Lenovo has announced a wide range of new tablets and hybrid hardware, all running either Android or Windows 8.1. There are seven products in all, and to make learning about them a little easier, we’ve given each one its own dedicated page. Follow the links below for a detailed overview of Lenovo’s latest device announcements, all of which fall into its Yoga range of versatile hardware.
Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro
The standout feature of Lenovo’s Yoga Ultrabooks has always been the clever hinge, which allows the screen to be folded over to create a tent-like stand, rotated around to keep the keyboard out of the way, or laid flat for a tablet-like experience. For the Yoga 3 Pro, Lenovo has redesigned the hinge, likening it to a metal watch band, and building it from 800 pieces of steel and aluminum. This, along with other refinements, has made the Yoga 3 Pro 14-percent lighter than the Yoga 2, at 1.19kg.
The touchscreen is also impressive, with the 13.3-inch panel boasting a massive 3200 x 1800 pixel resolution, and a Gorilla Glass covering to keep it safe. An Intel graphics card takes care of the visuals, while an Intel Core M70 processor with support for up to 8GB of RAM keeps the Windows 8.1 OS running. Storage is managed by a 256GB SSD, plus there is a 4-in-1 card reader on the 12.8mm chassis. It’s joined by two USB 3.0 sockets, and a Micro HDMI port.
To help manage the Yoga 3 Pro’s multiple modes, Lenovo has installed its Harmony software, where apps can be customized to provide the best experience possible, no matter how the screen is positioned. The software for the built-in JBL speakers does something similar, and adjusts the audio settings for optimum performance, even when the drivers aren’t facing in your direction. Lenovo will sell the Yoga 3 Pro through its own online store, and through Best Buy, by the end of October. Prices start at $1,350.
Yoga Tablet 2 10-inch, and 8-inch models
Lenovo’s new Yoga Tablet 2 models are offered with either Windows 8.1 or Android installed, but not both at the same time. There are two versions with Windows onboard, one with an 8-inch display, and the other with a 10.1-inch screen. The specification is almost identical, with an Intel Aton Z3745 processor powering them, along with 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal memory. Both have MicroSD card slots, but only the 10-1-inch model has a Micro-HDMI port. An 8-megapixel rear camera, and a 1.6-megapixel front camera are also fitted.
Battery life sounds great, with Lenovo promising 15-hours from a single charge, plus the audio should also be impressive, thanks to Dolby and Wolfsen Hi-Fi-tuned dual front speakers. Characterized by its unusual stand, the Yoga Tablet 2 has gained a fourth mode, adding to the original Tilt, Stand, or Hold positions. It’s named Hang, which does what it sounds like, and utilizes the specially adapted built-in stand to hold itself up.
The prime difference between the two new tablets, outside of the screen size, is the inclusion of Lenovo’s Bluetooth AccuType keyboard cover, which comes bundled with the 10.1-inch Yoga Tablet 2. Exact costs haven’t been confirmed, but the starting price is $500, which will be for the 8-inch Yoga Tablet 2. Like the Yoga 3 Pro, both these tablets will be on sale by the end of October.
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14
The ThinkPad Yoga 14 is more business laptop than tablet, and comes with a stronger spec sheet to the more casually orientated Yoga 3 Pro. The clever hinge is attached to a14-inch screen and Lenovo’s backlit keyboard, allowing the ThinkPad to bend and twist into four different modes: Traditional laptop, display stand, tent mode, and a tablet.
Lenovo has given the 14-inch IPS touchscreen a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, and says the brightness reaches 300 nits. An Intel Core i5 processor provides the power, and it can be specced with up to 8GB of RAM. Storage is handled by a 1TB hard drive, and a 16GB SSD to ensure the ThinkPad is a speedy beast. Nvidia has supplied a GeForce 840M graphics card, and other features include stereo Dolby-tuned speakers, Bluetooth, a 4-in-1 card reader, and three USB ports.
Built using magnesium alloy, the battery should last for around eight hours, and the whole unit weighs 1.9kg. To make the Yoga 14 more attractive to business users, it comes with improved VoIP support and noise-canceling technology, a full-size HDMI port, plus there’s Lenovo’s OneLink system for easy docking. Lenovo has given the ThinkPad Yoga 14 exclusively to Best Buy, and it’ll cost $1,200 when it goes on sale at the end of October.
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro
The Yoga Tablet 2 Pro looks like a larger version of Lenovo’s regular Yoga Tablet 2 models, but it has a few very special features geared towards those who love to watch movies. The Yoga Tablet 2 Pro’s larger screen is higher resolution than the two smaller models’ screens. The Quad HD IPS display features a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution and looked really incredible when we saw it in person.
In addition to the sharp screen, the Pro comes with a big bonus: a Pico projector. The 40-50 Lumen Pico Projector has a WVGA (854 x 480) resolution and can project a 16:9 image onto any surface to create a 50-inch screen. The projector’s image automatically adjusts to square up to the wall, ceiling, or sheet onto which you cast the image. Lenovo showed us how it worked on a roll down screen and the image looked sharp, if slightly dim. The projector works best on a flat, white surface, and we can easily imagine projecting a great movie on the bedroom ceiling, while lying in bed with a bowl of popcorn.
Lenovo also went all out with the speakers on the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro. The tablet can produce 8 watts of sound, which Lenovo claims equates to four times the output of a normal tablet. The effect is achieved with dual, large-chamber speakers on the front of the tablet and a subwoofer on the back. The tablet features Dolby Audio and Wolfson Master HiFi, as well. Just like the other models, you can hang, hold, stand, or tilt the tablet, thanks to the built-in stand.
Lenovo says the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro should provide up to three hours of playback time when it’s projecting the image, which should be enough to watch a movie or two. The battery should last 15 hours when you’re not watching video. It’s powered by a 4th generation Intel Atom Z3745 1.86GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. It has an 8-megapixel rear camera, 1.60-megapixel front-facing shooter, and comes with 32GB of storage that you can expand up to 64GB via MicroSD card. It also has optional 4G LTE connectivity and weighs 2.09 lbs (950 g).
The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro will be available at the end of October, starting at $500.
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 8-inch and 10-inch models, with Android
Lenovo will offer the Android-based Yoga Tablet 2 with the same screen sizes seen on the Windows versions. Both the 8 and 10-inch models feature 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution IPS screens, which looked sharp and bright in person. Intel’s Atom Z3745 processor, which clocks in at 1.86 GHz, powers the Yoga tablets alongside 2GB of RAM. Lenovo packed 16GB of storage into the new Yoga tablets, but you can expand that space up to 64GB with a MicroSD card. Both support dual band Wi-Fi and you can add 4G LTE if you want.
Lenovo told us its customers use their tablets for video more than almost anything else, so the company focused on making the new Yoga tablets as video friendly as possible. The Dolby Audio and Wolfson Master HiFi speakers should offer impressive sound to compliment the high-resolution screen when you’re watching video. Thanks to the Yoga Tablet 2’s curved bottom and built-in stand, the tablet can stand on any flat surface or even hang on the wall. Lenovo added a tiny hole in the middle on the stand that allows you to hang it up like a picture on a 3M hook. We don’t imagine you’ll be doing that with the 8-inch model, but the built-in kickstand will prove very useful when watching videos on the tablets.
Both Yoga Tablet 2 models come with an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.6-megapixel front-facing camera. As expected, Android 4.4 KitKat is preinstalled on the tablets. Lenovo promises 18 hours of battery life, but that number will likely decrease when you’re watching movies and TV shows. Both tablets are thin and light, with the 8-inch tablet weighing in at 0.92 lbs (419 g) and the 10-in model coming in at 1.36 lbs (619 g).
The two Yoga Tablet 2 models are available online through Lenovo’s own store, as of October 9. Prices start at $300 for the 10-incher and $250 for the 8-incher. Both will arrive in platinum silver. You can also get a keyboard cover attachment for the larger, 10-inch model, though we’re not sure how much it will cost.
