The Lenovo Legion Y700 excels as a portable gaming device, combining robust performance with a sleek, durable design. Its high-refresh-rate display, powerful Snapdragon 870 processor, and excellent battery life make it a top choice for on-the-go gamers. Offering a perfect blend of power and portability, the Legion Y700 is a standout in the compact gaming market.
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Pros
- 8-inch display with 144Hz refresh rate
- High-performance Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor
- Stereo speakers designed to avoid being obstructed by hands
- 6550mAh battery with 45W fast charging capabilities
- Dual USB Type-C ports
- Bypass charging feature to protect battery health
- Supports microSD cards for expandable storage
Cons
- Lacks a fingerprint sensor
- No GPS functionality
- Missing headphone jack
Technical specifications
| Feature | Specification |
| Operating System | Android 13 |
| Memory | 12GB / 16GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage Options | 256GB / 512GB UFS 3.1 |
| Expandable Storage | microSD card |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| Display | 8.8 inches, 2560 × 1600 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, 144Hz LCD |
| Dimensions | 208.94 x 129.46 x 7.6 mm |
| Weight | 350 grams |
| SIM Card | Not applicable |
| Rear Cameras | 13MP + 2MP |
| Front Camera | 8MP |
| Battery Capacity | 6550mAh |
| USB Ports | USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2) and USB Type-C (USB 2.0) |
Overview of Lenovo Legion Y700
The Legion Tab Y700 is currently the top 8-inch Android tablet available, with the iPad Mini being its main competitor, and in some aspects, the Legion Tab might even surpass it. Its standout feature is its brilliant 8.8-inch display that boasts a high resolution and supports a 144Hz refresh rate. Additionally, it offers ample RAM, generous storage options, and dual USB-C ports. The primary drawback is its limited availability, as it is only sold in China, though it can be imported.
If you’re in the market for an 8-inch tablet geared towards gaming with an exceptional display, the Legion Y700 is an excellent choice, provided you’re willing to handle the import process. For most users, however, the iPad Mini may be a more practical option.
The iPad Mini 6 has received a significant update from Apple, featuring a revamped design, enhanced processing capabilities, support for Apple Pencil 2, and a slightly larger screen. Despite its improvements, the display does have some drawbacks. Priced around $500, it’s worth assessing whether it represents a good value, which is explored in the review of the Apple iPad Mini 6.
The Lenovo Legion Y700 stands out as the premier 8-inch Android tablet on the market, potentially even surpassing the iPad Mini in certain respects. It includes a 144Hz display, dual USB-C ports, powerful internals, and an optional stylus. However, its availability is restricted to China, necessitating importation. Whether this is worth the effort is examined in the review of the Lenovo Legion Y700.
In terms of cost, I imported the tablet from China for $439, excluding shipping, and it functioned flawlessly. However, importing can mean handling warranty and support issues independently. While there might be positive surprises, importing from China often requires acceptance of limited support. If you’re traveling to China, the tablet is available locally for around $300, making it a worthwhile purchase if you’re already there.
Design and build quality of Lenovo Legion Y700
The Lenovo Y700 claims a nearly all-aluminum construction that feels robust and well-crafted. While the transition between the display and the body might not be as seamless as you’d find on high-end devices from Apple or Samsung, it’s acceptable for its price range. At just 7.6mm thick and weighing only 348 grams, it’s impressively slim and light.
It’s disappointing that the tablet lacks a fingerprint sensor and headphone jack. Plus, it features a microSD card slot for additional storage and offers two USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 ports. Yes, there are two USB-C ports, which is quite convenient. You can connect an external monitor only to the lower USB-C port. I’ll discuss external monitor support in more detail later.
The front-facing 8-megapixel camera is adequate for video calls but isn’t particularly impressive. Similarly, the rear 13-megapixel main camera captures decent photos, though there is room for improvement. Additionally, it includes a 2-megapixel macro camera, which functions for close-up shots but is not particularly essential on a tablet; it might be useful for scanning small items like business cards.
Unfortunately, the tablet lacks an earpiece and doesn’t come in a version with LTE or phone functionality. This means it can’t fully replace a smartphone, which is something I believe an 8-inch tablet should be able to do. It’s compact enough to fit into many jacket or trouser pockets, though.
Read Also: Review of Lenovo Tab M10 Plus Gen 3 Android Tablet
Display of Lenovo Legion Y700
The Legion series, known for its gaming-focused devices, has introduced its first tablet aimed specifically at gamers with the Lenovo Legion Y700. At first glance, the Lenovo Legion Y700 appears to be a standard compact Android tablet. However, it stands out with its 8.8-inch display, positioning it as one of the few Android tablets to feature a screen size approaching that of the latest iPad Mini. Despite its smaller form factor, the Lenovo Legion Y700 doesn’t compromise on display quality.
It boasts a 2K LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and supports Dolby Vision and HDR content with a peak brightness of 500 nits. The 8.8-inch screen provides visual accuracy that is comparable to that of a smartphone. In practical use, this translates to a satisfying viewing experience, particularly for tasks such as reading and browsing the web.
The tablet offers two color modes: a vibrant mode that covers the wide P3 color gamut and a Standard mode with sRGB color accuracy. Although it supports Dolby Vision and HDR, the LCD panel’s color contrast is limited to 1000:1. For prioritizing video watching, the Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2021 might be a better option, as its OLED display delivers deeper, more natural contrasts.
Speakers of Lenovo Legion Y700
The Lenovo Legion Y700 features dual speakers positioned on the sides, which deliver a surprisingly robust audio experience for an 8-inch tablet. These speakers are notably louder than those found on many other tablets of this size and offer a surprisingly deep bass response. Compared to other 8-inch tablets I’ve recently evaluated, the bass on this device is significantly more pronounced. This makes the Legion Tab Y700 an excellent choice for entertainment, providing a richer and more immersive sound experience that enhances media consumption and gaming. Whether you’re watching videos, listening to music, or playing games, the strong audio performance adds considerable value to its overall entertainment capabilities.
Software & Hardware of Lenovo Legion Y700
To make the better gaming experience on the Lenovo Y700, the device also has integrated software from their gaming phones, which has been adeptly optimized for this tablet. The Legion Realm app now provides access to a range of gaming settings, and during gameplay, you can pull down the game assistant from the top of the screen to monitor the tablet’s performance and access customized shortcuts.
You can adjust the performance mode according to your needs, switching between balanced, power-saving, or performance modes.
However, the Lenovo Legion Y700 does not include some of the hardware features found in Legion’s gaming phones, such as shoulder buttons or built-in cooling fans. Nevertheless, it benefits from an improved cooling system and dual X-axis linear vibration motors. These motors offer strong haptic feedback, which is pleasant when typing, though their application remains limited to a few games at present. The Legion has introduced a Semi-real vibration feature aimed at enhancing the gaming experience, but it currently supports only three games.
On a positive note, the Lenovo Legion Y700 includes a 3.5mm headphone jack and supports MicroSD card expansion, allowing for up to 1TB of additional storage. The USB Type-C port not only supports fast charging up to 45W but also functions as a video-out port for seamless projection.
The Legion Y700 is powered by the highly regarded Snapdragon 870 chipset. In addition to the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage model I reviewed, a higher-spec variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage is also available.
Performance: stability & durability of Lenovo Legion Y700
When evaluating the performance of the Lenovo Legion Y700, our focus is primarily on its durability and consistency in high-performance scenarios. The results from three different benchmarks show that its peak performance is on par with other devices equipped with the Snapdragon 870 chipset. Additionally, the tablet underwent a Wildlife extreme stress test in 3DMark, where it demonstrated an impressive stability rate of 99.4% across 20 rounds. Throughout the test, the surface temperature remained below 43℃, which suggests promising stability for prolonged gaming sessions.
In COD Mobile, the Lenovo Legion Y700 delivers an exceptionally smooth experience. The performance is among the best available for the game, and after several hours of gameplay, it’s clear that the Y700 excels as a gaming device. It strikes an ideal balance between a large display and comfortable handling. While the Xiaoxin Pad Pro 2021 is better suited for media consumption due to its display, its size and weight make it less comfortable for extended gaming, unlike the Lenovo Legion Y700.
Similarly, in Genshin Impact, the Lenovo Legion Y700 performs exceptionally well compared to other Android tablets. It maintains a stable frame rate of around 58 to 60fps with only minor fluctuations, averaging 59.1fps. During a 30-minute test, the tablet showed no signs of performance throttling, and its temperature stayed under 43.8℃. Considering that Impact is one of the most demanding games on the Android stage, this indicates that the Lenovo Y700 can operate most games effectively and sustain high performance without significant overheating issues.
Despite these impressive results, we sought to push the tablet further by testing it with the game Nimian Legends at 2K resolution. The Snapdragon 870 chipset performed admirably, with the frame rate averaging around 36fps. Remarkably, the performance remained stable throughout the test, with no noticeable throttling, even though the temperature peaked at 47℃ at one point.
Read Also: Review of Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 Tab: Powerful and Reliable
Lenovo Tab Pen Plus
The Lenovo Legion Tab Y700 is compatible with the Lenovo Tab Pen Plus, an active stylus that is also available in the US and Europe, as it’s the same pen used with the Lenovo Tab P12. This means you won’t need to import the pen from China.
The Tab Pen Plus is constructed from plastic but feels quite ergonomic in hand. It offers over 4000 levels of pressure sensitivity and includes a side button. Charging is done via USB-C, and the pen connects to the tablet through Bluetooth.
I tested the pen myself by taking handwritten notes and also had an artist compare it with the Apple Pencil 2 on the iPad Mini using the Sketchbook app. Both styluses performed similarly in this high-quality app, indicating that the Tab Pen Plus works well with the Y700 and provides precise input.
However, the pen’s performance can vary depending on the application. For instance, the pre-installed notes app on the Y700 is not very responsive, and the pen can experience some lag.
Lenovo has incorporated several software features that facilitate quick note-taking and annotation of screenshots, which function adequately. Nevertheless, the pen support and software features offered by Samsung and Apple are generally more refined. iPadOS, in particular, benefits from a broader selection of apps optimized for stylus use.
If you’re seeking an 8-inch tablet with exceptional pen functionality, the iPad Mini might be a better choice. While the Lenovo Y700’s stylus is a valuable addition, it should not be the primary reason for selecting this tablet.
Battery & charging of Lenovo Legion Y700
Regarding battery and charging capabilities, the Lenovo Legion Y700 is armed with a substantial 6550mAh battery that is 45W fast charging supported. It is compatible with both Power Delivery 3.0 and Quick Charge 4.0 standards. Included with the tablet is a robust 50W charger that features two charging ports. The Type-C port on this charger provides up to 50W of charging power, while the secondary port offers up to 20W, making it versatile enough to charge a variety of devices efficiently. This level of inclusivity in accessories is quite generous and not commonly seen from manufacturers.
In our charging tests, the Lenovo Legion Y700 showed impressive performance. The tablet reached a 40% charge within just 15 minutes and hit 80% after 30 minutes. Achieving a full charge from 0% took approximately 57 minutes, which is notably quick for a device of its size. This rapid charging capability ensures minimal downtime and keeps the device ready for extended use.
Additionally, the Lenovo Legion Y700 includes a battery protection mode designed to enhance the longevity of the battery. In this mode, the power supply is directed straight to the tablet rather than the battery, which helps in reducing heat generation and prolonging the battery’s lifespan. This feature is beneficial for maintaining the overall health of the battery over time, ensuring that the device remains efficient and reliable. Overall, the combination of fast charging and battery protection modes underscores the Y700’s commitment to providing a high-performance user experience with thoughtful battery management.
Read Also: Review of the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook
Conclusion
The Lenovo Legion Y700 is a testament to Lenovo’s commitment to delivering high-performance gaming devices in a compact form factor. Its premium design, robust performance, and immersive display make it a compelling choice for gamers who prioritize portability without sacrificing power. The Snapdragon 870 processor, coupled with ample RAM and storage options, ensures smooth gameplay and multitasking. The high-refresh-rate display and impressive audio quality further enhance the gaming experience.
Battery life and fast charging capabilities make the Legion Y700 a reliable companion for extended gaming sessions. The software features and connectivity options cater to the needs of modern gamers, providing a seamless and enjoyable experience. In summary, the Lenovo Legion Y700 stands out as a compact gaming powerhouse, offering a perfect blend of performance, portability, and premium design for on-the-go gamers. Whether you are a casual gamer or a hardcore enthusiast, the Legion Y700 is well-equipped to meet your gaming needs.
In conclusion, the Lenovo Legion Y700 proves that a portable gaming device can deliver top-tier performance without compromising on build quality or user experience. It sets a high standard in the compact gaming market, making it a worthwhile investment for gamers seeking a powerful yet portable gaming solution. With its impressive specs and thoughtful design, the Legion Y700 is poised to be a favorite among mobile gamers for years to come.