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In a market full of me-too Android tablets, the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro dares to do things differently – and it does them well, for the most part.
An unorthodox design paired with mediocre performance might not make this the best general-use tablet around, but it's one of the best pure media players you can get.
We liked
When you've seen one Android tablet, you've seen them all – except when it's a Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro. The best thing about the tablet's unique bottom-heavy design is that it's no gimmick.
Rather, Lenovo's thoughtful approach enables the incorporation of great sound, a built-in kickstand, an unusually large battery, and a pico projector, all of which are genuinely useful additions.
Sealing the Yoga Tab 3 Pro's position as a premiere media player is its bright, sharp 10.1-inch QHD display. All in all, we can't think of a better tablet to watch movies on.
We disliked
While Lenovo obviously put a lot of thought into the Yoga Tab 3 Pro's hardware and media-playing credentials, it comes up a little short with its software.
Its custom UI, while neat and relatively unadorned, is glitchy and sluggish, while we would have expected better performance from a premium-priced tablet.
Also, though we generally love the Yoga Tab 3 Pro's unique design, it does make for a slightly cumbersome and unwieldy tablet in typical day to day usage.
Final verdict
With the Yoga Tab 3 Pro, Lenovo has been rewarded for thinking about tablets a little differently.
The ostensibly lopsided design enables a media-playing experience that's pretty much unmatched in the wide world of tablets, making it a great pick as a second screen to place around the home or take with you on your travels.
However, as a general-use tablet it's mediocre at best. If you're after a balanced iPad-like tablet experience that excels across the board, the Yoga Tab 3 Pro isn't for you.
As long as you realise you're getting a premium media player with expanded tablet capabilities as a sideline, however, you can purchase without hesitation.
First reviewed: October 2015
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