The Lenovo Legion Tab is designed to cater to mobile gamers who want a powerful gaming tablet in a compact form. While gaming smartphones are abundant, the Legion Tablet aims to fill a niche for those who prefer a bigger screen without sacrificing portability. But does it live up to the “gaming” label? Let’s dive into the Lenovo Legion Tab review and see if it holds its ground in the competitive world of Android Tablets.
Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 2: Design
The Lenovo Legion Tab boasts a sleek and compact design, perfect for gaming on the go. The tablet features a metal unibody with a matte finish in Storm Grey, which gives it a premium feel while being resistant to fingerprints. Its 8.8-inch form factor makes it highly portable, fitting comfortably in one hand, unlike larger tablets that may feel cumbersome during extended gaming sessions. The minimalist design is reminiscent of Lenovo’s Legion laptops, with clean lines and a subtle Legion logo on the back, although it lacks any gamer-specific aesthetic touches like RGB lighting, which is often seen on gaming laptops.
Despite being marketed as a gaming tablet, the Legion Tab does not include a headphone jack, a feature that many gamers might expect. However, the device includes two USB-C ports—one on the bottom and one on the side—allowing for flexible charging options while gaming. Additional design elements include dual stereo speakers positioned on the sides for an immersive audio experience, alongside a MicroSD card slot for storage expansion, power button, and volume rockers. The tablet’s compact and well-balanced design makes it a comfortable device for long gaming sessions.
Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 2: Display
The Lenovo Legion Tab display is one of the standout features of this gaming tablet. It sports an 8.8-inch IPS LCD panel with a 2.5K (QHD+) resolution, delivering sharp visuals and clear details. The display supports a 144Hz refresh rate, making for smooth scrolling and a responsive gaming experience, especially when playing fast-paced games. While it’s not an AMOLED display, the IPS LCD provides vibrant colors and good contrast, offering a satisfying viewing experience for both gaming and media consumption.
The display also features Lenovo PureSight Gaming certification, designed to enhance the visual experience during gaming. With a peak brightness of 500 nits, the screen remains clear and readable even in outdoor conditions, despite the slight reflectiveness of the LCD. This makes it versatile for use in a variety of environments, whether you're gaming indoors or browsing outside in bright sunlight.
In addition to its visual capabilities, the Lenovo Legion Tab is equipped with Dolby Atmos-tuned dual stereo speakers. These speakers offer rich sound quality with a strong emphasis on bass, enhancing the immersive experience when gaming or watching videos. Overall, the Legion Tab display and audio setup make it a compelling choice for gamers and content consumers alike.
Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 2: Performance
Powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, the Lenovo Legion Tab delivers solid performance in gaming and daily tasks. While this chipset isn’t the latest on the market, it’s still capable of handling the most demanding mobile games of 2024. For example, I was able to run BGMI at an average of 85 to 90 FPS in Smooth Extreme+ mode without any lag or stuttering, which was easily tracked using the Game Centre’s built-in FPS counter.
However, the tablet does heat up after 20-30 minutes of gameplay in Performance Mode, though reducing the frame rate to 60 FPS keeps it cooler without compromising much on performance. Even with graphically demanding games like Genshin Impact and Diablo Immortal, the Legion Tablet handled ultra-high settings at a consistent 60 FPS. The touch response, particularly in action-packed games like Mortal Kombat, was fast and precise.
Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 2: Battery and Charging
The Lenovo Legion Tab battery life is fairly impressive, thanks to its 6,550mAh battery. On a single charge, the gaming tablet can last up to a day and a half with moderate use. Even during intensive gaming sessions, the battery holds up well, though you’ll need to recharge after a few hours of gaming in Performance Mode. The Legion Tab comes with a 45W charger, which takes about 2.5 hours to fully charge the tablet—a bit long by today’s standards, but acceptable considering the device’s overall performance.
Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 2: Software and Features
The Lenovo Legion Tab runs on Android 14 with Lenovo’s Vantage software pre-installed, optimized for a gaming tablet experience. The interface is relatively clutter-free, and I particularly liked the Entertainment Space, which curates content recommendations in a carousel format for easy access. However, the software does feel like it’s missing certain gamer-centric features, such as quick performance mode toggles or system health insights.
One downside is Lenovo’s software update policy. While the Legion Tablet will receive OS upgrades up to Android 15, this is not ideal for users who want long-term software support. On the plus side, the tablet will get four years of security patches, offering some reassurance.
Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 2: Cameras
The Legion Tab camera quality isn’t its strongest suit, but that’s expected from a gaming tablet. The tablet includes a 13MP rear camera, an 8MP front camera, and a 2MP macro lens, the latter of which feels like an unnecessary addition. The front camera works well for video calls, and the rear camera is decent for casual photos, but don’t expect high-quality photography from this device. Tablets are generally not designed for professional photography, and the Legion Tab is no exception.
Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 2 Review Verdict: Should you buy?
The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 2 is a solid performer for gaming enthusiasts looking for a compact, powerful device. It’s perfect for users who want a tablet that’s not as big as the typical 10-inch models but still offers a larger screen than a phone for gaming. With 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, there’s plenty of space for your favorite games, and the performance is smooth across the board.
However, with a price tag of Rs 39,999, it’s worth considering alternatives like the OnePlus Pad 2 if you prioritize higher-end performance. While the Legion Tab offers great features and battery life for the price, the competition is stiff in the Android tablet market. Nevertheless, if gaming is your primary focus, the Lenovo Legion Tab won’t disappoint.
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