Lenovo Tab P12 review

I was never one for tablets. My usage never saw the point of a portable large-screen experience. For work, I had a laptop; for gaming, a great desktop; for movies, a TV at home, and for everything else, there was my smartphone. As a result, the resurgence of tablets didn’t speak to me. That was until more powerful tablets started coming out. Apart from larger screens, these had the power to get work done.

The entry of more brands into the upper echelons of the tablet market? Now that was something that did catch my eye. One of the new entries in this market is the Lenovo Tab P12. I used the tablet as my primary entertainment and productivity device for two weeks to see if it could change my mind on tablets. Here are my thoughts.

Lenovo Tab P12: What’s good

Design

Unlike my smartphones, where a more personalised, funky colour makes more sense, I like my tablets sleek and ready to rock any scenario. The Tab P12 fits this bill perfectly. It’s slim, lighter than it looks, and has a matte finish across the back and sides that doesn’t let fingerprints stay. As a result, the Tab P12 looks like it belongs at my gaming desk at home, at the office, and presumably everywhere else.

Multitasking support and accessories

Android itself has come far in optimising software for the larger screens on tablets, and most of the tablet-specific multitasking features of Android work well here. The Lenovo Tab P12 allows for a seamless multitasking experience. You can easily split the screen in two, open the apps you want on either half, and then move around the divided to dedicated more or less screen-space to either of the apps.

You can also open most apps in floating windows which you can then enlarge and move around. These features make it easy for you to make the most of the large screen. Doing things like taking notes from a YouTube video, or calculating price differences with an international site open in Chrome are made really easy.

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To turn the Lenovo Tab P12 into an even more resourceful workhorse, the brand also sells a stylus and a magnetic keyboard that you can use with it. If you’re someone who types a lot, or is looking forward to precision drawing and similar use cases, I recommend also investing in these accessories.

Display

The Lenovo Tab P12 features a great display panel. It gets bright enough for all kinds of usage, indoors and outdoors, and being a 3K panel, watching movies is a treat on Tab P12. I also thoroughly enjoyed casual games like Angry Birds 2 and heavier titles like Asphalt 9: Legends on this panel. Sadly, refresh rate is still capped at 60Hz here.

Sound

The sound output on the Lenovo Tab P12 is one of the best I have ever experienced from smartphones and tablets. It can get loud, but retains its depth and doesn’t feel distorted. While this can be easily attributed to the presence of quad-speakers on the device, I also believe JBL’s signature tuning also plays a key role here. Movies and games are a blast thanks to this speaker setup and doesn’t require that you reach for your earbuds or headphones.

Performance

The Lenovo Tab P12 is a powerful tablet. It can handle multiple apps including resource-hungry ones like Alight Motion or Sketchbook very well. Apps aren’t easily cleared from the recents menu and can easily be switched between. The tablet also works with games turned to high graphic settings without any hiccups. No complaints here.

Battery Life

The Lenovo Tab P12 also features phenomenal battery life. The monster 10,200mAh battery is something I have only charged thrice completely through my two weeks of rigorous testing. While heavier apps like Asphalt 9 will visibly discharge your battery, like on most devices, I think the Tab P12 holds enough charge to last anywhere from 2-5 days depending on your usage.

Lenovo Tab P12: What’s not good?

No SIM and 5G support

The lack of cellular support on the Lenovo Tab P12 may make this a deal-breaker for many. With no way to add a SIM card in here, you cannot use the Tab P12 with 5G or 4G networks when on the move. This was a surprise, given that the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chip at the core of this tablet is very capable of handling 5G networks.

Sub-par cameras

The Lenovo Tab P12 features video conference stabilisation, similar to how the Centre Stage feature work on iPads. This lets the camera always stay on you and adjust as required. While the feature is a great addition on this machine, and works well, even with WhatsApp Video Calls, the camera quality itself is very average.

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While you won’t be carrying the Tab P12 around for photography sessions, the single camera on the back and rear are kind of underwhelming by today’s standards, and while you’ll still get by during the day, low-light can quickly lead to your video call quality falling apart.

Software

I do appreciate Lenovo not changing much of the Android 13 experience on this device, but certain elements do need more work. This includes the optimisation for a few animations that can be jittery. This also includes the default launcher, which doesn’t allow for a lot of customisability and limits you to a 6×4 grid – very few shortcuts for a screen this size. Thankfully, this can be fixed over a software update.

Verdict: Who should get the Lenovo Tab P12?

The Lenovo Tab P12 is a good device, but as you’ve probably guessed, it isn’t perfect. The excellent display, fantastic sound and sleek design give this tablet the edge over some competition, but elements like the lack of 5G support at the price of Rs 32,999 may be a deal-breaker for many.

The Lenovo Tab P12 is recommended for those who want a great large-screen experience for productivity and the occasional movies, which is where the display and sound capabilities of this tablet can shine. However, power users looking for a little extra can check out the OnePlus Pad, which starts at Rs 5,000 more, but offers better performance, 144Hz refresh rate, faster charging and also sports quad-speakers.