The Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2022 is Lenovo’s latest Android 12-based tablet, released in China. Its slightly plain metallic unibody can be fixed up with one of its various, occasional colour options, which start at around US$322 .Though, that is for its cheaper SKUs with a new MediaTek processor, whilst the one with the Snapdragon 870 costs more.
If you were asked which Android tablet was the best last year, many people would probably say the Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2021. Even today, with the exception of the Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2021, you can’t get a Snapdragon 870, all-metal body, 90Hz OLED tablet for less than $320. The Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2022, as the title suggests, is its next generation. Will it be the best Android tablet to buy this year? Let’s check out this review.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Design
Let us now discuss the benefits of its appearance. The design of the Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2022 model differs significantly from that of the 2021 model. When I first saw it, I noticed it was smaller as well as easier to control. You can grip it more firmly in situations where you can only use one hand. Another advantage is that it is much easier to use in game mode. The micro-SD card expansion feature remains in the 2022 model, and the fingerprint recognition area has been changed from recessed to raised, more like a normal power button.
That’s all there is to say about the design’s advantages; now I’ll complain about its drawbacks. The all-metal unibody from 2021 is gone, and the back panel and frame of the 2022 are made of a Macromolecule material, which means it’s all plastic. The silver back panel model we purchased attracts fingerprints, and with this cheap-looking lens module, it’s difficult to believe this is Lenovo’s flagship tablet in 2022. So, in those colorways, I would recommend the vegan leather one.
Though maybe you believe that a smaller body with a plastic back panel would result in a thinner and lighter device. No! The Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2022 is only 5g lighter and 1mm thicker than the 2021 model, as well as the battery is slightly smaller, so it’s a design step backward.
So, where does Lenovo put the money that it saves in the design department?
To find out the answer, you click on the screen. The screen on last year’s Xiaoxin Pad 2021 was already very good in this price range, but the screen on the new Xiaoxin Pad is a step up. The panel is still OLED, but the refresh rate has been increased to 120Hz. Old problems from the earlier generations have also been improved, such as font edge blurring, which is still present but has been improved. Dolby Vision is supported, Widevine L1 is available, and DC dimming is possible. Overall, it’s one of the best tablets with the best screen available right now. Moreover, the 2022 model adds a screen plastic protective stand, making it appear less expensive, and there is still no screen film, so there are some flaws.
I’m not going to go into too much detail about the camera because the possibility of taking pictures with the tablet’s rear camera is limited. However, many people use the front camera; after all, they buy tablets for online meetings or classes. To be honest, it doesn’t differ much from other tablets.
Gaming
The gaming aspect of the Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2022 may disappoint many people. The Pad 2022 retains the Snapdragon 870, which is certainly adequate for the highly optimised PUBG. However, for a less-optimised Genshin, it’s a win.
Look at the line graph, especially in the Sumeru area. Take a look at the temperature. It’s not particularly enjoyable to play. I was also thinking that perhaps the game was just too poorly optimised for the Sumeru region, but then I went to Mondstadt and shopped around again, and discovered that it was the Snapdragon 870 that couldn’t support the game’s Highest Graphics smoothly, and also that lower Graphics was your only option. But I don’t recommend playing Genshin on a tablet because the game can’t even adjust the position and size of the buttons and is too difficult to use on a large screen. Of course, you can play the game with a mouse and keyboard, but the keys occasionally do not work, resulting in a poor user experience.
App Adaptation
The most troubling thing about the large-screen devices is app adaptation. Unsurprisingly, as with almost every tablet we’ve tested, most apps display content in the same way that a large-screen phone would. All of the methods for using multiple windows are documented in One Vision Setting. Most of them are similar to any other tablet, so we won’t go into detail. You can run seven applications at once if you use split screen and floating windows.
This PC mode is not significantly different from the previous generation; only the operation logic has been changed to be more PC-like, and the content display remains the same as in tablet mode. When compared to the previous generation, the 2022 model still has four JBL speakers.
Battery Performance
With such a large battery, it cannot last for an extended period of time on a single charge. Since the screen has grown in size, so has the power consumption. The battery life performance is comparable to that of a cell phone. The good news is that because the tablet is usually at home, it can be charged at any time. The charging power is increased to 68w this time, and it takes 80 minutes to fully charge. Among all tablets, the speed is extremely fast.
Verdict
The only difference between the Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2022 and 2021 models is the money saved on the design for a better screen and faster charging. If you can live with this trade-off, it’s a good buy. If you value design over price, the cheaper 2021 model may be better for you.
