Lenovo Legion Go
MSRP $700.00
“The Legion Go is a creative portable PC that delivers innovative features, though they aren’t always the most practical ideas.”
Pros
Strong construct high quality
Top-of-the-line show
Tabletop mode is nice
Matches ROG Ally in energy
Cons
Aspirational options are impractical
Awkward button placements
Legion Space wants work
I all the time love that particular second the place an modern tech system launches and I get to play with it for the primary time. When I first acquired my fingers on the Steam Deck, I felt like a child on Christmas as I experimented with PC gaming on the go. It’s a cherished second, nevertheless it’s not what I truly sit up for most every time a brand new product class launches. My actual pleasure is reserved for a number of years after that second when opponents must get inventive to face out in a brand new frontier that’s quickly flooding with copycats. If you need to perceive why I like that interval a lot, look no additional than Legion Go.
It’s not that Lenovo’s Steam Deck competitor is a greater different to Valve’s hit system. In loads of methods, it’s a messy experiment that’ll want loads of post-launch tweaking to get it in control with its rivals. It is, nevertheless, a bit of {hardware} that emphasizes the enjoyable of good-spirited tech competitors. In an effort to face out, the Legion Go takes some wild swings that make it essentially the most distinctive moveable PC in the marketplace right this moment. It might not be the most suitable choice you should purchase proper now, nevertheless it might be essentially the most influential one down the road.
The Legion Go checks loads of the best packing containers on the subject of its value, energy, and the incredible display that units a brand new bar for this type of system. Combine that with its Nintendo Switch-inspired design and also you’ve acquired a versatile gaming system with loads of good concepts. For all its creativity, although, Lenovo typically forgoes practicality within the identify of innovation. It makes for a good, however area of interest gaming system that’s equally loaded with options and caveats.
Design and show
I’d guess that almost anybody who lays eyes on the Legion Go for the primary time can have the identical first response: “It’s that big!?” Yes, Lenovo’s system is Godzilla in comparison with what’s out in the marketplace right this moment. Weighing in at 1.88 kilos, it’s far heavier than the 1.65 pound Steam Deck or 1.34 pound ROG Ally. That’s a clue proper off the bat that the Legion Go isn’t precisely the most suitable choice for individuals who need a straightforward on-the-go expertise with minimal pressure.
It’s a tool that primarily shines in tabletop mode.
Lenovo does take advantage of that hulking type issue. While it’s heavier than the Steam Deck, it’s about the identical size and width as that system. The distinction is in its 5.16-inch top — versus. the Steam Deck’s 4.6 inches — however there’s an excellent motive for all that additional area: the Legion Go’s best-in-class show. The handheld boasts an 8.8 inch, 16:10 QHD+ IPS show with spectacular specs. It’s a 1600p display and has a 144Hz refresh price. Onboard instruments give gamers room to dial that all the way down to both 1200p or 800p, and take the refresh price all the way down to 60Hz if want be. It’s an enormous, shiny, colourful show that goes above and past for a handheld like this.
The construct high quality is essentially excessive throughout the board. It’s a sturdy system that’s straightforward to grip, even when it may be a pressure to carry for lengthy durations of time. What’s maybe most spectacular is its built-in kickstand that enables gamers to set the system up in a tabletop mode, identical to the Switch. It’s a robust hinge that enables for a spread of angles. It can get angled sufficient that I can plug one thing into its backside USB4 charger whereas enjoying.
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The package deal is rounded out by some customary options: Bluetooth 5.1 assist, as much as 1TB of storage, a microSD card reader, a headphone jack, two USB4 ports, and sizable vents on the highest and again. It even comes with a useful storage case with a built-in charging slot. The solely space the place it isn’t as much as snuff with the competitors is with its weak audio system, which might’t get as loud because the ROG Ally’s — a disgrace contemplating it’s a tool that primarily shines in tabletop mode. It’s additionally value noting that its microSD card slot isn’t too far off from its high vents, a design choice that induced damaged SD playing cards on the ROG Ally. It’s too early to say if the Legion Go avoids that downside, however the slot is spaced far sufficient away from the vents that it shouldn’t be an issue in principle.
Controls
The Legion Go’s largest inventive swings come from its method to controls. At first look, they appear customary. It’s anchored by two sturdy corridor impact joysticks, seemingly high-quality face buttons, and responsive triggers. As a one-up on the Ally, it even has a proper trackpad for individuals who need to simulate a mouse. It’s not almost as responsive because the Steam Deck’s pads, nevertheless it’s a pleasant additional for individuals who have been disillusioned that the ROG Ally didn’t have any of its personal.
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That setup isn’t with out its flaws. The trackpad is a bit of low for consolation and it sports activities a surprisingly poor D-pad that’s not splendid for diagonal inputs. Its most irritating flaw comes from its baffling menu button placements. The two buttons sitting the place each main controller’s menu buttons are literally open up Lenovo’s Legion Space app. The correct menu buttons are on the underside of the left controller, which takes loads of brain-rewiring to get used to.
What’s extra commendable is that the controllers can truly be indifferent from the system like (very thick) Joy-cons. That, mixed with the kickstand, makes the Legion Go extra attractive as a tabletop system than a handheld. I’ve spent most of my gaming time treating it like a small laptop computer with a strong show. That’s a really perfect use case, because the heavy design and loud vents don’t make it essentially the most portable-friendly system.
Lenovo appears to know the place the Legion Go shines most and has constructed its most distinct characteristic round that. FPS mode is a singular setting that turns the best controller right into a mouse when docking it in a magnetic circle constructed to slip round a desk. It’s an creative concept that takes Nintendo’s Joy-con setup to a different degree. Though like most of the Legion Go’s defining options, it’s extra a neat occasion trick than a sensible technique to play.
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I’ve discovered that FPS mode is nice for some particular video games which might be principally managed by mouse clicks. Gears Tactics is an ideal use case right here, as I can transfer the controller round and click on to do absolutely anything. Ironically, it’s far much less helpful in first-person shooters — the very style the mode is known as after. In making an attempt to play Battlebit Remastered within the mode, I’d shortly understand the inherent flaw of a mouse and keyboard mode with no keyboard. I may goal and shoot simply tremendous, however I merely didn’t have sufficient buttons to strafe, heal, drive automobiles, and so forth.
The Legion Go tries to account for that with the addition of a number of additional buttons, together with a scroll wheel and 4 again buttons. Unfortunately, the position of these extras isn’t very sleek. The scroll wheel is awkwardly tucked below the best set off, and the again buttons on the best controller are far too straightforward to press when gripping the system naturally. To make issues worse, there doesn’t seem like any technique to create customized controller profiles for particular person video games at current. All of that makes FPS mode a good suggestion with cumbersome execution.
Specs and efficiency
Performance is one other excessive level that places the Legion Go forward of its opponents on paper, however with asterisks. The succesful system incorporates an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme and 16 GB of reminiscence. That theoretically places it proper subsequent to the ROG Ally, one thing we’ve been capable of again up with our testing thus far. It’s frankly astonishing that I can run the Xbox Series X-exclusive Forza Motorsport on the system and make sufficient tweaks to get it working properly at round 40 frames per second (fps). Even if it requires me to dial all the way down to low settings to attain it, that’s nonetheless “next-gen” energy in a small type issue.
Cross-generation video games yielded some spectacular outcomes when working benchmark checks. Immortals Fenyx Rising was capable of hit 62 fps when working at 800p and a customized 30-watt thermal mode. We noticed comparable outcomes with the extra demanding Cyberpunk 2077, which hit 61 fps at that setting. Toggling the wattage all the way down to 15 nonetheless gave us strong efficiency, with Cyberpunk hitting 37 fps. Forza Motorsport didn’t fare too badly there both because it hovered proper below the 30 mark. With the best tweaks (and a willingness to sacrifice high quality), even model new releases fare properly on it.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
The Legion Go doesn’t give gamers a ton of how to tweak their settings, nevertheless it meets the minimal for personalization. Players have the choice to swap between three resolutions, two refresh charges, and a few OS energy modes. More highly effective are its thermal mode choices, which let gamers dial the wattage anyplace from 5 to 30. That’s essentially the most impactful device within the suite, as video games see a big efficiency increase when maxing the slider out (in our checks, it saved 15 to 20 frames over the Balanced thermal setting).
That’s all nice for 800p, however how does the hand-held fare utilizing its defining 1600p decision? That’s a distinct story. The decision increase calls for maxed wattage with a view to method a easy expertise, and even that’s a tall order. Cyberpunk 2077 barely clears the 30 fps mark at 20W and Forza Motorsport faucets out at 23 (each working in low settings). Bumping the wattage any decrease produces some expectedly poor outcomes. Immortals Fenyx Rising solely hit the 21 fps mark in these checks, whereas Forza struggled at 15.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
As you possibly can think about, nice energy comes on the expense of battery. In my battery drain checks, Cyberpunk 2077 took the system all the way down to 0% in about two hours. That was working at 800p on a balanced thermal setting, which is on the decrease finish of the machine’s energy. If you’re making an attempt to hit easy body charges and excessive visible high quality in fashionable video games, the battery can simply drain in nearer to an hour. None of that is too stunning, however I’ve discovered that the battery life doesn’t bug me as a lot because it did on the Ayaneo 2S. I’ve sufficient wattage and backbone customization choices to get some additional life out of it. Though what’s extra essential is that the Legion Go’s endurance is bigger in its tabletop mode, the place I’d ideally go away it plugged in and maxed out anyhow. It’s one in every of many areas the place the added versatility works to Lenovo’s benefit right here.
Onboard instruments and UI
While energy and efficiency are all the time a excessive precedence with units like this, an excellent person interface that makes it straightforward to make use of can go a good distance. Just take a look at the Steam Deck, which has a clear SteamOS interface that makes it really feel as polished as a house console. It’s an space that Lenovo sadly doesn’t nail down with the Legion Go, promoting its spectacular system brief at launch.
The good (and typically unhealthy) information is that the system runs Windows 11. It’s primarily a Windows pill, which makes it straightforward to put in and cargo up any sport launcher. I used to be capable of flip my machine into a really perfect Xbox Game Pass system, enjoying video games like Jusant on it from begin to end. There was some friction to get that going easily, as Windows has loads of annoying quirks which might be exhausting to work round on a smaller display. It took a day of settings tweaking to get every part working proper, and I hit some puzzling roadblocks alongside the best way (like Diablo 4 freezing on the Blizzard brand each time I’s attempt to boot it), however most of the Legion Go’s issues are merely Windows issues you need to reside with.
Legion Space is a low-quality device that’ll want loads of post-launch assist.
What is inside Lenovo’s management, nevertheless, is its poor Legion Space app. Like the ROG Ally, the Legion Go incorporates its personal customized software program that lets gamers tweak settings, set up video games, and extra. The app even has its personal sport storefront full of unique offers. But because it stands now, Legion Space is a low-quality device that’ll want loads of post-launch assist to get it in a wholesome place. Text awkwardly wraps onto two traces, photographs are blurry, the app doesn’t constantly open once I press the menu buttons. It feels solely a bit of extra refined than Ayaneo’s customized app by itself units.
Other quirks are downright bizarre. Pressing the best menu button opens the efficiency overlay, however when closing it and urgent it once more, it opens up a left-side fast menu as a substitute. It typically takes three button presses to get to the menu you’re truly making an attempt to entry. When opening the efficiency menus, my inputs are nonetheless detected on the sport beneath. Quite a lot of these points are fixable and I think about we’ll see Lenovo steadily enhance the device over time simply as Asus and Valve have completed with their very own units. It simply lends to the general feeling that the Legion Go might have been rushed to market to capitalize on a second.
Giovanni Colantonio / Digital Trends
Like the Steam Deck, the Legion Go feels a bit like an experimental prototype that’ll pave the best way for a greater second mannequin. Lenovo has its head in the best place on the subject of innovation, however there’s loads of “proof of concept” work taking place right here. Its 1600p show isn’t actually sensible for gaming proper now, its button structure is a large number, and Legion Space is not any SteamOS at current. Even so, the inventive handheld nonetheless stands out in a subject that’s filling up quick. It fills a distinct segment for individuals who nonetheless need to retain as a lot of the PC gaming expertise as doable in a handheld. That use case received’t be sufficient to persuade most individuals to drop one other $700, nevertheless it’ll be an ideal match for the best viewers.
Sometimes that’s about the very best consequence you possibly can hope for when the competitors is stiff.
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