Lenovo ThinkPad 10 review

 

Ever since Apple's slates, like the iPad Air, invaded the enterprise scene, Microsoft and Google alike have scrambled to gobble what chunks of the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) pie they can. The latest foe for the mighty iPad looks to be the most worthy in a while: the Lenovo ThinkPad 10.

This beefy, 10.1-inch Windows 8.1 tablet is essentially an all-grown-up version of the Lenovo ThinkPad 8. During a preview event in New York, I was able to play around with the device – not to mention its myriad accessories – for a few minutes. While brief, it was enough time to get a feel for the aluminum and Gorilla Glass-clad pad and what it's all about.

With a somewhat goofy, asymmetrical frame, the ThinkPad 10 is yet another laptop-tablet hybrid device, though this time with a tablet-first design. At least the goofy design ID has a purpose: that flat bottom has several docking accessories to match to enable several use cases.

Wouldn't this look weird on the subway or tube?

Covered in cases (and docks)

Lenovo wants the ThinkPad 10 to offer users as versatile a business tablet solution as possible, hence a whopping five accessories to accompany the device. While fully capable of 10 finger multi-point touch control, Lenovo offers the Digitizer Pen for stylus control.
And if you wanted a case, how about two? First up is the stiff and functional Touchcase, similar to Microsoft's touch-based Touch Cover. However, this rendition of the usually-frustrating touch keyboard design has clear delineations between keys and a soft touch surface for supposedly easier typing. (I wasn't able to test this.)

Next is the Quickshot Cover, as seen on the ThinkPad 8. This cover is no different than what's found shacking up with this tablet's tinier cousin. The same small flap is present and accounted for, and serves the same purpose: flip the flap to instantly activate the camera. You know, for all those tablet photos you'll be taking – hey at least it works, and an 8-MP shooter with auto focus and flash is nothing to sneeze at.
Finally, you have the ThinkPad 10 dock, which is the same as all Lenovo tablet docks (a charging station replete with USB 3.0, HDMI and Ethernet ports), and the Ultrabook Keyboard. As the name implies, this is a more mechanical keyboard dock with two fixed slots for the ThinkPad 10 to fit inside. One provides the obvious laptop mode, while the other has the screen about-face for a stand mode. I'm not sure what business application that has other than showing off; maybe time will tell.

Hot hardware inside and out

While versatility through gobs of accessories might set the ThinkPad 10 apart in more obvious ways, it's what's on the inside that counts. And behind that 1920 x 1080 IPS touchscreen rests some powerful innards to back it up.
Aside from a quad-core Intel Atom Z3795 processor, the ThinkPad 10 comes packing up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM and up to 128GB eMMC flash storage. Up front, you're looking at a 2-MP webcam with 720p video capability to compliment that high-resolution snapper around back.

This is probably the most versatile of all the accessories

In terms of connectivity, Lenovo equipped this slate with micro HDMI, USB 2.0 and a microSD card reader in addition to 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. So, while this is no iPad Air in terms of sharpness or wireless speed, it's far more expandable. Plus, Lenovo promises the same 10 hours of battery life, but we'll be the judge of that.

Early verdict

From purely a hardware and design perspective, the Lenovo ThinkPad 10 impresses with an intense spec sheet and premium build materials. But I'd be remiss not to mention how awkward that design felt in my hands, especially in portrait mode.
I get it: the device is shaped to fit the umpteen accessories that Lenovo will sell alongside it. But couldn't those cases and docks had been molded to fit a more curvaceous tablet design? This brings me to the ultimate hurdle facing the ThinkPad 10.

For all your 10-inch-tablet-photo-taking needs

Starting at $599 (about £355, AU$639), the ThinkPad 10 is not a cheap tablet by any means, nor should it be. But those accessories, with prices ranging from $59 (around £34, AU$63) to $129 (about £76, AU$137), would drive this tablet's price through the roof if you want the device's full functionality. (Plus, this many products could spell "nightmare" for the IT buyer that already has enough to worry about.)
The Lenovo ThinkPad 10 is a finely designed tablet with a unique means of infiltrating the business market. But will an abundance of accessories be too much for the average employee's shoulder bag? Stay tuned for our full review.