Lenovo Legion Go: A Portable Gaming Powerhouse
Lenovo has just launched its latest gaming device, the Legion Go, a handheld gaming PC that promises to bring the power of a desktop gaming rig to your fingertips.
Selecting an operating system is all that is required to use handheld gaming devices, which are still quite popular. In addition to Windows handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally, Linux-based Steam Deck from Valve, and the original Nintendo Switch, with its own Windows-powered product, Lenovo has also joined the race and is in full mood to be a winner. Lenovo Legion Go was first announced at IFA 2023, and it borrows several crucial features from its closest competitors. The following is my review of the new gaming slate.
The Legion Go, which dwarfs both the ROG Ally and the Steam Deck with its 8.8-inch LCD display, is the center of attention of the new gaming setup. In comparison to ASUS’ FHD (1,920 x 1,080) and the comparatively low 1,280 x 800 resolution of the Steam Deck, Lenovo’s display is the sharpest of the three. The Legion Go isn’t lacking anything when combined with a smooth 144Hz refresh rate.
In addition to its powerful hardware, the Legion Go also offers a range of features designed to enhance the gaming experience. These include multi-mode performance controls, software, and compatibility with Legion Glasses (coming soon). The device also features an advanced thermal design for efficient cooling and generous airflow, as well as flexible power modes and battery optimization support for extended gaming sessions.
Lenovo Legion Go Specifications
| CPU | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (8 cores, 16 threads, up to 5.1GHz, 16MB L3 cache) |
|---|---|
| GPU | AMD RDNA 3 Graphics (12 cores) |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5x 7500Mhz |
| Storage | PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 2242 SSD:256GB512GB1TB |
| Battery | Main unit: 49.2Whr battery with Super Rapid Charge65W USB Type-C power adapterControllers: 900mAh battery |
| Display | 8.8-inch IPS, 16:10 aspect ratio, Quad HD+ (2560×1600), 144Hz refresh rate, 97% DCI-P3, 500 nits, touch |
| Controllers | Detachable left and right controllersInputs:Hall effect joystick with RGB in base (Left/Right)D-Pad (Left)ABXY button array (Right)Touchpad (Right)L/R shoulder buttonsL/R shoulder triggersView button (Left)Menu button (Left)Legion buttons (Left/Right)4x assignable rear buttons (2 left/2 right)Optical mouse sensor (Right)Mouse wheel (Right)Three mouse buttons (Right, includes one rear button) |
| Audio | 2x 2W speakersDual-array microphone |
| Ports | 2x USB4 (one on top, one at the bottom)3.5mm headphone jackmicroSD card reader |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E 2x2Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Dimensions | Base module:8.27 x 5.15 x 0.79 inches (210 x 131 x 20mm)Base module with controllers attached:11.8 x 5.15x 1.61 inches (299 x 131 x 41mm) |
| Weight | Base module:1.41 pounds (640g)Base module with controllers attached:1.88 pounds (854g) |
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home |
| Color | Shadow Black |
| Price | Starting at $700 |
Lenovo Legion Go Hands-on Impressions
It wasn’t until I used the Lenovo Legion Go that I realized how badly I wanted a Windows gaming portable with detachable controllers. With built-in controllers, the ROG Ally and Steam Deck are more similar to Nintendo’s Switch Lite than the Legion Go, which has removable TrueStrike controllers that slide in and out like JoyCons.
The controllers from Lenovo are a little bit thicker than those from the Switch, but they’re also a little bit more comfortable thanks to a pleasant curve around the trigger sets at the top. Every gaming handheld is equipped with a tiny plastic ring that can be used to secure the right TrueStrike controller’s base in what Lenovo refers to as FPS mode. In essence, it converts the right side into a computer mouse (featuring a scroll wheel) for controlling movement while the left controller controls direction.
The controllers have a joystick on each side, a flat D-pad on the left, and A, B, X, and Y buttons as well as a small trackpad on the right. The Legion TrueStrike controllers contain 10 shoulder buttons, which you can use when you’re ready to customize your layout.
For the time being, all I can say is that the Legion Go works flawlessly both with the controllers attached and detached Nintendo Switch-style.
Lenovo Legion Go Gaming & Performance
You can host a variety of game aggregators on the Legion Go to access the majority of your games, just like the Ally. In fact, the Legion Go includes three months of Xbox Game Pass free of charge. In addition to Steam, other options include GOG and the Epic Games Store. And thankfully, using the touchpad makes navigating around everything much simpler. The Legion Go is a fully functional Windows 11 computer when not in use for gaming.
The AMD Ryzen Z1 series chips, which first appeared in the Asus ROG Ally, are only now being used in the Lenovo Legion Go, the second device to be unveiled with them. You may anticipate typically excellent performance for gaming with processors up to an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme. This won’t compete with a complete gaming laptop, but with a few graphical adjustments, it ought to be able to run practically all current games.
Final Words…
As a result, even if Lenovo still has some finishing touches to make before the Legion Go goes on sale for real somewhere in October, it’s obvious that the competition for supremacy in portable gaming PCs has only just begun.
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