Sometimes a 10-inch tablet is too large and a 7-inch tablet is too small. For those Goldilocks circumstances, the few 9-inch tablets on the market can make due. The Lenovo IdeaTab A2109A fits the bill, capable of both content creation and media consumption in a smaller, relatively light, and somewhat cheap package at only $299.
First Impressions
Upon opening the A2109A’s box, I immediately felt torn. On the one hand, I love the back of the tablet. It’s smooth, with dual SRS speakers and an elegant dark grey finish. The front, however, has a gaudy and overly large glossy bezel that mars the smaller format of the device. The A2109A is also a bit too thick at 0.46 inches compared to tablets such as the iPad Mini, which is close to half as thin.
The A2109A is fairly easy to get started. The power button is on the upper left and the basic Android setup is extremely easy to get into.
Software Experience
Speaking of Android, Lenovo’s 9-inch tablet runs Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) instead of the newer Jelly Bean operating system (Android 4.1/4.2). The software runs smoothly, though there is some slowdown when switching between home screens due to the fancy animations.
Apps run well on the 9-inch screen even when they’re tablet optimized, but there’s definitely a dearth of apps compared to the iPad. In general, the apps for Android are not as powerful, well-designed, or optimized for the larger screen area. This issue obviously isn’t exclusive to the A2109A, but it’s something important to consider when purchasing a tablet.
Performance
Other than minor software niggles with home screen animations, the A2109A runs smoothly on its quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor. Apps load quickly, WiFi is as fast as an iPad 3, and it performs well overall for a $299 tablet. However, I do encounter extreme slowdowns at times, specifically while browsing in Chrome with more than three tabs open. Even with decent performance, now that the Nexus 7 exists, good performance on a cheap tablet isn’t some far-fetched goal. And at $100 cheaper for either the Nexus 7 or products from Amazon or Barnes & Noble’s, a 9-inch screen for so much extra money isn’t as enticing.
The battery life on the A2109A holds up decently, getting me through a day of moderate usage, or about five and a half hours of streaming video at a time. However, battery life doesn’t last quite as long as an iPad 3 or the Nexus 7, which get me through a bit more than a day and closer to seven hours of streaming video.
The Strengths
The speakers are good. Not as absolutely fantastic as the speakers on the last Lenovo tablet I tested, but superior to much of the competition.
The Weaknesses
The 1280 x 800 screen is weak in a day where 720p is the standard for 7-inch screens and 10-inch Retina displays are popping up all over the place.
Even though the screen is smaller at 9 inches, the footprint of the device is comparable to some larger-screened tablets and heavy at 1.25 pounds.
Pricing & Availability
The A2109A is only $299, but for $100 less there are various 7-inch tablets on the market that give the A2109A a run for its money, and the iPad mini (whether you love or hate it) is only $30 more.
Wrap Up
Unless you’re specifically in the market for a 9-inch tablet for a specific ergonomic reason, there aren’t enough reasons to buy the A2109A. It’s not a bad tablet, and it works pretty well, but for $299 in a market where your tablet is either premium or $199, the IdeaTab A2109A working pretty well just doesn’t cut it. It’s too thick, too heavy, and too expensive for what it brings to the table.
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