James M.
I will be back to update this review in a few weeks as I grow more familiar with the tablet, but my initial impressions were so good that I had to make an immediate review. I purchased this as an upgrade to a Lenovo M9 that I used for running laser engravers, as well as productivity with the Office365 suite, and for media consumption via music and movies. I did not use it for gaming beyond RuneScape and Solitaire. The M9 was a great price and I felt met all my needs perfectly. The only reason I decided to upgrade to the M11 was for screen real estate. The active stylus seemed like it would be a nice bonus for my graphics design work through the numerous apps I used in laser engraving.
All that being said, as you can see I don't need the absolutely highest performance device on the market.
As I've only used this tablet for 1 day, here are my observations. It is a hefty boi. It is surprisingly heavy, but not so much that I consider it a nuisance to hold. That probably comes from the premium design, as the smaller bezels and aluminum body give you a feeling that you're using something that was designed with pride.
The size itself is perfect for my needs. As the larger screen size makes it a lot easier to design things without constantly having to zoom out. The included case is actually surprisingly slim, adding very little bulk. I appreciate that. It even has a rubber strap on it that you can use to either aid in carrying the tablet or secure the case closed during travel.
So with regards to both the M9 and my new M11, one area that does impress me for such an affordable tablet is the screen. I really appreciate the colorful display, as it seems quite vibrant and capable of displaying a large range of colors. You really just have to see it in order to fully appreciate it. Additionally, it has a specific setting that makes reading ebooks an absolute pleasure, greatly reducing stress on my eyes. I think if I were to put an anti-glare screen protector on it, it might actually be my preferred e-reader. But if I have to complain about the screen it would be in two areas: the resolution, while being HD, lacks the resolution of other 11 inch tablets. At 1200x1920, it has a slightly lower pixel density than one might find in the Fire 11. Additionally, the screen brightness is great for indoor use, but move outside and you may find it's lacking.
Another thing I appreciated with both the M9 and the M11 is the sound quality. This M11 steps up audio quality with 4 Dolby Atmos capable speakers. The tablet seems to be capable of getting quite loud in comparison to my S20 phone, and range is much better. Lenovo seems consistently able to provide user with respectable audio.
And lastly and more importantly, the performance meets my needs. It's quite snappy. I don't think I'd recommend this for extreme multi tasking, but some of the reviews I found online left me expecting worse. The smart stylus is very responsive and the device itself opens my apps relatively quickly when compared to the M9. I don't find myself annoyed with the performance at all. It's precisely as fast as I need it to be for all my productivity needs.
I got this thing on a great sale price and I absolutely do not regret my purchase so far. I'm looking forward to putting it through the paces. In a few weeks, I'll be back with an update, but based on my first day's use, I have a feeling I'm not going to have a lot of complaints!
2 week update: I have been using this tablet exclusively for engraving non stop for the last two weeks. The screen has been on, displaying static images of my designs for up to 12 hours at a time with no burn in. Impressive. Also, I installed a "paper feel" non glare screen protector and it's an absolute game changer. Reading ebooks with Lenovo's exclusive integrated reading view setting is an amazing experience only bested by true e-ink devices. Additionally, with a "paper feel" screen protector, it truly feels like I'm drawing with a pencil. Speaking of the active stylus, I discovered it is indeed pressure sensitive. That quickly became evident when using a sketchbook app with simulated fountain pen. So if other reviewers are expressing otherwise then it's likely they haven't tested the pressure sensitivity with compatible apps. It's outstanding. This has been the best tablet purchase I've ever made!
My last word of advice is to buy and apply a screen protector immediately. I didn't, and wound up with micro scratches on the screen from using the active stylus in a dusty garage relatively quickly.
| Standing screen display size | 11 Inches |
|---|---|
| Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1200 pixels |
| Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1200 |
| Chipset Brand | MediaTek |
| Card Description | Integrated |
| Wireless Type | 802.11bgn |
| Average Battery Life (in hours) | 10 Hours |
Renee Anderson
chaz