Lenovo’s gaming-focused Legion Tablet is headed to the UK and Europe, but how does it compare to one of the most popular tablets around, the iPad 10?
While there are rather obvious differences between the two – like the use of Android and iOS, two competing operating systems – there are other key elements to consider if you’re on the market for a mid-range tablet and are trying to decide between the two.
The Legion Tab has a faster screen than the iPad 10, for example, but lacks the broad accessory support of Apple’s tablet.
While we haven’t yet reviewed the Lenovo Legion Tab, here’s how it stacks up compared to the iPad 10 based on specs.
The Lenovo Legion Tab has a distinct gaming focus
It’s safe to say that the Lenovo Legion Tab has a focus on gaming, with a slew of hardware to enhance the on-the-go gaming experience for keen mobile gamers.
That’s not only true of the processor, sporting a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, but that comes alongside 12GB of fast LPDDR5X RAM. Keeping the chipset cool under load is Lenovo’s Legion: ColdFront Vapor thermal solution.
It’s essentially the combination of an oversized vapour chamber and software that lets you choose between three performance modes – Beast Mode, Balanced Mode and Energy Saving Mode – to get the best experience depending on what you’re up to.
When you want to play games, crank it to beast mode, but if you’re just scrolling through TikTok and Instagram, Balanced or Energy Saving Mode will ensure longer battery life. The tablet also has two USB-C ports so you can conveniently charge regardless of how it’s being held, and with charging passthrough on offer, you won’t degrade your battery over those long gaming sessions.
The iPad, on the other hand, doesn’t offer any gaming-specific features or functionality beyond the ability to subscribe to Apple Arcade to access an ever-changing slate of titles – though, as we’re about to discuss, it’ll still handle the majority of iPad games just fine.
Expect similar performance from both tablets
While we haven’t reviewed the Lenovo Legion Tab yet and thus can’t say for certain, we’re pretty confident that it’ll match what the iPad 10 has to offer in terms of performance.
The iPad 10 sports Apple’s A14 Bionic chipset, the same as that found in the iPhone 12. Granted, it’s not exactly the latest Apple chipset, nor is it the M2 chipset of the iPad Pro models, but it still holds its own in 2024 in the mid-range tablet market.
As mentioned, the Lenovo Legion Tab utilises the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset which first made its debut in mid-2022, found in flagship phones like OnePlus 10T. It’s also a solid performer, and going by other 8 Plus Gen 1-equipped mobiles, it can certainly keep up with the iPad 10’s A14 Bionic in benchmark tests.
The iPad 10, for example, scored a solid 3190 in the Geekbench 6 multi-core test, while the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1-equipped OnePlus 10T scored 3528 in the same test. Of course, the Legion Tab could perform even better with faster RAM and dedicated cooling, but we’ll have to wait and see for sure.
The Lenovo Legion Tab has a faster screen
The Lenovo Legion Tab’s focus on gaming extends to the display; while at 8.8 inches, it’s smaller than the 10.9-inch display of the iPad 10, it’s the faster of the two – and by some margin too.
That’s because the Legion Tab offers a super fast 144Hz refresh rate, which is faster than practically every other tablet on the market in 2024 – even the likes of the iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 cap out at 120Hz. The difference is especially stark when compared to the 60Hz refresh rate of the iPad 10.
This essentially means that the Legion Tab can render games at up to 144fps for a smoother gaming experience compared to the maximum 60fps you’ll get from the iPad 10. General performance will also feel smoother and more responsive on the Legion Tab, with smoother UI animations, scrolling and more.
The iPad 10 has better accessory support
If there’s one area where the iPad excels, it’s in the accessory department. The iPad 10 not only supports a range of Bluetooth and USB-C controllers for gaming, but it also offers support for high-end Apple accessories like the Magic Keyboard that essentially turns the tablet into a laptop, complete with trackpad, and the first-gen Apple Pencil.
There are also plenty of third-party accessories for the tablet, but unfortunately, the same can’t quite be said for the Legion Tab.
Sure, you can pay an extra £25 to get an official Folio case with the tablet, and Bluetooth controllers do play well with the tablet, but there aren’t any Lenovo-developed accessories that really enhance the tablet experience in a meaningful way.
If you want to use your tablet for more than just gaming, the iPad 10 has the upper hand here.
Both tablets cost the exact same amount
The iPad 10 and Lenovo Legion Tab cost the same £499 in the UK, so price shouldn’t really be a point of contention if you’re trying to decide between the two.
That said, the iPad 10 is available to buy now from Apple and third-party retailers while the Lenovo Legion Tab will be available from the Lenovo Store in the coming days.
