Is this new gaming tablet the Shield Tablet successor we always wanted?
TL;DR
- Lenovo has launched the Legion Tab gaming tablet in global markets.
- The tablet packs a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, two USB-C ports, and a 144Hz screen.
- The Legion Tab costs €599 in Europe, but there’s no word on US availability.
Gaming tablets are a rarity these days, but NVIDIA hit it out of the park with the Shield Tablet back in 2014. Now, Lenovo has launched the gaming-focused Legion Tab in global markets. But does this pick up where NVIDIA’s slate left off?
The Legion Tab has been available in China since last year under the Legion Y700 moniker, but the company has announced that the tablet is now coming to Asia and EMEA markets.
What makes the Legion Tab stand out?
Perhaps the most notable addition is the fact that you’ve got two USB-C ports on board. You can find one USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port at the bottom in landscape orientation, also offering DisplayPort 1.4 support. The other port delivers much slower speeds (USB 2.0) and can be found on the right-hand side.
This approach means you can output your tablet’s screen to an external display while charging. Alternatively, you can use USB-C earphones while charging your device (although a 3.5mm port would’ve been nice too). Nevertheless, Lenovo notes that the tablet doesn’t support simultaneous charging via both ports.
The Legion Tab also brings a few other notable features, such as a microSD card slot, an 8.8-inch 144Hz QHD+ LCD screen, and so-called ColdFront cooling tech (including a large vapor chamber).
The rest of the Legion Tab is pretty solid too, featuring a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 SoC, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a 6,550mAh battery with 45W wired charging speeds. This isn’t the latest and greatest silicon, but it should still deliver great gaming performance if the cooling solution works well.
Other notable specs include two Dolby Atmos speakers, a 13MP+2MP rear camera setup, an 8MP selfie camera, Bluetooth 5.3, and Wi-Fi 6E.
Lenovo Legion Tab pricing
Keen on getting this Android tablet? Then it’ll be available for €599 (~$656). That’s not an amazing price when the likes of the OnePlus Pad and Pixel Tablet have cheaper prices. Then again, the higher price might not matter if you value features like microSD card support, sustained performance, and/or two USB-C ports.
Lenovo Legion Tab: Hot or not?
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It’s also worth noting that the NVIDIA Shield Tablet had a couple of features you won’t find on the Legion Tab, like front-facing speakers and exclusive ports of PC and console games. But there’s still plenty to like about Lenovo’s slate.
We’ve asked the company about US availability and will update the article if the company gets back to us.