In recent times, tablets have not been doing as well as they once did. This seems to be a bit of a two-pronged issue with smartphones increasing in size and Chromebooks/laptops and 2-in-1s decreasing in size. With tablets being squeezed from both ends, they have somewhat lost their place in the market. That said, at IFA this week there was a number of new products unveiled and in the grand scheme of things, tablets were represented pretty well, along with the new Chromebooks and 2-in-1s. So whichever type of device you are after, there are some new and incoming options on the way.
ASUS ZenPad 3S 10 Tablet
ASUS was one of the companies who were promoting a new tablet at the event and this was the ASUS ZenPad 3S 10. This is a tablet which had already been unveiled elsewhere in the world and prior to IFA. Which does mean that a number of the details were already known. Although those details have now been confirmed once more. The ASUS ZenPad 3S 10 is a 9.7-inch table and is designed to be a slim tablet, which presumably will make it easier to transport and use while on the go while also including a more premium appearance. Inside, you will find 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage and a MediaTek 8176 hexa-core processor. That is in addition to High-Res audio speakers, expandable storage, a fingerprint sensor and a 5,900 mAh battery. As well as the Android operating system.
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Plus Tablet
Another tablet that was highlighted during the event was the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Plus. Generally speaking Yoga products from Lenovo have been doing pretty well thanks to their more unusual design, which offers consumers a little something different and the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Plus is no exception. As well as adopting the typical Yoga design, the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Plus comes equipped with a 10.1-inch display with a 2560 x 1600 resolution. Inside, this one comes boasting 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 octa-core processor. Additional features include a 13-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, expandable storage, a substantial 9,300 mAh battery, USB Type-C connectivity, four JBL speakers and Android 6.0 (Marshmallow).
Huawei MediaPad M3
Of course, one of the most highly talked about tablets of the last few weeks has been the latest from Huawei. It had been rumored that Huawei would introduce a new tablet at IFA and that is exactly what happened when Huawei announced the Huawei MediaPad M3. In terms of the specs, this is a tablet which comes packing an 8.4-inch display and makes use of a 2560 x 1600 resolution. Inside, the Huawei MediaPad M3 comes loaded with 4GB RAM, 32GB internal storage and is powered by the Huawei Kirin 950 octa-core processor. Additional features include an 8-megapixel camera, a fingerprint scanner, a 5,100 mAh battery, expandable storage, advanced audio capabilities and Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), by way of EMUI 4.1.
Acer Chromebook R 13
Moving to the Chromebook side of things and Acer (who already leads the market in terms of options) introduced their latest Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook R 13. This is a Chromebook which comes with a 13.3-inch display and makes use of a 1920 x 1080 resolution. However, this is not your typical Chromebook as it one which adopts more of a hybrid design and can be used in a variety of positions – much like Acer’s Chromebook R 11, although bigger. Inside, this one comes loaded with 4GB RAM, 16/64GB storage options and is powered by a MediaTek (MT8173C) quad-core processor. In addition, all the usual ports are including although this one does come loaded with USB Type-C connectivity as well as the standard USB ports. Unlike some of the other products promoted at IFA, this one we do have some pricing details on as Acer has confirmed the Chromebook R 13 will cost $399 in the US and should be available sometime in October.
Lenovo 2-in-1 Yoga Book
Last but not least we also have another Lenovo product. This is a 2-in-1 but unlike some of the other options, this one is a little bit different to your standard 2-in 1s. This is an Android tablet per se, but it also comes with a unique detachable keyboard which is less of a keyboard and more of a secondary touchscreen. The two notable aspects are the so-called ‘Create Pad’ and ‘Halo Keyboard’. The first of which allows for writing (using the included pen) on paper and having that information translated to a digital form. While the second uses haptic feedback to emulate a keyboard, without an actual physical keyboard.
In terms of the rest of the specs, this one comes packing 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage and is powered by an Intel Atom (Z8550) quad-core processor. Additional features include an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, expandable storage, and an 8,500 mAh battery.
