Lenovo ThinkTab X11 review: built like a tank, but not really a tablet for the creative crowd

If you’re looking for a tablet that’s slick, lightweight and perfect for getting your creative juices flowing. Then this isn’t it. The Lenovo ThinkTab X11 hasn’t been designed to compete with the iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra; it’s been designed to be a durable tablet that can handle anything that life throws at it. And for that, it does a great job. It’s wrapped in protective rubber with reinforced corners, so if it gets dropped or smashed about in a bag, it’s going to survive, and actually, for someone as clumsy as me, that’s not a bad thing.

It’s IP68 rated and MIL-STD-810H certified, which isn’t just noise from a marketing spec sheet; it can actually survive being submerged in 1.5 meters of water for half an hour, and the screen even works with gloves on or wet hands, which if you’re working on-location in the pouring rain or doing a job that means you’re often in wet, dusty conditions, then it’s going to matter a lot more than something aesthetically pleasing. However, if you’re a creative looking for something that’s more general-purpose, you should probably look elsewhere, such as the Lenovo Idea Tab.

Key specs

Size: 25.7 x 16.8 x 9.93cm

Screen size: 10.95-inch

Panel: IPS (2560 x 1600)

Brightness: 600nits

Battery: 10,200mAh

Camera: 13MP (back), 8MP (front)

GPU: Qualcomm® Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 Processor (2.50 GHz)

RAM: 8GB

Storage: 256GB

Connectivity: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax & Bluetooth® 5.4, some models 5G

Design and Screen

• 10.95-inch IPS LCD screen
• IPS68 rated and MIL-STD-810H certified
• Durable rubberised casing

As soon as you unbox the Lenovo ThinkTab X11, you know this is no ordinary tablet. It’s thick, it’s chunky, and the rubberised casing that surrounds the screen is surprisingly nice to hold. This doesn’t feel like a tablet that is going to break easily, which is good because that’s what it’s designed to be.

One of my favourite design features has to be the slot on the side of the case for the Tab Pen. It fits snugly, so you know it won't fall off or drop out, unlike the magnetic Apple system. The rubber case isn’t a permanent fixture; it just pops off, although you do have to apply some pressure so you can rest assured it won’t come off if you drop it.

And then once it’s off, you can access the battery panel to replace the battery if needed. It’s not the easiest getting that panel off, so it’s not something you’re going to want to do all the time, but having a system where you can switch out the battery is really handy, especially if you can’t risk the battery running out whilst you’re working in the field. Inside the battery area, you’ll also find the slot for the MicroSD and, if it’s a 5G-capable machine, the Nano SIM slot.

The 10.95-inch screen is a 2.5K IPS LCD panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. The screen is pretty bright at around 600nits, but colours and blacks aren’t quite as vibrant and deep as you’d see on an OLED screen. But if you’re using this as the workhorse it’s intended to be, you probably won’t notice that much.

The screen is also reinforced with Corning Gorilla Glass, so it feels strong and sturdy. I did find the screen lagged quite a bit, it was slow to respond, especially when it was wet. The dual USB-C ports are a smart touch too, letting you charge and plug in a peripheral at the same time without having to use a separate adapter or dock.

Design score: 4/5

Features and Performance

• Dual USB-C ports
• Removable battery
• A Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor

The Lenovo ThinkTab X11 is actually loaded with features. You get two USB-C ports, which I mentioned above, perfect for charging while using an external drive or keyboard, you also get a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microSD expansion slot which supports up to 2TB and a front facing NFC for quick tap and go logins or payments.

The battery is, for me, one of the key features. We’ve all been in the middle of a project when the battery suddenly dies. Well, there’s no need to worry about running out of power with this tablet because you can switch the battery out for a fully charged one or use the battery-less mode, which means you can plug it in to charge and use.

The performance is adequate on this tablet. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 and with 8GB, it handled a range of productivity tasks like web browsing, office apps and basic photo editing well. The Tab Pen XE was responsive and was pretty good at writing handwritten notes and basic sketching, but anything with more detail is going to be a struggle.

It has two cameras; the rear 13MP camera has autofocus and a bright LED flash. It doesn’t really measure up to what you’d get from a modern smartphone these days, but it’s ok; it does the job and is ideal if you’re just snapping photos for reference. The placement of the camera is in a bit of an odd spot, as it’s easy to cover it over with your hand when holding the case. The front-facing camera is just 8MP, which is good enough for a quick video call. But it’s worth keeping in mind that this is more of a business tablet; it hasn’t been built with designers and photographers in mind and that shows.

Features score: 4/5

Price and availability

• Double-check you’re buying the right tablet as some of the names are very similar
• 5G models aren’t available in the US

The ThinkTab X11 was released back in April and has a retail price of £680/$580 for the 8GB RAM, 256GB storage and 5G model. This also comes with the rugged smart case and Lenovo Tab Pen XE bundled in. It is worth noting that in the US you only get the Wi-Fi version, but for the price above, that does come with the case and pen bundle.

The best place to buy it is from Lenovo directly, as they seem to be the cheapest, but the model is available to buy on Amazon, just at a higher cost. It is worth just double-checking that you’re buying the right tablet when it comes to buying Lenovo products,

Price score: 3.5/5

Who's it for?

• Field workers, at a push, creatives who spend a lot of time on location
• Anyone who needs a tablet that can withstand rough treatment

This isn’t a tablet that creatives are going to rush to buy. It’s built for people who need a screen that will survive being dropped, rained on or handled with gloves. It’s also perfect for anyone who would prioritise a long-lasting battery over a stunning OLED display. If your work takes you outdoors, on location, or somewhere a normal tablet wouldn’t hold up, then the ThinkTab X11 is worth a look. If you’re looking for something lightweight and easy to create on, then keep on looking.

Buy if…

• You need a tablet that can survive drops, water and dust
• Your role involves being out on location or working in the field.
• Battery life matters more than speed or fancy screens

Don’t buy if…

• You want a tablet for photo editing, illustration or other creative work
• You want a screen with excellent colour accuracy
• You want a sleek, lightweight tablet for casual use

Benchmarks - Geekbench 6 scores

• Single-core: 1159
• Multi-core: 3396