Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD review: a solid media slate

Finding the right tablet shouldn’t be a chore. Cheap pills are plentiful, although we certainly don’t recommend them all. In addition, finding a tablet that works well for children can be a nuisance. Enter the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD, which is a 10-inch Android tablet with a dedicated mode for kids and the Google Assistant screen to boot. Find out if it’s the cheap tablet that’s right for you in this review of the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD.

See too: The best cheap Android tablets

What you need to know about the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD

• Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD (2 GB, 32 GB): $ 129.99 / £ 149
• Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD (4 GB, 64 GB): $ 169.99 / £ 199

This tablet comes in several different SKUs and these SKUs are available in different locations and with different specifications / prices. In the United States, the model we tested is available specifically at Walmart.com and your local Walmart store. Walmart only charges $ 129.99 for this tablet, which is a great price.

The Walmart variant of the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD has a 10.1-inch screen, a MediaTek processor with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, a 5,100 mAh battery and an 8 MP main camera and a 5 MP camera user-oriented. Iron gray is the only color available, but the chassis is aluminum. It also comes with a charging dock.

A variant sold directly by Lenovo has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, with a price higher than $ 169.99. In certain regions, there is also a version of the tablet that supports the Amazon Alexa home hub functionality instead of Google Assistant. Our version has the latter, which is activated via dock.

For those who want a slightly sharper screen, Lenovo also offers a Tab M10 FHD Plus with a 1080p resolution screen that raises the price to $ 149 as standard. This model was launched in early 2020 and comes with Android 9 Pie, but it is fundamentally the same as the standard Smart Tab M10 HD.

What is good?

Lenovo designed and built a solid piece of hardware with the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD. The 10-inch screen is a device of considerable size. Its aluminum chassis is strong and comfortable. You also have many amenities. Lenovo gave the Smart Tab M10 HD a USB-C port to charge and a tray for microSD memory cards to allow expanded storage (up to 256 GB). The tablet has stereo speakers, a headset, good buttons and pogo pins on one side for the included charging dock. The dock is robust and keeps the tablet at a decent angle to watch content while it charges, although it is not adjustable.

The screen technically has a high definition resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels. The pixels are of good size and the screen is suitable for daily use. It looks much better than the same 8-inch screen resolution as the Amazon Fire 8 HD Plus tablet. It is very bright and not very reflective. I found that I was able to use it in bright spaces without visibility problems.

Lenovo designed and built a solid piece of hardware. You have many amenities.

Lenovo did a commendable job with children’s software. Regardless of whether you choose to activate children’s software at launch or with the dedicated app, the Google Kids Space software has preloaded content for children. This also allows children to personalize their experience and while parents maintain control over screen time, daily limits and more. The only obstacle is that your child needs to have a supervised Google Account, which not all parents want to create.

The display function of Google Assistant is excellent. Like a Nest Hub, the Smart Tab M10 HD gains its intelligence with Google Assistant. When docked, it acts as a Google Nest Hub smart display, allowing you to interact with the tablet through “Ok Google” requests. Worked well.

Also check: The best tablet deals

What’s not so good?

Some may find the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD a bit awkward to use. First, the screen employs a 16: 9 aspect ratio, so the tablet has an elongated shape when compared to the tablet format which has 4: 3 or 3: 2 screens. In addition, it is a bit heavy when used in portrait orientation, which causes hand fatigue. This would definitely affect children more than adults.

It also seems to have little power. The MediaTek P22T octa-core just doesn’t have enough power at times. It may be the limited amount of RAM that holds the tablet. The Smart Tab M10 HD definitely got bogged down when multitasking or running multiple applications in the background. I tested Asphalt 9 and found that the gameplay is unstable at best, but the daily tasks, like surfing the web or checking emails, are smooth.

The sound could be better and the battery life is only moderate for a tablet.

The sound could be better. The tablet supports Dolby Atmos, but stereo speakers are limited in what they can play. It’s not bad, but I prefer a little more bass when watching movies. I am grateful that there is an integrated FM radio, but you will need a pair of wired headphones to enjoy it.

Battery life is moderate for a tablet. It can handle 10 hours of regular browsing and up to 8 hours of video. I only had 7.5 hours of video viewing when I tested it. Amazon’s rival tablets (and many others we’ve tested) tend to reach 10 hours of video.

The tablet comes with Android 10 and there is no news from Lenovo about how long the tablet will be supported from a software standpoint. Finally, the vibration engine is really terrible. I suggest that you turn off all haptics.

Review of Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD: Should I buy it?

If you are looking for a basic tablet to enjoy Netflix or browse the web, then you will do well with the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD. It covers simple things with ease and has almost every feature you could possibly want. If you are looking for something specifically for children, the Smart Tab is also a solid choice. As long as you don’t mind creating a full Google children’s account to manage, it handles the tasks of controlling children’s usage with ease. I would not recommend the M10 HD for games or other intense uses.

With smart tablet and hub functionality, the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD looks like a bargain.

With Google Assistant on board, a charging dock, and the Nest Hub-like experience as a bonus, for $ 129.99, the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 HD looks like a bargain.