Discover the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2: A Budget-Friendly Tablet with Unbeatable Sound!

At a price of $399, the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 is unlike any other tablet I have evaluated. Its most striking feature is the large JBL-9 speaker positioned on the back, producing outstanding sound quality. At first glance, it appears more like a speaker with a tablet attached rather than the other way around. However, this tablet has more to offer, especially for those looking for a device geared towards entertainment.

The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 sports a vibrant 12.1-inch 2K display, making it perfect for watching videos and movies. It’s also well-suited for reading and browsing the internet. The large speaker may make it a bit awkward to hold after a while, but the inclusion of a built-in kickstand, which can be rotated for both vertical and horizontal viewing, helps mitigate this issue.

• What is it? The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 is an Android-based entertainment tablet.

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• Who is it for? It’s targeted at users who prioritize video watching and high-quality sound on their tablets.
• What does it cost? It’s listed at $399, but promotions and discounts are frequently available. Currently, it is on sale for $289.99 directly from Lenovo’s website.
• What do we like? The powerful speaker for superior sound, the convenience of the kickstand, and the sharp 2.5K display are major pluses.
• What don’t we like? The tablet can feel heavy and cumbersome to hold for extended periods, and it’s not the best choice for productivity tasks.

The Tab Plus Gen 2 impresses immediately with its large speaker and versatile kickstand, but it also boasts a sharp, colorful 12.1-inch display and a battery that lasts.

Outstanding Audio Performance

In most tablet reviews, speaker quality is often a secondary consideration, but with the Tab Plus Gen 2, it’s a primary highlight—so much so that I previously dedicated an entire article to its impressive speaker setup. The audio quality is simply exceptional.

The tablet features a JBL 9-Unit Pro speaker system consisting of four tweeters, three woofers, and two passive radiators. These components come together to deliver deep bass from the radiators and crisp, clear high tones from the tweeters.

Out of the box, the audio performance is already impressive, but for an optimal experience, I recommend exploring the Dolby Atmos options in the sound settings. There are presets for Dynamic, Movie, and Music, each tailored to enhance your listening experience based on the content. Music settings include Detailed, Balanced, and Warm, and there’s also a manual equalizer for further customization.

I personally enjoy listening to genres like hard rock and heavy metal, which often sound underwhelming on typical tablets. However, the Tab Plus Gen 2 handles these beautifully, bringing rich, dynamic sound to tracks from bands like Amon Amarth and classics like Stan Bush’s “The Touch.” The Movie Mode also enhances films and podcasts, making dialogue crisp and clear.

The audio presets allow for quick enjoyment, but the equalizer settings provide the tools needed for those who want to fine-tune their audio experience further. Either way, the sound quality will not disappoint.

Integrated Rotatable Kickstand

Another distinctive feature of this tablet is its built-in kickstand, which is connected directly to the speaker and can be rotated 360 degrees. This makes it easy to switch between horizontal for movies and vertical for reading.

The kickstand moves smoothly and stays securely in place once set. It’s also retractable, making the tablet easy to pack and carry. While this may seem like a small detail, the tactile feedback of the kickstand’s adjustments adds a satisfying touch to its use.

I find this feature particularly useful for reading digital comics and books, as it allows for hands-free viewing in portrait mode. The 16:9 aspect ratio closely approximates the size of a physical comic, enhancing the reading experience.

The tablet itself is constructed from sturdy aluminum, which feels solid and premium. Even though it’s unlikely to be held often (more on that later), it’s reassuring to know the build quality is robust. The concave volume and power buttons are also thoughtfully placed on the back, easily accessible in landscape mode.

Brilliant Display

The 12.1-inch (2560 x 1600) display of the Tab Plus Gen 2 might get overshadowed by the impressive speaker system, but it stands out on its own with sharp, vibrant image quality. Watching the latest trailer for the Street Fighter movie, I was struck by the rich detail and vivid colors. The smooth 120Hz refresh rate ensures fluid motion, making this display ideal for multimedia consumption.

Remarkable Battery Endurance

For those planning to use their tablet extensively for media, the Tab Plus Gen 2 does not disappoint with its long-lasting battery life. In our standard battery test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits brightness, the tablet lasted an impressive 16 hours on a 60Hz setting and 13 hours and 39 minutes on 120Hz. While it slightly trails behind the OnePlus Pad Go 2, it significantly outperforms the Apple iPad by several hours.

It’s worth noting, however, that the Tab Plus Gen 2 does take a while to charge fully. From my testing, it reached 20% after 30 minutes of charging. While frequent charging isn’t necessary, be prepared for longer wait times when you do need to power up the device.

Challenging to Hold

The large JBL speaker, while being a key selling point, does add considerable bulk to the tablet, making it awkward to hold like a traditional tablet. The 1.69-pound weight might not seem excessive, but the distribution makes it feel heavier than it is.

Using the kickstand or resting the tablet on a surface alleviates this problem, but it’s not suited for prolonged one-handed or even two-handed use without support.

Modest Performance

While not a dealbreaker, given that this is a tablet focused on entertainment, those looking to perform heavy-duty tasks might find the performance lacking.

For everyday activities like browsing or reading, the Tab Plus Gen 2 performs adequately. However, its capabilities are stretched thin when multiple apps or tabs are open, which would be a common scenario for more productivity-focused users.

As a regular user of the iPad Pro, it takes a lot for an Android tablet to impress me, but the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 has managed to do just that with its extraordinary sound quality, versatile kickstand, and sharp display. While it may not handle heavy workloads well, it excels at providing a great multimedia experience. The fact that it’s priced at $399 makes it an even more attractive option for those looking for an entertainment-focused device.

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