Lenovo Tab M8 2023 (Gen 4) LTE tablet – A performance downgrade for the affordable 8-inch tablet

The 8-inch shape issue may be very to hand as capsules this measurement can also be saved away in a small bag. With cell phone beef up and phone capability, this tool can, if essential, change a smartphone, making this manner issue be offering a captivating compromise. 

The Tab M8 2023 is already the fourth technology of Lenovo’s reasonably priced 8-inch pill circle of relatives and, on the time of reviewing, prices beneath $100 (non-LTE type) and is indexed via quite a lot of shops with the tool numbers TB300FU (WiFi model) and TB300XU (LTE model). We reviewed the LTE variant and sought after to understand what has modified in the most recent technology.

Identical to its predecessor, the Tab M8 4th Gen is an excessively mild pill: Weighing 320 grams, it’s significantly lighter than, as an example, the Nokia T10 or the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite. 

This fourth-generation tab is right away recognisable at the outdoor: At the one hand, the Tab M8’s rear aspect has a fully new design that may be a nod to the Tab M9. Two-thirds of this house is roofed in a triangular development whilst the highest 1/3 is totally clean and residential to the Lenovo brand. General, the chassis is reasonably textured and is manufactured from steel which is helping give the Tab M8 2023 a top class glance.

The predecessor, the Tab M8 Gen 3, used to be if truth be told slightly slimmer. On the other hand, this time Lenovo has controlled to shrink the show’s body. General, this has helped the chassis revel in a extra compact shape. However, we are speaking millimetres relating to the diversities between the 2 units.

The pill’s balance is slightly spectacular and even if slight twisting is imaginable, the seek for creaking noises resulted in useless.

Typically, you should not be expecting a lot in the best way of RAM or mass garage for only $150. However, Lenovo has quite a lot of choices on be offering for its Tab M8 4th Gen (RRP):

• Lenovo Tab M8 4th Gen WiFi – 32 GB garage, 3 GB of RAM: $108
• Lenovo Tab M8 4th Gen WiFi – 64 GB garage, 4 GB of RAM: $149
• Lenovo Tab M8 4th Gen LTE – 32 GB garage, 3 GB of RAM: $161

These days, a variant with LTE and 64 GB of garage isn’t to be had in central Europe. Subsequently, the ex-factory costs are very an identical and occasionally even not up to the predecessor.

Likewise, the pill has a USB-C port and in addition a three.5mm audio jack. For one of these nifty pill, an NFC chip would possibly had been profitable however Lenovo has determined by contrast.

The microSD reader can deal with playing cards as much as 128 GB. Our assessments with the microSD Angelbird V60 reference card confirmed its knowledge switch speeds to be on par with an identical units on this class. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite proves that it is imaginable to squeeze a lot more out of the cardboard.

Android 12 is preinstalled at the pill and has one benefit over its predecessor: The 4th gen kicks off with a extra trendy Android model and, in line with the producer, the tool will obtain an replace to Android 13 within the 1/3 quarter of 2023. 

As well as, safety patches are deliberate till 2026 even if those occur slightly sometimes. On the time of reviewing, our 4th gen Tab M8 needed to make do with safety updates from January 2023.

What is pleasant is that Lenovo has put in natural Android at the pill and that the tool is most commonly devoid of third-party apps. 

The Tab M8 2023 is available in a Wi-Fi and an LTE variant with our evaluation tool ready to hook up with the cell community and may even be used to make calls by way of the audio system or a headset. On the other hand, just one SIM slot is provide.

Community reception is respectable however in our assessments, it did not slightly organize the extent accomplished via high-end smartphones. The variety of LTE frequencies is enough for operation in Europe however for journeys additional afield, we’d suggest checking the frequencies essential for cellular web within the goal vacation spot. 

Each and every variant of the Tab M8 comes with Wi-Fi 5, and, in doing so, the pill manages Wi-Fi speeds conventional for this class of tool. Knowledge switch speeds also are very strong.  Within reach the router, the reception is excellent and at a distance of 10 meters, part the sign power is to be had with pages then loading slightly slower.

Each the Wi-Fi and the LTE variations of the Tab M8 2023 have a satellite tv for pc monitoring module that helps GPS, Glonass, Galileo and Beidou in addition to SBAS for even better accuracy. Stepping outdoor, a lot of satellites have been detected temporarily and we have been situated to inside of one meter of our actual location – an excellent worth certainly.  

It is going with out pronouncing, we additionally sought after to position the tool to the check in a realistic check atmosphere so we activate on a motorbike travel. Our comparability tool: The Garmin Venu 2. The Tab M8 2023 additionally did not disappoint on this house with actual positioning which best suffered reasonably in slim lanes. This implies this to hand little pill will also be used as a navigation tool. 

Capsules, and particularly the ones in a low value bracket, aren’t widely recognized for the standard in their digicam footage. In the beginning look, it’s transparent this could also be not really to be any other with the Tab M8 4th gen: The similar digicam options are at paintings right here as its predecessor akin to a spartan 5-megapixel digicam at the again and a 2-megapixel sensor at the entrance.

The rear-facing major digicam has issues dealing with tricky eventualities akin to backlight and regularly appears to be out of its intensity. In low mild, pictures are out of center of attention and darkish spaces are best marginally brightened.

1080p, 30 fps movies are imaginable however the high quality right here leaves so much to be desired.

The front-facing digicam additionally takes blurry selfies with darkish spaces akin to hair refusing to show main points of any type.

At complete studio lights, the principle digicam is in a similar way brief on competence as blurry spaces are visual and main points get misplaced. At a luminosity of one lux, the picture is totally black.

The pill comes with a charger, a USB-C cable and a SIM device. Thankfully, Lenovo has additionally integrated a protecting case which has a fold-out stand.

The producer’s capsules include a 24-month ensure equipped they’re bought within the EU.

Principally, the pill’s 60 Hz display screen is simple to make use of however isn’t very responsive on the edges. This implies the person occasionally has to copy positive gestures, as an example, when looking to open the notification panel. 

On this value vary, it’s not abnormal to search out that the pill lacks a fingerprint sensor. On the other hand, we have been much more shocked after we accessed the safety menu: Face unlocking could also be no longer imaginable which means there is not any biometric manner of unlocking the tool. 

Lenovo has endured to go for an IPS show with 1280 x 800 pixels this is now slightly brighter than the former gen type, the Tab M8. With a mean brightness of 380 cd/m², the pill fares properly when in comparison to its in a similar fashion priced friends. The low black ranges additionally organize to provoke and make allowance the display screen to show saturated colours. 

It’s, then again, worrying that the pill best makes use of Widevine L3 making it unattainable to move content material from primary suppliers in HD high quality.

We have been not able to come across any PWM flickering even at low brightness.  

Except for colours being slightly too darkish in our assessments with the CalMAN instrument in addition to the presence of a slight blue hue, the pill rankings slightly properly within the house of colour replica.

Reaction occasions for players are obviously too sluggish.  

Open air and on overcast days, the show’s brightness isn’t enough with the intention to outshine the serious reflections discovered at the show. 

Except for slightly drop in brightness, viewing angles are spectacular. 

The Tab M8 could also be the rest however convincing within the house of graphics efficiency. Many trendy apps did not even boot however the SoC is, in any case, 5 years previous. Additionally, in virtually each and every imaginable check, the Tab M8 Gen 4 discovered itself on the backside of the pack, and via some margin. 

Browser benchmarks presented the Tab M8 2023 ray of hope with the tool even managing to protected first position, forward of its friends.

On the other hand, in observe, our observations temporarily dampened this positivity: Pages took an eternity to load. On the other hand, even with a 1,000 MBit connection, you’ll be able to be expecting to attend a very long time, particularly for pictures. 

With its eMMC flash, the Tab M8 2023 could also be not able to drag clear of its reasonably priced competition however nonetheless manages to stay at its magnificence point. You should not be expecting both fast loading occasions or fast knowledge switch.

Because of its low-level efficiency, gaming assessments have been additionally tricky: Many video games refused as well with best the 10-year-old Asphalt 8 keen to cooperate. This sport used to be playable in low element settings at round 29fps. Upper settings result in vital drops in body charges and are problematic relating to speedy racing video games. 

PUBG Cellular could also be playable due to its quite a lot of settings choices. On the other hand, this isn’t a laugh when the sport struggles to run at 20fps, even on the lowest settings. We used the Gamebench instrument to measure the body charges. 

Even after sessions of intensive load, the pill did not in point of fact warmth up, achieving a most of 30.1 °C.

Sadly, the SoC struggled with the 3DMark pressure check which supposed we needed to flip to GFXBench. Right here we witnessed constant ranges of efficiency even beneath steady load.

A minimum of the Lenovo Tab M8 has two actual stereo audio system at its disposal however the impact thereof is quite modest because of their shut proximity to each other. On the other hand, if desired, the audio system can get somewhat loud and even if they sound slightly hole, they’re nonetheless just right taking into account the cost class. 

Along with the three.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth 5.0 is on board and guarantees connectivity to exterior audio units. In the case of formats, just about usual fare is on be offering: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC.

At 15.29 hours in our Wi-Fi check, the pill manages slightly just right battery lifestyles however continues to be slightly worse than its predecessor in addition to any other capsules on this value vary. The opposite runtime eventualities are good enough with out status out.

All in all, beneath medium load, it is imaginable to make use of the Lenovo Tab M8 2023 for quite a few days with out seeing any noticeable distinction in battery lifestyles in comparison to different reasonable capsules.

What used to be Lenovo considering? Even the Lenovo Tab M8 2023’s (Gen 4) predecessor used to be, for its value level, a slightly sluggish pill. And now Lenovo has merely controlled to equip its successor with a good slower SoC. 

Differently, some development has certainly been made: First rate sounding stereo audio system, a extra compact case, very good location serve as, extra trendy instrument and a brighter show. On the other hand, battery lifestyles is shorter in spite of having a extra tough battery and face unlocking could also be absent.  

In the case of the 5th technology of its reasonably priced pill, Lenovo must equip its tool with extra tough parts as this present pill has already been left hopelessly in the back of via its friends on this class of pill.

The Lenovo Tab M8 2023 (Gen 4) LTE is a low-priced pill with cell capability that has certainly skimped an excessive amount of on efficiency.

The predecessor, the Lenovo Tab M8 2022 (Gen 3), provides a extra well-rounded bundle however is, however, no longer precisely the quickest pill. The Nokia T10 provides considerably extra energy.

On the time of evaluation, the 32 GB mass garage, Wi-Fi variant of the Lenovo Tab M8 can also be had on Lenovo’s on-line retailer for slightly below $95.

The 64 GB mass garage type recently prices considerably extra and is tricky to come back via. Even on Lenovo’s personal on-line retailer, this type of the pill is recently unavailable.