Lenovo's legion tab gen 5: a premium price for a questionable upgrade?
Lenovo’s latest gaming tablet, the Legion Tab Gen 5, arrives stateside with a hefty price tag that raises serious eyebrows. Boasting impressive specs, it initially promises a premium experience, but the $849.99 asking price leaves a bitter taste, especially when considering what else you can get for your money.
A spec sheet that shines, but doesn't justify the cost
Let's be clear: the Legion Tab Gen 5 isn't short on power. It packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, 12GB of LPDDR5T memory, and 256GB of UFS 4.1 Pro storage. The 8.8-inch PureSight display, with its 3040 x 1904 resolution and a blistering 165Hz refresh rate, is undeniably gorgeous. Add in Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, a 9,000mAh battery, and dual USB-C ports, and you’ve got a spec sheet that could rival many high-end phones. But raw power alone doesn't justify a premium price point.
The improvements over the previous Legion Tab Gen 3 are real. Lenovo has boosted the rear camera from 13MP to 50MP, slimmed down the thickness from 7.79mm to 7.59mm, and added a mere 10 grams to the overall weight—all while significantly increasing battery capacity. Yet, a $300 price hike for these relatively modest upgrades feels disproportionate. The Gen 3, which is currently experiencing some availability hiccups after a sudden price drop to $399.99, suddenly looks like the smarter buy.
The gen 3's comeback and a flood of alternatives
The curious case of the Legion Tab Gen 3's fluctuating availability speaks volumes. Lenovo recently raised prices on its Android tablets, but remarkably, the Gen 3 somehow escaped that fate, disappearing from shelves before reappearing at a drastically reduced price. The demand at $399.99 was clearly overwhelming, and the fact that it’s now gone again suggests Lenovo recognizes the value proposition it offered. At $549.99 (its original price), it remained a compelling option, but at $399.99? It was a steal.
Consider the alternatives available for $850 or less. You could grab a 12.7-inch Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 power, a keyboard, and stylus – a much larger screen for comparable performance. Or perhaps an 11-inch iPad Air (M4) with 512GB of storage. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S11 and S10 series also offer compelling options with integrated S Pens. The sheer breadth of choices at this price point underscores the Legion Tab Gen 5’s pricing misstep.
Ultimately, Lenovo’s Legion Tab Gen 5 appears to be chasing a premium image without fully delivering on the value. While the design is undeniably sleek, and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 offers impressive power, the price tag simply doesn’t align with the overall package. Unless Lenovo drastically reconsiders its pricing strategy, potential buyers might be better served exploring the competition – or patiently waiting for the return of the remarkably good, and significantly cheaper, Legion Tab Gen 3.