14 DAY TRIAL // The 8-inch tablet market is getting a lot of attention these days and there are more and more capable slates coming from brand vendors that are worth taking a look at. We can include the Dell Venue 8 Pro and the Lenovo ThinkPad 8 in this category, since they are very similar products.
That’s why we thought we should do a comparison of the products, highlighting the key differences between them.
Build and Design While at first glance, the two tablets might look pretty similar, the Dell model comes with a plastic blacking with grooves, while the Lenovo one boasts a sleeker design that looks to be a lot sturdier than the Venue's.
The Lenovo measures 8.8 x 5.2 x 0.35 inches / 22.35 x 13.2 x 0.88 cm while the Dell is 8.5 x 5.1 x 0.35 inches / 21.58 x 33.52 x 0.88 cm, making the ThinkPad slightly taller compared to the Dell.
As for weight, they both are 0.9 lbs / 0.4 kg. Taking a look in the port department, the Lenovo one has an extra microHDMI port, which allows users to add a second screen. However, both tablets have microUSB and microSD port.
Display
Both tablets come with an 8-inch screen, but the ThinkPad 8 is equipped with a capable resolution of 1920 x 1200 and 280 dpi, while the Venue 8 Pro is limited to only 1280 x 800 pixel resolution and 188 dpi.
The Dell Venue 8 Pro screen isn't low quality, but surely the Lenovo tablet wins here, offering a resolution similar to the iPad mini with Retina Display.
Power and Performance
When it comes to underlying chips, the Dell tablet draws power from an Intel quad-core Atom Z3740D processor clocked at 1.8GHz, while the Lenovo slate nestles a Bay Trail processor (Z3770 quad-core processor) under the hood, which is pretty similar.
Both are fitted with 2GB of RAM, but the Dell offers 32GB of internal storage, while the Lenovo has 64GB instead.
In the photography department, the ThinkPad has an 8MP main camera, while the Dell only has a 5MP one.
Software and Accessories
Both tablets run Windows 8.1 out of the box and they come bundling a full copy of Microsoft Home and Student Office 2013.
As for accessories, the Dell Venue 8 Pro offers a smart stylus companion, but we all know users have been complaining of pen malfunction for quite some time now and Dell has yet to permanently fix the issue.
As for the Lenovo slate, it comes with an optional QuickShot Cover which allows photo enthusiasts to snap pictures using the tablet more rapidly and preserve the moment.
Pricing
The Lenovo ThinkPad 8 with 64GB will sell for around $400 / €289, while the Dell Venue 8 Pro with 32GB can sell as low as $300 / €217, saving you a few bucks in the process. But the Lenovo slate does offer a few better specifications than the Dell does.