LUMOS Tablet Review: Is It Really Worth the Hype?
When a brand reached out to send me a tablet to review, I admit I wasn’t expecting much. For RM499 (+RM99 for accessories), how good could it really be? I’ve tried switching from a laptop to a tablet before, and my experience was… less than stellar.
Still, the timing was almost too perfect. The parcel arrived literally a day before I was supposed to go to Thailand, so I thought, why not bring it along? Worst case, I’d have something to mess around with while I sip coconut juice by the beach. Best case, it might help me get a bit of work done.
Besides, I was planning to travel to Koh Phangan overland – a bus from KL to Hatyai, a minivan from Hatyai to Surat Thani, and then an overnight ferry to the island. I really didn’t feel like lugging my bulky laptop with me on all those rides. So, I decided to pack the tablet, along with the full accessory bundle: keyboard, mouse, stylus, case, cable, and charger.
First impressions: Is it too cheap to be good?
The LUMOS Tablet has a 10.1-inch IPS display screen and claims to have 4K supported screen resolution, 8GB RAM, and an 8-hour battery life. If I’m being honest, those specs sounded too ambitious for something under RM500.
Before heading off on my trip, I had, of course, powered on the tablet and done the usual setup — checked that it was fully charged, signed in to all my accounts, customized a few settings, and installed the essential apps I’d be using while traveling.
The tablet came with plenty of apps already pre-installed, such as WPS Office, Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, Tiktok, Facebook, and Instagram. There were also a bunch of kids’ learning apps, which I personally wouldn’t be needing anytime soon, but they’d be great for families with little ones.
As I started playing around with the tablet, it actually felt quite promising. The screen was crisp and bright. I played a few YouTube shorts and was sufficiently impressed by the clarity and color. It didn’t lag, and scrolling through apps was smooth. Everything seemed good so far, but I knew the real test was how it would hold up on the road.
Testing it on the road
Getting to Koh Phangan took me over 24 hours, from the bus ride, waiting around at the pier, and finally, the overnight ferry. By the time I got on the boat, I was exhausted, but as luck would have it, I couldn’t sleep. The cabin lights were turned off, reading a physical book wasn’t an option, and charging ports were nowhere near my bed.
So I pulled out the LUMOS Tablet. I didn’t want to use up my phone battery in case I needed it later, and the tablet still had plenty of juice left after a full day of travel. I spent those few quiet hours journaling, going through some saved articles I hadn’t had time to read, and even playing some games when I got bored.
The battery lasted long enough till I finally dozed off.
When I got to Koh Phangan, I turned it into a mini laptop. I connected the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, which was super easy, propped it up in its case, and suddenly I had a portable workstation on the beach.
But I wasn’t about to turn my holiday into a work trip, so the rest of the time when I was not snorkeling or devouring Massaman curry, I turned the tablet into my entertainment center. I used it for all my guilty pleasures: Netflix, Spotify, TikTok, Instagram, and the lot. Everything loaded fast and played smoothly, and the display continued to impress. I even downloaded some offline videos for the flight home, and the battery held up well throughout.
Back home, I tested out the screen casting feature and easily linked it to my Smart TV over Wi-Fi. Watching travel footage on a big screen with no cables needed is certainly pretty handy.
So, is it worth it?
Honestly, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do. But after a week of using it daily on the road — for work, entertainment, and everything in between — I can genuinely say this:
The LUMOS Tablet is a fantastic travel companion!.
It’s light, surprisingly powerful, and affordable enough that I wasn’t paranoid about losing or breaking it during the trip. Add to that the full bundle that turns it into a mini laptop, and it’s kind of ridiculous value for RM499 (+RM99 for accessories).
LUMOS might not have been on my radar before, but after this trip, I get why they’ve racked up so many 5-star reviews. If you’re looking for something that works as hard as you play without emptying your bank account, this tablet’s worth considering. Just maybe don’t wait until the day before your holiday to get one.
