Lenovo Legion Tab Series Legion Tab Gen 3 ZAEF0068US Review
The Legion Tab Gen 3 boasts a gorgeous 165Hz display in a compact body, but its integrated graphics make it a terrible choice for gaming. It's a media tablet in gaming clothing.
Overview
The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 is a compact Android tablet that's trying to be a gaming device. It's got a killer 8.8-inch screen with a super smooth 165Hz refresh rate and 12GB of fast RAM, which is a lot for a tablet. But the specs tell a different story. It's powered by a Qualcomm chip, not a dedicated gaming processor, and that shows in its performance scores.
Performance
For everyday stuff like browsing and watching videos, this tablet is perfectly fine. The screen is bright and fluid, making everything look great. But if you're buying it for the 'Legion' gaming brand, you'll be disappointed. The integrated graphics land in the 18th percentile, and its overall gaming score is a dismal 5.2 out of 100. This is not a device for demanding games.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fantastic 165Hz display is super smooth. 100th
- Very compact and lightweight at 0.35kg. 82th
- 12GB of RAM is generous for multitasking. 77th
- Runs the latest Android 14 out of the box. 76th
Cons
- Integrated graphics are terrible for gaming. 12th
- Only 256GB of storage with no expansion noted. 18th
- Port selection and connectivity seem limited. 21th
- Battery capacity is a complete unknown. 29th
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 8 Gen 3 Processor (3.30 GHz ) |
| Frequency | 3.3 GHz |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 12 GB |
| RAM Generation | LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 256 GB |
| Storage Type | UFS |
Display
| Size | 8.8" |
| Resolution | 2560 (QHD) |
| Refresh Rate | 165 Hz |
| Brightness | 500 nits |
Connectivity
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.4 |
Physical
| Weight | 0.3 kg / 0.8 lbs |
| OS | Android 14 |
Value & Pricing
At around $380, the value is a mixed bag. You're getting a premium-feeling compact tablet with a top-tier screen for the price. However, you're also paying a bit of a 'gaming tax' for the Legion branding on hardware that absolutely cannot game. If you want a slick media consumption device, it's okay. If you want a gaming tablet, it's a waste of money.
vs Competition
This is an odd duck. It's being compared to full-blown gaming laptops like the MSI Vector and Gigabyte AORUS, which is laughable. A fairer comparison is to other premium compact tablets. It beats most on screen refresh rate but loses on GPU power and likely battery life. Against something like a standard iPad, you get a higher refresh rate for less money, but you lose the app ecosystem and resale value. It's a niche pick.
| Spec | Lenovo Legion Tab Series Legion Tab Gen 3 ZAEF0068US | Apple MacBook Pro Apple 14" MacBook Pro (M4 Max, Space Black) | ASUS Zenbook ASUS 14" Zenbook Duo UX8406CA Multi-Touch Laptop | Lenovo Legion Pro Series Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 (16 83F50019US | MSI Vector MSI 16" Vector 16 HX AI Gaming Laptop | Gigabyte AORUS GIGABYTE AORUS ELITE 16 Gaming Laptop - 165Hz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 8 Gen 3 Processor (3.30 GHz ) | Apple M4 Max | Intel Core Ultra 9 285H | Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX |
| RAM (GB) | 12 | 128 | 32 | 64 | 32 | 32 |
| Storage (GB) | 256 | 4096 | 1024 | 2048 | 2048 | 2048 |
| Screen | 8.8" 2560x1600 | 14.2" 3024x1964 | 14" 2880x1800 | 16" 2560x1600 | 16" 2560x1600 | 16" 2560x1600 |
| GPU | — | Apple (40-Core) | Intel Arc Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 |
| OS | Android 14 | macOS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Home |
| Weight (kg) | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.3 |
| Battery (Wh) | — | 72 | 75 | 99 | 90 | 99 |
Verdict
Buy this only if you want a very portable Android tablet for media and light tasks and you absolutely must have that 165Hz screen. Do not buy this if you think it's a gaming device. Students or business users would be better served by a used iPad or a Chromebook for the same price. It's for a very specific, screen-obsessed user.