Samsung may have just stolen headlines with its Galaxy Tab S9 range today but Lenovo’s latest Tab P12 and Tab M10 5G models are timely rivals coming in at much lower prices.
Although Samsung has proven itself to be a leader in the Android tablet market over the years and the Galaxy Tab S9 range looks impressive, not everyone can afford the asking prices. The top-spec Tab S9 Ultra will set you back a cool £1,699.
Even the cheapest regular Tab S9 model costs £799 but Lenovo is offering both the Tab P12 and M10 5G starting at £399/€399.
For the P12 that gets you Pen Plus stylus included or you can pay €499 for an additional keyboard. It will be available starting July 2023 while the M10 5G will come later in August, with that model not having a known UK release date at this time.
We reviewed the Lenovo P12 Pro last year so it’s a little confusing as to why the P12 is arriving now.
With that optional ThinkPad-inspired keyboard with 1.5mm of key travel, the Tab P12 for 2023 is the tablet pitched as a laptop replacement, particularly aimed at back-to-school and college-aged users. The 12.7in 3K screen can handle split-screen multitasking and a reading mode makes it appropriate for long sessions.
The Tab P12 2023 comes with apps to aid learning such as Nebo and MyScript Calculator 2. You also get WPS with three months of premium features for free.
With Android 13 onboard and a JBL speaker system with Dolby Atmos, the P12 is perfectly capable of satisfying your entertainment needs too. The supplied Pen Plus stylus can be used for a range of tasks including a wireless drawing pad for Windows PCs via Lenovo Freestyle.
Whatever you use the P12 for, a large 10,200mAh battery offers longevity with a quoted 10 hours of video playback.
Lenovo
Those needing data while out and about without needing to find Wi-Fi hotspots will find the Tab M10 a real boon. As the name suggests, it can connect to 5G networks to keep you on the grid thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset.
Whatever you need it for, the 10.61in 2K TÜV eye care-certified display has a 90Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and also features Dolby Atmos audio. It’s lightweight at 490g and is built with the outdoors in mind thanks to an IP52 dust and water resistance rating along with an anti-scratch two-tone matt finish.
With a lower resolution screen compared to the P12, the M10 5G can go for 12-hour video playback with a smaller 7700mAh battery.
Both should be contenders for our best Android tablets chart but we’ll see when we get them in for review.