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

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Lenovo does something no other tech brand does — make a tablet specifically for gaming. A continuation of its Legion computers, the Lenovo Legion Tab puts gaming content into a smaller, more portable package.

Previous generations of the Lenovo Legion Tab have been impressive tablets, so my expectations were high for the recently released Gen 5 model. And here’s the thing about the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 — while it’s built for gaming, I think it’s a great everyday tablet.

Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 at a glance

The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is one of the only tablets designed for gaming.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is a tablet designed for gaming. With a 12-hour battery life and a Snapdragon processor that keeps it on par with MacBooks, it packs a lot of power within its 8.8-inch screen. It handles livestreams with ease, but its touchscreen is occasionally unresponsive. It costs $679.99, a big price hike between generations, but not a surprise considering the current memory crisis.

Here’s a full rundown of its specs:

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

• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

• Operating System: Android 16

• Memory: 12GB

• Storage: 256GB

• Battery life: 12 hours and 24 minutes

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

A tablet that can compete with a MacBook thanks to a Snapdragon chip

I was shocked at just how well the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 scored on the Geekbench 6.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Presumably, a gaming tablet needs super-sized power to process high-demand tasks. Luckily, it lives up to its potential, gaining a real power boost over previous generations.

On Geekbench 6, the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 has single-core and multi-core scores of 3,655 and 10,758, respectively. That puts it way above the Apple iPad, which has a 6,233 multi-core score, and into the leagues of a MacBook.

The Legion Tab Gen 5’s power likely comes from its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform Processor. When I conferred with my colleague and laptop expert Haley Henschel, she noted that the Windows laptops she’s recently tested that have competed with MacBooks all had Snapdragon chips. It seems Qualcomm is onto something, and Lenovo is taking advantage of it with the Legion Tab Gen 5.

Plus, it has battery life to match. In our tests, it had 12 hours and 24 minutes of battery life. That’s extensive considering a gaming laptop often has just a few hours of battery life.

But how does all that power work in action?

It’s reliable for live streaming

I spent a lot of time streaming on the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5. It handled my everyday streaming without issue. The video loaded quickly, with clear displays, and the next episodes loaded easily — perfect for when I’m trying to catch up on Love Island.

As a bigger test, I wanted to see how it could handle a livestream of a WNBA game. Once again, there were no issues with the livestream. The tablet didn’t slow down, processing high-resolution video without stuttering, so I didn’t miss any crucial minutes. This bodes well for gamers, too, who stream or play live with other players.

In terms of sound quality, it wasn’t the best I’ve ever heard and did feel a bit tinny. If you’re an audiophile, headphones will solve the sound quality issue.

A perfectly designed tablet? Almost.

The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 has not just one but two USB-C ports, a rarity for a tablet.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is smaller than the standard 11-inch iPad. It has an 8.8-inch screen, which feels practical, especially for handheld gaming. Between generations its maintained my favorite design component: two USB-C ports. These days, we’re getting fewer and fewer ports on devices, so two USB-C ports seem like a luxury. It’s a huge boost for gamers who want to plug in a controller or headphones while simultaneously charging the tablet.

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

One thing that’s not so great about the tablet? Its case. I’m certainly pleased that Lenovo includes a case when that’s such a rarity on devices; however, this one is just OK. It’s a lightweight, unassuming black case with a fully removable screen cover. That screen cover also doubles as a stand, but it’s incredibly finicky and wobbly. It doesn’t adjust to sit at multiple angles either, so you’re stuck at just one tilt. Plus, I found that folding it over is a pain when you’re using it handheld. It can be completely removed, but that also makes it easy to lose track of.

My one worry? The touchscreen response.

I’m not the biggest gamer, but I love a mobile phone game. The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 offers access to the Lenovo Game Hub, which features an expansive selection of games, including Assassin’s Creed, Skyrim, and Call of Duty. For those, you will need to connect a controller to the device.

For the more casual gamers, I tried a variety of mobile games on the device. As I was leaping across subway cars in Subway Surfer and working through puzzles, I noticed some occasional lag on the screen. Toward the center of the screen, the device was occasionally unresponsive. After closing the app and restarting, the issue seemed to resolve itself. Still, because it occurred across multiple apps, it appears to be a device issue rather than an application issue.

Price increase — not surprising considering the state of things

The last Lenovo Legion Tab I tested was the Gen 3, which had a very nice price of $549.99. Unfortunately, the Gen 5 costs more, now $679.99. The price hike isn’t entirely unsurprising, considering the state of tech and the current memory crisis, which is affecting nearly every tech manufacturer. $679.99 is a pretty steep price for a tablet, but considering it’s nearly as powerful as the iPad Air, which just increased to $749, it’s still cheaper than other similarly powerful models.

But it is more expensive than Lenovo’s Yoga Tab, which is the best Android tablet we’ve tested and only costs $419.99.

Is the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 worth it?

Looking for a gaming tablet? The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is worth it.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Lenovo has cornered the market on gaming tablets. The Legion Tab Gen 5, the brand’s latest iteration, is the most powerful model yet with impressive processing speeds and extended battery life. If you don’t need a gaming-specific tablet, I suggest going for the Lenovo Yoga Tab, which isn’t nearly as powerful but comes at a more affordable price point.

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