Thursday, January 7th 2021
Lenovo Announces 5G Enabled Notebooks and Tablets
Digital transformation is now more personal than ever during the new normal - renewing our collective desire for levity and to get more things done from home. Although our everyday lives have changed, we can still watch the latest movies, applaud our kids' teachers or cheer on coworkers via connected technologies from home. Smarter Lenovo consumer products and software can help you to adapt and stay connected in an ever-changing world.
Seeing what's possible with technology that's stylish, always ready and always adapting to people's evolving needs to learn, relax and work better from home, inspires us to create smarter experiences for all. At CES this year, we're announcing several standout IdeaPad laptops including one with 5G1, a tablet with brilliant 2K display and several productivity accessories—plus rolling out the latest software updates to Lenovo Vantage to help you personalize your computing experience even further.
We're also offering more ways to stay connected - whether it's to your smart home, your calendar, or friends and family with the new visual, voice-forward, Alexa experience in full screen. Lenovo is the first to introduce Show Mode created especially for PCs.2 Stay connected with Show Mode and make your Lenovo PC part of your ambient home.
Cozy up to the IdeaPad 5G, Say Bye to Slow At-Home Wi-Fi
Consumers need a fast, efficient and connected laptop to take them beyond their current reality - at accessible prices. With family members sharing home Wi-Fi networks at peak hours, it's more important than ever to have a reliable 4G/LTE and 5G cellular connection to enable lightning-fast speeds during your next presentation to the boss. That's why we created the new ultra-portable Lenovo IdeaPad 5G.
Offering up to 20 hours of battery life of continuous video playback, you'll stay entertained watching videos on your sofa all day on this 14-inch clamshell laptop with available lightning-fast 5G speeds (supports sub-6 GHz), reliable 4G LTE4, plus strong Wi-Fi 55 connectivity. This practical yet sleek device makes it easier for multitaskers to stay connected at home or on the go by combining what you love about your smartphone, (it even has a SIM card holder!) like instant on responsive performance, with the efficiency of a thin and light fan-less laptop with Windows 10. Where 5G is unavailable, you'll enjoy more security and dependability via 4G LTE connectivity, which comes default on the new IdeaPad 5G laptop.
The performance and efficiency of the IdeaPad 5G is enabled by the leading Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G compute platform and utilizes powerful Qualcomm Adreno 680 graphics and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 Modem-RF system for connectivity. This innovative 5G-connected laptop empowers you to download movies, make calls and send emails from virtually anywhere at speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G, through a 5G service provider.6 You can download large files in a flash and stream shows with the clarity of Full HD through its 14-inch (1920 x 1080) IPS display that's 300 nits bright for a rich picture with 100 percent sRGB quality color gamut. Also available is the 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad 4G/LTE model powered by the Snapdragon 8c compute platform, delivering smooth, responsive performance as you learn and play. With the IdeaPad 5G and the IdeaPad 4G/LTE, you'll also get up to 8 GB LPDDR4X memory and 512 GB of PCIe SSD storage.
Offered in a sleek Light Silver hue with the same "bouncy" and comfortable IdeaPad keyboard customers love, the laptop's clever fan-less design keeps everything cooler and quieter (similar to a tablet). Enjoy crisp sound from user-facing speakers optimized with Dolby Audio. Plus, a dual array microphone ensures clear online calling, no matter if you're chatting with friends or quickly checking in with the office.
Instant on with Modern Standby means your IdeaPad 5G laptop is ready to work and explore when you are. Stay worry-free and unlock your laptop with just your face via your infrared (IR) camera for added security. You'll find it located atop razor-thin borders for a roomy 90 percent screen ratio for expansive panel viewing. Super portable at 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) and 0.59 inches (14.9 mm) thin with a 51WHr battery, plus Rapid Charge Express, you'll probably get tired before it does. Easily recharge your laptop, or your smartphone, with the single cord solution via a full-function USB Type-C port.
Picture This! New Show Mode for PC from Alexa
Lenovo brings you Show Mode for PC with exciting features from Alexa to help you stay connected at home.2 With this new feature, Show Mode transforms your Lenovo PC into a hands-free, full-screen Alexa experience. It turns your PC into an Echo Show-like display so that the whole family can now see and enjoy talking to Alexa.
As powerful as a mouse click or keystroke, Alexa for PC lets you get more done with your PC with just your voice. Ask Alexa to play music from Amazon Music, favorite apps, and local radio and glance at song titles and album art from across the room or up close; your PC mics with far-field technology help Alexa to hear your voice commands clearly even while music is playing.
You can also set reminders and control your smart home while multitasking on your laptop. Students learning remotely can ask Alexa questions to help them with their homework. Or, simply view rotating interesting updates and content such as the weather forecast for the week, things to try with Alexa, recommendations for music to listen to, and more as you move through your day.
Expected to start in Q2 2021, Lenovo users across a wide portfolio of PCs, including select Yoga and IdeaPad laptops to start, will gain access to the features enabled by the Show Mode for PC experience.
Ready for Home Performance, Whatever the Screen Size: IdeaPad 5i Pro and IdeaPad 5 Pro
Introducing Lenovo's most powerful IdeaPad laptops yet, the IdeaPad 5i Pro9 and IdeaPad 5 Pro. It's the new reliable laptop series that oozes style and performance in a range of configuration options. Choose your perfect entertainment specs, display size (14-inch and 16-inch), and an all-metal chassis exterior in either fashionable Cloud Grey or Storm Grey hue.
For the first time on a Lenovo IdeaPad laptop, the display is offered with wider 16:10 aspect ratio to better accommodate for multitasking with Windows and the occasional movie night. With less bezel on all sides for an impressive 90 percent screen-to-body ratio and colorful 100 percent sRGB quality, the IdeaPad 5i Pro and IdeaPad 5 Pro deliver better learning and entertainment experiences from wherever you are in the house, thanks to more stable Wi-Fi 65 connectivity. Display is certified safer by TÜV Rheinland for having Eye Care technology to reduce blue light to help protect your eyesight while working long hours.
Effortlessly portable and weighing just 1.45 kg for the 14-inch size and 2 kg for the larger 16-inch, and with smarter features like an IR camera with Windows Hello to help keep you better protected while logging in hands-free. Plus, the IR camera's clever time-of-flight (ToF) sensors provide everyday efficiencies via attention-sensing software from Glance by Mirametrix, like pausing your video when you walk away to get more coffee. Your laptop will even call out with an alarm if it's ever moved when your back is turned.
Show Mode on Lenovo PCs makes interacting hands-free with Alexa on your PC easy and more convenient. Alexa can help you remember important events, meetings, and tasks, with reminders that alert you even when you are away from your PC.
Your laptop is set to Intelligent Cooling Mode by default to help you leverage balanced AI-enhancements to optimize battery life; to shift your laptop's performance, just use Lenovo Q-Control by pressing Fn+Q to go up to Maximum Performance mode or down into Battery Saving mode. And when you opt for the display with the higher refresh rate spec12, you'll have the ability to slow down screen refreshes for added control over battery life while engaged in lighter work—just press Fn+R.
Enjoy a larger trackpad over previous generations, plus the bouncier feel of soft-landing switches via the improved keyboard with optional backlighting. Experience quality entertainment and immerse yourself in a whole new world of sound with Dolby Atmos and sharp imagery of the up to 2.8K high-definition display resolution offered across the 14-inch laptop models.
Also, on the Intel -based Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Pro, you can expect:
On the 14-inch IdeaPad 5 Pro:
Across the Lenovo portfolio, one app that's always got your back is Lenovo Vantage and this month, it's getting a refresh across several of its features. In the latest update, Lenovo Vantage offers users with some of the newest Lenovo devices15 a better view into the performance of their Smart Battery, displaying such status updates as battery capacity retention, predicted lifespan and temperature.
Lenovo Smart Assist is another feature where the new Vantage updates will further enhance the user experience across the entire Lenovo consumer PC portfolio. Its intuitive updates include improvements to the hands-free login feature with Windows Hello, as well as expanded application and browser support for its hands-free video playback and Super Resolution 2.0 video upscaling capabilities.16
This update also sees an expansion of the recently launched Vantage Smart Performance Services to global markets, granting more users access to one-click scans, fixes for malware and zero-day virus removal, for all-in-one PC performance, maintenance and enhanced security. And with new progressive web app caching that loads Vantage in mere seconds, you'll be able to access all of these new and existing Vantage features faster, no matter where you are in the world.
Learn to Live your Best New Life from Home: Lenovo Tab P11
Living well during this new at-home normal takes relying on our technology more for fun, learning and light productivity. It can be challenging enough these days without worrying about sharing technology that's hard for some family members to use. Upgrade with the new Lenovo Tab P11—it's the happy medium between giving your family access to the latest tech they need, without costing a fortune or sacrificing the experience you want from a sleek and powerful tablet.
The brilliant Lenovo Tab P11 helps you get more stuff done with smarter features and pen support - making your day better when seeking news, social connections, and hours of entertainment with more pixels. It offers an 11-inch high-definition 2K (2000 x 1200) touchscreen IPS liquid crystal display (LCD) that's larger and brighter too at 400 nits.18 With integrated Eye Care mode technology certified by TÜV Rheinland11, the display also helps lower harmful blue light to reduce eye strain.
The exterior of the Lenovo Tab P11 looks as sharp as its clear display, styled with a contemporary dual-tone finish in either Slate Grey or Platinum Grey hue10 with a sturdy aluminum-alloy chassis for a sleeker profile. Powered by the efficient Snapdragon 662 Mobile Platform with advanced LTE, integrated Qualcomm FastConnect subsystem and packed with up to 6 GB RAM for speedy browsing, the Lenovo Tab P11 is also one of just a handful of tablets certified to stream Netflix shows in HD (high definition).
Listen to your favorite tunes from anywhere in the home for up to 15 hours of usage at full charge, as you endlessly auto-switch between the familiar interface of preloaded Microsoft Office apps (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint) and the popular productivity apps from Google Play.
The family-friendly Lenovo Tab P11 also comes with Kids Space from Google,20 a new kids mode that features apps, books, and videos to help kids under nine years of age learn and have fun (while the adults finish online work meetings in the other room).20
For catching up with friends or while learning remotely, you'll love the ease of hands-free login and first-class video calling via the 8MP front camera. Don't want your mom commenting on your messy living room during your weekend video chats? Just use the Smart Privacy feature to blur your background. Play music and videos in high fidelity with immersive sound powered by quad speakers and with Dolby Atmos for great sounding audio in landscape or portrait mode.
The Lenovo Tab P11 is great for getting more done at home with the optional, ultra-thin Keyboard Pack23 with built-in trackpad that just snaps into place when you need to fire off an email before lunch. The magnetic stand cover and integrated kickstand prop up the tablet to resemble a slim detachable.
The intuitive Lenovo Precision Pen 223 is capable of sensing tilt and your subtle pressure adjustments for a smoother digital writing and doodling experience. With a long battery life up to 200 hours with a battery capacity of 60 Ah, and USB Type-C plug for charging, this optional pen stands ready for when inspiration strikes.
This affordable Android tablet supports other must-have optional accessories built for the new normal too, including the handy Lenovo Smart Charging Station 223 that enables hands-free movie watching and stable charging while docked, and a new Folio Case23 outfitted in a modern fabric to provide extra protection for when you toss it in your tote bag and go.
U.S. Pricing and Availability
Seeing what's possible with technology that's stylish, always ready and always adapting to people's evolving needs to learn, relax and work better from home, inspires us to create smarter experiences for all. At CES this year, we're announcing several standout IdeaPad laptops including one with 5G1, a tablet with brilliant 2K display and several productivity accessories—plus rolling out the latest software updates to Lenovo Vantage to help you personalize your computing experience even further.
Cozy up to the IdeaPad 5G, Say Bye to Slow At-Home Wi-Fi
Consumers need a fast, efficient and connected laptop to take them beyond their current reality - at accessible prices. With family members sharing home Wi-Fi networks at peak hours, it's more important than ever to have a reliable 4G/LTE and 5G cellular connection to enable lightning-fast speeds during your next presentation to the boss. That's why we created the new ultra-portable Lenovo IdeaPad 5G.
Offering up to 20 hours of battery life of continuous video playback, you'll stay entertained watching videos on your sofa all day on this 14-inch clamshell laptop with available lightning-fast 5G speeds (supports sub-6 GHz), reliable 4G LTE4, plus strong Wi-Fi 55 connectivity. This practical yet sleek device makes it easier for multitaskers to stay connected at home or on the go by combining what you love about your smartphone, (it even has a SIM card holder!) like instant on responsive performance, with the efficiency of a thin and light fan-less laptop with Windows 10. Where 5G is unavailable, you'll enjoy more security and dependability via 4G LTE connectivity, which comes default on the new IdeaPad 5G laptop.
The performance and efficiency of the IdeaPad 5G is enabled by the leading Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G compute platform and utilizes powerful Qualcomm Adreno 680 graphics and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 Modem-RF system for connectivity. This innovative 5G-connected laptop empowers you to download movies, make calls and send emails from virtually anywhere at speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G, through a 5G service provider.6 You can download large files in a flash and stream shows with the clarity of Full HD through its 14-inch (1920 x 1080) IPS display that's 300 nits bright for a rich picture with 100 percent sRGB quality color gamut. Also available is the 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad 4G/LTE model powered by the Snapdragon 8c compute platform, delivering smooth, responsive performance as you learn and play. With the IdeaPad 5G and the IdeaPad 4G/LTE, you'll also get up to 8 GB LPDDR4X memory and 512 GB of PCIe SSD storage.
Offered in a sleek Light Silver hue with the same "bouncy" and comfortable IdeaPad keyboard customers love, the laptop's clever fan-less design keeps everything cooler and quieter (similar to a tablet). Enjoy crisp sound from user-facing speakers optimized with Dolby Audio. Plus, a dual array microphone ensures clear online calling, no matter if you're chatting with friends or quickly checking in with the office.
Instant on with Modern Standby means your IdeaPad 5G laptop is ready to work and explore when you are. Stay worry-free and unlock your laptop with just your face via your infrared (IR) camera for added security. You'll find it located atop razor-thin borders for a roomy 90 percent screen ratio for expansive panel viewing. Super portable at 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) and 0.59 inches (14.9 mm) thin with a 51WHr battery, plus Rapid Charge Express, you'll probably get tired before it does. Easily recharge your laptop, or your smartphone, with the single cord solution via a full-function USB Type-C port.
Picture This! New Show Mode for PC from Alexa
Lenovo brings you Show Mode for PC with exciting features from Alexa to help you stay connected at home.2 With this new feature, Show Mode transforms your Lenovo PC into a hands-free, full-screen Alexa experience. It turns your PC into an Echo Show-like display so that the whole family can now see and enjoy talking to Alexa.
As powerful as a mouse click or keystroke, Alexa for PC lets you get more done with your PC with just your voice. Ask Alexa to play music from Amazon Music, favorite apps, and local radio and glance at song titles and album art from across the room or up close; your PC mics with far-field technology help Alexa to hear your voice commands clearly even while music is playing.
You can also set reminders and control your smart home while multitasking on your laptop. Students learning remotely can ask Alexa questions to help them with their homework. Or, simply view rotating interesting updates and content such as the weather forecast for the week, things to try with Alexa, recommendations for music to listen to, and more as you move through your day.
Expected to start in Q2 2021, Lenovo users across a wide portfolio of PCs, including select Yoga and IdeaPad laptops to start, will gain access to the features enabled by the Show Mode for PC experience.
Ready for Home Performance, Whatever the Screen Size: IdeaPad 5i Pro and IdeaPad 5 Pro
Introducing Lenovo's most powerful IdeaPad laptops yet, the IdeaPad 5i Pro9 and IdeaPad 5 Pro. It's the new reliable laptop series that oozes style and performance in a range of configuration options. Choose your perfect entertainment specs, display size (14-inch and 16-inch), and an all-metal chassis exterior in either fashionable Cloud Grey or Storm Grey hue.
For the first time on a Lenovo IdeaPad laptop, the display is offered with wider 16:10 aspect ratio to better accommodate for multitasking with Windows and the occasional movie night. With less bezel on all sides for an impressive 90 percent screen-to-body ratio and colorful 100 percent sRGB quality, the IdeaPad 5i Pro and IdeaPad 5 Pro deliver better learning and entertainment experiences from wherever you are in the house, thanks to more stable Wi-Fi 65 connectivity. Display is certified safer by TÜV Rheinland for having Eye Care technology to reduce blue light to help protect your eyesight while working long hours.
Effortlessly portable and weighing just 1.45 kg for the 14-inch size and 2 kg for the larger 16-inch, and with smarter features like an IR camera with Windows Hello to help keep you better protected while logging in hands-free. Plus, the IR camera's clever time-of-flight (ToF) sensors provide everyday efficiencies via attention-sensing software from Glance by Mirametrix, like pausing your video when you walk away to get more coffee. Your laptop will even call out with an alarm if it's ever moved when your back is turned.
Show Mode on Lenovo PCs makes interacting hands-free with Alexa on your PC easy and more convenient. Alexa can help you remember important events, meetings, and tasks, with reminders that alert you even when you are away from your PC.
Your laptop is set to Intelligent Cooling Mode by default to help you leverage balanced AI-enhancements to optimize battery life; to shift your laptop's performance, just use Lenovo Q-Control by pressing Fn+Q to go up to Maximum Performance mode or down into Battery Saving mode. And when you opt for the display with the higher refresh rate spec12, you'll have the ability to slow down screen refreshes for added control over battery life while engaged in lighter work—just press Fn+R.
Enjoy a larger trackpad over previous generations, plus the bouncier feel of soft-landing switches via the improved keyboard with optional backlighting. Experience quality entertainment and immerse yourself in a whole new world of sound with Dolby Atmos and sharp imagery of the up to 2.8K high-definition display resolution offered across the 14-inch laptop models.
Also, on the Intel -based Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Pro, you can expect:
- The remarkable performance of up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor
- Up to NVIDIA MX450 graphics to accelerate your laptop for work and play
- Up to 14-inch 2.8K (16:10) IPS display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 400 nits of brightness
- Or, go big with up to 16-inch 2.5K (16:10) IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate at 350 nits bright
- Get up to 16 GB DDR4 of memory and up to 1 TB SSD PCIe M.2 of storage on either size
- The 14-inch laptop offers a 56.5 WHr battery and Rapid Charge Boost
- With 75WHr battery capacity on the 16-inch with support for Rapid Charge Express
- The 16-inch model also offers single cable Thunderbolt 4 technology
On the 14-inch IdeaPad 5 Pro:
- Choose from the next-gen AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors (coming soon)
- Up to NVIDIA MX450 GPU
- Up to 16 GB DDR4 of memory and up to 1 TB SSD PCIe M.2 of storage
- Up to 14-inch 2.8K (16:10) IPS display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 400 nits of brightness
- Offers 56.5 WHr battery capacity and Rapid Charge Boost
- Choose from the next-gen AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors (coming soon)
- Enjoy several graphics options, including up to the next-gen NVIDIA GeForce RTX Laptop GPUs (coming soon)
- Up to 32 GB DDR4 of memory and up to 1 TB SSD PCIe M.2 of storage
- Up to 16-inch 2.5K (16:10) IPS display with high 120 Hz refresh rate at 350 nits bright
- Offers 75WHr battery capacity and Rapid Charge Express
Across the Lenovo portfolio, one app that's always got your back is Lenovo Vantage and this month, it's getting a refresh across several of its features. In the latest update, Lenovo Vantage offers users with some of the newest Lenovo devices15 a better view into the performance of their Smart Battery, displaying such status updates as battery capacity retention, predicted lifespan and temperature.
Lenovo Smart Assist is another feature where the new Vantage updates will further enhance the user experience across the entire Lenovo consumer PC portfolio. Its intuitive updates include improvements to the hands-free login feature with Windows Hello, as well as expanded application and browser support for its hands-free video playback and Super Resolution 2.0 video upscaling capabilities.16
This update also sees an expansion of the recently launched Vantage Smart Performance Services to global markets, granting more users access to one-click scans, fixes for malware and zero-day virus removal, for all-in-one PC performance, maintenance and enhanced security. And with new progressive web app caching that loads Vantage in mere seconds, you'll be able to access all of these new and existing Vantage features faster, no matter where you are in the world.
Learn to Live your Best New Life from Home: Lenovo Tab P11
Living well during this new at-home normal takes relying on our technology more for fun, learning and light productivity. It can be challenging enough these days without worrying about sharing technology that's hard for some family members to use. Upgrade with the new Lenovo Tab P11—it's the happy medium between giving your family access to the latest tech they need, without costing a fortune or sacrificing the experience you want from a sleek and powerful tablet.
The brilliant Lenovo Tab P11 helps you get more stuff done with smarter features and pen support - making your day better when seeking news, social connections, and hours of entertainment with more pixels. It offers an 11-inch high-definition 2K (2000 x 1200) touchscreen IPS liquid crystal display (LCD) that's larger and brighter too at 400 nits.18 With integrated Eye Care mode technology certified by TÜV Rheinland11, the display also helps lower harmful blue light to reduce eye strain.
The exterior of the Lenovo Tab P11 looks as sharp as its clear display, styled with a contemporary dual-tone finish in either Slate Grey or Platinum Grey hue10 with a sturdy aluminum-alloy chassis for a sleeker profile. Powered by the efficient Snapdragon 662 Mobile Platform with advanced LTE, integrated Qualcomm FastConnect subsystem and packed with up to 6 GB RAM for speedy browsing, the Lenovo Tab P11 is also one of just a handful of tablets certified to stream Netflix shows in HD (high definition).
Listen to your favorite tunes from anywhere in the home for up to 15 hours of usage at full charge, as you endlessly auto-switch between the familiar interface of preloaded Microsoft Office apps (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint) and the popular productivity apps from Google Play.
The family-friendly Lenovo Tab P11 also comes with Kids Space from Google,20 a new kids mode that features apps, books, and videos to help kids under nine years of age learn and have fun (while the adults finish online work meetings in the other room).20
For catching up with friends or while learning remotely, you'll love the ease of hands-free login and first-class video calling via the 8MP front camera. Don't want your mom commenting on your messy living room during your weekend video chats? Just use the Smart Privacy feature to blur your background. Play music and videos in high fidelity with immersive sound powered by quad speakers and with Dolby Atmos for great sounding audio in landscape or portrait mode.
The Lenovo Tab P11 is great for getting more done at home with the optional, ultra-thin Keyboard Pack23 with built-in trackpad that just snaps into place when you need to fire off an email before lunch. The magnetic stand cover and integrated kickstand prop up the tablet to resemble a slim detachable.
The intuitive Lenovo Precision Pen 223 is capable of sensing tilt and your subtle pressure adjustments for a smoother digital writing and doodling experience. With a long battery life up to 200 hours with a battery capacity of 60 Ah, and USB Type-C plug for charging, this optional pen stands ready for when inspiration strikes.
This affordable Android tablet supports other must-have optional accessories built for the new normal too, including the handy Lenovo Smart Charging Station 223 that enables hands-free movie watching and stable charging while docked, and a new Folio Case23 outfitted in a modern fabric to provide extra protection for when you toss it in your tote bag and go.
U.S. Pricing and Availability
- The 14-inch IdeaPad 5G is expected to be available in select markets, not available in North America at this time. Pricing will vary per market.25
- The 16-inch IdeaPad 5 Pro laptop with up to latest AMD Ryzen H-Series Mobile Processors and up to next-gen NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs will start at $1149.99 and is expected to be available starting May 2021. The 14-inch IdeaPad 5 Pro is not available in North America at this time but is expected to be available in EMEA in March 2021 and will start at €799.00 (including VAT).
- The 16-inch IdeaPad 5i Pro laptop is not available in North America but is expected to be available in EMEA starting March 2021 and will start at €899 (including VAT). The 14-inch model is also not available in North America but is expected to be available in EMEA in March 2021 and will start at €699 (including VAT).25
- The Lenovo Tab P11 will start at $229.99 and is available now.
5 Comments on Lenovo Announces 5G Enabled Notebooks and Tablets
When I think of the difficulties of remoter learning - they end up having to move Wifi Buses into some neighborhoods to give students uplinks to the internet. It would be so much easier to do it with LTE equipped laptops and tablets - and probably easier to monitor as well.
When I buy iPads as gifts, I always get a LTE model just in case they want to upgrade to wireless/LTE.