Legion Go 2’s excessive value attracts backlash. Lenovo’s response is not serving to
The Steam Deck begins at $400. That’s one among its most interesting features, even years after it launched. The brand new Lenovo Legion Go 2 begins at $1,050, and it goes as much as $1,350 in the event you actually need to max its specs. Maybe that’s an unfair comparability, nevertheless it’s one which loads of followers are making anyway… and Lenovo’s response to them isn’t serving to.
In a current interview at IFA 2025, PC Watch of Japan (through Home windows Central) requested Lenovo executives in regards to the excessive pricing. It begins at €1,000, “which is near the value of a laptop computer,” in response to a Google translation.
“The Legion Go 2 is dear due to the high-performance processor, OLED show, removable controllers, and ergonomic design that make it so highly effective,” replied a consultant. “Subsequently, the Legion Go 2 targets fanatic players who’re prepared to put money into their hobbies. They worth customizing their very own {hardware} and constructing their very own setups, they usually select such {hardware} even whether it is costly.”
The consultant provided up the Legion Go S as “a extra inexpensive choice.” That’s a handheld that begins at $600 for the SteamOS model and goes as much as $830 for essentially the most highly effective {hardware}. “Inexpensive” is pulling quite a lot of weight right here, in a kind issue that’s nonetheless pretty restricted even in comparison with a desktop PC on the identical value.
Direct gross sales comparisons are onerous to make, contemplating the paucity of information accessible. But it surely looks as if the Steam Deck remains to be outselling its newer competitors by a big issue, even given its three-year-old {hardware}. SteamOS—which is healthier than Home windows 11 for gaming in virtually each manner—is actually a part of that success.
However I can’t assist however discover that you may get a top-of-the-line Steam Deck OLED for just a bit greater than Lenovo’s “extra inexpensive choice.” It doesn’t assist that within the US, customers might be paying for the present administration’s import taxes on principally all the things, too.
Lenovo appears to be betting that players love the hand-held PC kind issue a lot that they’re prepared to pay double and even triple for {hardware} that’s extra highly effective and versatile. I’m positive some are, however when I have a look at these value tags, I simply see diminishing returns. A Legion Go 2 with an AMD Z2 Excessive processor and 64GB of shared reminiscence can do greater than a base mannequin Steam Deck… However 3 times extra? Nah.
Maybe a revitalized Home windows 11—with a refreshed interface that’s set to debut on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally—may shake up this equation. (Asus remains to be afraid to place a value on that gadget and we solely have a month till its deliberate launch.) However even when it does, it received’t be till someday subsequent yr that the brand new UI involves different gadgets just like the Legion Go 2. Even when I had been tempted to purchase a handheld PC with a four-figure price ticket, I’d need to wait till that choice grew to become accessible.
