Lenovo Legion Go 2 evaluate: A gaming handheld dripping with luxurious

Greatest Costs Right this moment: Lenovo Legion Go 2

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is a high-end handheld gaming PC that outshines the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X in some ways. The massive 8.8-inch OLED show is gorgeous, and also you’re getting the whole lot from a built-in kickstand to removable controllers for flexibility. For a handheld gaming PC, that is nice {hardware}.

There are two enormous elephants within the room right here, so let’s get them out of the way in which so I can evaluate the Lenovo Legion Go 2 for what it’s.

Lenovo Legion Go 2: The elephants

First, Home windows 11 nonetheless isn’t prepared for a gaming handheld. Once I reviewed the Lenovo Legion Go S, I famous how a lot of a large number the interface is in comparison with the Steam Deck I personal.

For instance, Home windows 11 has a “gamepad” keyboard format that permits you to navigate with the on-screen keyboard with the joysticks, but it surely’s not activated by default. It’s a must to faucet into the little settings menu within the on-screen keyboard and switch it on earlier than you should use mentioned on-screen keyboard with the joysticks. Many individuals will miss this buried setting. Why is that this not activated by default on a handheld gaming PC? Home windows 11 is stuffed with points like this.

The excellent news is that Microsoft is making Home windows higher for handheld PCs, however the unhealthy information is that Legion Go 2 homeowners must anticipate the repair. The Legion Go 2 will get it in “Spring 2026.” In order for you it sooner, you’ll have to purchase Asus’s ROG Xbox Ally, which will likely be out there in mid-October, shortly after the launch of this Lenovo’s Legion Go 2. I haven’t but gone fingers on with ROG Xbox Ally console, however from a consumer expertise standpoint, I think about its optimized Home windows expertise for handheld PCs goes to be significantly better than the Legion Go 2 at launch. (There’s already a leaked solution to allow it on any handheld, however your mileage could range.)

The second elephant within the room is pricing. The Legion Go 2 we reviewed is $1,349 at launch, and the bottom mannequin begins at $1,099. Handheld PC gaming began off with surprisingly inexpensive {hardware}, however this gadget prices greater than many gaming laptops. It’s a premium gadget.

Tariffs are nearly actually guilty for a part of this. However offers can nonetheless be discovered — as I write this, it’s the Steam Autumn Sale and you’ll seize a base-model Steam Deck for $319.20. You’d have to essentially need higher-end {hardware} (with out a polished working system expertise) to select this over a Steam Deck.

Nevertheless, if you’re on the lookout for a high-end handheld expertise and also you don’t thoughts the additional expense — and if you understand what you’re moving into with the Home windows working system quirks on a tool like this one — this handheld combines the most recent high-end handheld-optimized {hardware} with a wonderful OLED show in a pleasant type issue, and I actually loved taking part in with it.

Lenovo Legion Go 2: Specs

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 has an AMD Ryzen Z2 processor with AMD Radeon 890M-class graphics. I reviewed the $1,349 mannequin, which comes with AMD Ryzen Z2 Excessive {hardware} and 32GB of RAM. Keep in mind that the bottom mannequin comes with AMD Ryzen Z2 {hardware} and 16GB of RAM, so it gained’t carry out on the identical degree.

Beneath the hood, that is RDNA 3.5 — the identical graphics you’ll discover in Ryzen AI 300 sequence (Strix Level) laptops, however tuned for a handheld the place energy utilization is crucial.

There’s lots to love right here: The RAM is soldered, however the inside SSD is consumer upgradable. Plus, this machine’s USB4 ports imply exterior GPUs are a chance.

• Mannequin quantity: Lenovo Legion Go 2 83N0000BUS
• CPU: AMD Ryzen Z2 Excessive
• Reminiscence: 32 GB LPDDR5x-8000 RAM
• Graphics/GPU: AMD Radeon 890M
• NPU: None
• Show: 8.8-inch 1920×1200 OLED show with contact display screen and as much as 144Hz variable refresh charge
• Storage: 1 TB M.2 SSD
• Webcam: None
• Connectivity: 2x USB Sort-C (USB4), 1x combo audio jack, 1x microSD card reader
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
• Biometrics: Fingerprint reader
• Battery capability: 74 Watt-hours
• Dimensions: 11.64 x 5.38 x 1.66 inches
• Weight: 2.03 kilos
• MSRP: $1,349 as examined

Lenovo Legion Go 2: Design and construct high quality

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is manufactured from black plastic — Lenovo calls this coloration “Eclipse Black.” It’s a considerate design that feels good to carry, and the plastic is high-quality. Lenovo has actually gone above and past pondering via methods to make the {hardware} higher than many competing consoles, together with the Steam Deck I personal and the Legion Go S I reviewed.

For instance, you’ll be able to simply detach the facet controllers such as you’re utilizing a Nintendo Change. The Legion Go 2 additionally has a built-in kickstand, so you’ll be able to simply prop it up and apply it to any floor. The ability button has a built-in fingerprint reader so that you don’t should faucet a PIN into the sign-in display screen every time you wake the console. Whereas the facet controllers are removable, it’s a must to press a button on the again of every one to detach them. Whereas hooked up, they really feel extremely safe.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 isn’t attempting to be the lightest console — it has an enormous 8.8-inch OLED display screen — so it’s no shock it’s just a little on the heavy facet. At 2.02 kilos (in comparison with 1.41 kilos for a Steam Deck OLED), that’s an actual issue. It’s not that it’s too heavy to carry, however the weight discourages me from holding it in sure positions for prolonged durations of time. However the additional weight is a good commerce for the higher-end {hardware} and bigger display screen.

Lenovo Legion Go 2: Joysticks, controls, and trackpad

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 touts Corridor Impact joysticks for a {smooth} expertise and no stick drift, and so they really feel nice. The buttons on the Lenovo Legion Go 2 really feel nice. Lenovo has additionally added a number of additional buttons for accessing Legion software program options, the desktop, and Alt+Tabbing between apps. On the highest of the hand held, you’ll discover energy and quantity buttons.

The correct controller can be utilized in “FPS Mode” — you detach it, snap it right into a base, and flip a change on the underside. Then you’ll be able to maintain it and transfer it round. Whereas it seems like a joystick, it’s extra like a digital mouse. I didn’t discover it notably ergonomic in my experiments with it, however maybe you’ll like it when you put a while into studying it.

This handheld additionally has a good-size trackpad on the best controller, and it’s simply the best facet and form to make use of the mouse together with your thumb. After the extraordinarily tiny trackpad on the Lenovo Legion Go S, this one feels wonderful. But it surely’s not like a Steam Deck’s trackpads — there’s no haptic suggestions right here. It’s a handy solution to accomplish some mouse enter, however I wouldn’t wish to use it on a regular basis.

The show right here can be a contact display screen with multi-touch. That’s usually crucial for navigating Home windows, but it surely does imply you’re inspired to place fingerprint smudges on the show.

Lenovo Legion Go 2: Show and audio system

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The Lenovo Legion Go 2’s show is one in every of its standout options. It’s an 8.8-inch OLED display screen on a handheld PC. What’s to not like? I’m unsure I’d even need a bigger display screen than this one once I’m holding it this near my face!

With HDR help and as much as 1,100 nits of peak HDR brightness and a variable refresh charge as much as 144Hz, it’s lovely. And the show doesn’t appear to massively reduce into battery life, both. The battery life was ticking down at an affordable charge that felt just like different gaming handhelds I’ve used, regardless of this higher-end show.

Whereas it is a vivid OLED show, it has a shiny floor. It’s liable to reflections in vivid environments like direct daylight. In the event you’ll be utilizing this as a handheld console outside in difficult lighting environments, that’s going to be an issue: It’s possible you’ll wish to search for a tool with a extra anti-reflective display screen. However shiny screens look lovely in the best lighting, and this one is not any exception.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The HDR help was one other place the place Home windows 11 doesn’t make sense on this handheld: By default, Home windows disabled HDR on this gadget whereas it was unplugged “to save lots of battery life.” That’s one more instance of Home windows not understanding these gadgets.

The audio system listed here are nice for gaming. They’d greater than sufficient quantity, and the chunky sounds of firing a shotgun in Doom: The Darkish Ages have been satisfying. Naturally, there’s not a number of bass in a handheld console.

Lenovo Legion Go 2: Microphone and biometrics

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 has a dual-array microphone setup. The microphone sounds fantastic, and the audio is evident sufficient for in-game chat on a handheld gaming gadget. It’s just a little muffled — this doesn’t sound like a high-end enterprise laptop computer mic choosing up crystal-clear audio for Zoom conferences. But it surely’s lots good for voice chatting whereas gaming.

There’s no webcam on the Lenovo Legion Go 2, however you in all probability wouldn’t need one and it could be a problem to suit it into the bezel.

Lenovo put a fingerprint reader into the facility button, and it really works extraordinarily effectively. Once you wake the Legion Go 2 by urgent the facility button, it could actually immediately signal you into Home windows with Home windows Hey. You simply should relaxation your finger on it for a split-second longer. It makes the expertise of waking the console quick and streamlines a significant ache level Home windows 11 has on a gaming handheld.

Lenovo Legion Go 2: Connectivity

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 has two USB Sort-C ports, and each of them are USB4. You’ll discover one on the highest of the hand held and one on the underside. It comes with a USB-C charger, so it’ll cost via one in every of these ports. As a result of these are speedy USB4 ports, this handheld ought to be prepared for exterior GPUs, too.

Apart from the 2 USB-C ports, you’ll discover a combo audio jack and a microSD card slot on the underside of the hand held. That’s it, and it’s loads of ports for handheld gaming PC. In order for you extra ports when utilizing it at a desk, you’ll be able to join a dock to the USB-C port.

This gadget has each Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. I’d want to see Wi-Fi 7 at this level, particularly in a premium $1,349 handheld gaming PC, however most individuals don’t have Wi-Fi 7 but anyway.

Lenovo Legion Go 2: Efficiency

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 had strong efficiency. I used to be capable of play Doom: The Darkish Ages, and whereas I want taking pictures demons with the next FPS, it was technically playable. Treating this like a console, I fired up video games like Sonic X Shadow Generations and noticed buttery-smooth efficiency. The truth is that, whereas handhelds are enhancing lots, their graphics efficiency is much from high-end desktop or laptop computer GPUs. In the event you’re primarily seeking to play the most recent high-end, most-demanding video games, these will not be best. However the {hardware} right here gives unbelievable {smooth} efficiency in older video games.

I used to be impressed by how quiet the followers stayed, even in demanding video games like Doom: The Darkish Ages. The audio system may simply drown them out, and the console itself stayed snug, with cool air being sucked in on the underside of the gadget and blown out the vents on the highest. Taking part in a light-weight 2D recreation like Deltarune, they have been so quiet I may solely simply barely hear them as soon as I muted the sport.

As at all times after we evaluate gaming PCs, we ran the Lenovo Legion Go 2 via our customary benchmarks to see the way it performs. The outcomes present us the way it carried out towards earlier technology {hardware} (I benchmarked the Lenovo Legion Go S) in addition to fashionable gaming laptops.

Spoiler: It’s an enormous improve during the last Lenovo handheld I reviewed. In lots of workloads, the AMD Ryzen Z2 Excessive {hardware} within the Legion Go 2 was usually almost twice as quick because the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go {hardware} within the Legion Go S.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

First, we run PCMark 10 to get an concept of general system efficiency. That is designed as an general system efficiency benchmark, however CPU efficiency is an enormous issue.

With an general PCMark 10 rating of seven,285, general efficiency was fairly good. The AMD Ryzen Z2 Excessive {hardware} right here is considerably forward of the lower-end AMD Ryzen Z2 Go {hardware} within the Lenovo Legion Go S. It scored on par with lower-end gaming laptops.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

Subsequent, we run Cinebench R20. It is a closely multithreaded benchmark that focuses on general CPU efficiency. It’s a fast benchmark, so cooling underneath prolonged workloads isn’t an element. However, because it’s closely multithreaded, CPUs with extra cores have an enormous benefit.

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 with its eight-core Ryzen Z2 Excessive CPU produced a multi-threaded rating of 5,239, an enormous leap over the Legion Go S. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t catch as much as bigger and extra power-hungry gaming laptops, however that is very respectable for a handheld PC.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

We additionally run an encode with Handbrake. That is one other closely multithreaded benchmark, but it surely runs over an prolonged interval. This calls for the PC’s cooling kick in, and plenty of PCs will throttle and decelerate underneath load.

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 accomplished the encode course of in 1,076 seconds, which is sort of 18 minutes. That’s solely a bit slower than gaming laptops with AMD Ryzen {hardware}. It’s additionally a large enchancment over the Legion Go S’s efficiency right here.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

Subsequent, we run a graphical benchmark, identical to we do on gaming laptops. First, we run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU efficiency.

With an general 3DMark Time Spy rating of three,984, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 confirmed substantial enhancements over the Legion Go S. The HP Elitebook X G1a within the chart right here isn’t a gaming laptop computer, it’s a premium enterprise laptop computer with an identical GPU. That’s an ideal instance of what you’re getting right here — higher-end built-in graphics from AMD.

In comparison with gaming laptops with beefy discrete GPUs, this machine is much behind on GPU efficiency. However that’s the concept. It’s designed for handheld use, presumably away from {an electrical} outlet. Huge gaming laptops must be plugged in to ship strong gaming efficiency.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

After that, we run the benchmark constructed into Shadow of the Tomb Raider, an older recreation, however one which’s very helpful for evaluating efficiency throughout {hardware}.

With a mean FPS of 40, Shadow of the Tomb Raider was playable on the best settings right here, in contrast to on the Lenovo Legion Go S. You’ll get even smoother efficiency when you nudge the settings down, however as soon as once more it is a nice instance of the relative efficiency of a handheld vs. a conventional gaming laptop computer.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

Lastly, we run the benchmark in Metro Exodus. It is a very demanding recreation, and we run it with excessive element settings. With a mean FPS of 14 in our customary benchmark, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 was considerably quicker than the Legion Go S right here — almost twice as quick. However you’ll be able to see how a lot quicker gaming laptops are.

General, the AMD Ryzen Z2 Excessive and its Radeon 890M-class graphics delivered strong efficiency for a handheld gaming PC.

Lenovo Legion Go 2: Battery life

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 has a 74 Watt-hour battery together with AMD Ryzen Z2 Excessive {hardware}, which might function between 15W and 35W of TDP. The exact battery life you’re going to get will closely depend upon how you utilize the hand held. A much less demanding recreation will use a lot much less energy. Additionally, you’ll be able to configure energy utilization by urgent the button on the prime of the best controller and selecting your most well-liked thermal mode. “Efficiency” will ship extra {hardware} energy for gaming however drain the battery quicker, for instance. Relying on the sport you’re taking part in, decrease thermal settings could also be simply fantastic.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

For our customary Home windows PC battery benchmark, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Metal on Home windows 11 with airplane mode enabled till the PC suspends itself. We set the display screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. It is a best-case state of affairs for any PC since native video playback is so environment friendly, and actual battery life in day-to-day use is at all times going to be lower than this.

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 lasted 796 minutes on this take a look at — that’s over 13 hours and beats even the HP Elitebook X G1a, which is a enterprise laptop computer. This {hardware} can actually scale down and sip electrical energy whenever you aren’t taking part in demanding video games.

Lenovo Legion Go 2: Conclusion

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is a high-end handheld gaming PC. The AMD Ryzen Z2 Excessive processor and its Radeon 890M-class graphics delivered strong efficiency and effectivity for a handheld gaming PC, the display screen is massive and exquisite, and the {hardware} is effectively thought out. You get removable controllers and a kickstand for additional flexibility, too.

However, between the Home windows handheld expertise and tariffs driving up the price of {hardware}, Lenovo is combating an uphill battle right here. At $1,349, you would at the moment purchase a $999 gaming laptop computer and a $319 Steam Deck and are available out forward with a extra highly effective laptop computer at your desk and a extra light-weight handheld for on-the-go gaming.

However in order for you a handheld gaming PC with higher-end premium {hardware} — that 8.8-inch OLED is good — and also you’re keen to attend for an improved software program expertise or take care of the realities of Home windows 11 at the moment, you’ll be proud of this, assuming you’re able to spend this a lot money.