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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.
While the 3rd-gen version of the Lenovo Tab M8 had an octa-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor, the 4th-gen model has a processor with just four Cortex-A53 cores. Both tablets have the same 8 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel displays, and entry-level models of both feature just 2GB of LPDDR4x memory and 32GB of eMMC storage.
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 | WiFi 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 six 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.
via Phablet.jp and TabletMonkeys
This article was first published December 7, 2022 and most recently updated April 23, 2023.
They don’t seem to understand that a 7″ tablet is a real workhorse for many people including travellers, architects, ingenieurs etc. No need to multimedia, but need large memory, both ROM and FLASH, large battery and good GPS. The weight is not so important aspect as fitting to a pocket. A fast CPU is a nice-to-know but mostly needed by teenagers playing games.
Please be careful when you write specs. M9 has 8 cores, not 6. You have to correct it also in your M9 Artikel.
Thanks. It was actually correct in the M9 article, but incorrect here. I’ve updated this article to accurately reflect that M9 has two Cortex-A55 cores and six Cortex-A55 cores.
You call it a downgrade, but I say it is an upgraded frisbee.
Gsmarena says the M9 is due to come out in July, with an octa core Mediatek MT6769V/CU Helio G80 (12 nm) [ copying from their page], and 3 or 4 GB RAM. So it’s a slight upgrade, and I’d say it would be best to wait for that to come out.
The M8 is old anyway.
This is a brand new (but underpowered) M8. The M9 is already available now (see the link near the bottom of this article).
Thanks for this article. I have been eagerly waiting for your piece, as there isn’t much information on these 8 inch tabs. A week before Halloween, I picked up this M8 2nd Gen and around Thanksgiving I learnt that a 3rd Gen also exists. Eventually I stumbled upon your article and other links and thought, “this cant be, they can’t just stick a 2nd Gen processor in their 4th Gen”. That’s what they exactly did. It also could be that the A22 maybe a more reliable processor, even if it’s a bit slower than the P22. Anyhow, I might still get the 3rd Gen now, since it has Android 11. This is my 2nd Android tab or any Android device, it does crash when I am watching Netflix occasionally but it has phenomenal battery life and works fairly decent for a “Hub” for security camera apps and baby monitor, all for a less than a 100 bucks.
I like tablets, but I suffer from the lack of tablets with normal Linux mainline
+1
Yeah, keeping prices the same right now with inflation is a feat in and of itself and nice of companies which could easily justify a price hike. At least for a budget tablet four cores should be enough though it’d have been nice if they had upgraded them to A55 (then they could say they were less but more powerful, unlike these which are less and slower).
That said, you mixed up the RAM in the table (or at least according to what you wrote).
Whoops, sometimes I forget which column I put the new model in 🙂
there are better soc, they just dont want to use them, Unisoc T310 with 1 cortex A75 and 3 cortex A55 is best Quadcore they could use and its cheap, most devices with that soc cost under $100.
Xiaoxin Pad 2022 (Rebranded Tab M10 FHD 3rd) 4+64 model cost 129 usd or even 111 usd in China, Lenovo probably wants to make some profit in oversea market?