Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro review: a video marvel with built-in projector

The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro’s projector makes it one of the best Android tablets on the market for movie and video buffs.

In a world of largely indistinguishable Android tablets, Len­ovo’s high-spec Yoga Tab 3 Pro is a genuine standout product. This is thanks to its ergo­nomic design and, impressively, a built-in pico-projector, making it a great option for an evening of video-watching.

Design-wise, the Tab 3 Pro takes a leaf out of Lenovo’s Yoga 3 Pro ultrabook, one of our fav­ourite devices of last year, with a cylindrical spine housing a fold-out kickstand, activated by a release button on the bottom of the device.

While it makes the device a little heavy (about 25 grams heavier than an iPad Air 2) and a bit odd to hold, the spine feels well designed, with the kickstand negating the need for a smartcover equivalent to prop the tablet up.

But the Tab 3 Pro’s main selling point is its built-in projector, also housed in the device’s spine. Once the tablet is resting on its kickstand, simply point it at a blank wall, press and hold the button on the left end of the spine, and away you go.

While image quality will ­never be in the same league as a pro­per stand-alone set-up, the projector performs very well on a wide range of surfaces, with a nifty focusing wheel popping up on the tablet screen. It is a great option for an evening of Netflix in a hotel room at the end of a working day, or an impromptu video-sharing session with friends.

Also built in are four front-facing JBL speakers that incorporate Dolby Atmos technology to lend a cinematic sound experience. Sound quality to my ears is little better than average for a tablet – however, while not a comparison, it is not a patch on the iPad Pro.

The Yoga Tab 3 Pro is available from Dh2,199, making it about the same price as an iPad Air 2. While plenty of today’s Android tablets do a solid job for a lower price, the Tab 3 Pro’s projector makes it one of the best Android options on the market for video consumption.

q&a pleasing pixel density

John Everington reveals more about Lenovo’s Yoga Tab 3 Pro:

So what are its yoga credentials like? Can it do a downward-facing dog?

I’m not the bendiest person in the world so perhaps I’m not the best judge. Lenovo will be glad to hear I was able to rescue their test unit from one of my Yoga-practising editors who was trying to see whether it could do a twisting triangle. The hinge is a touch on the stiff side but folds away very nicely, and allows the Tab 3 Pro to sit up horizontally in a pose vaguely reminiscent of the plank.

The projector sounds nice, but what if I don’t have a wall to beam on to?

The 10.1 inch screen is unlikely to disappoint – the pixel density of 299 ppi is pretty solid for a tablet, and while you don’t get the retina-searing bright colours of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S range, video renders to a high standard.

What if I need to store lots of media? And what about the cameras?

No need to worry, there’s a Micro SD slot. There’s a 13MP rear facing camera and a 5MP front facing selfie / Skype snapper.

And just how many episodes of Master of None can the Yoga Tab Pro 3 get through on a single charge?

Lenovo claims the battery can last up to 18 hours, although others reckon you will be able to watch – a still very impressive – 12 hours, or thereabouts, of high-quality video on the screen itself on airplane mode before you need a recharge.

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