'It's massive': why the leaked Lenovo tablet with a huge JBL speaker on the back actually makes a lot of sense

• Leaked renders show upcoming Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2
• Big highlight is massive speaker with JBL logo
• Also has built-in kickstand

You've heard of pill-shaped speakers, but what about tablet-shaped ones? This and many more puns come to mind when glimpsing the new tablet-loudspeaker hybrid that Lenovo is said to have on the way — and that speaker? It's massive.

Long-standing and reliable mobile leaker Evan Blass has shared to X (formerly known as "X/Twitter") a series of renders of the upcoming Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2. The eyeball-grabbing feature is, as you're about to see, the giant speaker grille on the back of the slate. Eat your heart out, JBL Authentics 200.

Banish the thought of the tablets bearing an array of speakers around the edges and built discreetly into bezels, including those found in the first-gen Tab Plus. No, this is a pretty thick protruding unit on the back of the tablet, which from these leaked 3D shots seems to shoot out a fair way.

Look closely, and you'll also see a JBL logo on the back — yes. the Flip 7 makers apparently had a hand in the audio tuning of this device. The previous model boasted eight speakers from the brand, though they were all built into the frame of the slate, not sticking out the back.

Two other interesting things to point out in this guided tour of the tablet: a kickstand lets you prop up the slate, so you're not going to be blasting your tunes straight into an oak table. And the volume rocker and power button is on the back too, which points to how far the speaker protrudes: normally, it'd be madness to put these on the back, as you'd press them every time the slate was flush on a surface. Evidently, the speaker-and-kickstand system holds the slate so much that this doesn't happen.

Blass didn't mention any of the tablet's specifications, but you're probably here for decks, not specs.

It's for movies

On the surface, a tablet with a fat speaker on the back may raise eyebrows: it looks a little odd and goes against almost every audio upgrade we've seen in tablets to date. Why is Lenovo making this speaker/tablet Frankenstein's monster? But the brand's Tab series has been single-minded in its focus, and when taken with that in mind, it makes sense.

Like Amazon's Fire tablets, Lenovo ones are built for entertainment. Options such as the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro and Lenovo Tab P12 Pro have great speakers and displays, and the brand's Legion tablets are primarily focused on the gaming market.

While many brands offer great screens, it's the speakers that really set Lenovo's tablets ahead: the brand puts loads of them into its devices, and often gets brands to tune them up for it.

The huge module isn't too much of a hindrance either, as the slate is likely designed to be used with the kickstand. Lenovo's no stranger to this format, like in the Yoga Tab 13, which had a built in stand as well as micro-HDMI port so you could connect it to other devices.

Don't expect the Tab Plus Gen 2 to be a speaker-tablet hybrid, then; expect it to be designed for watching movies and TV shows with bumping audio.

The best Bluetooth speakers for all budgets

➡️ Read our full guide to the best Bluetooth speakers
1. Best overall:
JBL Flip 7
2. Best cheap:
JBL Clip 5
3. Best high-end option:
Bang & Olufsen A1 3rd Gen
4. Best party speaker:
Tribit Stormbox Blast 2

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