I bought the Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4.
A high-performance small tablet
The Lenovo Legion Tab Y700 Gen 4 is a small gaming tablet equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite and an 8.8-inch display.
The microSD card support, which was discontinued in the previous model, has been brought back, allowing you to store large video and music files.
Convenient features like dual USB-C ports and bypass charging remain, while the battery capacity has been increased to 7600mAh and the weight has been reduced to about 340g.
However, despite the new standards for storage and memory, the speed is not significantly different from the previous model, and there was no major improvement in actual gaming performance.
Other companies are planning to release small tablets with OLED displays, so the small tablet market is no longer the exclusive domain of the Y700 series, and I hope to see significant evolution in the next model.
This review is based on the 12GB+256GB version, TB322FC_CN_OPEN_USER_Q00041.1_V_ZUXOS_1.1.10.051_ST_250513.
- High-performance Snapdragon 8 Elite
- Higher resolution 8.8-inch display
- 7600mAh battery with bypass charging support
- Dual USB-C ports, one with video output support
- microSD card support
- Minor evolution from the previous model
- Poor power efficiency during gaming
| Lenovo Legion Y700 2025 Gen 3 (TB-321FU) | Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 (TB-322FC) | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android 15 | Android 15 |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB LPDDR5X | 12GB / 16GB LPDDR5X Ultra |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB UFS 4.0 | 256GB / 512GB UFS 4.1 |
| SoC | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Display | 8.8-inch 2560 x 1600 16:10 Aspect Ratio 165Hz Refresh Rate LCD |
8.8-inch 3040 x 1904 16:10.02 Aspect Ratio 165Hz Refresh Rate LCD |
| Dimensions | 208.5 x 129.5 x 7.8mm | 207.58 x 128.5 x 6.99 mm |
| Weight | Measured 351.3g | Measured 346.7g |
| Rear Camera | 13MP + 2MP (Macro) |
50MP |
| Front Camera | 8MP | 8MP |
| Battery | 6,550mAh | 7,600mAh |
| USB Port | USB Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2 + USB 2.0) | USB Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2 + USB 2.0) |
Index
- 1 A high-performance small tablet
- 2 Display: Evolved with Higher Resolution
- 3 Back: Fingerprints are not very noticeable
- 4 Speakers: No major evolution
- 5 Ports: Dual USB-C with video output
- 6 Performance: Maintains high FPS, but with high power consumption
- 7 OS: Can be localized to English via ADB
- 8 Summary
A manual, charging cable, and a 68W USB Type-C charger are included.
A protective film is not pre-applied.
Since the screen size and front camera position have not changed, it seems that protective films for the Lenovo Legion Tab (8.8”, 3) can be used.
Display: Evolved with Higher Resolution
The Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 is equipped with an 8.8-inch display with a resolution of 3040 x 1904.
The Lenovo Legion Y700 2025 had a resolution of 2560 x 1600, so this model offers a higher resolution for a sharper display.
The aspect ratio is 16:10.02, so there will be black bars when playing videos.
Manga can be displayed in a two-page spread, making it easy to read.
When measuring the brightness with an LX-1336B while displaying a full white image at maximum brightness, it reached a maximum of 635 nits.
It still uses a relatively low-cost LCD, so I’d like to see them challenge an upgrade to an OLED or a higher-end LCD panel for improved maximum brightness and color expression.
It is a unit that indicates the level of brightness; the higher the number, the brighter it is.
It is said that a display is difficult to see indoors without around 400-500 nits, and outdoors without around 800-1000 nits.
By the way, many models restrict the maximum brightness unless automatic brightness adjustment is turned on.
It only exceeds 600 nits when “Brightness enhancement” is on under direct sunlight; indoors, the maximum brightness is only about 344 nits even when set to max.
The refresh rate supports 165Hz.
It can be set for individual apps, and for apps not recognized as 165Hz compatible, the maximum is 144Hz.
There is an option in the developer options to force 165Hz, so if you enable it, you can get 165Hz as long as the app itself doesn’t impose a limit.
Internally, it also supports 90Hz and 120Hz.
The touch sampling rate was about 208Hz.
The total touch latency measured with WALT Latency Timer was 35.4ms.
This is an improvement from the previous model Y700 2025’s 47.4ms, but for a gaming tablet, I’d like to see it aim for the 20ms range.
It is the time it takes for the screen to respond after being touched.
The smaller this number, the faster the response.
Gaming smartphones are typically around 25ms, while regular smartphones are generally in the 30-40ms range.
It has Widevine L1, allowing for high-quality streaming playback on services like Amazon Prime Video.
Back: Fingerprints are not very noticeable
The back has a matte finish, which makes fingerprints less noticeable.
The camera has been upgraded to 50MP and it still protrudes.
The weight is 346.7g.
It is slightly lighter than the Lenovo Legion Y700 2025.
It’s wonderful that it has become slimmer and has a larger battery capacity, yet is lighter.
Speakers: No major evolution
The Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 is equipped with stereo speakers.
They are positioned symmetrically for when held horizontally.
While the volume is sufficient, the back starts to vibrate slightly at around volume level 5.
It supports Dolby Atmos, and with the “Dynamic” setting, vocals were overly emphasized, making the bass and treble less prominent.
I feel the “Music” setting is more balanced, but even then, the bass is somewhat subdued.
Checking the supported codecs with Bluetooth Codec Changer, it supported AAC / aptX / aptX HD / aptX Adaptive / LDAC.
Ports: Dual USB-C with video output
The battery capacity is 7600mAh and it supports 68W fast charging.
The fact that it’s oddly off-center is a bit unsettling, but it probably won’t have a major impact on practical use.
It could be problematic with clamp-on controllers that have a tight design.
It supports bypass charging during games, which allows for direct power supply, reducing the load on the battery and heat generation for extended gaming sessions.
There is a battery protection feature that stops charging at 80% or maintains it between 40-60% during prolonged charging.
“Charging protection” does protect against overcharging, but charging will resume once it drops below 40-60%. I feel that the “Maximum charge limit,” which stops charging at 80%, is sufficient on its own.
It has two USB Type-C ports, and the port on the long side is USB 3.2 Gen 2 for high-speed data transfer.
It also supports video and audio output via DisplayPort Alt Mode.
When outputting video, you can choose to either mirror or extend the screen.
You can also use multi-window operations in PC mode, allowing you to use it like a laptop.
On the top side, there is a microSD card slot.
It supports cards up to 2TB.
This has become very convenient for those who want to store a large number of video and music files locally for immediate access, rather than using cloud services.
It supports Wi-Fi 7, but since the 6GHz band cannot be used for Wi-Fi in China, 6GHz is disabled.
It is equipped with a proximity sensor, gyroscope, and more.
Performance: Maintains high FPS, but with high power consumption
The Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, making it easy to maintain high frame rates even in demanding games.
However, due to conservative thermal management, power consumption is not well controlled, and in terms of power efficiency, it hasn’t improved much from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered Y700 2025.
In Geekbench 6, the package-spoofed version (= not affected by the manufacturer’s unfair boosting) scored 2994 for single-core and 9476 for multi-core, while the normal version scored 2994 for single-core and 9450 for multi-core.
Since there’s no significant difference, it appears that it does not perform performance control based on package names.
It delivers full performance in all apps, even if they are not registered as game apps.
Many manufacturers have been caught cheating by identifying famous benchmark apps like AnTuTu by their package names and then loosening thermal controls or locking high clock speeds just for the benchmark to make the score look better.
This behavior is different from normal app usage, leading to situations where “benchmarks are good, but other apps don’t run much better.”
Since the boosting behavior differs by manufacturer, comparing boosted results is meaningless.
Therefore, it’s important to change the package name to disguise it as a general app and get a correct, unboosted score.
This is explained in detail in this article.
It’s a benchmark that quantifies CPU processing performance used in tasks like background blurring and text processing.
Single-core performance is important for light, everyday tasks, while multi-core performance is crucial for demanding games and more.
A single-core score of 1200 and a multi-core score of 3000 or more should be comfortable for most uses.
Benchmark results are summarized in this article.
In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test with a spoofed package name, the score went from 6682 to 4289.
While it’s good that it can maintain high performance, considering it should have better heat dissipation than a smartphone, I feel the stability should be much higher.
Wild Life Extreme is a benchmark that quantifies GPU performance using the Vulkan API with 3840×2160 resolution graphics.
A higher score means smoother 3D rendering in games, and a high Stability means it can maintain high performance for extended periods.
Since it’s just a general, simple indicator for Vulkan API usage, and considering that most popular games don’t use the Vulkan API, the score isn’t very useful. It’s mainly for checking heat generation during GPU use.
We can only infer things like “if it performs well in Vulkan, it will probably perform well in OpenGL too,” or “if it gets hot easily, it will be difficult to maintain FPS in real games.”
PCMark Work 3.0 (package-spoofed version), which measures performance in everyday tasks like document manipulation, stopped mid-measurement for some reason and could not be completed.
It is equipped with UFS 4.1 storage and LPDDR5X Ultra memory.
According to CPDT Benchmark measurements, both read and write speeds were top-class.
The sequential read is a bit slower compared to other companies’ high-end smartphones, but it should be sufficient.
Sequential read/write is the read/write speed that affects tasks like copying large files and video encoding/decoding.
Random read/write is the speed for reading and writing small files, and this speed is important when using apps and games.
When playing the CPU-intensive game Genshin Impact for 30 minutes in performance mode, highest graphics settings, 60FPS setting, in Natlan (using a skill at Mualani and moving along the path), and measuring with Scene 8, it averaged 59.9 FPS with a power consumption of 146.08mW per FPS.
The battery temperature rose to a maximum of about 43.1°C.
The average FPS and power efficiency are not much different from the Lenovo Legion Y700 2025, which is equipped with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
The 5% Low FPS improved from 56.9FPS to 58.6FPS, but it’s a small difference that is hard to notice.
Lower power consumption per FPS indicates better power efficiency.
Good power efficiency means less battery consumption, while poor efficiency leads to rapid battery drain.
Smartphones with poor power efficiency in games tend to have high battery consumption in other apps as well, often making you feel like the battery drains quickly.
Average FPS (frames per second) indicates how smoothly the display can be maintained, and a higher number is better.
(To be precise, a high average FPS with fewer “junks” or stutters results in a better perceived smoothness.)
When playing the GPU-intensive game Honkai: Star Rail for 30 minutes in performance mode, highest graphics settings, in Penacony “Golden Hour” while repeatedly using Acheron’s technique, it averaged 53.6 FPS.
It started being limited to 45 FPS after about 10 minutes.
Here too, the power efficiency has not improved, remaining at an average consumption of 10W.
I was hoping that the 8 Elite would improve power efficiency and allow for longer gaming sessions, but as it stands, it feels more like a minor update to the Y700 2025.
OS: Can be localized to English via ADB
Although you can’t select languages other than Chinese and English in the initial setup, you can set it to other languages by tapping “Software version” in Tablet Info 7 times to reveal Developer options, enabling USB debugging, installing CtsPreconditions.apk, and then running adb shell settings put system system_locales en-US (change en-US to your language) on a PC and restarting.
Almost everything, including settings and other apps, will be in proper translation. Some parts like the quick settings remain in Chinese or English.
Also, after downloading and installing the Play Store APK from a source like APKMirror, you can use the Play Store by enabling Google Basic Services in Settings → Apps.
Equipped with Android 15, it also features a taskbar, which is convenient for switching between apps.
It supports various gesture controls, including double-tap to wake/sleep the screen, as well as easy task switching and split-screen.
Since three-finger gestures can cause accidental inputs in multi-touch games, an option is provided to disable gesture controls when in game mode.
Summary
- High-performance Snapdragon 8 Elite
- Higher resolution 8.8-inch display
- 7600mAh battery with bypass charging support
- Dual USB-C ports, one with video output support
- microSD card support
- Minor evolution from the previous model
- Poor power efficiency during gaming
While the Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 brings improvements from the 2025 model such as the return of microSD card support, a higher-resolution display, increased battery capacity, and reduced weight, the most crucial aspect—gaming performance—has not seen significant improvement. The touch latency is on par with a regular smartphone, and the power efficiency remains poor.
For now, it undoubtedly has the highest level of performance among 8-inch tablets, but with other companies poised to release a succession of small tablets, I can’t help but think it might be quickly overtaken with such a small step in evolution.
For those who held off on upgrading from the Lenovo Legion Y700 2025 because the lack of microSD card support was a deal-breaker, the Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 is a good choice.
The Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 can be purchased in China for 3299 yuan.