Verdict: A Party-First Tablet That Puts Sound Above All
The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 is an entertainment tablet that combines a 12.1-inch 2.5K Android slate with a nine-driver JBL speaker system to create a hybrid tablet speaker designed for binge-watching, music listening, and social gatherings.
This is not a neutral all-rounder; it is a party-first machine. For about USD 399.99 (approx. RM1,880), you are paying for room-filling audio and a flexible dual-mode design, not for featherweight portability or pro productivity. The result is a Bluetooth speaker tablet that out-sounds most slates and many compact speakers, but also weighs 1.7 pounds and feels tiring to hold after only a few seconds. If you mostly stream movies, blast playlists, or host house parties, it is a clever, good-value pick. If you live inside ebooks or want a couch-friendly one-handed reader, the compromises are hard to ignore.
Pros
- Nine-driver JBL speaker system is among the best-sounding on any tablet, staying clear even at max volume.
- 12.1-inch 2.5K display with HDR10 and Dolby Vision looks colorful and vivid for video streaming.
- Bluetooth speaker mode and 360-degree rotating kickstand make it a flexible entertainment hub for gatherings.
Cons
- Heavy 1.7-pound chassis becomes tiring within seconds of one-handed use, especially for reading.
- Speaker-first design makes it bulky compared with more traditional thin-and-light tablets.
Design: Tablet on the Front, Boombox on the Back
Lenovo did not lightly tweak the original; it rethought how a tablet speaker should be built. The first Tab Plus lined its JBL speakers along the sides, but the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 moves the entire JBL speaker system to the back and bumps the count to nine drivers. That change alone turns the slate into a kind of flat boombox: display on one side, audio arsenal on the other.
At 1.7 pounds, the chassis feels dense and substantial, and the reviewer’s “biggest gripe” was that the audio system weighs it down so much that one-handed use becomes uncomfortable within a few seconds. If you are a one-handed tablet reader, the Tab Plus Gen 2 is not for you. The 360-degree rotating kickstand, though, is smartly implemented; it doubles as a handle, flips between landscape and portrait, and forms a loop you can swing like a small tote, which matters because you will not want to grip this slab bare-handed for long.
Audio: Nine-Driver JBL System That Doubles as a Party Speaker
The star feature is the nine-driver JBL speaker system: two passive radiators, three woofers, and four tweeters combine to produce a punchy, bass-forward sound signature that is unusually capable for a tablet. According to the hands-on review, it is “one of the best-sounding tablets” tested, and it stays clear even when you crank it to window-rattling levels.
Vocals stay crisp on tracks like Adele’s “Someone Like You,” while bass-heavy songs such as Billie Eilish’s “bad guy” deliver satisfying thumps without turning muddy. You do not get subwoofer-level, room-shaking bass—the thin chassis prevents that—but for a flat slab, the low-end heft is impressive. Lenovo also includes audio profiles like Dynamic, Movie, and Music, with sub-presets such as Detailed, Balanced, and Warm; the Warm profile in particular smooths and enriches tracks in a pleasant way. Combined with the 360-degree kickstand for angled placement, the Tab Plus Gen 2 feels more like a purpose-built entertainment speaker than a tablet that happens to have decent audio.
Display, Performance, and Dual-Mode Flexibility
The front side of this entertainment tablet holds its own. The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 uses a 12.1-inch display with a 2,560-by-1,600-pixel resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 800 nits of brightness. It supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and the reviewer enjoyed its colorful, vivid output when streaming YouTube clips and an episode of Landman. The smooth 120Hz panel is a strong match for video and casual gaming alike.
Inside, a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 processor pairs with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage, backed by a microSD slot for expansion. That is enough muscle for streaming, social apps, light gaming, and running the custom speaker modes without fuss. Camera hardware is modest—an 8MP front camera and 13MP rear lens—fitting the media-first focus. As a Bluetooth speaker tablet, it can accept audio from your phone so you can stream playlists to the JBL system while walking around the house, using your handset as a remote to pause, skip tracks, or queue new songs from several rooms away.
| Spec | Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 12.1-inch, 2,560 x 1,600, 120Hz, up to 800 nits | Supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision for high-quality video. |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 7400 | Midrange chip tuned for entertainment tasks. |
| Memory & Storage | Up to 12GB RAM, up to 256GB storage | Expandable via microSD card slot. |
| Cameras | 13MP rear, 8MP front | Adequate for video calls and quick snaps. |
| Audio | Nine-driver JBL system | Two passive radiators, three woofers, four tweeters. |
| Weight | 1.7 pounds | Heavy and tiring for one-handed use. |
| Price | USD 399.99 (approx. RM1,880) | Launch planned later this year. |
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 if you want an entertainment tablet that doubles as a loud, clear JBL Bluetooth speaker for house parties and gatherings.
- Skip the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 if you prefer a light, couch-friendly slate for one-handed ebook reading or long browsing sessions, as its 1.7-pound weight gets tiring fast.
- Buy the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 if a 12.1-inch 2.5K display with HDR10, Dolby Vision, and a 120Hz refresh rate sounds ideal for your movie and TV marathons.
- Skip the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 if you value slim, minimalist design over audio hardware and do not need a tablet speaker built into your device.
- Buy the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 if you like the idea of pairing your phone to a Bluetooth speaker tablet, then walking around while remotely controlling playlists from several rooms away.
- Skip the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 if you care more about camera quality or high-end productivity features than about a powerful nine-driver JBL speaker system.
