Lenovo has announced the 13-inch Yoga Tablet 2, a Windows 8.1 system that offers familiar Yoga aesthetics. The new addition to the Yoga Tablet 2 family completes the Android/Windows pairings announced earlier this month, and presents an interesting blend of tablet and Ultrabook.
The first thing to note is that Lenovo’s new tablet is pretty huge. While 13-inches is a standard size for a notebook, it’s much larger than most leading tablets. That said, Lenovo has addressed the device’s sizeable footprint, fitting it with a same sharp 2,560 x 1,440 display found on the company’s 13-inch Android variant of the tablet.
Things start to look a little less promising when it comes to the system’s internals, with the new tablet relying on a quad-core Intel Atom processor. Of course a higher-end Core i3 or i5 chip would have been a more enticing selection, but it looked like Lenovo wanted to keep the price down with an Atom. On the plus side, the lower powered internals certainly have a positive impact on battery life, with the device rated for 15 hours on a single charge.
While the system’s included Bluetooth keyboard might make it look like an Ultrabook at first glance, its inability to physically attach to the tablet means that you might struggle to use it on your lap. That said, this is an AccuType keyboard, meaning the typing experience should be solid.
The new tablet omits the Pico projector found in the Android-powered, 13-inch Yoga Tablet 2 Pro, but does carry over the hole in the kickstand that allows it to be hung up on a hook – something that could be useful, for example, if you’re using the device for cookery recipes. The device also features two 1.5 watt speakers with a 5 watt subwoofer.
Though the largest member of the Yoga 2 Tablet family might not be as convenient a hybrid like the Microsoft Surface Pro 3, it’s certainly an intriguing product, and its comparatively low cost and claimed solid battery life might well make it worth a look. The new tablet will be available from the beginning of November for US$700.
Source: Lenovo
