In the bustling world of technology, tablets continue to carve out their niche as versatile devices that bridge the gap between smartphones and laptops. Among the latest contenders in this arena is the Lenovo P11, a device that promises to redefine what a tablet can do. Let’s delve into its features, performance, and overall appeal to see if it lives up to the hype.
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TheTechBasic Verdict
The Lenovo Tab P11 offers solid audio quality and an impressively bright display, making it a great choice for binge-watching YouTube or Netflix. With the addition of a keyboard and stylus, it can serve as a reliable note-taking device; however, its slow performance may hinder demanding applications and games from running smoothly.
Pros
- Quality speakers
- Excellent battery life
- Child account features
Cons
- Limited gaming capability
- Lacks an audio jack
- Inconsistent multitasking performance
Technical specifications
| Feature | Specification |
| Storage | 128GB (expandable via microSD) |
| Processor | MediaTek Kompanio 1300T |
| RAM Options | 4GB or 6GB |
| Operating System | Android 12 |
| Battery Capacity | 8,000 mAh |
| Ports | Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Camera Setup | Rear 13MP, Front 8MP |
| Starting Price | $303 |
| Connectivity Features | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Dimensions | – |
| Headphone Jack | Not included |
| Available Color | Storm Gray |
Overview of Lenovo P11
The Lenovo P11 is a versatile tablet that caters to a range of needs. For adults, it’s an excellent choice for enjoying multimedia content like Netflix, surfing the internet, or drafting emails. Kids can use it for drawing or watching YouTube, with built-in features that help ensure they stay on track.
It serves well as an entertainment device and handles occasional work tasks effectively. The stylish cover and keyboard add to its appeal, though it falls just shy of being a top recommendation. Its performance can falter with more demanding tasks, gaming and running multiple apps may cause slowdowns or even restarts. This is unfortunate because the Lenovo P11 is otherwise a great all-around device, particularly with its user-friendly keyboard and stylus.
For anyone looking for a top-notch tablet to relax with, the Lenovo P11 is highly recommended. The stylus makes drawing and note-taking effortless, and the keyboard is ideal for lengthy emails. The Productivity mode mimics a low-end Windows laptop experience, featuring movable app windows and a taskbar, while the sturdy kickstand allows the tablet to be positioned at nearly any angle.
Price and Availability of Lenovo P11
The Lenovo P11 can be purchased from Lenovo, Walmart, and Amazon, with prices beginning at $309. The base model at this price includes 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 1TB with a microSD card. If you’re considering upgrading to the version with 6GB of RAM, be prepared to spend an additional $120. However, I would caution against opting for this more expensive model, and I’ll elaborate on my reasons for this recommendation later on.
This tablet is available in a single color option: Storm Grey. During our review process, we found that Amazon and Walmart typically offer better prices compared to Lenovo’s official site. The pricing for the Lenovo P11 varied significantly, with discounts occasionally bringing the cost down to as low as $230. To secure the most favorable deal, it is highly advisable to check these retailers first before making a purchase.
Read Also: Review of Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 Tab: Powerful and Reliable
Design and Hardware of Lenovo P11
The 11-inch IPS display on this device boasts a resolution of 1200 x 2000 pixels, providing a sufficient level of detail to fully enjoy various streaming media. The screen delivers bright and clear visuals, with colors appearing vibrant and as intense as one might expect from this type of panel.
This size strikes an excellent balance, offering enough screen real estate to make viewing enjoyable while still being manageable enough to hold comfortably with one hand. Whether you’re lounging in bed or relaxing on the couch, the Lenovo P11 is convenient to handle. Although a larger screen would enhance the immersive experience, it would also make the device more cumbersome, akin to a laptop, which could compromise comfort. The Lenovo P11 hits a sweet spot in terms of both dimensions and weight, making it ideal for extended use.
The Lenovo P11 provides fairly good viewing angles, so even if you find yourself in a less-than-ideal position, such as lying down or reclining, the content remains easily viewable. The brightness level is generally adequate for indoor use, though, for outdoor viewing, it’s advisable to stay in a shaded area to avoid glare. While the device’s 60Hz refresh rate is somewhat behind the more advanced tablets from brands like Samsung and Apple, it remains perfectly suitable for streaming Netflix and similar content. For general media consumption, there are no significant drawbacks related to the refresh rate.
Software of Lenovo P11
The Lenovo P11 is equipped with Android 12 out of the box and is projected to receive updates through to Android 14. Despite the promise of updates, Lenovo has struggled with delivering them promptly, even though the tablet operates with a relatively unmodified version of Android. On a positive note, it does benefit from a security patch as recent as January 2023, ensuring it receives the necessary protection.
Beyond the delay in updating to Android 13, the software on the Lenovo P11 performs admirably. It features Material You, Google’s latest design framework that emphasizes personalization, allowing users to coordinate system colors with their chosen wallpaper. Lenovo has made a notable improvement over the stock Android experience by enabling Wi-Fi toggling with a single tap from the notification shade a useful feature that could serve as a tip for Google.
Lenovo has pre-installed several useful apps, including Instant Memo and Productivity Mode. These applications are tailored to maximize the utility of the optional pen and keyboard. Productivity Mode transforms the Lenovo P11 into a compact, laptop-like experience, offering free-floating windows and a desktop layout reminiscent of Samsung’s DeX system.
I found myself surprisingly appreciative of this Windows-like interface. The convenience of having quick access to the app drawer and settings from the lower corners of the screen was a notable enhancement. The app dock, which allows for easy access to recently used apps with a single touch, streamlined productivity significantly compared to the conventional multi-tasking menu.
One of the most welcome changes from the Tab M10 Plus is the absence of intrusive bloatware on the Lenovo P11. While mobile games are enjoyable, constant notifications from apps like Swing Man can be a nuisance. With the Lenovo P11, such issues have been addressed, leading to a cleaner and more enjoyable user experience. This reduction in unnecessary software is a significant improvement, enhancing the overall usability of the device.
Performance and Camera of Lenovo P11
At the heart of the Lenovo P11 lies a Snapdragon 662 processor, paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. While this setup is decent for basic use, expanding the storage with a microSD card is advisable if you plan to store a large collection of movies and other media.
To be clear, the Lenovo P11 is primarily designed as a multimedia device, and it excels at streaming videos from various services. It handles tasks such as drafting quick emails in Gmail or composing documents in Google Docs without any trouble.
However, performance issues arise when you attempt to run more demanding applications or multitask extensively. For instance, playing games or having more than six apps open simultaneously can lead to noticeable slowdowns. The interface may become sluggish, app launches take longer, and waking the tablet from sleep mode can result in a 2-3 second delay before the screen lights up. While basic games perform adequately, more resource-intensive titles like PUBG Mobile or advanced racing games may experience stuttering and poor performance.
On the audio front, the Lenovo P11 delivers impressive sound quality, making it well-suited for streaming music or watching videos. Even when held with both hands, the audio remains clear and undistorted. It’s an excellent choice for playing background music in the kitchen while cooking or for keeping your child entertained with YouTube videos in their room.
The rear camera of the Lenovo P11 boasts a 13MP sensor, which is sufficient for capturing photos in well-lit environments. However, the camera struggles with color depth and tends to produce noise in low-light situations. The 8MP front-facing camera is adequate for video calls but is limited by its 30fps recording capability, which can make it feel somewhat sluggish.
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Keyboard and Stylus of Lenovo P11
One of the benefits of the Lenovo P11’s keyboard cover is its direct connection to the tablet, eliminating the need for Bluetooth pairing or charging. This design ensures that the keyboard is always ready for use. The keys are reasonably sized, allowing for efficient typing. However, the trackpad is notably small, making it challenging to accurately register taps or clicks. For precise control, it’s generally more effective to interact directly with the screen rather than relying on the trackpad.
The Lenovo Pen, which serves as the stylus for the Lenovo P11, charges conveniently via a USB-C cable. It offers a range of functions when used on the screen, such as returning to the home screen, accessing quick shortcuts, taking screenshots, activating the camera, or making notes. The pen feels solid in hand and responds well to both taps and strokes, making it a pleasure to use for writing and drawing. When paired with the tablet’s kickstand, it transforms the Lenovo P11 into a versatile sketchpad, ideal for creative work no matter where you are.
Temperature of Lenovo P11
During sustained use, we observed that the maximum temperature reached 43.2 °C (111.6 °F) in the central area of the back near the camera. While this temperature is quite noticeable, it is confined to a small localized area, with the rest of the tablet remaining relatively cool.
Extended usage does not significantly impact the device’s performance. Benchmark results, such as those from 20 consecutive runs of 3DMark Wild Life or Wild Life Extreme, remain stable, indicating that the device handles prolonged stress without major performance degradation.
Battery Life of Lenovo P11
The Lenovo P11 is equipped with a robust 8,200mAh battery, which Lenovo advertises as capable of providing over 14 hours of video playback on a single charge. In practical usage, I found that the battery lasts approximately 10 hours when the screen brightness is set to 80%. This performance is more than sufficient to support a full day of watching your favorite shows, though it’s advisable to plan your viewing sessions accordingly. For typical daily activities, such as watching videos, engaging in social media, and browsing the web, the Lenovo P11 can deliver around 14 hours of screen-on time spread across two days, with less than 1% battery drain overnight.
The tablet supports 20W charging, which allows it to go from an empty battery to a full charge in just under two and a half hours. It’s important to use the charger that comes with the Lenovo P11 for optimal charging speed. In my experience, using other higher-wattage chargers resulted in slower charging rates. Once I switched back to the Lenovo-provided charger, the charging speed improved significantly, demonstrating the importance of using the recommended charger to achieve the best performance.
Competition of Lenovo P11
When comparing the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 to the Lenovo P11, the two tablets are direct rivals in the market. Priced at $309, the Tab A7 is slightly more affordable than the P11. Despite this, the P11 offers several advantages, including a superior display, more RAM, increased base storage, and a larger battery. Unless you have a strong preference for Samsung’s OneUI interface, the Lenovo P11 is generally the better choice for most tablet users. Additionally, Samsung promises extended software support for their devices, which might be a consideration for some users.
On the other hand, the Amazon Fire HD 10 remains a major contender in the under-$300 tablet category. Amazon’s four-year support period is hard to beat, but the Lenovo P11 surpasses the Fire HD 10 in terms of display quality and overall performance. A downside to the Fire HD 10 is the need to sideload the Google Play Store, which can be an inconvenience alongside Amazon’s app offerings. Nevertheless, Amazon’s tablets excel in affordability, with the Fire HD 10 frequently available for over $150 less than the LenovoP11.
Should You Consider Purchasing It?
My experience with the Lenovo P11 has been quite enjoyable. The quality of the display truly shines when you immerse yourself in movies or Twitch streams, making it clear that this tablet excels in content consumption. If you’re focused on enjoying media, the Lenovo P11 stands out as a top choice. While it’s true that there are some limitations regarding multitasking, the price point of around $300 aligns well with what you can reasonably expect from the device.
It’s fantastic to see that we now have access to a tablet with impressive specifications at a price that’s manageable for those of us with a practical budget. For a long time, finding a tablet with high-quality features at this price range was a rarity. It’s refreshing to finally have the option to purchase a device with premium attributes for approximately $300, making it an excellent value for money.
Read Also: Review of Lenovo Tab M10 Plus Gen 3 Android Tablet
Conclusion
The Lenovo P11 emerges as a formidable contender in the tablet market, blending impressive performance, a stunning display, and a sleek design into one cohesive package. Whether you’re a casual user looking for entertainment on the go or a professional needing a reliable tool for work, the P11 delivers on all fronts. With its robust hardware, user-friendly software, and versatile capabilities, it sets a high standard for what a modern tablet can achieve. If you’re in the market for a tablet that offers both style and substance, the Lenovo P11 deserves serious consideration.
In conclusion, the Lenovo P11 not only meets but exceeds expectations, making it a standout choice in today’s competitive tablet landscape.