In the fast growing world of budget technology, Lenovo continues to prove that affordability doesn’t have to mean compromise. The Lenovo Tab One is one of the company’s latest offerings for 2025, positioned as an entry level Android tablet designed for everyday users, students, families, and casual consumers looking for a capable, compact, and stylish device without spending much.
At under $130, the Tab One brings together an 8.7-inch HD display, solid battery life, and a clean Android experience. But does it live up to its promise of being the perfect everyday companion? Let’s dive deep into the design, performance, camera, battery, and overall value to find out if this tablet truly delivers big potential at a small price.
What’s Inside the Box
Lenovo keeps things simple and practical. Inside the box, you’ll find the Lenovo Tab One, a 15W charging adapter, USB-C cable, a quick start guide, and a SIM microSD tool for expandable storage (if your model supports it).
Right out of the box, the Tab One feels surprisingly well built for its price range. It has a compact, lightweight frame with smooth rounded edges and a minimalist matte finish that resists fingerprints. Holding it in one hand feels comfortable, and at around 320 grams, it’s light enough to carry anywhere, perfect for reading, streaming, or light productivity on the go.
Design & Display
The Lenovo Tab One sports an 8.7-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1340 × 800 pixels. While it’s not a full HD screen, the clarity is good enough for streaming, web browsing, and YouTube videos. The colors are vibrant for casual viewing, and the screen reaches up to 480 nits brightness, making it usable even under moderate outdoor lighting.
Lenovo clearly designed this tablet for durability and portability rather than premium aesthetics. The dual tone back panel made from recycled plastic gives it a clean, eco-friendly look. Despite the plastic build, the frame feels sturdy and doesn’t flex easily. The bezels around the screen are noticeable but not distracting, and they make it easier to hold the tablet without accidental touches.
On the sides, Lenovo includes all the essentials, USB-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, dual speakers, and physical power volume buttons. The stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support are surprisingly loud and clear for such an affordable tablet, making it an excellent companion for Netflix or Spotify sessions.
Performance & Hardware
Under the hood, the Lenovo Tab One runs on the MediaTek Helio G85 processor, an octa-core chip built for efficiency and capable performance in light gaming and daily multitasking. Paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, it strikes a balance between affordability and usability.
For a tablet in this price range, the performance is genuinely impressive. It handles basic tasks like web browsing, YouTube playback, note taking, and social media apps with ease. Even light gaming, titles like Asphalt 9, Subway Surfers, or Call of Duty Mobile (low settings), runs smoothly with minimal frame drops.
However, the Tab One isn’t built for heavy multitasking or demanding apps. Opening multiple browser tabs or running resource intensive games may cause slight slowdowns. Still, for a tablet under $150, it outperforms expectations.
The 64GB internal storage can be expanded via microSD card (up to 1TB), giving plenty of room for videos, documents, and photos. Lenovo deserves credit here for maintaining flexibility, something many low cost tablets lack.
When it comes to thermals, Lenovo’s efficient design and passive cooling system keep the tablet comfortably cool even during extended streaming or light gaming sessions.
In short, the Tab One’s hardware combination of the Helio G85 and 4GB RAM ensures a smooth, reliable experience for typical daily use.
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Software & User Experience
The Lenovo Tab One ships with Android 14 (Go Edition), a lightweight and optimized version of Android that’s designed for budget devices. It runs incredibly smooth with minimal bloatware, offering a near stock Android experience that’s clean and intuitive.
Navigation is fluid, app transitions are snappy, and essential apps like YouTube, Chrome, and Google Docs open without lag. Lenovo has included some smart software tweaks like Kids Space and Google Entertainment Space, giving parents an easy way to control screen time or provide safe, curated content for children.
One of the standout aspects is the clean UI, Lenovo avoids unnecessary skins or intrusive ads, which keeps the overall experience pleasant.
However, one area where Lenovo could improve is software longevity. The company typically offers one major Android update and two years of security patches for its budget lineup. While that’s acceptable for this price, it’s worth noting for long-term buyers who plan to keep the tablet for several years.
Battery Life & Charging
Battery performance is one of the strongest points of the Lenovo Tab One. It packs a 5,100 mAh battery, which easily lasts 12 to 14 hours of continuous use depending on brightness and activity.
In real world tests, it handled a full day of moderate use, streaming YouTube, browsing the web, and reading eBooks, with around 30% battery left by bedtime. Lenovo claims up to 16.5 hours of web browsing and 12.5 hours of video playback, and those numbers are impressively close to reality.
Charging is handled via 15W fast charging, which isn’t the fastest on the market but fair for its price. It takes roughly 2.5 hours to go from 0% to 100%.
If you’re someone who uses their tablet on long commutes, flights, or road trips, the Lenovo Tab One won’t disappoint.
Camera Performance
Cameras are rarely a strong suit for budget tablets, and the Lenovo Tab One is no exception. It features a basic 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera.
The rear camera performs decently under good lighting, capturing readable documents, quick snapshots, or casual photos. But low light performance is below average, with noticeable grain and reduced sharpness.
The front camera is adequate for video calls and online classes, though the quality is modest. Don’t expect crisp selfies, but it’s functional for its purpose.
Lenovo didn’t design this tablet for photography; instead, the focus is on practicality and usability. For users who prioritize video calls or online learning, the cameras do the job just fine.
Audio & Entertainment
Lenovo deserves praise for including dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. The sound is clear, detailed, and surprisingly loud for such a compact device. Watching movies or streaming music feels immersive, especially when using headphones.
Pair that with the bright 8.7-inch display, and you’ve got a great little media machine for Netflix, Disney+, or YouTube. Whether you’re binge watching shows in bed or keeping kids entertained on a car ride, the audio-visual combo is excellent for its price.
Connectivity & Storage Options
The Lenovo Tab One includes all essential connectivity options, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The wireless connection remains stable during video calls and online streaming.
Some models may include LTE support, depending on your region, making it useful for travelers who need internet on the go.
Storage expansion via microSD is another plus point, allowing users to store large media files or eBooks without worrying about running out of space.
Gaming & Multimedia Experience
While it’s not a gaming powerhouse, the Helio G85 with Mali-G52 GPU handles light to moderate gaming decently. Popular titles like Clash of Clans, Subway Surfers, and PUBG Lite run smoothly at medium settings.
The combination of stereo speakers and responsive display enhances the gaming experience for casual players. It’s also a fun device for kids, responsive, compact, and capable enough for learning and play.
Price & Value for Money
With a retail price starting around $99-$129 (depending on region), the Lenovo Tab One positions itself as one of the best budget Android tablets of 2025.
At this price point, it competes with models like the Amazon Fire HD 8 (2024) and TCL Tab 8, but Lenovo edges ahead with a cleaner Android interface, better display brightness, and superior speaker quality.
The combination of solid build, bright screen, long battery life, and decent performance makes it a clear winner for users who need an affordable secondary tablet or a device for entertainment, study, or travel.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Lightweight and portable design (only 320g)
Decent IPS display with good brightness
Dual speakers with Dolby Atmos
Smooth Android 14 Go experience
Long battery life (12+ hours)
Expandable storage up to 1TB
Cons
Modest display resolution (not Full HD)
Average cameras
Limited software updates
Not ideal for heavy multitasking
Who Should Buy the Lenovo Tab One?
The Lenovo Tab One is perfect for:
- Students who need a portable tablet for online learning or note-taking.
- Families looking for a secondary entertainment tablet for kids.
- Casual users who browse, stream, and read daily.
- Travelers need a lightweight device with long battery life.
If you want a no-nonsense Android tablet that covers the basics beautifully, the Tab One fits the bill.
However, if you need higher resolution, more RAM, or guaranteed long-term updates, you might want to explore the Lenovo Tab M11 or Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+.
Final Verdict
The Lenovo Tab One isn’t trying to be the most powerful tablet of 2025, it’s trying to be the most practical. And in that mission, it succeeds admirably.
For under $130, it offers a great display for streaming, reliable battery life, decent performance for light tasks, and a clean Android interface that’s easy to navigate. Its lightweight design makes it ideal for portability, and the dual speakers make it enjoyable for media consumption.