We're live at MWC 2026, and I just got my hands on what might end up being one of this year's most exciting gaming tablets. I'm talking about the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5, an Android tablet that packs a lot of performance power into a compact form factor.
For those who don't know, the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is the global follow-up to the Gen 3, a top pick from our guide to the best gaming tablets. I say 'global follow-up' because Gen 4 launched only in China, which, given its stellar specs, was a disappointment. That's why we're even more excited about the prospect of the Gen 5 getting a global launch later this year, with its spec sheet looking even more impressive than the Gen 4 we never got to put through its paces.
The biggest selling point of the Legion Tab Gen 5 is its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, the same powerful processor behind the REDMAGIC 11 Pro and Xiaomi 17. Rocket League Sideswipe was open on the tablet when I checked it out at the Lenovo stand, and while that game isn't exactly the best pick for testing performance, it seemed to be running just as well as you'd want. With that in mind, I'm eager to test the tablet out with some of the more demanding titles from our list of the best mobile games when it launches.
The Legion Tab Gen 5's 8.8-inch display also looks like a significant improvement over Gen 3, with a higher 3,040 x 1,904 resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. The only slight disappointment in terms of the display is that it's an LCD, not an OLED, but I said I had the same concerns before I picked up the Nintendo Switch 2, and I've barely put that down since launch day. The new tablet also packs a massive 9,000mAh battery, but we'll have to test it ourselves to see if that equates to improved battery life, as specs don't always tell the full picture when it comes to a device holding its charge.
According to Lenovo, the Legion Tab is launching in April. Here's where the catch comes in, though. It's not going to be cheap, with prices starting at $849 / £699 for the 12GB+256GB version. For context, that's significantly more expensive than the Legion Tab's main rival, the $549 REDMAGIC Astra, and the Astra has an OLED. Still, we'll have to wait and see whether the pull of the compact form factor and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip is enough to tempt some potential users to pick up the Lenovo.
For more of the latest from MWC 2026, check out our hands-on coverage of the REDMAGIC 11 Pro Wuthering Waves Limited Edition, the Honor Magic V6, and the Lenovo Legion Go Fold.