Lenovo has added some new tablets to it's extensive roster, and the Lenovo Tab A8 is among the newbies. The Tab A8 is a budget-friendly tablet that gives you everything you pay for.
Features and Design:
The Tab A8 features a very simple design, with rounded curves and a soft rubbery backside, the tablet has good grip and very comfortable to hold. The tablet doesn't have a true edge-to-edge display which may come as a disappointment for some, but the device's MSRP makes it easily forgivable. The Tab A8 measures 217 x 136 x 8.95 mm and weighs 360g, which makes it slightly heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro. The overall case design is rock solid, and if you have a lot of pressure on the back end doesn't disrupt the screen's display. The uppermost left edge features a large snap-in-place cover concealing a microSD card slot, while the right upper edge features the volume rocker and power button. The top left of the device is where the front facing camera lies, with the back camera directly behind it. Under the hood you'll find a MediaTek MTK8121 1.3GHz quad-core processor alongside 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage space. The battery, a 4200mAh offering, which is very impressive. The battery can't be replaced, so if you stick with the tablet for the long run and the battery starts to give out, you're out of luck. Like I said above, the tablet gives you everything you pay for, which doesn't make it a bad tablet. The design is solid, and offers you everything you need.
Quality and Performance:
The Tab A8's performance is similar to some other 8-inch Android slates, such as Acer's Iconia A1-830 tablet. It stands up solidly in usage, and handles every app that I used without any hiccups or technical issues. If you plan on running more of the technically demanding apps and games, the tablet can struggle at times. Battery life is where Lenovo's 8-inch device shines. The usage time is about average, scoring in the range of 8 or so hours if you have the wireless turned on and the screen relatively bright. In standby, the Tab A8 sips power and stays charged for weeks with very small amounts of battery loss. The battery is easily the best part of the device, which can be both a positive and a negative. The system comes with various tools to help minimize battery drain, so you can fully customize your device's power usage. The TAB A8 features a 5-megapixel rear camera and an 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It's an okay camera for video chatting, but the back camera is where you'll be taking the bulk of your pictures. Images taken in low-light settings, such as indoors, will predictably need a long enough shutter speed that any sort of movement will cause a blur. Outdoors shots and indoor shots taken during the day time are decent enough as well. The Tab A8 comes pre-loaded with some apps the average user might find handy, such as a 30-day trial of the ROUTE 66 navigation software, Norton Mobile Security, Kingsoft Office for accessing documents, AccuWeather, Movie Studio, and a lot more. In terms of software, the device definitely comes packed with great apps.
Final Thoughts:
The Lenovo Tab A8 is a solid device that gives you exactly what you pay for. If you're looking for a great budget friendly tablet to use on an everyday basis, the Tab A8 will be perfect for you.
+Solid, Lightweight Design
+Excellent Battery Life
+Great Software Bundled
-Performance can Stutter
-Cameras Are Lacking
S&S Rating: 7.5/10 @whatsPlay
