5 Cool Tablets Unveiled At CES 2018

Tablet Challengers

If the new tablets launched at CES 2018 by major vendors are any indication, the tablet is still far from dead. The device category just needs to offer more value to users -- whether that means 2-in-1 attach-ability with a keyboard, "always-connected" capabilities using LTE, or voice interactivity with a digital assistant. Vendors including Lenovo, HP and Dell used CES 2018 to launch tablets with these sorts of features, along with the latest processors and enhanced battery life.

What follows are five cool new tablets we spotted at CES 2018.

Lenovo Miix 630

One major criticism of the tablet is that when you have a laptop and a smartphone, there's little need for a tablet. But what if the tablet could integrate the key things that make the smartphone and laptop so useful? That's a big part of the thinking with the Miix 630, a 12.3-inch Windows tablet that Lenovo introduced at CES 2018. Not only does the tablet come with a detachable keyboard, it also offers the ability to stay connected at all times over LTE, just like a smartphone. The cellular connectivity is enabled by the use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, which is a new option for Windows devices thanks to a partnership between Microsoft and Qualcomm. Using the Snapdragon chip also brings advantages around extending battery life, with the tablet capable of getting up to 20 hours on a charge. The Miix 630 comes with the Lenovo Pen and runs Windows 10 S out of the box, though free upgrades to Windows 10 Pro are being offered.

The Lenovo Miix 630 will be available in April with a starting price of $799.99.

HP Envy x2

Another "always-connected" new tablet running the Snapdragon 835 is a refresh of HP's Envy x2, which came out in December. At CES 2018, HP debuted another new Envy x2 model featuring seventh-gen Intel Core Y-series processors instead of the Snapdragon 835. The Intel version of the 2-in-1 tablet offers stronger performance than the Snapdragon version, along with the ability to run full Windows applications. As a trade-off, the Intel version of the new Envy x2 doesn't last as long on battery life -- up to 15 hours compared to 20 hours for the Snapdragon version. The 12.3-inch tablet includes Gorilla Glass 4 for durability, fast-charging capabilities, and optional LTE connectivity. The device also comes with a digital pen and a backlit keyboard featuring 1.3mm key travel.

The new HP Envy x2 with Intel processor will be available in the spring. Pricing hasn't been disclosed.

Dell Latitude 5290

Dell used CES 2018 to introduce a new 2-in-1 Latitude tablet model, the Latitude 5290. The 12.3-inch Windows 10 tablet weighs just 2.64 pounds with its detachable keyboard; offers up to quad-core eighth-gen Intel Core i7 processors; and has both USB-C and USB-A ports. The tablet also includes a highly adjustable kickstand, while its display features 1,920 x 1,280 resolution and Gorilla Glass 4 for durability.

The Dell Latitude 5290 has a starting price of $779 and is available now.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet

At CES 2018, Lenovo unveiled a new form factor for its Surface Pro 2-in-1 rival, the ThinkPad X1 Tablet. The third-gen X1 Tablet has been redesigned to have a 13-inch display, compared with the 12-inch display of the previous version. The IPS display will offer 3K (3,000 x 2,000) resolution and include Gorilla Glass for durability. The new X1 Tablet will also feature eighth-gen Intel Core processors, optional LTE connectivity, support for the optional Lenovo Pen Pro, and up to 9.5 hours of battery life -- as well as a detachable thin keyboard. One other notable change with the new X1 Tablet: Lenovo is phasing out the option to attach modules for additional functionality, such as a projector or battery life extender.

The new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet will be available in March with a starting price of $1,599.

Lenovo Smart Display

While not a tablet in the traditional sense, Lenovo's new Smart Display does feature some of the same functionality as a tablet -- such as touch control and the ability to use apps such as YouTube and Google Maps. The device, a rival to Amazon's Alexa-powered Echo Show, stands out from most tablets by offering voice control using the Google Assistant. The device enables voice interaction with the Google Assistant for a variety of tasks -- such as getting the latest weather, traffic or news -- while offering other benefits such as video calling. Lenovo is offering the Smart Display in two sizes: 8-inch (with HD resolution) and 10.1-inch (with FHD resolution).

The Lenovo Smart Display 8 has a starting price of $199.99, and the Lenovo Smart Display 10 has a starting price of $249.99. Both will be available in July.