Lenovo Idea Pad

It's not easy being a 7-inch tablet these days. With relatively inexpensive devices like the ASUS MeMo Pad HD 7 and the refreshed Nexus 7 offering a whole lot of bang for your buck, budget tablet makers are facing stiffer competition than ever before. Lenovo hasn't had much luck thus far delivering mobile devices that impress and, indeed, the company's latest offering -- the 7-inch IdeaTab A1000 -- has its work cut out for it. With the 16GB model priced at $160 (currently on sale for $130), the petite IdeaTab prioritizes sound quality over its other functions, perhaps in the hopes that its above-average performance in that area will woo picky buyers. But does the A1000 have what it takes to compete in a crowded market? Read on to find out.

The IdeaTab feels remarkably sturdy for a budget device. At 12 ounces, it has a pretty significant heft to it, though we didn't find it too cumbersome to hold. The dimensions -- 7.8 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches -- make for a device that's easy to hold and guarantees typing will be a comfortable affair. The Lenovo logo is emblazoned on the back in silver, though the effect looks somewhat cheap against the scratch-prone plastic backing. The branding fun doesn't stop there, either. On the tablet's face, along the bottom edge of the black bezel, you'll find another Lenovo logo. We can't say we're huge fans of its placement there as it disrupts the IdeaTab's otherwise clean lines. And besides, it's not like you need to be constantly reminded that you're holding a Lenovo product in your hands.

The power button is situated on the top of the tablet, toward the right-hand side. As we found in our testing, it has a tendency to be a bit temperamental. To wake the device from sleep, we occasionally had to press the button more than once for it to register. Along the right side, above the volume buttons, lies a covered microSD card slot, which can accommodate up to 32GB of additional memory, though the little door was a bit frustrating to close once you've popped it open. Flanking the top and bottom of the display are two speaker grilles, the benefits of which we'll discuss later. Lastly, to the upper-left corner of screen is the only camera onboard: a front-facing 0.3MP shooter.