Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 hands on review
Lenovo’s hybrid tablet serves up Windows 8 in the body of a tablet with the access of a keyboard – take that Surface
It was recently the Lenovo ThinkPad’s twentieth anniversary – and over 75 million of them have been sold since 1992. So what better way to mark it than by bringing out a hybrid tablet with Windows 8? We go hands on with the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 – screen
The ThinkPad Tablet 2’s 10.1in IPS display looks great with those big colourful Windows 8 tiles – and the edges are crisp and clear thanks to the 16:9 1366×768 resolution display. It even manages to keep up with that constantly sliding screen that is synonymous with Windows 8 OS. And the screen renders the efforts of the 8MP snapper perfectly – it also features a front facing 2MP version for video calls and narcissistic self-portraits.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 – design and build
At under 10mm thin and less than 600g, the ThinkPad Tablet 2 can certainly compete with the Microsoft Surface on size and weight. Plus with a claimed 10-hour-plus battery life, it’ll hold its own against the ultrabook brigade. But unlike laptops it comes packing a digitiser pen for all your drawing needs – not unlike Samsung’s S Pen, with similar lag and sensitivity.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 – power
The ThinkPad Tablet 2 manages to run the full Windows 8 Pro OS on its next generation Intel Atom processor. This might pale in comparison to the Microsoft Surface‘s but it appears to run smoothly. But without a host of multitasking and a proper test, the jury’s still out on whether the Atom can deliver the full force of Windows 8 Pro.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 – connectivity
When it comes to connections, the ThinkPad Tablet 2 impresses with a bevy of ports – including USB 2.0, MicroSD, mini-HDMI, and even NFC. There’s also an optional Bluetooth keyboard that the device can be docked into for speedy typing – though there’s no sign of batteries to extend the tablet’s life, sadly. And with 3G and 4G LTE options on their way the ThinkPad Tablet 2 certainly won’t be short of data chewing up power.
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Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 
