Lenovo Tab Plus
LENOVO
An 11.5-Inch Tablet That Puts Sound Before Everything Else
Most tablets in this price range make the same trade-off: decent screen, forgettable speakers, and a battery that gets you through an afternoon if you're lucky. The Lenovo Tab Plus takes a different bet entirely. Instead of chasing spec-sheet bragging rights on the processor or camera, Lenovo poured its budget into audio hardware and stamina — and it shows the moment you turn this thing on. Whether that trade-off makes sense for you depends entirely on how you actually plan to use a tablet, and that's exactly what this review is going to help you figure out.
Design and Build: Not Your Typical Slab
Pick this tablet up and the first thing you'll notice is that it isn't shaped like most 11-inch tablets. Rather than a uniform slim rectangle, the Tab Plus has a distinct two-tier profile: the top half tapers down to a genuinely slim 7.7mm, while the bottom half swells out to house the speaker array and the built-in kickstand. It's an unusual look, but it's a deliberate one — that extra volume at the base is what makes the standout sound and the hands-free stand possible in the first place.
The chassis itself blends metal and plastic in its construction, giving it a sturdier feel in hand than the price might suggest. Viewed from the front, it looks like a fairly conventional modern tablet, with symmetrical bezels framing the display and a front-facing camera centred at the top when held in landscape. Flip it around and you'll find the layout is where things get interesting: the sides house the USB-C port and a headphone jack, while the top edge holds the microSD card slot, microphone openings, and the volume rocker. On the back sits the adjustable kickstand and a single rear camera.
That kickstand deserves particular mention, because it's rare to find one built directly into a tablet rather than sold as a separate case accessory. It folds out and adjusts across a wide range of angles, so whether you're watching something at a steep angle on a desk or propping it up low on a coffee table, you'll find a position that works without needing a separate stand or folio.
The trade-off for all this is weight. At 650g, this is a noticeably heavier tablet than most other 11-inch models on the market — roughly 130g more than something like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE, which comes in around 520g. In the hand for a few minutes, that difference isn't dramatic. Held up one-handed for a long reading session, you'll feel it. This is a tablet built to be propped up on its stand and watched, not held aloft for hours — and once you understand that's the intended use case, the extra heft makes a lot more sense. The screen itself also carries a fingerprint-resistant coating, which keeps the surface looking cleaner during regular handling and adds a layer of resistance to light scratches and moisture — useful if the tablet is going to get passed around a household or used with slightly messy hands.
The Display: Sharper and Smoother Than the Price Suggests
The 11.5-inch screen runs at a 2K resolution (2000 x 1200), and the standout number here isn't the resolution — it's the refresh rate. A 90Hz panel at this price point is genuinely uncommon, and it's the kind of feature that changes how a screen feels day to day even more than raw sharpness does. Scrolling through a webpage, swiping between home screens, or dragging a finger across the display all feel noticeably smoother than on a standard 60Hz tablet screen.
The panel is bright and colourful, and it's also certified for eye comfort, which matters for anyone planning to use this for long reading or viewing sessions rather than quick check-ins. It's worth being upfront about what this display is not, though: it's an LCD panel, not OLED, so blacks won't be as deep and colours won't have the same punch you'd get from a premium tablet's screen. Independent hands-on testing has also noted some glare and a dip in clarity at extreme off-axis viewing angles — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing if you often watch from an angle rather than head-on. For streaming shows, browsing, reading, and casual gaming, none of this gets in the way of an enjoyable experience. If you're comparing displays purely on paper against an OLED tablet costing significantly more, this one won't win — but for its price bracket, it's punching well above expectations.
Performance: Built for Media, Capable Enough for the Rest
Inside is a MediaTek Helio G99, an 8-core chip pairing two faster performance cores with six efficiency-focused ones, running alongside 8GB of RAM. In plain terms: this is a mid-tier processor designed to keep everyday tasks fluid without burning through battery or generating much heat, rather than a chip built to chase flagship benchmark numbers.
In practice, that means app switching, web browsing, video calls, and social media all feel responsive, and multitasking between a few apps doesn't introduce noticeable lag. Where the limits show up is in demanding games. This chipset can run popular titles like Genshin Impact, but typically at lower graphics settings rather than maxed-out visual fidelity, and competitive shooters will run smoothly rather than at the frame rates a gaming-focused tablet would deliver. If your idea of "gaming on a tablet" is casual titles, puzzle games, or story-driven mobile games, you won't run into trouble. If you're hoping to run graphically intensive AAA-style mobile titles at high settings for extended sessions, this isn't the chip built for that job.
Independent opinions on real-world performance aren't unanimous — most hands-on reviews describe it as handling daily use and moderate gaming comfortably, though at least one reviewer felt performance was underwhelming relative to the rest of the package. That range of impressions is worth flagging honestly: this chip does its job well for streaming, browsing, and light gaming, but it's not going to feel like a premium processor if you push it hard.
Sound: This Is the Feature You're Actually Buying
If there's one reason to single this tablet out from the crowded budget tablet market, it's the audio system. Eight separate JBL-tuned speakers are built into the frame, working together with Dolby Atmos tuning to create a genuinely wide, room-filling sound rather than the thin, tinny output typical of tablet speakers. The total output comes in at 26 watts — a meaningful jump over the one or two small drivers most tablets rely on.
What that translates to in daily use: dialogue in shows and movies stays clear even at higher volumes, bass has actual physical weight rather than just being "present," and music sounds full enough that reaching for a Bluetooth speaker or headphones starts to feel unnecessary for casual listening. This is precisely why Lenovo positions the Tab Plus as an entertainment-first tablet rather than a productivity device — the speaker array is genuinely the strongest single feature on the spec sheet, and it's the one place where this tablet is competing with, and by several accounts beating, tablets that cost considerably more.
Wireless listening is also covered through Bluetooth, and for anyone who prefers wired headphones, the 3.5mm headphone jack has survived the cut here — worth calling out given how many tablets have dropped it entirely.
Battery Life and Charging: All-Day, and Then Some
The 8600mAh battery is large for an 11-inch tablet, and it shows in both standby and active use. Lenovo's own rating puts video streaming endurance at up to 12 hours, which lines up with what you'd expect from a device this size doing media playback at moderate brightness. Independent testing found the tablet holding onto its charge remarkably well on standby — losing only around 5% of battery over 24 hours while connected to Wi-Fi, which means it's not draining away in a bag or on a nightstand between uses.
Push it harder — full brightness, high speaker volume, continuous video streaming — and the drain increases to roughly 10% per hour, which still comfortably supports a long movie or a multi-episode binge before you need to think about a charger. For typical mixed use — some streaming, some browsing, some standby time — a full week between charges isn't out of reach.
When you do need to top up, the tablet supports fast charging through USB-C Power Delivery, with a 45W charger able to take it from empty to full in about 90 minutes. That's a genuinely quick turnaround for a battery this size.
Storage, Software, and Everyday Features
This model ships with 128GB of internal storage, which is a comfortable amount for apps, downloaded shows for offline viewing, and a media library, without needing to lean on cloud storage constantly. For anyone who wants more room — a large personal video collection, a big game library, or family photo backups — a microSD card slot lets you add up to an additional 1TB, which is a substantial ceiling and effectively future-proofs the storage question for most users.
It runs Android 14 with full Google Play Store access, meaning you're getting the actual mainstream Android app ecosystem rather than a locked-down or limited store — a genuine advantage over budget tablets that restrict app availability. Security is handled through facial recognition for unlocking the device, and there's an optional parental safety mode available for households setting this up for a child or a shared family device.
On the imaging side, an 8MP camera sits on both the front and the back. Neither is designed to compete with a smartphone camera; they're there for video calls, document scanning, and the occasional quick photo, not serious photography. If camera quality is a priority for you, this isn't the tablet built around it — but for its actual intended purpose (video calling, the occasional QR scan, quick snapshots), 8MP on both sides is perfectly serviceable. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth handle all connectivity — there's no cellular data option on this model, so you'll be relying on a Wi-Fi network or a personal hotspot for anything requiring an internet connection outside the home.
One notable gap: there's no keyboard accessory with direct pin connectivity here, so if you want to type on this tablet regularly, you're looking at a Bluetooth keyboard rather than a snap-on hardware option with zero input lag. For light note-taking or the occasional email, that's a non-issue. For anyone hoping to use this as a semi-serious laptop replacement, it's a limitation worth knowing about upfront.
Durability and Long-Term Ownership
A few numbers here are worth translating out of spec-sheet language. The energy efficiency rating sits at class D, which is a mid-tier rating rather than a top-efficiency one — relevant mostly if you're weighing running costs across multiple devices, though for a single personal tablet the real-world electricity cost difference is negligible. The battery is rated for 1,000 full charge cycles before capacity noticeably degrades, which at even a few charges per week works out to multiple years of typical ownership before you'd expect to notice reduced battery life.
On resistance: the tablet carries a modest water resistance rating and a solid dust resistance rating, meaning it'll tolerate a stray splash or crumbs and dust in daily handling but isn't built for submersion or heavy exposure to liquid — treat it the way you'd treat any electronics near a kitchen counter or poolside, with reasonable care rather than confidence it can get properly wet. The drop resistance rating is a middling one, so a case is a sensible add-on if it's going to be handled by kids or carried around often. Where this tablet stands out is repairability — it carries a high repairability score, which suggests components are more accessible for servicing than in many sealed budget tablets, a meaningful point if you value being able to fix rather than replace a device down the line.
Who This Tablet Is Actually For
This is a strong match if you're after a dedicated streaming and browsing companion — someone who wants a big screen and genuinely good sound for watching shows, listening to music or podcasts hands-free, video calling family, and casual gaming, all without needing to reach for headphones or a separate speaker. It's also a sensible pick for a shared household or family tablet, thanks to the parental safety mode, generous storage headroom, and a kickstand that makes it easy for anyone to prop up and use without holding it. If your current tablet's speakers are a constant disappointment and that's been your biggest frustration, this model directly addresses that.
It's a less natural fit if you're shopping for a productivity or creative device. The absence of a bundled keyboard with proper pogo-pin connectivity, a processor tuned for efficiency rather than heavy multitasking or creative apps, and no dedicated stylus in the box all point away from this being a laptop or drawing-tablet substitute. Serious mobile gamers chasing maximum settings and frame rates in demanding titles will also hit the ceiling of what this chipset can do. And if portability and light-in-hand comfort are non-negotiable — say, you mostly use a tablet standing up or walking around — the weight here will be a more noticeable downside than it will for someone using it propped up on a desk or nightstand.
How It Stacks Up
Positioned against other tablets in its size class and price bracket, the Tab Plus differentiates itself less through raw horsepower and more through the two features most competitors treat as afterthoughts: audio and physical usability.
| What Matters | Lenovo Tab Plus | Typical Budget 11" Android Tablet |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker setup | Eight-speaker JBL array with Dolby Atmos | Two small speakers, thin sound |
| Built-in stand | Integrated, multi-angle kickstand | None — separate case or stand needed |
| Storage headroom | 128GB, expandable to 1TB via microSD | Often fixed storage, no expansion |
| Weight | Heavier than most in its size class | Generally lighter |
| Charger included | Not included — cable only | Varies by brand |
| Gaming headroom | Fine for casual/moderate titles | Similar mid-tier ceiling |
Against pricier tablets like an iPad or a higher-end Galaxy Tab, this won't win on raw performance, display technology, or accessory ecosystem — but it competes surprisingly well on audio quality and all-day battery stamina, both of which matter enormously for the entertainment-focused use case this tablet is clearly built around.
The Honest Trade-Offs
The strengths here are specific rather than universal, and that's worth being direct about. The speaker system is the standout feature of this entire device — genuinely excellent for a tablet at this price, and arguably its main reason to exist. Battery life backs that up well, holding a charge through standby impressively and delivering a full day of mixed use without anxiety about the charger. The built-in kickstand and generous, expandable storage round out a genuinely thoughtful package for anyone whose primary use case is media consumption.
Set against that, the display — while better than expected for the price — is an LCD panel that won't match premium tablets on contrast or colour depth, and some viewing-angle glare has been noted in hands-on testing. The processor handles everyday tasks and casual gaming comfortably but isn't a performance chip, so demanding games and heavy multitasking will show its ceiling. The weight is a genuine trade-off for the audio hardware it enables, making this a device better suited to being propped up than held for long stretches. And the missing charger in the box is a small but real added cost that buyers should factor in before purchasing, since without it you can't take advantage of the fast-charging capability at all until you source a compatible adaptor.
Final Verdict
The Lenovo Tab Plus 11.5-inch is built around a clear, well-executed idea: make the entertainment experience — sound, screen, and battery stamina — better than anything else at this price, and accept trade-offs elsewhere to get there. If you're buying a tablet primarily to stream, browse, video call, and unwind with genuinely good audio without needing external speakers or headphones, this is a strong, easy recommendation, and the 128GB storage with microSD expansion gives it real staying power.
If you need a tablet that doubles as a productivity machine, a serious gaming device, or a lightweight on-the-go companion, look elsewhere in the lineup — this one was never designed to win on those fronts, and it doesn't pretend to. Buy it for what it actually is, and it delivers convincingly.
What People Say
57 commentsRecommended on the whole
Bought a good number of months ago. The screen is decent and the sound is good for a tablet, though I like to eq down the highest frequency quite dramatically and boost the lows and lower mids, in order to even out the frequency response. I even checked online and it does have a boost where the top two bars are on the inbuilt equalizer so its good to flatten the curve. Very good detailed sound overall with some bass punch and lower mid vibe but obviously doesnt compare to a stand alone speaker with passives etc. For what it is its decent though and solidly built.
The stand has held up well and shows no sign of weakening. it works well and you also can use it to hold the tablet, though it bites the hand a little it kinda feels unwieldy held sideways unless you grab onto it, or place it on your lap or a surface. In portrait it operates easier and you can split the two half of the keyboard to make typing easy while holding.
The ports get in the way abit especially if you use both. if using just headphones or aux to speakers you can hold it portrait no problem but the charging cable gets in the way here, and if you want to hold it in portrait the ports are irritating.
On a table, watching a movie on your lap, etc or using the inbuilt sound or bluetooth its fine.
Holds a charge very well and lasts a long time between charges.
Goes relatively dim for use in the dark a dimmer setting would have been of use especially for when tired.
Been happy with mine as I needed the aux jack. so good for media and relaxing, but for a holdable tablet for say reading, you are better with a light weight one, perhaps bigger but less decent sound. and thats how it is , life is full of compromise so depends on your main use case scenario.
Happy with mine and can recommend this responsive sturdy tablet.
4.75 stars, great speakers good battery easy setup
I would give 4.75 stars but cannot leave partial stars.
Battery life great, I have watched a few hours of videos and YouTube and done some social media browsing and still have half of the battery left.
I love the built in stand and the variety of angles I can have the screen at (one downside is that stand doesn't work in portrait).
The sound quality for a tablet of this size really surprised myself and my husband. Even a really bass heavy song is not tainted with these speakers.
I would happily use it to play music in the background.
It's quite easy to set up, was surprised by there being no written instructions but it walks you through it quite nicely (I declined some bits as don't want hey Google working) and you could pick between whether I was setting it up for an adult or a child. My second ugh with it is the fact it came with a lot of apps automatically there to download - one including tictok which I really didn't want.
My final semi ugh with it is the powering on and off, I struggle holding it in for what feels like 3 really long seconds before it gives me the option to turn it off, I guess most people would just leave in sleep mode now. It also takes a similarly long hold to turn it on, which I sometimes struggle with. Yet at one point it randomly turned itself on without me pressing the button! Having looked in the set up I can automatically tell it to turn on and off at certain times (great for reducing kids screen time)
Great tablet with unreal audio...
Was on the lookout for a new tablet and saw this in Stuff magazine and thought I'd give it a try. In short, amazing.
The tablet itself is a fairly ordinary android tab. Clear bright screen, plenty of memory (8gb RAM/128gb storage) which is good enough for me, decent enough processor. Movies and games look clear, crisp and colourful. Very good battery life.
Build quality is excellent. Feels very solid. The built in kickstand is a godsend. Took it on the plane and sat it on my fold down tablet and didn't slip at all. Plenty of viewing angles.
But let's talk about those speakers. No longer should we listen to poor audio from tablets and laptops if this is what can be achieved. Simply amazing. Actual bass. This tablet sells itself as an entertainment system. And it is. Movies and music sound great on it. Helped by the Dolby Atmos this sound blew me away. The tablet can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker on its own. Great tablet, great screen, stunning audio. Recommended.
Best Tablet for all purposes!
I bought this Lenovo Tab Plus tablet two weeks ago, no amy issues and built quality is really great. I am using this tablet as a secondary laptop. Means this tablet has a PC mode itself and this supports screen sharing too. While I'm working, I extend my laptop screen with this tablet. I must say, this really is the best sounding tablet money can buy 😁. Used this to watch Netflix, and it feels like you're holding a TV with a soundbar 😍. Very useful.
I highly recommend this tablet to anyone who's looking for entertainment and work purposes (all purposes tbh).
Need to mention, Argos did a really good job sending this product to the nearest shop and it was super fast, purchased and got the product at the same day! Front desk was super friendly.
Thank you Argos, it was a great experience!
Excellent tablet with everything I needed
Bought this to update my last Lenovo which was very slow and this has been an excellent upgrade. The processor is speedy, the graphics great and it has a lovely sound.
It's perfect for watching programmes, social media and Gmail. Audio is great on audio books and podcasts and it's a good size for following a knitting pattern.
The battery lasts a good 10 hours and it takes about an hour to charge.
We purchased 2 and the husband is equally pleased with his.
Find some of the updates wanting to install games annoying, it's difficult to not accidentally install them.
Only downside I can think of is that it doesn't lie completely flat and is heavier than the old one due to better speakers
Lenovo Tab Plus 11.5”
I bought this a month ago and I am so glad that I did becaus I got tow things from my perches,I got the tablet that I wanted in coulor & size, & The fabulous Price was a bounce, I was waiting for the prices in November so I could treat myself, Early Birthday Precent, and a sale came up in October , And I was so pleased and extreamely pleased 😄” That I bought it ,
It has Brilliant reviews and very goof value for 💵 when you see how mutch ushers are, Thank you Argos, for your Sale at the wright time, I’ve saved a small fortune, in 3 payments it will be mine and an Extra Bounus I got my Nectar points als so it’s a win win if still on sale Grab one ,
A big step up on my last tablet
I am very impressed so far with this tablet. The camera is great and rather more flattering on zoom than my last one. Taking pictures on my written and drawn work to store in documents is much better. The shape of the tablet I s a little unusual probably to make it work well with a keyboard in mini laptop mode and make it better for watching films or should I say movies on.Fine for films haven't used it with a keyboard .So the screen is a little longest than my other tablets but only slightly wider. No problem for me but might not suit all. I might add I rarely would consider ant product five star but this almost ie.
Great quality for the price!
I bought this to replace a smaller older Samsung tablet. I use it mainly for streaming and watching shows on the go and in rooms without a TV. The size is great and quality absolutely all I needed for this purpose. This is particularly great because the speaker quality is far superior for a tablet and the built in kickstand really sets it apart. It is on the heavier slide and doesn't have a flat back because of speakers so worth considering if you plan to travel with it, but for the price it is a great quality tablet!
Good tablet with a few quirks
The tablet runs great. Good battery life. Convenient stand. Good quality screen and sound.
However my main reason for purchase was to aid in music learning, mostly display music scores and it is not so great at that.
The screen proportion makes it not the best for portrait documents.
The lump for the stand and speakers mean it's difficult to fit into a tablet stand that mounts to microphone stands.
The Dolby Atmos sound is always on, and I find it gives an unnatural over-spread to the audio.
Lenovo tablet
Got tablet to replace very old ipad , has a lot of features on it . Have turned loads off , use mainly for email and information on products. Very happy with purchase good price nice size screen and sound quality really good. Would have liked more information with purchase on suitable charger to buy that is compatible with tablet. Bought that next day from Argos with a bit of research ( Argos could make some recommendations when purchasing) to make it easier.
Outstanding media player
A nice bright and sharp image with incredible sound. I bought this tablet purely for watching video and listening to music. The Dolby atmos effect is applied to any stereo audio (can be turned off) which pushes the sound out way beyond the width of the screen. Words can't express how immersive this is in movies and music is literally on another level.
Can't comment on gaming performance, but the processor is more than ample for browsing and media playback.
As a media device… awesome
The JBL speakers on this tablet are excellent—better than my Amazon Echo, or at least very close. Watching 2K videos on the LCD looks sharp and bright, and all my media apps run smoothly.
I used to rely on a mini notebook through my undergrad, and this feels like a massive upgrade—especially if you pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard. Don’t expect flagship-level performance, but for the price it’s absolutely worth it.
Great Tablet
Great tablet for the price. The sound is amazing thanks to the 8 JBL speakers, and the screen looks good for videos and browsing. The built-in kickstand is super handy, and battery life is strong.
Performance is fine for everyday use, but it can lag with heavier apps, and there’s no charger included. It’s also a bit on the heavy side.
Overall, a fantastic entertainment tablet with outstanding audio.
Cracking Tablet
Great tablet. Not the most performant, but for the price very reasonable.
Lots of reviews say how great the speakers are... They are good for a tablet, but they're not that good!
I think you can use the tablet as a bluetooth speaker, but it would be a pretty poor one.
However the sound is plenty good enough for watching TV, YouTube and a bit of music. But don't expect amazing sound quality.
Great tablet for the price.
Purchased as a Christmas present to replace my daughter's broken Amazon Fire Tablet, mainly to be used for art apps but also for Youtube and she couldn't be happier. Lenovo also made a stylus which she uses for drawing and I am seriously thinking of buying one myself for digital art. The sound when playing music on Youtube is also great. Definitely recommended.
Good upgrade
Bought this as an upgrade for my daughter’s older Lenovo tablet. No complaints at all, just the shape of the back of the tablet is odd with half of it thicker, but this doesn’t affect usability at all. Got a silicon case online which provides drop protection and you don’t notice the bump. Speed of the tablet is fine, screen and sound appear fine - no complaints.
Fabulous tablet.
I bought this tablet to replace my old Lenovo tablet which was a bit long in the tooth ! I am absolutely delighted with it , it's easy to use with an extremely good picture and speedy , fluid movements. The sound is astonishing for a tablet, I was pleasantly surprised with everything about it. Transfer of apps was very easy too.
Lenovo Tablet Plus11.5in
I have had this tablet for a few weeks now & I have used it often. I find the graphics pretty good for watching g movies & videos. Only drawback I find is, it runs the battery down quite quickly, but the fast charge compensates for this & you can charge up while using it. All in all pretty pleased with my purchase.
what I was after
This would have been a 5 star but the Argos website suggested the box would contain a charger, which it (correctly) didn't, and the cable supplied wouldn't fit any charger I owned so I had to go back to buy another cable. Also, the design is so new, no-one yet seems to do a suitable case, not even Lenovo.
Lovely tablet
It does everything I need it to, it's large, the speakers are great for YouTube and listening to podcasts, perfect for watching when cleaning and following along with tutorials. Love the stand on the back, it's so handy. I wanted to get the Samsung one but this is just as good or better in my opinion
