Lenovo Legion Go Gaming Handheld Challenges ROG Ally

Hail the rise of yet another gaming handheld device! The Lenovo Legion Go offers an alternative to other similar builds like the ROG Ally on the market, serving as a hybrid between Nintendo Switch and handheld gaming PCs, but with an added perk — a detachable gamepad, which is lacking in the competition.

Called the Legion TrueStrike, it features a D-pad, a mouse wheel, ten programmable shoulder buttons, triggers, and grip buttons, alongside two thumbsticks on each controller. The device can be propped up via a kickstand on its rear, with its Hall Effect joysticks designed to prevent drifting issues that have plagued Nintendo Switch users.

In addition to an 8.8-inch QHD+ IPS touchscreen display (2,560 x 1,600), the Legion Go also boasts an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme CPU and RDNA graphics card. It runs on the Windows 11 operating system, and pairs 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM with three M.2 SSD storage options: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. A microSD card slot, however, allows for up to 2TB of additional storage.

While there’s no specific runtime, Lenovo lists a 49.2Whr battery capacity for the device and promises Battery Optimisation Support, Power Bypass Mode, and Super Rapid Charge Express. A particularly noteworthy feature is the FPS mode, allowing owners to detach the controllers from the screen, place them in a magnetic base, and prop the handheld on the kickstand. Courtesy of the optical eye on the bottom right of the controller, it then delivers “more precise aiming and control”, similar to the performance of a gaming mouse.

The Lenovo Legion Go is slated for release in October 2023. It will retail for US$699, with local availability and pricing yet to be announced. That’s no cause for concern, though — between the ROG Ally and Steam Deck, there’s still some on-the-go gaming charm to go around.