Lenovo unveils Yoga Tab 3 and Tab 3 Pro at IFA 2015
Lenovo is updating its line of Android-powered Yoga tablets at IFA 2015, announcing the Yoga Tab 3 in two sizes, as well as the Yoga Tab 3 Pro. All three models iterate on the wedge-style design, with a rounded chamber on one edge to hold the battery, camera and kickstand (with a new push-button release) as well as give your hand a place to grip. They all offer optional LTE connectivity as well. On the software side, all three tablets are running Android 5.1, with very minimal customizations by Lenovo.
The standard Yoga Tab 3 comes in both 8-inch and 10-inch screens, both with 1280x800 resolution, powered by a quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. The 8-inch model has a sizable 6200 mAh battery but comes in just a touch over one pound, while the 10-inch has an 8700 mAh cell, and both have dual front-facing speakers and a swiveling 8MP camera along the edge. Rather than include a stylus, the Yoga Tab 3s integrate Lenovo's "AnyPen" technology that lets you write on the screen with any style of standard pen or pencil.
The Yoga Tab 3 Pro comes in with a similar form factor to the standard Tab 3s, but with higher specs and more features. The 10-inch screen is bumped up to QHD (2560x1600) resolution, and is powered by an Intel Atom x5-Z8500 processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. The Tab 3 Pro is also IP21 splash proof while weighing just 1.47 pounds, and has four front-facing speakers, a 10200 mAh battery and 13MP rear / 5MP front cameras. The body incorporates metal as well, and the back has a nice black leather to hold rather than a textured plastic.
Rather than house a rotational camera in the edge, the Tab 3 Pro instead incorporates a pico projector with 50 nits of brightness capable of displaying a 70-inch picture. The new style of projector is easier to manage than the old style that came out of the side of the tablet, and is a neat feature to have for those who want a quick external display option.
The 8-inch Yoga Tab 3 starts at just $169 and is available October 1, with the 10-inch model at $199 available on November 1. The Tab 3 Pro is decidedly higher-end, with a starting price of $499, and will also be available November 1.
Press release:
Lenovo Introduces Its Best Entertainment Tablets Yet
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YOGA Tab 3 Pro is the ultimate video tablet and optimized for Netflix
[BERLIN] – [September 2, 2015] — Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today unveiled the latest line-up of its award-winning YOGA tablets, the YOGA Tab 3 Pro and YOGA Tab 3. Designed as the ultimate video tablets, the new series offers a best-in-class multimedia experience while retaining its signature multimode design, and featuring AnyPen technology, which allows users to write on the screen with any conductive object.
The series premier offering – YOGA Tab 3 Pro – boasts a built-in 70" projector and is optimized for Netflix. The YOGA Tab 3 Pro features four front-facing powerful JBL® speakers to reproduce highoctane sound, and for the first time ever, a virtualized Dolby Atmos®1 experience over built-in speakers that creates a sensation of sound moving in all three dimensions around the listener. The tablet comes loaded with a Netflix app to deliver personalized recommendations and content, right from the home screen of the tablet, in high-quality optimized HD. The YOGA Tab 3 Pro also features Dolby Audio - Dolby Digital Plus, which Netflix streams with its HD content, allowing for crisper dialogue and immersive sound on Netflix.
Additionally, the YOGA Tab 3 8" and 10" models are also great for entertainment and tout a new rotating camera with nifty gesture control, perfect for taking photos and videos at nearly any angle. With one of the largest battery capacities around, users can binge watch their favorite shows.
"Today's tablet market is largely dominated by general-purpose devices. At Lenovo, we strive to deliver tablets that closely match consumers' needs to enhance their tablet experience; we know from research that a tablet today is a consumption device and most frequently used for watching videos of all sorts. The latest YOGA Tab 3 series represents the epitome of entertainment for users on the go and home alike, realizing a whole new level of visual and auditory experience never before possible on a tablet platform. We are giving them flexibility to access their on-demand content anytime and anywhere, without being tethered to their couch," said Jeff Meredith, General Manager and Vice President, Tablet Business Unit, Lenovo.
"We are excited for the fantastic viewing experience Netflix members will have on the YOGA Tab 3 Pro," said Neil Hunt, Chief Product Officer at Netflix. "Lenovo has raised the bar for watching videos on a tablet, providing 1080p image quality and audio comparable to a home entertainment system through Dolby Audio. We're also thrilled to have the Netflix widget pre-installed on these tablets so members can quickly and seamlessly start watching their favorite TV shows and movies."
"Great sound is essential for any entertainment experience – no matter how audiences are consuming content. With the Lenovo Tab 3 Pro, Dolby and Netflix are able to deliver premium Dolby Audio surround sound with HD video, wherever and whenever fans want," said John Couling, Senior Vice President E-Media Business Group, Dolby Laboratories. "We are thrilled to continue working with Lenovo and Netflix to bring Dolby Audio enabled superior movie and TV shows to the Android tablet for the first time. Netflix has long been a Dolby supporter and we are proud to continue to bring groundbreaking entertainment experiences to fans everywhere."
YOGA Tab 3 Pro: The Ultimate Video Tablet
The experience of watching Hollywood blockbusters, playing video games and browsing the Web is vastly improved on the YOGA Tab 3 Pro with its new 70" projector screen. The tablet flaunts a better optimized projector placement and is now 180-degree rotatable to beam life-sized images onto a wall or ceiling and project significantly brighter and cinematic pictures up to 70" wide. At 299 pixels per inch, the on-board 10.1" QHD (2560x1600) screen is considerably sharper, and renders richer colors with its Smart Display technology.
Tablet users can immerse themselves in a cinematic sound without headphones through its powerful inbuilt JBL sound bar and a virtualized Dolby Atmos experience over built-in speakers – an industry first for tablets. To achieve even greater clarity and a louder output, the sound bar is also fitted with 4 front-facing speakers, which are ffine-tuned with Wolfson Master Hi-Fi technology.
Sleek and exquisite, the YOGA Tab 3 Pro is carefully assembled with premium materials such as aluminium and a leather-like fabric back, while maintaining its ultra-slim design. Splash proof and perfectly balanced for an uncompromised holding experience, the tablet truly shines in a sea of lesser tablets, given its versatility and long battery life to deliver all the power a user needs for all day use.
Loaded with Smart Window 2.0 for enhanced multitasking, users can now do more things, faster with its multi-window functionality.. The YOGA Tab 3 Pro allows you to run a background app as well as two windows on top, with the added benefit of phone apps layout to easily fit everything on one screen. Email, news, YouTube – enjoy it all at once! Lenovo YOGA Tab 3 Pro is available in Puma Black, and the 8" and 10" YOGA Tab 3 comes in Slate Black
YOGA Tablet 3: Photo Excellence: big sound and battery
Available in 8" and 10" screen sizes, the YOGA Tab 3 is the best go-anywhere video tablet with a long battery life and LTE support to let users stay connected anywhere, anytime. Both models are primed for video and multimedia applications and unparalleled portability, equipped with an HD (1,280 x 800) display, front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos sound, and yet weighing as little as 466g.
Through the 180-degree rotating camera, users can unleash creative selfies and invigorating photos at previously unachievable angles and unique perspectives. Built-in gesture control also makes capturing the perfect shot easier than ever before. Simply open and close a hand to take a photo. With the highest-capacity battery in its class, these tablets also have a staggering all-day battery life.
Pricing and Availability
- The Lenovo YOGA Tab 3 series will be unveiled during IFA 2015 in Berlin.
- The YOGA Tab 3 8" retails at US$169 from 1 October 2015
- The YOGA Tab 3 10" at US$199 from 1 November 2015
- The YOGA Tab 3 Pro at US$499 from 1 November 2015, available at all Lenovo Retail Partners.
Prices do not include tax or shipping or options and are subject to change without notice; additional terms and conditions apply. Reseller prices may vary. On-shelf dates may vary by geography and products may only be available in selected markets. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings, features and specifications at any time without notice
Andrew was an Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central between 2012 and 2020.