Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 Review: A Mid-Range Tablet With Surprisingly Big JBL Sound
Lenovo is making a bold statement with the Tab Plus Gen 2: a tablet can be more than just a screen for streaming, browsing, and casual gaming. It can also double as a serious portable speaker system. After testing the device, one thing becomes clear: Lenovo has put real effort into making this tablet stand out in a crowded mid-range market.
The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 is priced at around $470, placing it firmly in the mid-range tablet category. But its biggest selling point is not just performance or display quality. It is the audio system. With nine speakers tuned by JBL and support for Dolby Atmos, this tablet is designed for users who care about sound quality as much as screen size.
This is not the thinnest or sleekest tablet you can buy. In fact, the design is noticeably shaped around its speaker hardware. A large rounded section on the back houses five of the speakers, including three subwoofers and two passive radiators. These are responsible for giving the tablet more depth and bass than most mobile devices can offer.
Four additional tweeters are positioned along the left and right sides, helping create a wider stereo effect. The result is a soundstage that feels much more open than what you usually get from a tablet. Whether you are watching a movie, listening to music, or playing a game, the audio feels fuller and more immersive.
JBL’s involvement is easy to notice. With decades of speaker expertise behind the tuning, the Tab Plus Gen 2 avoids the thin, sharp sound that often affects tablets and smartphones. Many mobile devices emphasize treble too much, which can make pop music sound harsh or tiring after a while. Lenovo’s tablet takes a different approach. The sound is warmer, smoother, and more balanced.
Bass reproduction is especially impressive for a tablet. Of course, it cannot replace a premium home speaker setup, but compared with most tablets in its price range, the difference is significant. Low frequencies have more presence, giving songs, movie scenes, and game effects extra weight.
Dolby Atmos support adds another layer to the experience. It helps create a virtual surround sound effect, making audio feel less flat and more spacious. Sounds can appear to come from different directions, adding depth to movies and compatible content. While it is still limited by the size of the device, the effect is convincing enough to make entertainment more enjoyable.
The Tab Plus Gen 2 performs particularly well with pop music. Vocals remain clear without becoming piercing, and the overall presentation feels rich rather than overly bright. High-pitched voices are handled smoothly, which is not always the case with compact speakers.
Classical music also benefits from the improved speaker arrangement. Individual instruments are easier to pick out, and even more complex orchestral pieces do not collapse into a muddy mix. The tablet keeps enough separation and clarity to make classical tracks enjoyable, not just listenable.
Movie audio is another strong point. Dialogue sounds clear, background effects have detail, and action scenes feel more energetic thanks to the stronger low-end performance. In some cases, the tablet’s speakers may even sound better than basic TV soundbars, especially cheaper models with weak tuning.
Lenovo also gives the Tab Plus Gen 2 an extra trick: it can be used as a Bluetooth speaker for other devices. That means you can connect a smartphone and play music through the tablet’s sound system. This feature makes sense, because the speakers are good enough that users may actually want to use them even when they are not actively using the tablet.
The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 is clearly not built for people who want the thinnest tablet possible. Its bulkier design is the trade-off for better sound. But for users who watch a lot of movies, stream shows, listen to music, or want a tablet that can fill a room with audio, that trade-off may be worth it.
At around $470, the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 offers something different in the mid-range tablet market. Many competitors focus mainly on display quality, battery life, or performance. Lenovo’s approach gives audio a leading role, and the result is one of the most impressive tablet speaker systems in its class.
For anyone searching for a tablet with excellent speakers, JBL tuning, Dolby Atmos support, and strong entertainment features, the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 deserves attention. It may not be the slimmest tablet available, but it delivers a listening experience that most tablets simply cannot match.
