Lenovo Tab M8 (4th-gen) budget Android tablet is a bit of a downgrade (mostly)
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The Lenovo Tab M8 line of devices are cheap Android tablet with HD displays, entry-level processors, and entry-level specs. But while they’re not exactly iPad-killers, they could give the Amazon Fire HD 8 or Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite a run for their money in the budget tablet space.
Late last year Lenovo launched a new version of the Tab M8 in Japan before eventually making it available in other countries. Now it’s found its way to North America, where the Lenovo Tab M8 (4th-gen) tablet is now available for 110. Unfortunately if you were hoping for a big spec or performance boost over the 3rd-gen model, you’ll probably be disappointed: in some ways this year’s model is more of a downgrade than an upgrade.
The new model does ship with a newer version of Android and has stereo speakers instead of mono. And some models are available with up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage (the older model tops out at 3GB/32GB). But it also loses a couple of features that the 3rd-gen model had, including a proximity sensor and vibration motor.
Here’s a comparison between the previous and current-gen tablets, with better features highlighted in bold:
| Lenovo Tab M8 (4th-gen) | Lenovo Tab M8 (3rd-gen) | |
| Display | 8 inches 1280 x 800 pixels IPS LCD 350 nits 10-point multitouch | |
| CPU | MediaTek Helio A22 4 x ARM Cortex-A53 @ 2 GHz | MediaTek Helio P22T 4 x ARM Cortex-A53 @ 2.3 GHz 4 x ARM Cortex-A53 @ 1.8 GHz |
| GPU | Imagination PowerVR GE8320 | |
| RAM | 2GB / 3GB / 4GB LPDDR4x | 2GB / 3GB LPDDR4x |
| Storage | 32GB or 64GB eMMC 5.1 microSD card reader (up to 128GB FAT32, up to 1TB exFAT) | 32GB eMMC (eMCP4x) microSD card reader (up to 128GB FAT32, up to 2TB exFAT) |
| OS | Android 12 (Go Edition) or later | Android 11 (Go Edition) or later |
| Cameras | 5MP (rear) 2MP (front) | |
| Speakers | Stereo | Mono |
| Microphones | Mono | |
| Sensors | Ambient Light Accelerometer | Ambient Light Accelerometer Proximity |
| Vibration motor | None | Eccentric Rotating Mass (ERM) |
| Battery | 5,100 mAh | |
| Charging | 5V/2A (4 hours for full charge) | |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 5 Bluetooth 5.0 4G LTE (select models) | |
| Ports | 1 x USB 2.0 Type-C 1 x 3.5mm audio 1 x microSD card reader | |
| Material | Plastic | |
| Dimensions | 197.97 x 119.82 x 8.95mm 7.79” x 4.72 x 0.35″ | 199.1 x 121.8 x 8.15mm 7.84″ x 4.79″ x 0.32“ |
| Weight | 320 grams 0.71 pounds | 305 grams 0.67 pounds |
If you are looking for something that offers more bang for the buck, Lenovo did recently launch a new 9 inch tablet that might be better fit for some customers.
The new Lenovo Tab M9 has a Mediatek Helio G80 processor (with two Cortex-A75 cores and four Cortex-A55 cores), 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. It’s available now for 150. But despite having a larger screen than the company’s 8 inch model, the Lenovo Tab M8’s screen only packs a few more pixels, with a resolution of 1340 x 800.
This article was first published December 7, 2022 and most recently updated April 23, 2023.
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Lenovo Tab M8 (HD)
Lenovo Tab M8 (HD) is powered by the Mediatek MT6761 Helio A22 processor. The smartphone comes with a 8.0 inches IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen and 800 x 1280 pixels resolution.
Планшет Lenovo Tab M8
The rear camera consists of a 5 MP lenses. The phone’s sensors include Accelerometer and proximity.
The front camera has a 2 MP sensor.
The smartphone is fueled by a Non-removable Li-Po 5000 mAh battery.
The phone runs on Android 9.0 (Pie).
The Lenovo Tab M8 (HD) comes in different colors like Iron Grey and Platinum Grey. It features microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go.
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Lenovo Tab M8 (HD). SPECIFICATIONS
Design
Type Design Type called form factor refers to a mobile phone’s size, shape, and style as well as the layout and position of major components of phone. There are three major form factors seen in mobile phones = bar phones, folding phones and sliding phones.
Display
Display Type Display Technology = A number of display technologies and types used in mobile phones = TFT (Thin Film Transistor), IPS (In-Place Switching), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode), Super AMOLED (an even advanced version of AMOLED), Resistive Touchscreen (Resistive touchscreens contain two layer of conductive material with a very small gap between them which acts as a resistance), Capacitive Touchsceen (Capacitive touchscreen technology consists of a layer of glass coated with a transparent conductor)
Display Colors Display Colors is refers to the number of different shades of colors that the screen is capable of displaying = 64K colors, 256K colors and 16 million colors, Obviously 16M is highest available range of colors and better than others.
Pixel Density Pixel Density (PPI) is refers to the concentration of pixels on a particular display, measured in pixels per inch (ppi). Pixel density is calculated by dividing the diagonal pixel resolution of a display by its diagonal size, higher pixel density better display quality.
Hardware
GPU GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a single-chip processor designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display, This includes things such as lighting effects, object transformations, and 3D motion.
RAM (Memory) RAM (Random Access Memory) is a type of computer memory that can be accessed randomly, any byte of memory can be accessed without touching the preceding bytes that allows information to be stored and accessed quickly from random locations. RAM is the most common type of memory found in computer systems, smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices.
Internal Storage Internal Storage is a data storage space (flash memory) mostly used in smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices where operating system, apps, music, photos, videos, files and other user data Is stored.
Memory Card Slot Memory Card Slot is a special slot for inserting a memory card. Memory cards allow you to expand the phone’s built-in memory, A memory card (sometimes called a flash memory card or a storage card) is a small storage medium used to store data such as text, pictures, audio, and video, for use on small, portable or remote computing devices such as mobile phones, mp3 players, digital cameras.
Sensors Sensors are electronic components that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical environment. The specific input could be light, heat, motion, moisture, pressure and location, The output is generally a signal that is converted to use in computing systems, a location sensor, such as a GPS receiver is able to detect current location of your electronic device.
Software
Operating System OS = Every computer system run on a base software called Operating System (OS). Operating System controls all basic operations of the computer (such as smartphone, PDAs, tablet computers and other handheld devices). The Operating System allows the user to install and run third party applications (apps), apps are used to add new functionality to the device.
User Interface UI or user interface of a device is the look and feel of the on-screen menu system. How it works, its color scheme, how it responds to button presses, all of these things are part of the user interface.
Camera
Rear Camera Camera is able to capture photographs and usually videos, The most important characteristics of a camera are the resolution (measured in megapixels), lens FOCUS type (fixed or automatic), higher megapixel cameras are known to capture higher quality photos, but not always a good measurement of the photos quality.
Flash Flash Light = There is commonly two types of flash lights are used in camera mobile phones, LED Flash (LED flash offers lower power consumption with drive circuitry that takes up very little room, LEDs can be strobed faster than any other light source), Xenon Flash (xenon flash produces an extremely intense full-spectrum white light for a very short duration)
Connectivity
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi is a popular wireless networking technology using radio waves to provide high-speed network connections that allows devices to communicate without cords or cables, Wi-Fi is increasingly becoming the preferred mode of internet connectivity all over the world.
GPS GPS The Global Positioning System is a satellite-based radio navigation system, GPS permits users to determine their position, velocity and the time 24 hours a day, in all weather, anywhere in the world, In order to locate your position, your device or GPS receiver must have a clear view of the sky.
NFC NFC (Near field communication) is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices to establish peer-to-peer radio communications with each other by touching them together or bringing them into proximity, usually no more than a few inches.
Wireless Charging Wireless Charging (Inductive Charging) uses an electromagnetic field to transfer energy between two objects. This is usually done with a charging station. Energy is sent through an inductive coupling to an electrical device, which can then use that energy to charge batteries or run the device.
Lenovo Tab M8 HD (2nd Gen) LTE/4G, Wi-Fi 32 GB Iron grey Android 20.3 cm (8 inch) 2.0 GHz MediaTek Android 10 1280 x 800
High-end designThe M8 tab (2. Generation) was developed for users who appreciate elegance and an appealing design. 8.15mm flat, with metal back cover and rounded edges, this tablet stands out in the palm of your hand and exudes elegance.Look at the v…
High-end designThe M8 tab (2. Generation) was developed for users who appreciate elegance and an appealing design. 8.15mm flat, with metal back cover and rounded edges, this tablet stands out in the palm of your hand and exudes elegance.Look at the v…
Lenovo Tab M8 HD (2. Gen) Android tablet with LTE and Wi-Fi
High-end designThe M8 tab (2. Generation) was developed for users who appreciate elegance and an appealing design. 8.15mm flat, with metal back cover and rounded edges, this tablet stands out in the palm of your hand and exudes elegance.
Look at the viewThe days of tablets with sheet-metal sound and grainy videos are over. The M8 tab (2. Generation) has an HD IPS touchscreen display that takes up 82% of the tablet surface and offers smooth graphics and a Dolby Audio optimized speaker. This combination of impressive visual and acoustic functions ensures greater enjoyment with video streaming and mobile games.
Everything you need was thereWith Android 10, a quad-core processor and a battery that lets you surf for more than 18 hours, the Tab M8 (2. Generation) non-stop entertainment. Watch videos, check social media, listen to music and more—this tablet has it all.
Look as much as you likeThe M8 tab (2. Generation Gen) TUV certified display reduces blue light that may harm your eyes – especially suitable for children. You and your family can use the tablet for longer periods of time on long journeys or on comfortable days with a secure feeling.
This text is machine translated.
Highlights Details
- Display: 20.3 cm 8 inch (1280 x 800 Pixel) HD Multi-touch
- CPU: MediaTek Helio A22 (4 x 2.0 GHz)
- RAM: 2 GB LPDDR3 RAM
- Memory size: 32 GB microSD card (up to 128 GB)
- GPS, Wi-Fi / LTE (4G)
- OS: Android 10
Facts
- 2GB
- 32GB
- 8.0 Multitouch screen
- Android
- LTE
- Graphics: Integrated IMG GE8300 GPU
- Chipset: MediaTek SoC Platform
- VoiceCall
- GPS
- IP5X
- G-sensor.
Moonshots Beyond the Cloud
I bought a Lenovo Tab M8 HD, an 8” Android tablet. It comes with a MediaTek Helio A22 SoC, an IPS panel, 2 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of storage. I ordered the device from Lenovo’s Italian online store for €134.
In this post I’ll share my early impressions on the device.
Lenovo Tab M8 3rd Gen (NEW 2022). Unboxing and Review!
| The packaging box of the Lenovo Tab M8 HD tablet. |
Motivation
The Lenovo Tab M8 HD replaces the Lenovo Tab E7 7” tablet I bought almost a year and a half earlier.
After enjoying the Google Nexus 7 2012 and 2013 tablets I left Android slates for several years. My return to tablets with the November 2019 purchase of the cheap Lenovo Tab E7 was a sort of impulse buy. I wanted an affordable Android slate small enough to be compact but with a large enough screen to help productivity. I also figured it would double as an ebook reading device and let me explore the Android ecosystem.
The Tab E7 was nice but limited. The screen didn’t have good touch sensitivity, performance was poor, there was a lot of lag, and the screen was not large enough to read PDF files in vertical orientation.
Some time later I decided to researche Lenovo’s latest tablet lineup and, again as an impulse buy, I picked up the Tab M8 HD as an upgrade from the Tab E7. I went with the Tab M8 for its better specs, larger screen, and affordability.
Hardware
The Tab M8 HD is a low-end product but the metal case gives the tablet a nice premium feel. The device is well balanced. Holding it gives the impression it’s slightly lighter than the Tab E7 despite weighing slightly more.
The screen is bright and sharp thanks to the IPS panel. Although the 1280×800 resolution and the 8” screen are supposed to make the pixels visible if you come close enough, I’m unable to make out any appreciable pixelation. Perhaps it helps that I’m not eagle-eyed.
| The Lenovo Tab M8 HD tablet on a stand. |
The Tab E7 had terrible touch sensitivity. The Tab M8 HD is in a different league, with its panel rarely missing a touch. It’s perhaps even too sensitive. When holding the tablet, the thin bezel often makes my fingers inadvertently touch some user interface element.
Performance is impressive considering the specs.
The new tablet is significantly more responsive than the Tab E7, which puts the Tab M8 HD in a class closer to my Pixel 4 XL phone than the Tab E7. Lag is consistently low and the device is snappy enough no matter what processing load I throw at it. Even with intensive multitasking I haven’t been able to fill the RAM for more than 80%.
The 16 GB of storage of the Tab E7 was never a limitation as I filled up only about half of that. Still, it’s great my Tab M8 HD comes with 32 GB of storage. This gives me ample margin to install interesting apps without thinking twice.
At home I have a 1 GB down/200 Mbps up fiber Internet connection. With the Tab E7 I could reach about 20 Mbps up/down over Wi-Fi. The Tab M8 HD peaks at 120 Mbps, 6X as much. Web surfing is fluid and contributes to a snappier experience. For comparison, my Pixel 4 XL reaches peaks of 300-350 Mbps down and 150-200 Mbps up over the same LAN.
Although definitely not flagship-class, the 5 MP rear and the 2 MP front cameras aren’t too bad when shooting well-lit scenes or subjects. Way better than the blurry shots with washed out colors the Tab E7 turned out.
| A photo of an Android figurine I took with the rear camera of the Lenovo Tab M8 HD. |
Battery usage is equally impressive. Lenovo rates the battery life at 18 hours. However, a full charge lasts me 28-30 hours over 4-5 days of typical usage, with 10-12 hours of Screen on Time (SoT). Long enough not to have to reach for the charger often. Again, this is closer to the battery time of my Pixel 4 XL that goes on for 4-5 days of ordinary usage.
To me sound is the least important feature of an Android device as I don’t listen to too much music or audio. The Tab M8 HD audio is serviceable but definitely not at the level of quality advanced users and audiophiles demand.
For the Tab E7 I bought a very cheap Bluetooth keyboard that comes with a small stand to hold a device. Along with my Pixel 4 XL, the keyboard works well with the Tab M8 HD too.
Software
The Lenovo Tab M8 HD runs Android 10. It’s full Android, not a tightened build for resource-constrained devices like Android Go the Tab E7 had. Therefore, on the Tab M8 HD I have all the recent Android features, including true multitasking and split-window mode.
| The home screen of my Lenovo Tab M8 HD with Android 10. |
It’s a clean Android with essentially the same stock Google experience of Pixel phones. There are a few minor differences such as a custom launcher (with Google Discover) and camera app, a handful of pre-installed apps (e.g. a mixer, a sound recorder), and Lenovo-specific system settings. The Tab E7 came with a couple of preloaded games that could be uninstalled. The Tab M8 HD doesn’t have any pre-installed games.
Unlike the Tab E7 with Android Go, which got security patches every couple of months, so far I have received no system updates or security patches for the Tab M8 HD. It’ll be interesting to see how often, if at all, Lenovo ships software updates for its non-Go Android devices.
Usage experience
Thanks to a combination of hardware, software, and design, the Lenovo Tab M8 HD is a joy to use. I always look forward to turning it on and playing with it a bit.
The Tab M8 HD is at a sweet spot where hardware specifications and performance fade into the background and I can just use the system without minding the device, or bumping into limitations or slowdowns.
The 8” screen makes the Tab M8 HD also a good ebook reading device. It’s the minimum size to comfortably read in vertical orientation PDF files, fixed-layout ebooks, or re-flowable ebooks with wide source code lines. The extra inch makes a difference compared with the Tab E7, on which the text of PDF files was barely large enough to be legible but not enough for sustained reading sessions.
Conclusion
I love the Lenovo Tab M8 HD; I nailed the purchase.
Although an external keyboard allows some creation work, the tablet is the perfect content consumption device. Not just media, but also the full range of ebook formats, from re-flowable formats to fixed-layout ones.
The pleasant experience with my Lenovo tablets is reassuring. It hints there’s still choice in the Android slate space and the success of the Kindle Fire leaves room for good and affordable Android tablets.
