Lenovo Legion Go evaluation

The Lenovo Legion Go has made waves within the transportable PC gaming market, introducing an attention grabbing mix of innovation and efficiency. Launched as a competitor in a market that’s more and more crowded with handheld gaming gadgets, this providing from Lenovo goals to carve out its area of interest by combining the facility of PC gaming with the comfort of portability. With options like removable controllers, a high-resolution show, and full Home windows 11 functionality, the Legion Go guarantees a flexible gaming expertise that bridges the hole between desktop energy and handheld flexibility.

Nevertheless, with such energy comes the query of compromise. The Legion Go faces the challenges of managing battery life, optimizing software program for a handheld format, and making certain ergonomic consolation with out sacrificing efficiency. As the hand held gaming market turns into extra refined, with gadgets just like the Steam Deck setting excessive requirements, the Legion Go’s capability to fulfill and exceed these expectations is vital. This evaluation delves into the strengths and weaknesses of the Lenovo Legion Go, exploring the way it stands up towards its guarantees and competitors and whether or not it’s worthy of a spot on our listing of one of the best transportable gaming consoles.

Worth and availability

The Lenovo Legion Go positions itself firmly throughout the premium sector of the gaming handheld market, reflecting its high-end aspirations in its pricing construction. The bottom mannequin, outfitted with a 512GB SSD, retails at $699, which aligns with the higher echelons of transportable gaming gadgets. For these requiring extra inner storage, the 1TB model calls for a slight premium, priced at $749. This pricing technique locations the Legion Go in direct competitors with different flagship handhelds. It highlights its ambition to carve out a distinct segment inside this aggressive panorama.

The distinctive promoting factors of the Lenovo Legion Go, notably its removable controllers and progressive FPS mode, contribute to its premium positioning. These options provide a particular gameplay expertise, probably justifying the funding for fanatics searching for versatility and a novel strategy to handheld gaming. Nevertheless, the value level additionally necessitates a vital analysis of the system’s total worth, particularly when put next towards opponents providing comparable or superior {hardware} specs. Potential patrons should weigh the advantages of Legion Go’s distinctive options towards its value, contemplating the instant monetary outlay and the long-term worth proposition.

Specs

The Lenovo Legion Go positions itself within the handheld gaming market with notable {hardware} specs. The system powers efficiency by using an AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive processor. This selection goals to steadiness efficiency and energy effectivity for cellular gaming. The 512GB and 1TB fashions have 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM. This specification suggests the system can deal with multitasking and trendy gaming calls for with out vital compromise.

One of many Legion Go’s most defining options is its 2560 x 1600 8.8-inch IPS show. This huge, high-resolution display is considerably uncommon for handheld gaming gadgets, probably providing an enhanced visible expertise for detailed sport environments. The show’s functionality to succeed in a refresh fee of as much as 144Hz can also be notable, suggesting smoother gameplay, which is especially helpful for fast-paced titles.

Right here’s a extra simple specification comparability for each fashions of the Lenovo Legion Go:

Options

The Lenovo Legion Go is a wonderful gaming system with removable controllers. These controllers cost wirelessly when related to the central unit and allow you to play FPS video games uniquely. One of many controllers can remodel right into a vertical mouse, providing PC players a extra exact and acquainted management scheme for first-person shooters. The Legion Go is ideal for players who need greater than contact controls or commonplace thumbsticks, mixing conventional PC gaming experiences with the flexibleness of handheld gaming.

The Legion Go’s kickstand can also be fairly superior. Not like opponents, it might assist the system at numerous angles, making it good for tabletop gaming. You possibly can modify it to seek out your optimum viewing angle, making it a extra snug gaming expertise, particularly throughout lengthy gaming classes.

The Legion Go runs on Home windows 11, providing entry to an unlimited library of video games and purposes. It’s not only for gaming – you too can use it for productiveness apps! We desire gaming, however you do you. With twin USB-C ports, you’ll be able to cost it rapidly and join it to numerous equipment, together with exterior shows and storage options, increasing its performance.

In relation to the Lenovo Legion Go’s proprietary software program, it falls behind the competitors. It’s gradual, doesn’t decide up some video games on the hand held, and is poorly optimized. There are methods round this and loads of different digital storefronts, similar to Steam and GoG, however it is best to nonetheless use Legion software program only for software program and safety updates.

Design

The Lenovo Legion Go is a savage-looking gaming system. It’s visually tremendous cool with its metallic-like end on the again panel, and the construct consists of high-quality supplies that make it really feel sturdy and durable. Nevertheless, it’s one of many heavier and bulkier choices within the gaming handheld market.

The Legion Go comes with an 8.8-inch display and removable controllers. This design selection gives a extra vital show space and a snug grip for lengthy gaming classes. However, it may be difficult for these with smaller palms or who worth compactness in a handheld gaming system.

The system options two USB-C ports, one on the prime and one on the backside. These ports join extra peripherals and cost the system rapidly with out affecting the consumer expertise. Though it has many benefits, the Legion Go is a distinct segment providing throughout the handheld gaming sector. It suits these prioritizing a premium construct and a bigger display over portability however nonetheless has drawbacks.

Show

The Lenovo Legion Go is a transportable gaming system with an 8.8-inch IPS show that blows your thoughts with its spectacular 2560×1600 decision. It’s not simply concerning the seems to be, although, as a result of it additionally helps a refresh fee of as much as 144Hz, which makes the motion smoother and extra pleasurable. This characteristic is helpful for aggressive gaming, making certain the visuals sync with the gameplay.

However, the high-resolution and high-refresh-rate show can drain your battery quicker and make your system slower. The processor and GPU need to work tougher to assist these options, which can lead to shorter play classes on a single cost. So, it’s worthwhile to steadiness visible high quality and battery life by adjusting settings primarily based in your preferences. An excellent tip for brand new customers can be to show auto rotate off, which is overly delicate on Lenovo Legion Go.

The IPS panel ensures correct coloration replica and a large viewing angle, enhancing the gaming expertise. This characteristic additionally makes the Legion Go a superb possibility for watching films and different content material that require high-quality visible output. Nevertheless, the display’s glossiness and reflectiveness can pose visibility points below direct daylight, a standard trade-off with shows prioritizing coloration depth and distinction.

Efficiency

The Lenovo Legion Go is a wonderful handheld gaming system that runs on the AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive processor and has 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It’s a flexible participant that works nice with video games that don’t require lots of graphics energy, and it might deal with extra demanding video games (though you may must mess with the settings to get it excellent).

The 144Hz show’s super-smooth gameplay has limits, particularly with newer or extra graphically intense video games. You may need to decide on between wanting nice and taking part in easily. This drawback isn’t distinctive to the Legion Go, however it’s nonetheless one to level out if you happen to plan on working demanding video games utilizing the console.

The Legion Go’s cooling system is important for working the system easily throughout lengthy gaming classes. It’s tremendous environment friendly and retains the efficiency constant over time with out overheating. However it may be loud when working arduous to maintain the system cool, so that you may need to play utilizing a Bluetooth headset if you happen to don’t need to miss a line of dialogue.

Battery

The Lenovo Legion Go has a battery that helps its high-performance {hardware} and huge, high-resolution show, which is fairly cool. However the battery life might be painful if you happen to plan a protracted gaming session. All of it is determined by the sorts of video games you’re taking part in and the settings you’ve chosen. You’ll burn by way of the battery rapidly if you happen to run demanding titles at most settings. You may need to maintain it plugged in after just some hours.

The excellent news is that the Legion Go gives versatile charging choices, so you’ll be able to cost it whereas taking part in. It has twin USB-C ports positioned on the prime and backside, making it simple to cost it in a vertical stand mode. However, if you happen to’re utilizing the system closely, you’ll must cost it steadily, which is a ache.

The Legion Go’s battery capability struggles to maintain up with the system’s highly effective parts and the vitality calls for of recent gaming. It’s stable sufficient for brief to reasonable play classes, however if you wish to play for a very long time, search for a much less highly effective handheld gaming console. It’s a trade-off between enhanced efficiency and superior show high quality on one hand and battery endurance on the opposite.

Ought to You Purchase The Lenovo Legion Go?

Are you considering of shopping for the Lenovo Legion Go? Properly, all of it comes right down to what you’re in search of. The Legion Go has some unbelievable options, like removable controllers that you should utilize as a vertical mouse in FPS mode and an enormous high-refresh-rate show. Plus, it runs on Home windows 11, which provides you lots of flexibility, and you’ll cost it up utilizing the twin USB-C ports whereas connecting to different gadgets simply.

However there are some downsides, too. It’s cumbersome and heavy, so it won’t be as transportable as different handheld gaming gadgets. And whereas it has spectacular {hardware}, you’ll have to sacrifice some efficiency to play graphically intensive video games at its native decision. Plus, utilizing Home windows on a handheld system might be difficult.

One other factor to contemplate is battery life. Though the Legion Go has a strong battery, it might solely final for a short while if you happen to play extra demanding video games at larger settings. So, make sure to preserve that in thoughts if you’re planning your gaming classes.

In the end, the Lenovo Legion Go is a distinct segment product ultimate for players who desire a transportable system with versatility and display high quality. It is best to look into different choices if you happen to prioritize portability and ease of use over sheer energy and display dimension. When deciding, contemplate the professionals and cons rigorously and the way the Legion Go’s particular benefits and drawbacks align along with your gaming preferences and wishes.

Alternate options

If our Lenovo Legion Go evaluation hasn’t offered you, take a look at our recommendations for alternate options beneath.

Steam Deck OLED

The Steam Deck OLED is the apparent various to the Lenovo Legion Go. It’s extra streamlined when it comes to software program whereas requiring much less setup and has an enormous library of obtainable video games, lots of which are sometimes on sale. Till the arrival of the Steam Deck 2, we’re assured saying that the Valve handheld remains to be one of the best transportable gaming PC on the market. For extra particulars on this one, take a look at our Steam Deck OLED evaluation.

Nintendo Swap OLED

Okay, hear us out on this one. A conveyable PC is all nicely and good, but when the Lenovo Legion Go sounds just a little difficult, you continue to can’t go fallacious with the Nintendo Swap OLED. What it lacks in efficiency energy, it makes up for with easy-to-use UI and an enormous library of video games. Positive, we’re anticipating the Nintendo Swap 2 imminently, however for now, Nintendo’s celebrity console remains to be price testing for nice gaming on the go. If you wish to know extra, see our Nintendo Swap OLED evaluation.