Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 (Android, 8-inch) review:

Affordable Android with a uniquely useful design 

 

The Good The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 has a comfortable, ergonomic design with a useful built-in kickstand. The sharp LED display is paired with booming speakers and a long-lasting battery.

The Bad The heavily modified Android overlay lacks an app tray and customization features. Home screens can't accommodate lots of widgets.

The Bottom Line Practical, portable and affordable, the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 is a great option for casual, everyday use.

The 8-inch Android version of the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 has two rare features that help distinguish it from other Android tablets: a built-in kickstand and a powerful pair of speakers.

The apex of the notable design is the chunky rounded spine that, when twisted, reveals that small, sturdy stand. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but if you're using the tablet every day, it is. The 8-inch Lenovo can lie down at an angle for easy typing, stand up for Web browsing or hands-free video watching and, if you wish, you can even hang it.

They don't come in as handy as much as the built-in kickstand, but the speakers are still a big deal for heavy media consumers. When used with the preloaded Dolby app, movies come to life, podcasts sound crisp and music richly flows out of the front-facing pair -- an odd sight on a tablet, or sound in this case.

Starting at $229 in the US and £169 in the UK (Australia availability has yet to be announced), the affordable alternative is a smart deviation from the status quo and in its price range, the 8-inch Yoga Tablet 2 is the pick of the litter.