Android Gamer: Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro design and hardware: the ultimate media device

Large tablets are a curious breed. The tablet market kicked off with tablets centralizing around a 10-inch form factor, but then slowly drifted towards smaller tablets. One company, however, is ready to test the large tablet waters again. Lenovo has spent the last couple of years working on 10-inch tablets and now the company is ready to go even bigger.

The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro is the largest tablet we’ve ever reviewed. Its display measures in at 13.3 inches and the device is simply enormous. The front is a sweeping panel of black glass. Below the glass is the rounded aluminum cylinder that contains two oversized front-facing speakers and the kickstand that makes the Yoga tablets unique. A recurring theme about the device is that bigger is better, with everything on the device designed to be larger than average.

The main swath of the back is silver plastic with simple Lenovo logo in the center. On the bottom, the aluminum kickstand and cylinder reside. In the center of the kickstand is a square cutout that, when the kickstand is closed, is filled by a small subwoofer that’s also home to the camera and kickstand release. Releasing the kickstand allows it to rotate nearly 180 degrees, allowing you to have several different positions in which to use the tablet.

On the left side of the tablet you can find a volume rocker, microUSB charging port, and headphone jack, as well as the power button that’s situated on the left side of the cylinder. On the right side there’s a built-in projector on the right side of the cylinder. There’s also a button to activate the projector, and around back sits a small slider that controls the focus of the projector.

The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro is well-built, with a solid, sturdy feel that doesn’t seem fragile. Because of its immense size, it’s a little too weighty to comfortably hold with one hand. In fact, its size makes it generally unwieldy, primarily due to a mixture of the thinness and the expansive size. While holding it is an odd experience, using the kickstand is quite pleasurable and allows for an incredible viewing experience in a multitude of different ways.

The projector is an intriguing addition that’s surprisingly useful in certain situations. If you have an open wall, it can be great for quickly watching a movie with friends. Once, I even found myself laying on the floor and simply projecting a movie onto the ceiling. While not everyone will find a use for it, it’s incredibly handy when you want it.

The speakers on the device get quite loud, to the point where you can easily hear them from sitting back a few feet. The sound quality isn’t bad at all, with a surprising coverage of different ranges. They get a bit distorted at the highest levels, but that’s to be expected.

One note is that the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro has an odd quirk when it comes to using headphones. The tablet restricts volume levels through headphones to just a little over half, and it’s far too quiet be usable. Voices in movies are muted and distant, and it simply doesn’t allow for a good media experience through headphones, which is a real shame considering how good the rest of the tablet is for media. The issue seems to stem from the software, so it could likely be fixed in an update, which I dearly hope that Lenovo pushes out.

Finally, the 13.3-inch display of the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro deserves some attention. The display has a resolution of 2560×1440 and uses IPS technology. It’s bold, bright, and surprisingly sharp for such a large display. The colors aren’t bursting from the screen, but they do look good. While its size may turn some away, the display of the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro certainly isn’t bad.

As a whole, the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro is a great tablet for consuming media. It has its headphone issue, but that can likely be patched. As a whole, the tablet is perfect for those who consume lots of media, including as Netflix and the like. It makes even more sense for those who enjoy the content with friends, with the built-in projector allowing for an easy shared viewing experience.

If you’re looking for a great media consumption tablet, the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro is an excellent tablet for you.