quad SLS JBL speakers for better audio, Dolby Atmos support, and Lenovo’s proprietary audio solution.