Lenovo Phab 2 Pro

Good value ; Near-stock Android Marshmallow ; Tango is fun to try and show off...

...but it loses its luster quickly ; Awkwardly-placed fingerprint sensor ; The large smartphone, redefined

The Phab 2 Pro is a strong effort and value on its own, made sweeter by the Tango AR. Your mileage may vary with Google’s experimental tech, but it's undeniably ripe with potential and novelty.

Premium-ish build quality ; Great display for your cash ; Cutting edge tech at a (relatively) mid-tier price

Mid-range CPU is cutting it too close for AR ; Bulky and awkward to hold ; Camera autofocus needs improvement

A low-cost, low-risk way to try out AR, but you need to put up with the compromises

The first phone with Google's Tango software reveals the useful and entertaining possibilities of building AR into a phone.

Unfortunately, the Phab 2 Pro is a bulky, heavy, mediocre handset with disappointing hardware, an old version of Android and no NFC.

The Lenovo Phab 2 Pro is a cool toy for developers to unlock the potential of augmented reality but it's not worth buying as a phone.

First widely available Tango phone ; Reasonably priced for bleeding-edge tech ; Excellent battery life if you don't use Tango ; Reassuring build quality ; Fingerprint sensor works well

Tango is still a work in progress ; Huge size could be a deal-breaker ; Cameras are pretty lousy ; Lenovo's software is rough around the edges

The Lenovo Phab 2 Pro is an incredible thing, and it's just brimming with potential. It's also unpolished and frustrating to use a lot of the time. When the hardware and software don't come together as they should, it makes me wish Google and Lenovo...

Tango is fun when it works ; Interactive app experience ; No headset required for AR

Massive smartphone ; Tango is still half-baked ; Too few Tango apps right now

It’s a 3D world; we’re just living in it

First phone with Google Tango. Crisp Quad HD display. Fingerprint sensor, dual SIM, expandable storage, and dual-band Wi-Fi support.

Huge. Most Tango apps feel unpolished and lack compelling functionality. Subpar camera performance.

The colossal Lenovo 2 Pro is the biggest phablet we've reviewed in years, and one of the most unique. For $500 you get a crisp Quad HD display, promising AR functionality with Google Tango, and a premium build. But Tango still has some ways to go...