The Lenovo Smart Tab M8 has 3 variants, the Smart Tab M8 with Google Assistant’s Ambient mode, Lenovo M8 (HD), and Lenovo M8 (FHD). Basically, by the name HD, it means that the screen resolution is in 720p while the FHD variant is in 1080p display. And of course, it has a larger resolution which means that it needs more processing power so it was equipped with a more powerful chipset than the HD version. What we have in our hand is the Smart Tab M8 with Google Assistant’s Ambient Mode equipped with MediaTek Helio A22. It is basically like the Lenovo M8 but with added features. Does this a bang for the buck device or you need to go a little more and get FHD variant?
Specification
| Lenovo Smart Tab M8 HD | |
| Design | 305g |
| 8.15mm thick | |
| Metal Back / Frame | |
| Iron Grey | |
| Display | 8″ IPS LCD |
| HD (1280 x 800) | |
| 350nits | |
| 189PPI | |
| Camera | 5MP rear camera |
| 1080p@30 | |
| Selfie | 2MP front camera |
| 720p@30fps | |
| Performance | MediaTek Helio A22 (12 nm) |
| IMG PowerVR Ge-class | |
| Android 9 Pie | |
| 2GB Ram | |
| 32GB storage | |
| expandable storage (up to 2TB) | |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
| 10W Fast Charging | |
| Features | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| MicroUSB 2.0 | |
| Bluetooth 5.0 | |
| Face Unlock | |
| Dolby Atmos | |
| Ambient Mode | |
| Price | P8,490 (2GB+32GB) |
Pros
- Large battery capacity
- Stereo speaker
- Premium feel
- Up to 2tb expandable memory
Cons
- Slightly lower PPI
- Not USB Type-C
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What’s in the box?
Going first through its accessories, it has a sliding box cover and the tablet will show after you opened it, underneath it is a 2 compartment box, inside the small box is the 10W Power brick, on the larger compartment, it contains the warranty and quick start guide, Lenovo service center contacts, sim ejector pin, MicroUSB 2.0 chord, and smart charging dock.
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Now let’s go first with the design. The build is a full metallic body, matted but smudges can be visible sometimes when the light hits. On the upper right is the main single cam. And below is the Dolby Atmos logo because why not? It has Dolby Atmos stereo speakers. While the black looks aesthetic it can be covered with smudges but slightly visible.
Around the metallic frame, we can see a lot of buttons and ports, first on the right, there’s a dual-mic hole, volume rockers, and the power button. Underneath it the micro USB port and the right speaker (when in landscape mode oriented in the dock). Then at the left is the charging pin to be connected to the charging dock. So basically we have to way charge here. Then there’s also a simtray with one simcard and a microsd card that expands up to 2TB of storage. Lastly on top is the left speaker and the 3.5mm jack.
Display
The Lenovo Smart Tab M8 boasts an 8-inch HD (800×1280) IPS LCD. The bezels are somehow big and it has a somehow sharper display. Why did I say ‘somehow sharper’? Well although it only has 189PPI the text isn’t that sharp and crisp. However when you go to the display settings and adjust the font size and make it smaller. It will feel sharper and the text will not be stretched on the pixels. So yes it is somehow sharp. The colors are accurate thanks to the IPS LCD technology. And for entertainment purposes, the display of this tablet is acceptable.
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Performance
This device is powered by Mediatek MT6761 Helio A22, a 2GHz Quad-Core chipset with 12nm build. Though it has a 12nm architecture the large battery size will surely compensate for it. The software is Andoird 9.0 (Pie) right out of the box with 2GB + 32GB configuration on our unit.
Performance is acceptable with a little lag when navigating through the UI however, opening one specific app in the window is pretty stable. Using split-screen and the device is somehow smooth but with a little less stuttering when scrolling.
Playing casual games is just ok on this device, we tried to play Cytus 2 and thanks to the 10 finger touch. Playing the game feels stable, then add the stereo speakers, playing without earphones plugged in, we experience fun and enjoyable gameplay.
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Features
The tablet comes with Screen Assistant that when enabled it will have a tab button on the right side that will show when you swipe from right to left. There will be a screen recorder, screenshot, eye-protection mode, and more. Also, it has a pen mode that will turn the tablet into a drawing mode that is reliable when you want to point on to something inside the screen or just draw anything you want.
It can perform various tasks also thanks to Google Assistant. The unique feature it can offer is the Ambient Mode. This will be enabled when you put the tablet in the smart dock and while charging you can ask everything that google assistant can offer. Like asking for recipes, playing music, update on the weather, and more. This means that it can do hands-free tasks to make productivity easier. And thanks to the dual mic system it can easily hear your voice even when you are not close to the device.
The Lenovo Smart Tab M8 stock apps like photo viewer are in Google Apps by default which adds the close to vanilla android feel. It has pretty cool features including the Kids Mode which will create a second multi-user login with password input. After switching to that user it will restrict every navigation in the UI unless you switch to the original owner. Kids mode comes in a wide variety of Learning and Enjoyable games and productivity for your kids. It is perfect for those who have a child and since the tablet is not big and hefty it will not be a hassle picking and holding the device.
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Convenient features such as double-tap to sleep, double press the power button to open the camera app are also present which is a great addition to the feel. There’s also a youtube app that you will find when you slide from the left side of the screen.
Camera
The camera has an acceptable quality. Lenovo Smart Tab M8 has a 5MP main rear and 2MP front cam. There are some features in the camera app like ISO control and gridlines. Shooting video on the rear cam outputs a 1080p video clip while shooting in the front cam only outputs 720p.
Battery
It has a large battery and even we only have an IPS LCD display, 12NM chipset and large display the 5000mAh endures almost a whole day though charging it is a bit longer as it only offers 10W. But being docked in the smart charging dock is something that you can accept. Like the fact the when you are watching movies, production content, asking google assistant, and Just stare at the screen, It charges while doing certain tasks.
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Audio
Well, the audio is somehow great–again?. This means that it really that have an impact on the sound quality but not solid. The bassy sound is ok. Somehow great because it offers Dolby Atmos software pre-installed in the device, this will deliver more enhanced sound quality and it has stereo speakers for an immersive entertainment experience.
Overall
Lenovo Smart Tab M8 is currently priced at P8,490. It is a great tablet for family use, not a gaming performance tablet but a great day to day device for entertainment or playing casual games. Convenience and connectivity is the main reason to buy this device. Also thanks to google assistant this device can operate hands-free and will be your great companion when cooking, productivity, and many more. A family-friendly device and perfect for your kids with just a budget-friendly price.
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