Lenovo IdeaTab A1000 - 59374122 Pro Reviews

The only thing Lenovo's IdeaTab truly has going for it is its emphasis on audio quality, but when all is said and done, that's not enough for us to recommend it. The unforgivably shoddy display was far worse than we would have expected even at this price. Even if we were able to look beyond that obvious shortcoming, the tablet's poor performance would have been the final nail in its coffin. Browsing the internet was far from pleasant, and we ran into too many problems with apps freezing or crashing. While stuttering might be a fairly common issue in Android tablets, it was especially noticeable with the A1000. Overall, we can't, in good conscience, recommend adding this device to your gadget collection. With heavy hitters like the Nexus 7 and MeMo Pad HD offering far better performance at a similar price, you'd be better off looking elsewhere.

There is no question that the Lenovo IdeaTab A1000 is a decently built and affordable tablet with a good set of speakers. As far as the rest of the package is concerned, the list of necessary compromises is quite long: the display resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels is simply sub-par, the viewing angle stability inferior to IPS displays, and the performance of the tablet is far from outstanding. A rear-facing camera might not be on everybody's must-have list, but we wish that the front facing camera offered better quality. The GPS module has a hard time with getting a lock on Satellites, and the WLAN modules struggles with larger distances between it and the router. On the positive side, the battery life is adequate, and the display brightness high enough to allow venturing outside without major restrictions. A very good alternative at this time is the Asus MeMo Pad HD 7, which is selling for just around $150 and offers a HD IPS display, dual cameras, and better performance. Users interested in a tablet with top-notch display as well as performance should take a look at the new Google Nexus 7.

Dirt cheap Android tablets are in abundance, but after the recent Google Nexus 7, it reestablished what it means to be a fantastic budget offering – while at the same time, set the bar higher for everyone else too. Even with its lower $160 base price point, it’s not enough to put the Lenovo IdeaTab A1000 in the same realm. In fact, it’s not even remotely close, as everything about this is just dated and behind the times. To tell you the truth, the only thing going for this is its super affordable price point, which no doubt will attract consumers who are strapped for cash. At the end of the day, though, we’d still recommend just forking over a bit more to pick up even the second-generation Nexus 7 – or if you can snag a deal, the first-generation one for less.

The Lenovo IdeaTab A1000 might be among the most affordable tablets available, but its entertainment focus and front-facing speakers aren't enough to make up for an otherwise below average device.

The Lenovo IdeaTab A1000 scores points with its audio enhancing equalizer, but falls short in just about every other category. With comparable budget tablets in abundance that provide better video, gaming, and browsing capabilities, enduring the A1000's baseball-sized pixels and internal storage limitations just to save a few bucks is unnecessary. The Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 is a comparable 7-inch tablet with similar audio-enhancing features and less performance hang-ups, but -- if not limited to a budget or committed to a device that prioritizes audio quality -- the Google Nexus 7 is the best small tablet to get.