Yoga Tablet Overview

Aside from the screen and battery sizes, both the 8″ and 10″ versions of the Yoga tablets are identical: they use the same quad-core MediaTek ARM-based processor running at 1.2GHz, the same 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, so on and such forth. The tablets are so visually similar that it would be almost impossible to tell them apart just from pictures. For what it’s worth, most of the following images are of the 10″ version.

You’ll notice the difference right away: while other tablets are symmetrical slabs, the Lenovo Yogas have a very thin screen with a thick, rounded edge. This is where the battery lives. And it’s a big battery, too: Levovo says it’s good for up to 18 hours on the 10″ version. The battery hump also serves to prop the edge of the tablet up a little bit, making it more convenient to use laying flat on a table or other surface.

If you want more “angle”, you can fold down the aluminum foot built into the case. Now the rear is propped up about 1.5″.

The same foot also lets you use the tablet this way, handy for watching movies on your desk. While a friction-based latch holds the foot extended, you can tilt the tablet back a few degrees. Not too far, though, or it will simply tip over.

Under the stowage area of the aluminum foot are two card slots. The left slot, presumably intended for a SIM card (judging from hints in the documentation) is merely a depression in the case and can’t be used for anything. The right slot accommodates a microSD card of up to 64GB.

Once you insert the microSD card, it’s completely enclosed by the body of the computer. Don’t worry: using a fingernail to press on the visible edge of the card will engage a spring-loaded ejector mechanism.

The case foot is folded in in this image. While the battery holder and case foot are aluminum, the rest of the rear of the case is matching polycarbonate with a fine diamond texture that makes it easy to hold. The 5MP auto-focussing camera lens is visible at the bottom right of this image.

At either side of the front of the tablet, below the screen, are two speakers for the Dolby-certified audio system. The mere fact that the speakers face you, rather than putting sound to the rear or side as most other tablets do, makes a significant difference in the way you perceive the audio.