Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 review: Best mid-range Android tablets of 2022
When we all thought tablets were a thing of the past. But then came the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and a surprise was the re-entry of affordable and good mid-range Android tablets on the market. That’s because there was renewed interest, as many users suddenly needed tablets for their children, especially for online education. And in 2022, more brands joined this segment, from Xiaomi to Redmi to Oppo to Realme. Now when it comes to Android tablets, Lenovo can be considered an underdog and the brand used to launch Android tablets every now and then. All this changed in 2022 when the company launched devices like the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 with a great set of features at an interesting price.
I’ve been testing the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 as my daily driver for the past few weeks, which retails in India for Rs 44,999 and offers accessories like the Precision Pen 3 and a folio cover with a built-in keyboard. Is this the best Android tablet to consider for around Rs 45,000 in India? Read our full review to find out the same.
With a keyboard folio, the Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 feels a lot like a compact laptop (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar / Indian Express)
Design
Just like the Xiaomi Pad 5 and the baseline iPad, the Lenovo Tab P11 is a mid-sized tablet, and comes with an 11.2-inch display with a narrow bezel design. The tablet has a plastic back panel and a plastic bezel, which is probably a bad thing on a phone. However, for a tablet, these things help the brand significantly reduce the weight of the device. Therefore, the P11 Pro Gen 2 weighs only 480 grams, which makes it lighter than the Mi Pad 5.
The tablet features a four-speaker setup (two on each side), a power button, a USB Type-C port, and a pogo-pin connector to attach the keyboard cover. Note that there is no fingerprint sensor on the device and for added security one has to rely on the face lock (not very secure), PIN or pattern. At the very least, the device should have had a fingerprint sensor, possibly built into the power button.
This is a modern tablet with a decent build and it also has an SD card slot for additional storage expansion. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack, like most other tablets in this price range.
The tablet comes with a stylus (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar / Indian Express)
Screen, speakers and camera
This is where the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 is ahead of the curve. Unlike most tablets, including the 10th generation iPad and Xiaomi Pad 5, Lenovo offers an OLED screen with 2.5K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. This is the standout feature of this tablet, making it a great device for content consumption, as OLEDs typically deliver better contrast ratios and stronger colors compared to IPS LCD panels.
Compared to devices like the Xiaomi Pad 5 and the 8th generation iPad, the screen on the P11 Pro Gen 2 is slightly better. However, if you already have one of these devices, you will get a good multimedia experience, as both the iPad and the Xiaomi Pad have good quality IPS screens.
The four-speaker setup on the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 is at the same level as the speaker setup of the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5, and gets quite loud. The Lenovo device is also Dolby Atmos certified. From a tablet standpoint, the device has a decent 13 MP primary camera and an 8 MP selfie camera, which is good enough for attending office meetings and online classes.
The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 has a dedicated microSD card slot for additional storage expansion (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar / Indian Express)
Performance
MediaTek Kompanio 1300T octa-core processor powers the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen, and it comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. During normal daily use, the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 feels smooth, with no jitter of any kind. You can even play games like PUBG: New State, CoD Mobile and Asphalt 9 at medium to high graphics settings without any issues. Even under heavy usage downloading content in the background and playing a game, I didn’t notice any kind of heating issue whatsoever.
Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 comes with stock Android 12 OS (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar / Indian Express)
Software experience
This is where the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 gets the thumbs up. At the time of testing, the tablet was running stock Android 12 OS, and the company confirmed that the device will receive both Android 13 and Android 14 updates. As soon as you connect the keyboard folio, the tablet switches to desktop mode, offering a unique user experience with Windows OS-like user interface.
While there are some third-party apps on the tablet, most are useful and focused on productivity. You can uninstall almost all third-party apps on the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2, making it a great device for those who want a pure tablet experience.
The tablet has an 8000 mAh battery (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar / Indian Express)
Battery life
The Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 has an 8000 mAh battery, and for casual users (who might use the tablet to surf the web and watch movies), the tablet can easily last a few days. For those looking to use this tablet as a primary device, the P11 Pro Gen 2 can deliver all-day battery life, and can easily deliver over 7 to 8 hours of screen-on time, provided you don’t play games for the entire period.
When it comes to charging, the tablet comes with a 20W fast charger, and it can take a while to fully charge the battery. On the contrary, the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 with a slightly larger battery charges a little faster when you connect it with a fast charging adapter.
Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 with a stylus that charges wirelessly (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar / Indian Express)
Verdict: Good mid-range tablet for Android enthusiasts
One could argue that the 10th generation iPad is more powerful and superior than any of the Android tablets, especially for the price. But the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2, unlike the 10th generation iPad, runs on Android OS, which gives more freedom to the user. Just like an iPad, it can also be paired with an external display to get a PC-like user experience.
At Rs 45,000, it is more expensive than the Xiaomi Pad 5 and offers features like an OLED display, stock Android interface and good performance. If you want a decent mid-range tablet with all the mentioned features, the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 is a good choice and is definitely one of the best mid-range Android tablets in 2022.
