Lenovo used MWC 2015 in Barcelona this week to launch two new and affordable Android tablets: the Lenovo Tab 2 A8 and the Lenovo Tab 2 A10. We tried them out at the Lenovo stand during the show to bring you our Lenovo Tab 2 A10 and A8 hands-on review. Also see: Best new tablets coming in 2016. You might also like: Best budget tablets 2015
Lenovo Tab 2 A8 & A10 hands-on review: Design & build
If you haven’t guessed already, one of the main differences between the two new Lenovo Android tablets is the screen size. The A8 is 8in while the A10 is 10in, so is obviously bigger and heavier.
Both tablets are satisfyingly thin, though, measuring 8.9mm. At 509g (A10) and 360g (A8) Lenovo can’t match the lightness of rivals including the stunningly light iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, but with a significantly lower price tag we certainly aren’t complaining. The larger of the two tablets comes in Pearl White or Midnight Blue colour options, while the smaller model gets additional Ebony and Neon Pink editions, each with plastic backs. They’re by no means unattractive tablets, although we’re not keen on the large bezels around the display. Also at MWC 2015: Nokia N1 tablet hands-on review
Lenovo Tab 2 A8 & A10 hands-on review: Hardware & specs
Looking closer at the display on the A10 you’ll find a 10.1in Full HD IPS screen, while the A8 has a 720p HD IPS display that measures 8in. Both displays appeared to be reasonable during our testing, although poor viewing angles and reflectiveness is a bit disappointing. Inside the Lenovo Tab 2 tablets is a MediaTek 64-bit quad-core processor (1.3GHz for A8 and 1.5GHz for A10) paired with 1GB RAM, 8/16GB storage built-in and the ability to add up to 32GB additional space thanks to the microSD card slot. There’s also an optional SIM-card slot on each tablet that will allow you to make and take calls and use 4G LTE while out and about, making these tablets large entries into the phablet category. Both tablets have cameras on the front and back, with the A10 boasting an 8Mp rear camera, and the A8 sporting a 5Mp rear snapper. On the front of the A8 is a 2Mp camera for selfies or video chats. There’s a 7,000mAh battery inside the A10, which Lenovo suggests will provide up to 10 hours of power, while the A8’s 4,290mAh battery should last for up to eight hours according to the company.
Additionally, both tablets have Dolby Atmos technology ideal for audio-lovers, which can be heard through the multi-speaker sound bar on the rear of the A10 or through headphones while using the A8, which lacks the soundbar but does have dual front-facing speakers (of course you can also listen through headphones on the A10, too). We were unable to fully test the audio on the noisy show floor but will bring you our verdict on that feature when we get the tablets back to our labs.
Lenovo Tab 2 A8 & A10 hands-on review: Software
Right now, the A10 is running stock Android 4.4 KitKat with a Lollipop update expected to come soon, to match the stock Android 5.0 Lollipop running on its smaller counterpart, the A8.
Lenovo Tab 2 A8 & A10 hands-on review: Price & availability
Lenovo has priced its new tablets competitively, with the A10 starting at £179.99 and the A8 starting at just £129.99. Lenovo expects the A10 to arrive in the UK first from April, while the A8 will come later in June. Ashleigh is Tech Advisor’s Head of Affiliate. Providing expert buying advice you can trust is her forte, helping you to find the most reputable consumer tech products and services, and ensuring you don’t spend a penny more than you should.
