Fresh from its showcase at SXSW, Lenovo has revealed the launch of the Legion Go, a handheld gaming device that offers console-level performance with a beautiful touch display. The console itself may remind you of another certain hand-held on the market as it “Switches” up its format with two detachable controllers on each side of the display screen. The console is due for launch in late October in Australia and New Zealand and is set to take on rivals like the Nintendo Switch in terms of design, but Steam Deck and the ASUS ROG Ally in terms of outright performance.
The screen on this device is 8.8 inches with a tiny bezel around all of the edges. This makes it significantly larger than the Asus ROG Ally and definitely a lot more than the Nintendo Switch. While this larger screen could affect its ability to be carried around in your bag rather comfortably, it is clearly the best looking and best bang for your buck. The resolution is 2560 x 1600, boasting clarity, contrast and colours that will make this the ultimate on-the-go device for all of your games.
Performance-wise, it’s being touted to offer support for the latest release titles on Xbox Game Pass, like Starfield and Assassin’s Creed, it will take a full and in-depth review of the device to test this ability and how it holds up with battery life. Running Windows 11, it supports Steam, GOG, Epic Games and Xbox Game Pass. Having a lot of your game library together is the best option and a great way to save for buying multiple devices of this nature to be able to play on the go.
The controllers really are the most unique of any of the powerful handheld devices out there, as the two controllers slide off and detach and there is a kickstand that puts the device into a Switch hybrid-like machine.
The Legion Go is powered by AMD Ryzen Z1 and Ryzen Z1 Extreme processors and even packs in 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM. You can select from a variety of storage options from 256GB to 1TB. The device itself has a 49.2Wh battery pack, supporting 65W rapid charging, while further testing is required to see just how effective this is. Both of the controllers have a 900mAh battery pack, with audio options through a 3.5mm headphone jack, two USB-C ports, and a MicroSD card slot for further expansion.
The Lenovo Legion Go offers a powerful and unique on-the-go gaming experience. With detachable controllers, a kickstand, rapid charging and a big and beautiful screen, it does seem like this is the ultimate device for gaming on the go. Further testing is required to see if it can successfully live up to the expectations of other titles in the market, and with Valve’s Steam Deck still not officially launched in Australia, it is the perfect time for competitor devices to swoop in first and grab our attention.
Fortunately, the Lenovo Legion Go looks to be the ticket. You can preorder one directly from Lenovo’s website here.
