Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Русский
Türkçe
Svenska
Chinese
MagyarLenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 Tablet Review
For the original German review, see here.
With its Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10, the Chinese manufacturer offers a premium tablet that can present an excellent configuration. It is a smaller version of the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro with a 10.1-inch rather than 13.3-inch high-resolution screen. The Tab 3 Pro is powered by an Intel Atom SoC that can fall back on 2 GB of working memory and 32 GB of flash memory. Our review sample also offers the option of connecting to the Internet via LTE. However, the tablet's actual highlight is - besides its flexible modes of use - the integrated projector with improved qualities.
The Yoga Tab 3 does not have any real rivals because no tablets can present a comparable configuration. However, devices like Apple's iPad Air 2, Samsung's Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 and Google's Pixel C are in the same price range. Lenovo asks an exorbitant RRP of 599 Euros (~$669) for the review sample.
Case
Compared with its rivals, Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 is quite heavy. However, its casing is made entirely of plastic with an attractive metal look. The back features a soft leather cover that enhances the grip and looks good at the same time. Only the kickstand is metal, and makes a very robust impression.
The tablet's kickstand enables using the device in four different modes. It closes absolutely flush with the casing when folded in, and the Yoga-typical bulge makes it comfortable to hold. The kickstand is unlocked by pressing a button. It can then be placed in Tilt Mode, which is perfect for using the projector. The device can be set up at 90 degrees in Stand Mode. It is even possible to hang up the tablet as an alternative.
The manufacturer cheats a little about the height and apparently states the lowest height in the technical specs (4.68 mm/~0.18 in). We measured 10.15 millimeters (~0.4 in) at the screen's center edge and 22 millimeters (~0.86 in) at the cylinder bulge. The build makes a good impression. Although the tablet can be warped slightly and produces quiet cracking noises, the device is insensitive to pressure. The gaps are also beyond reproach.
The card slot's flap under the kickstand does not make a long-lasting impression. Only two thin plastic hooks, which look very fragile, keep it in place. A micro-SD and micro-SIM card can be inserted or ejected comfortably from the spring-loaded slot.
Connectivity
Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 has a micro-USB 2.0 port for data sharing and recharging the device. The port also supports OTG, which enables connecting external storage devices and peripherals.
The micro-SD memory slot accepts memory cards with a capacity of up to 128 GB and supports App2SD. Thus, compatible applications can be moved to the additional storage.
In addition to Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0 is present. However, NFC is not installed.
Software
Google's Android 5.1 Lollipop is preloaded on Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10. The desktop has not been greatly modified. Only the looks have been revamped slightly. Lenovo treats the users to multitasking, making it possible to work with several applications simultaneously. A sidebar application that enables accessing key features, such as the projector, is also present. Lenovo's DOit apps are on-board the same as a sketchpad application.
It is not certain whether an update to Google's Android 6.0 Marshmallow will be available. Lenovo has not made any statements concerning this.
Communication & GPS
Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 connects to the Internet via an integrated WWAN modem on the go. It supports HSPA+ (max. 42 MBit/s) and LTE Cat. 4 (max. 150 MBit/s). Both connection standards feature a wide frequency coverage so that connections should be possible worldwide. The reception using the German O2 network in an urban center was inconspicuous.
The tablet's configuration for Wi-Fi at home is appropriate for the price. It supports the IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standards, and can thus use both 2.4 and 5.0 GHz networks. The module's range is good and does not give any reason for complaint. The reception was good, even at 10 meters (~33 ft) away from the router (Fritz!Box 6360) and through two walls, while streaming HD videos was easily possible.
The tablet uses the GPS and GLONASS satellite networks for localization. Finding satellites functioned quite reliably indoors with an accuracy of 16 to 32 meters (~52 to 105 ft). It was considerably more accurate outdoors; the accuracy increased to six meters (~20 ft).
The Yoga Tab 3 Pro also had to compete with Garmin's Edge 500. Our short bike trip shows that the device is quite suitable for navigation purposes, although it does not trace the route as precisely as the bike computer. However, the deviation of approximately 3.6% for the total route is still within limits.
Cameras
The front-facing camera of Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 has a resolution of 5 MP and has a fix focus, which is typical of the category. The photos are quite good in the category comparison, although the common blurriness and low range of dynamic for these lenses are seen on closer inspection. The available performance is sufficient for social networks or video chats.
The primary camera's maximum resolution of 8 MP is slightly higher and it features an auto focus. Decent pictures are quite possible in good light conditions, although they are relatively dark. The richness in details and range of dynamics cannot compete with the camera module in current premium smartphones. Furthermore, the release speed is only average.
Videos can be recorded in 480p, 720p or 1080p. The auto focus is quite slow and heavy image noise becomes visible as soon as the light conditions are not ideal.
Sharpness & Color Accuracy
We also tested the color accuracy and reproduction performance of the primary camera in defined light conditions. Most colors are slightly too pale; only yellow and bright green are very strong.
The sharpness is not good, even in the center of the image on the test chart. However, there are no reproduction errors. The image fades slightly toward the edge, but the sharpness does not decrease any further.
Accessories
The accessories included with the Yoga Tab 3 Pro are not very extensive and limited to a USB data cable and modular power supply. The latter has a nominal output of 10.4 watts (5.2 volts, 2.0 ampere), and is TÜV certified (German technical inspection agency) and GS safety tested.
Lenovo offers optional sleeves that were not sold in the shop at the time of testing.
Warranty
Lenovo includes a 12-month warranty on its product. The additional two year dealer warranty applies for private customers. It is also possible to extend the warranty up to three years for an extra charge. Prices can be requested from Lenovo.
Input Devices & Handling
The capacitive touchscreen in Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro supports up to ten inputs simultaneously. The surface's gliding properties are very good, and the touch-sensitive surface responds very reliably and quickly to inputs.
As with other products, the tablet supports Lenovo's AnyPen technology that enables using any metal object for inputting. This can be a conventional pen, a screw driver or even a fork. It functioned quite well in practice, and is particularly handy when the user does not want to touch the screen directly due to grubby hands or when making a handwritten note.
Google's standard keyboard layout is preloaded. Another layout can be installed via the Play Store. The physical keys have a firm and short drop, and make a good impression.
Display
Lenovo's Yoga Tab 10 3 Pro 10 offers the tablet-typical display diagonal of 10.1 inches, unlike the IPS panel's resolution. 2560x1600 pixels are very high, and equate to an aspect ratio of 16:10 and a pixel density of approximately 299 PPI. Content is razor-sharp.
The screen's average brightness of 434 cd/m² is on a good level. This rate decreases slightly by approximately 60 cd/m² in the more practical measurement with equally distributed bright and dark areas on the panel (APL 50). The brightness rates do not increase with enabled sensor.
The uniformity of the illumination is rather below average with 82%. However, this will not be noticed unfavorably in everyday use. The tablet's low black level is a pleasant surprise and results in a high contrast ratio that is surpassed only by Google's Pixel C in the comparison field.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 429 cd/m²
Contrast: 1226:1 (Black: 0.35 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.61 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.94
ΔE Greyscale 6.64 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
Gamma: 2.42
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash | Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F Adreno 304, 212 APQ8009, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Apple iPad Air 2 2014 PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash | Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash | Google Pixel C Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 11% | 2% | -1% | 22% | 0% | |
| Brightness middle | 429 | 363 -15% | 458 7% | 423 -1% | 358 -17% | 487 14% |
| Brightness | 434 | 344 -21% | 434 0% | 427 -2% | 357 -18% | 510 18% |
| Brightness Distribution | 82 | 87 6% | 86 5% | 92 12% | 86 5% | 91 11% |
| Black Level * | 0.35 | 0.34 3% | 0.43 -23% | 0.61 -74% | 0.39 -11% | |
| Contrast | 1226 | 1068 -13% | 1065 -13% | 693 -43% | 1249 2% | |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 4.61 | 3.25 30% | 4.18 9% | 2.86 38% | 1.78 61% | 5.24 -14% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 9.28 | 5.68 39% | ||||
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 6.64 | 2.78 58% | 4.54 32% | 2.37 64% | 1.38 79% | 7.95 -20% |
| Gamma | 2.42 91% | 2.23 99% | 2.15 102% | 2.43 91% | 2.24 98% | 2.16 102% |
| CCT | 6929 94% | 6722 97% | 7083 92% | 6941 94% | 6366 102% | 6565 99% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 88 |
* ... smaller is better
Seen purely subjectively, the color reproduction of Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 makes a very rich and vivid impression. We examine this using a photospectrometer and CalMAN.
The average DeltaE of 6.6 in grayscale levels is quite decent, but could be better in view of the price. A light greenish tint also becomes evident, which however will not be annoying in everyday use. The mixed color reproduction is slightly more accurate, but also remains behind the precision of the rivals. Only Google's Pixel C comes with an even worse calibrated screen.
Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 scores with its high-contrast screen in the outdoors. Although the glossy screen lessens legibility in direct sunlight, its use is not otherwise restricted.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 36 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 17 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 19 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 93 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.1 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 42 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 22 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 20 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 64 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.1 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected |  | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17204 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The viewing angle stability of the IPS panel installed in the Yoga Tab 3 Pro is beyond reproach. Colors do not invert even in extremely flat angles, and the brightness loss is barely visible.
Projector
A key feature and unique selling point of Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 is the integrated projector. The manufacturer relies on a projector based on DLP technology that is particularly characterized by its ability to reproduce especially rich black tones. In contrast to LCD projectors, an annoying rainbow effect could be produced, but we did not observe in the test. The manufacturer states a light intensity of 50 lumens and a resolution of 480p (640x480 pixels). That is to enable a projected surface area of up to 70 inches (177.8 cm).
However, we would not recommend this for practical use because the projector's luminosity is simply too weak and greatly affects the image quality. The latter is also primarily due to the projector's low resolution. The naked eye already sees that when looking at the Android desktop; its reproduction is very grainy.
It is not noticed as much when rendering videos. The kickstand not only can be used for placing the tablet on a flat surface for using the projector, it can also be rotated infinitely by 180 degrees, allowing the user to for example lie down beside the device and project content onto the ceiling.
Generally, the room should not be too bright when using the projector. It would be best to darken the room somewhat to achieve a satisfactory result. We examined the projector's color reproduction with the photospectrometer and CalMAN. Here, large deviations from the target colors, which are usually too bright, are noticed. Light pink tones shift into beige. The sharpness can be controlled via the touchscreen, and tablet normally corrects any potential keystone effects.
The projector in the Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 is certainly not a replacement for a full-fledged device. However, it is a nice feature for users who occasionally want to project a video, some photos or a presentation on a wall. Its resolution could definitely be higher, though.
Performance
Lenovo relies on an Intel Atom x5-Z8500 SoC for its premium Android tablet. The quad-core processor clocks at 1.44 to 2.24 GHz, and can definitely compete with a Snapdragon 810 in terms of CPU performance. Unfortunately, this is not true for the integrated Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail) graphics unit. Nevertheless, the powerful bundle provides fast performance for routine use and the system runs smoothly. The 2 GB of LPDDR3 working memory could have been slightly more generous.
These expectations are not quite reflected in the benchmarks. Geekbench is known for not supporting all APIs of x86 CPUs, and thus they cannot develop their full performance in this benchmark. However, the SoC also lags behind its potential in the 3DMark Physic test, as the direct comparison with Xiaomi's MiPad 2 based on the same chipset illustrates. This quite possibly points to throttling.
| 3DMark | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value) | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F | |
| Apple iPad Air 2 2014 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE | |
| Google Pixel C | |
| Xiaomi MiPad 2 | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value) | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F | |
| Apple iPad Air 2 2014 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE | |
| Google Pixel C | |
| Xiaomi MiPad 2 | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value) | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F | |
| Apple iPad Air 2 2014 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE | |
| Google Pixel C | |
| Xiaomi MiPad 2 | |
| PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value) | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE | |
| Google Pixel C | |
| Xiaomi MiPad 2 | |
| AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F | |
| Apple iPad Air 2 2014 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Google Pixel C | |
| Xiaomi MiPad 2 | |
Subjectively, the browser performance using Google's preloaded Chrome browser is very good and does not give any reason for complaint. Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 also delivers a good performance in the benchmarks, and is only defeated by the iPad Air 2 in Octane 2.0 and Mozilla Kraken.
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE | |
| Google Pixel C | |
| Xiaomi MiPad 2 | |
| WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value) | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F | |
| Apple iPad Air 2 2014 | |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE | |
| Google Pixel C | |
* ... smaller is better
Actually, the rather mediocre storage performance is enough for a place in the upper third performance section in the comparison field. The user will not even have 22 GB of the 32 GB internal flash memory available after the initial start. The preloaded product video and proprietary apps reserve approximately 1.7 GB.
A micro-SD card can expand the storage quickly and affordably should the internal storage get tight. We tested the card slot's performance with our Toshiba Exceria SD-CX32UHS1 reference card (max. read: 95 MB/s; write: 60 MB/s). The rates the tablet achieves are rather weak (read: 56.41 MB/s; write: 15.93 MB/s), but should be enough for most application scenarios.
Games
Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 has good preconditions for gaming in terms of performance. The offered power is enough to render even demanding games like "Asphalt 8" in high details smoothly. The sensors and touchscreen do not thwart gaming fun, either. The comparatively high weight will sooner the reason for this. It quickly leads to fatigued hands, especially when gaming since the tablet has to be permanently held.
| Asphalt 8: Airborne | |||
| Settings | Value | ||
| high | 47 fps | ||
| very low | 58 fps | ||
| Temple Run 2 | |||
| Settings | Value | ||
| default | 34 fps | ||
Emissions
Temperature
Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 reaches a maximum idle surface temperature of 35 °C (~95 °F), and only climbs over 42 °C (~108 °F) in the SoC's area during permanent load. Thus, the tablet always remains within an uncritical range.
We also looked under the hood with the GFXBench Battery Test. T-Rex is performed thirty times in succession, and both the battery state as well as frame rates are recorded. Throttling is an issue as the benchmarks have already indicated. However, it is not very extreme. The tablet's performance decreases by about 9% from test start to finish.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36.9 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.5 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 33.2 °C / 92 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.1 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.
Speakers
Four individual speakers by JBL are installed in the speaker bar of Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10. They can get very loud with up to 93.71 dB(A), and are one of the loudest components that we have ever measured. The sound is very treble-heavy. As the Pink Noise analysis shows, the playback quality up to the upper trebles (approx. 7.5 kHz) is quite homogeneous. However, mids and ultra-high tones are only weak and basses are virtually non-existent. Nevertheless, the given quality makes these speakers to the better of their kind. The tablet also supports Dolby ATMOS.
The audio jack delivers a subjectively good sound with low background noise.
Energy Management
Power Consumption
While the standby and shut down power consumption of Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro cannot be reproached, it is quite high when in use. This applies to both idle and load states. However, the energy requirement should be much lower particularly in idle mode. All rivals consume less than half the power here.
| Off / Standby |   0.13 / 0.22 Watt |
| Idle |  8.6 / 11.26 / 11.3 Watt |
| Load |
14.57 / 14.9 Watt |
    
| |
Battery Runtime
In contrast to what the power consumption measurements suggest, Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 achieves very good battery runtimes. This is probably due to its high-capacity 6600 mAh battery.
The manufacturer promises a battery life of up to 18 hours. However, we only managed this in the Reader's test where the review sample ran at minimum brightness (5.95 cd/m²) in our tests. The tablet is convincing in the comparison field, and is only defeated by its much weaker sister model and Google Pixel C.
We tested video playback using the projector. Here, we rendered the same "Big Buck Bunny" video at maximum brightness under identical conditions as we use for our standard video test. Since the maximum power consumption is 7.68 watts in that case, the runtimes in projector mode should be slightly higher than when playing the video directly on the tablet.
| Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash | Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F Adreno 304, 212 APQ8009, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Apple iPad Air 2 2014 PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash | Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash | Google Pixel C Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 52% | -18% | -13% | -17% | 22% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1261 | 2830 124% | 1142 -9% | 1364 8% | 918 -27% | 2090 66% |
| H.264 | 644 | 740 15% | 624 -3% | 562 -13% | 651 1% | 740 15% |
| WiFi v1.3 | 558 | 776 39% | 450 -19% | 393 -30% | 638 14% | |
| Load | 323 | 415 28% | 188 -42% | 212 -34% | 291 -10% | 294 -9% |
| WiFi | 630 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Lenovo calls the Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 (YT3-X90L) the ultimate video tablet. The integrated projector is certainly a nice feature. However, primarily the projected content would need a higher resolution to create a real cinema feeling. Otherwise, the little DLP projector is absolutely sufficient in a dark room, but it cannot replace a high-quality model.
Lenovo's tablet also has other things to offer: LTE, a high-contrast screen, decent speakers and good performance let the hearts of multimedia fans beat faster. The flexible use modes, AnyPen technology and good battery life emphasize these ambitions even more.
Buyers looking for a flexible and high-performance multimedia tablet will find just that in Lenovo's Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10.
The Yoga Tab 3 Pro does not do anything seriously wrong. Nevertheless, the total package is not enough to achieve a very good grade. This is primarily because the performance in not on the highest possible standard and the cameras only deliver a rather mediocre image quality. Lenovo could also improve the casing slightly, which particularly refers to details such as the card slot's flap.
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
-
03/16/2016 v5 (old)
Daniel Schmidt
Price comparison
