There’s also the matter of app availability. If your work is primarily done through the G Suite you’ll be fine, but Android is still not widely compatible with a host of essential apps in various industries. For writing on the go or for drawing work with the pleasant Lenovo pen, this will work in a pinch, but it works far better as a media player than a workhorse.

Lenovo Tab P11 Plus vs. Lenovo Tab P11 Pro: Which should you Lenovo Tab P11 Plus vs. Lenovo Tab P11 Pro: Which should you

On Geekbench 5, a set of tests that quantify raw computing power, the Tab P11 Plus earned a score of 500 for single-core performance (SC) and 1,592 for multi-core performance (MC). While it doesn’t have as much raw power as more expensive competitors like the Tab P11 Pro (565 SC /1,779 MC) or the TCL Tab Pro 5G (521 SC / 1,762 MC), the difference isn't noticeable for everyday tasks like streaming video or scrolling through social media feeds. To put those numbers to the test, I decided to use the tablet as my dedicated work machine over the past week. Thanks to Productivity Mode and a cloud-based content management system, I paired a wireless keyboard to the Tab P11 Plus and was able to go about my daily work routine. Productivity Mode, like Samsung's DeX, transforms the tablet interface of Android into a desktop-like experience. Try as we could, across multiple days of use, it proved nigh-on impossible to kill. With mixed light to medium use we were able to coax around 10 hours of screen-on time from the device, which is impressive. This is an excellent showing, and is complemented by the ability to fast charge and strong standby times. The P11 Pro will be a welcome companion to those who like to binge an entire season from Netflix in one go. Running the TechRadar battery test (a full resolution video on Wi-Fi at max brightness for 90 minutes), the device dropped from 100% to 91%, which is a strong showing overall.The keyboard itself is a typical Lenovo, which isn’t to say that it has the quality of a ThinkPad, but that it has broad key caps and decent key travel - certainly for this kind of effort and at this size point. It has enough oomph to make it through basic tasks and the interface without issue, but there is significant lag as it tries to perform more intensive work, such as games. This may be due to the high resolution display. In all, the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro feels more than worth its price tag - while simultaneously being tough enough to take a few bashes and keep on going. Lenovo Tab P11 Pro: display The MediaTek Helio G90T used in the Tab 11 Plus is an SoC manufactured in a 12 nm process. The Helio G90 series from the Taiwanese manufacturer is intended to appeal to gamers in particular and consists of an octa-CPU core array. Two high-performance Cortex-A76 cores contrast a Cortex-A55 cluster that is used for power-saving tasks. A Mali-G76 MP4 serves as the graphics unit. Speaking of which, the 7,700mAh capacity in the Tab P11 Plus should fare well for most users, including traveling professionals and students. On average, I got a screen-on time of nine hours before needing to charge the tablet. Even then, the 20W fast charging fully topped up the Tab P11 Plus within three hours, a welcome upgrade from the 5W to 15W charging of competitors like the TCL Tab 10S.

Lenovo Tab P11 Plus - Review 2022 - PCMag UK Lenovo Tab P11 Plus - Review 2022 - PCMag UK

A big win for the tablet though is battery life. On Wi-Fi (an LTE option is available) we were able to eke out over 10 hours of screen-on-time across several days of use. For the kind of tasks one might traditionally expect of the tablet form factor, the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is more than capable. Lenovo Tab P11 Pro: battery life The 11” IPS screen here features a 1200 x 2000 resolution, which is enough to enjoy any streaming content. Images appear bright and sharp, and colors were as bold as they could be for a panel of this type. Based on benchmark testing, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor in the Tab P11 Pro is more powerful than the MediaTek Helio G90T Tab in the Tab P11 Plus. This will come in handy for multitasking as well as entertainment and other data-intensive apps and programs, like gaming and streaming videos. However, this impacts battery life, since you'll get a good four more hours of use with the Tab P11 Plus when web browsing or watching videos than you would with the P11 Pro. If you're only planning to do word processing and other basic activities, though, the rated battery life is equal between the two.

The quad-speakers put on a good showing too. They get plenty loud without distorting at high volumes, and make a decent go at stereo separation. Bass in particular is a highlight, though there is also detail in the mids and trebles, so these are particularly well suited to action movies. This will mean that, when long distance travel is once again possible, it will make an excellent companion for frequent fliers. Standby times were a particular highlight, with the device only dropping a few percentage points per night. And biometric authentication via the rather insecure 2D method usually works more reliably as the low-priced Motorola Edge 20 Lite corporate sibling recently showed in our review. The obvious question when manufacturers offer these bundles of tablet, keyboard and magnetic stand is whether or not they can adequately replace a laptop, and – bar a few frustrations – the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro succeeds. Android automatically detects if a keyboard is attached and slips into Productivity mode, which is remarkably similar to Chrome OS. Your open apps appear as icons in the taskbar, and switching between them is as simple as a prod on the screen. There is one final factor in the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro’s favour: battery life. Put through our standard video-rundown test, with the screen set to 170cd/m² brightness and Flight mode on, it lasted for 17hrs 28mins. That’s five hours longer than the Apple iPad Air.

Lenovo Tab P11 Plus review: Budget Android tablet with stylus

As with any decision when it comes to tablets, deciding between the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus vs. Lenovo Tab P11 Pro all comes down to how you plan to use it. If you're looking for a good tablet that the whole family can use, you'll want one of the best Android tablets for kids. So, it might be worth it to wait for the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus, particularly if it sells for around the same price as the P11 Pro. The dedicated Google Kids Space adds tons of value in that your little one can get their own curated experience while you can still use the tablet with a separate login and access your own selection of apps. If you tend to watch a lot of movies and TV shows on a tablet, you might appreciate the Entertainment Space, too. Build quality is good. The tablet is constructed from a sturdy feeling aluminum, with a unibody design. There is no creak or flex, and it has a reassuring heft without feeling too weighty. Color options are limited, however this seems intended to be used either in an office or a living room, and ostentation is not a priority for either use-case. It’s a nippy one, though. It includes a Snapdragon 730G processor, which sits in the middle of Qualcomm’s range. I feel the slavish need to reveal its benchmark scores – 544 and 1,784 in the Geekbench 5 tests, 41fps in the off-screen GFXBench Manhattan benchmark – but what actually matters is that this tablet never felt slow in use.The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is available now in the US and UK directly from Lenovo, with an Australia launch planned for May. One color option is available at the time of writing, and two different configurations are available. USB port transfer speeds are approximate and depend on many factors, such as processing capability of host/peripheral devices, file attributes, system configuration and operating environments; actual speeds will vary and may be less than expected. The P11 Pro comes with an older Android 10 operating system while the P11 Plus comes loaded with Android 11 so you'll get the latest and greatest features out of the box. The P11 Pro also comes with Bluetooth 5.0 versus the latest Bluetooth 5.1, which you'll find in the new P11 Plus. This could potentially result in a better connectivity experience, depending on how and where you use the tablet and if you plan to connect Bluetooth devices. The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is a strong challenger to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus. It offers a lovely display, strong speakers and a premium design at a price that undercuts the high-end competition. As a productivity machine however, it doesn’t make sense - Android for tablets, after many years of existence, is still not ready for prime time. The included 6GB of RAM is enough to keep a few apps in memory without an issue, and the 128GB of storage should last most users at least a few years.

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro review: A great-value laptop alternative Lenovo Tab P11 Pro review: A great-value laptop alternative

The Tab P11 Plus has a two-toned design, with the top being a rubberized finish and the bottom being a frosted aluminum. June Wan/ZDNET

A Long Wait for Android 12 

As might be expected, each camera struggles particularly in low light, offering little but a noisy mess. These conditions should therefore be avoided. The Lenovo Tab P11 Plus is powered by a MediaTek Helio G90T processor and will run most apps that you throw at it. For my daily use, which included watching videos curated by Android's Entertainment Space, looking up recipes, web browsing, and solving the day's Wordle, the Tab P11 Plus handled it all like a champ. It was only when I began playing graphics-intensive games such as Asphalt 9 and Iron Blade that the tablet started to show signs of weakness. Viewing angles on the Tab P11 are quite good, so no matter how hunched over you are in bed, you’ll be able to enjoy whatever you’re watching. Brightness is decent enough as well, though if you’re using this tablet outdoors, you might want to do so in the shade. The 60Hz refresh rate puts it far behind tablets from Samsung and Apple, but if all you’re doing is watching Netflix, then there’s nothing to complain about. Specs, performance, and camera