Lenovo Idea Tab Plus Review: A Media Tablet First, Everything Else Second

• Slim and lightweight for a 12.1-inch tablet
• Rich IPS display that's great for content
• Excellent quad speakers with Dolby Atmos

The Lenovo Idea Tab Plus focuses on getting the basics right. You get a solid metal build, a comfortable form factor, and a display that works well for YouTube, movies, and everyday use. The speakers are a highlight, and the stylus adds real value for notes and quick tasks.

Battery life is strong and can stretch across days, with a 45W charger included in the box.

Performance, however, feels limited. The MediaTek D6400 chip shows occasional lag, and it's not meant for heavy tasks or gaming. The software also feels slightly unpolished, and the lack of proper stylus storage is a miss.

It's a good fit for content, browsing, and note-taking. But if you want smoother performance, this might not be the one.

One thing Lenovo still gets consistently right is build quality. The Idea Tab Plus feels solid the moment you pick it up. It's made entirely out of metal, and there's no hint of plastic anywhere. The in-hand feel is clean and reassuring, which is something I've always liked about Lenovo devices.

Despite packing a 10200mAh battery, the tablet stays impressively slim. It also doesn't feel heavy at around 530g, which makes a difference in daily use. I found myself using it a lot on my lap or while lying down, and that's where this form factor really works.

The 12.1-inch size also hits a nice middle ground. It's not so small that it feels like an oversized phone, and not so large that you hesitate to pick it up casually.

If you're going for the 5G variant, there's also a SIM card slot, which adds a bit more flexibility if you want to use it on the go.

One thing that feels a bit half-baked, though, is the stylus placement. There are magnetic spots where the pen attaches, but they don't feel intentional. The stylus just kind of sticks there, rather than snapping into a clearly designed position.

The Idea Tab Plus comes with a 12.1-inch 2.5K display, and this is one of those areas where it just feels right for daily use. I've always liked Lenovo's IPS panels, and this one follows the same pattern.

Watching YouTube or movies on this feels genuinely enjoyable. The colors look rich enough, and the overall viewing experience doesn't feel lacking even though it's not an OLED panel. Indoors, the brightness is more than sufficient. The panel goes up to 800 nits, and in regular indoor use, I never really felt the need for more.

It's the kind of screen where you can just sit back and watch content without thinking too much about the display itself, which is honestly a good sign.

This is where things start to feel a bit uneven.

The Idea Tab Plus is powered by the MediaTek D6400 chip, and in regular use, I did notice occasional stutters and lag. It's not constant, but it shows up often enough while navigating the UI or switching between apps.

To get a clearer picture, I ran a few benchmarks.

On Geekbench 6, the tablet scored 756 in single-core and 2019 in multi-core. The GPU score came in at 1263. These numbers are on the lower side, and they reflect what you feel in day-to-day usage.

I also ran Geekbench AI, where it scored 523 in single precision, 888 in half precision, and 1061 in quantized performance. Again, nothing particularly strong here.

In the 3DMark Wild Life stress test, the best loop score was 342, and the lowest was 338, with stability at 98.8%. Thermals are actually handled well. The tablet stayed between 35 and 38 degrees.

But the bigger takeaway is performance. The average FPS in this test was just 4.

Gaming reflects the same story. Casual titles like Angry Birds 2 run smoothly, but heavier games like Asphalt Legends run at reduced graphics.

At this price, the 6nm D6400 does feel underwhelming, and a slightly more capable chip would've made a noticeable difference.

The Idea Tab Plus packs a 10200mAh battery, and this is one area where it feels dependable.

In regular use, the battery holds up really well. With a mix of content watching, browsing, and note-taking, the tablet can easily stretch across days.Charging is handled by a 45W adapter, and the good part is that it comes in the box. You don't have to go looking for a compatible charger or settle for slower speeds.

In my charging test:

• 12:11 AM - 21%
• 12:45 AM - 62%
• 1:00 AM - 78%

So it does charge at a fairly quick pace, considering the battery size. It's not instant, but it's fast enough that you can top it up and get back to using it without waiting too long.

Lenovo has also added a detailed battery section in the settings. You can check battery temperature, monitor charge cycles, and even set a charging limit if you want to preserve battery health over time.

There's also overdischarge protection, where the tablet powers off automatically if it's left unused on a very low battery for a long period.

The tablet shipped with Android 15 and has already received the Android 16 update, with support promised up to Android 17. So on paper, the software support looks solid.

In terms of features, there's quite a bit going on. You get AI tools like Rewrite, Summary, and Continue Writing, which can expand or tweak existing text. They're easy to access and work well enough for quick edits or notes.

But the first experience with the tablet isn't great.

During setup, there's a "recommended apps" section that feels more like bloatware. Some of these apps come pre-selected, and the way they're highlighted makes it easy to assume they're not selected. You have to manually go through and uncheck them.

What makes it worse is that this isn't just one screen. There are multiple pages of these recommendations, which makes the setup feel longer and a bit frustrating.

Even after setup, there are a few preinstalled apps like Temu, Vita Mahjong, and Tile Explorer. The good part is that you can uninstall them, but they probably shouldn't be there in the first place.

There are also some smaller gaps in the experience. For example, you can't trigger the universal back gesture using the stylus, which makes navigation feel a bit incomplete, especially if you're relying on the pen.

So while the tablet does offer a good set of features, the overall software experience feels slightly unpolished in places.

Multitasking on the Idea Tab Plus is there, but it doesn't feel as flexible as the screen size would suggest.

You can run up to three apps at once, which sounds good on paper. But the layout is a bit limiting. Instead of a proper three-way split across the display, you get one main app and two smaller apps stacked vertically.

In actual use, this works for lighter scenarios like watching a video while replying to messages or keeping notes open alongside a browser. But if you're trying to do anything more serious, it starts to feel restrictive. On a 12.1-inch display, you'd expect more freedom in how apps can be arranged.

There's also a PC Mode here, which is meant to give you a more desktop-like experience, especially if you're using the optional folio keyboard. It changes the interface to something closer to a laptop setup, with windowed apps and a taskbar-style layout.

It's a useful addition in theory, but it doesn't completely transform the experience. The performance limitations still carry over, and the overall feel doesn't quite match what you'd expect from a proper productivity setup.

The stylus is one of the more interesting parts of the Idea Tab Plus, especially since it's included in the box.

In day-to-day use, it works well. Handwriting recognition is reliable most of the time, and I found it genuinely useful for things like filling forms, writing notes, or signing documents. It gets the job done without much friction.

There are also some thoughtful features built around it. Easy Jot is probably my favorite. It lets you capture whatever's on your screen and instantly start writing over it, which is surprisingly handy. There's also a virtual pointer mode that works well for presentations, along with features like Circle to Search.

All of this is accessible through a floating pen toolbox that stays available across the UI, so you're not digging through settings every time you want to use it.

That said, the experience isn't perfect.

The stylus itself is battery-powered, using a AAAA battery. You can't charge it, which means you'll have to keep track of the battery level and replace it when needed.

And as mentioned earlier, the inability to use the stylus for basic navigation gestures like going back makes the overall experience feel slightly incomplete.

What stood out more to me, though, was the audio experience. You get quad speakers with Dolby Atmos support, and it makes a noticeable difference. With Dolby Atmos turned on, the sound feels fuller and more layered.

Out of curiosity, I turned it off just to see how much of a difference it actually makes. And it's pretty clear. The audio immediately starts to feel flat and a bit hollow. It's one of those features that you don't think about much until it's gone.

So in regular use, you'll just want to keep Dolby Atmos enabled. It genuinely elevates the experience, especially if you're using the tablet for watching videos or listening to music.

The Lenovo Idea Tab Plus supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.2 for everyday connectivity. The 5G variant also includes a Nano-SIM slot, allowing you to stay connected on the go. For navigation, you get support for GPS, GLONASS, and GALILEO. There's a USB Type-C 2.0 port with DisplayPort support, along with a microSD card slot for expandable storage.

The Lenovo Idea Tab Plus starts at ₹28,999 and goes up to ₹31,999, depending on the variant.

Here's the full breakdown:

• 8GB RAM + 256GB storage (5G + Pen) - ₹28,999
• 12GB RAM + 256GB storage (Wi-Fi + Pen) - ₹28,999
• 12GB RAM + 256GB storage (5G + Pen) - ₹31,999

At this price, it sits in a very competitive segment.

You have options like the Moto Pad 60 Pro, which offers a much more powerful Dimensity 8300 chip along with a stylus, making it a better pick if performance is your priority. Similarly, the Redmi Pad 2 Pro with a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 also leans more towards performance.

But both of those typically come with 128GB storage.

That's where the Idea Tab Plus stands out. You're getting 256GB storage as standard across all variants, along with a stylus included in the box, which not many brands offer in this range.

So the value really depends on what you care about. If you want a performance-focused tablet, there are better options out there. But if your usage is more about content, storage, and note-taking, this starts to make more sense.

The Lenovo Idea Tab Plus feels like a tablet that focuses on comfort and everyday usability rather than chasing raw performance. And in many ways, that works in its favor. You get a large, sharp display, excellent quad speakers with Dolby Atmos, a solid metal build, and a stylus that actually adds real value in day-to-day use.

At the same time, it doesn't try to hide its limitations. The performance is clearly on the lower side, with occasional lag and limited headroom for heavier tasks. The software experience also has a few rough edges, especially during setup and multitasking.

At its starting price of ₹28,999, it positions itself as a practical, all-round tablet rather than a performance-focused one. It's not trying to replace your laptop, but it does a good job of being a device you'll actually keep picking up.

It's not for everyone, but if your usage aligns with what it offers, it makes sense.