Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 review: Stellar processing in a small package

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Lenovo does one thing no different tech model does — make a tablet particularly for gaming. A continuation of its Legion computer systems, the Lenovo Legion Tab places gaming content material right into a smaller, extra moveable bundle.

Earlier generations of the Lenovo Legion Tab have been spectacular tablets, so my expectations had been excessive for the just lately launched Gen 5 mannequin. And here is the factor concerning the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 — whereas it is constructed for gaming, I feel it is an awesome on a regular basis pill.

Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 at a look

The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is among the solely tablets designed for gaming.
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is a pill designed for gaming. With a 12-hour battery life and a Snapdragon processor that retains it on par with MacBooks, it packs a number of energy inside its 8.8-inch display screen. It handles livestreams with ease, however its touchscreen is often unresponsive. It prices $679.99, an enormous value hike between generations, however not a shock contemplating the present memory crisis.

Here is a full rundown of its specs:

• Show: 8.8-inch 3K PureSight display screen with 800 nits brightness

• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

• Working System: Android 16

• Reminiscence: 12GB

• Storage: 256GB

• Battery life: 12 hours and 24 minutes

• Geekbench 6 scores: 3,655 single-core rating and 10,758 multi-core rating

A pill that may compete with a MacBook due to a Snapdragon chip

I used to be shocked at simply how nicely the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 scored on the Geekbench 6.
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Presumably, a gaming pill wants super-sized energy to course of high-demand duties. Fortunately, it lives as much as its potential, gaining an actual energy increase over earlier generations.

On Geekbench 6, the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 has single-core and multi-core scores of three,655 and 10,758, respectively. That places it manner above the Apple iPad, which has a 6,233 multi-core rating, and into the leagues of a MacBook.

The Legion Tab Gen 5’s energy seemingly comes from its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Cellular Platform Processor. After I conferred with my colleague and laptop expert Haley Henschel, she famous that the Windows laptops she’s just lately examined which have competed with MacBooks all had Snapdragon chips. It appears Qualcomm is onto one thing, and Lenovo is benefiting from it with the Legion Tab Gen 5.

Plus, it has battery life to match. In our checks, it had 12 hours and 24 minutes of battery life. That is in depth contemplating a gaming laptop computer usually has just some hours of battery life.

However how does all that energy work in motion?

It is dependable for reside streaming

I spent a number of time streaming on the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5. It dealt with my on a regular basis streaming with out problem. The video loaded shortly, with clear shows, and the subsequent episodes loaded simply — good for once I’m attempting to make amends for Love Island.

As a much bigger check, I needed to see the way it may deal with a livestream of a WNBA recreation. As soon as once more, there have been no points with the livestream. The pill did not decelerate, processing high-resolution video with out stuttering, so I did not miss any essential minutes. This bodes nicely for avid gamers, too, who stream or play reside with different gamers.

When it comes to sound high quality, it wasn’t the perfect I’ve ever heard and did really feel a bit tinny. When you’re an audiophile, headphones will resolve the sound high quality problem.

A superbly designed pill? Nearly.

The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 has not only one however two USB-C ports, a rarity for a pill.
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is smaller than the usual 11-inch iPad. It has an 8.8-inch display screen, which feels sensible, particularly for handheld gaming. Between generations its maintained my favourite design element: two USB-C ports. Nowadays, we’re getting fewer and fewer ports on units, so two USB-C ports seem to be a luxurious. It is an enormous increase for avid gamers who wish to plug in a controller or headphones whereas concurrently charging the pill.

One factor I am not a fan of? The case that comes with the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5.
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

One factor that is not so nice concerning the pill? Its case. I am actually happy that Lenovo features a case when that is such a rarity on units; nonetheless, this one is simply OK. It is a light-weight, unassuming black case with a totally detachable display screen cowl. That display screen cowl additionally doubles as a stand, nevertheless it’s extremely finicky and wobbly. It does not alter to sit down at a number of angles both, so that you’re caught at only one tilt. Plus, I discovered that folding it over is a ache once you’re utilizing it handheld. It may be utterly eliminated, however that additionally makes it simple to lose monitor of.

My one fear? The touchscreen response.

I am not the largest gamer, however I like a cell phone recreation. The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 provides entry to the Lenovo Sport Hub, which options an expansive choice of video games, together with Murderer’s Creed, Skyrim, and Name of Responsibility. For these, you will have to attach a controller to the machine.

For the extra informal avid gamers, I attempted a wide range of cell video games on the machine. As I used to be leaping throughout subway vehicles in Subway Surfer and dealing via puzzles, I observed some occasional lag on the display screen. Towards the middle of the display screen, the machine was often unresponsive. After closing the app and restarting, the difficulty appeared to resolve itself. Nonetheless, as a result of it occurred throughout a number of apps, it seems to be a tool problem somewhat than an software problem.

Worth improve — not shocking contemplating the state of issues

The final Lenovo Legion Tab I examined was the Gen 3, which had a really good value of $549.99. Sadly, the Gen 5 prices extra, now $679.99. The value hike is not totally unsurprising, contemplating the state of tech and the present reminiscence disaster, which is affecting almost each tech producer. $679.99 is a reasonably steep value for a pill, however contemplating it is almost as highly effective because the iPad Air, which simply elevated to $749, it is nonetheless cheaper than different equally highly effective fashions.

However it’s dearer than Lenovo’s Yoga Tab, which is the best Android tablet we have examined and solely prices $419.99.

Is the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 value it?

In search of a gaming pill? The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is value it.
Credit score: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Lenovo has cornered the market on gaming tablets. The Legion Tab Gen 5, the model’s newest iteration, is essentially the most highly effective mannequin but with spectacular processing speeds and prolonged battery life. When you do not want a gaming-specific pill, I counsel going for the Lenovo Yoga Tab, which is not almost as highly effective however comes at a extra reasonably priced value level.

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