Proper now, Lenovo’s Legion Go S is my favorite gaming handheld. I’m extra of a PC particular person than a console one, and this handheld gaming PC has simply sufficient over the Steam Deck to make it value it to me, from a extra highly effective chip to an even bigger and better decision display. However even with all that, it was solely ever meant as a stopgap between the full-fledged Legion Go and Legion Go 2. Now, Lenovo’s formally introduced the Legion Go 2, and whereas it brings again some options that the Legion Go S lower, it additionally loses out on a few of what made the Legion Go S so particular, which places it in an odd center floor.
A brand new feel and look
Credit score: Michelle Ehrhardt
Beginning off with the positives: the Legion Go 2 is now a heck of so much nicer to carry and take a look at. The primary Legion Go set itself aside with removable wi-fi controllers on a rail system, much like the unique Nintendo Change. Lenovo removed these on the S, however since these controllers have been a little bit squarish and sharp on the unique Go, I didn’t thoughts their absence. The Legion Go 2 brings the removable controllers again, however updates them with a rounder, extra ergonomic design, seemingly impressed by the S. Other than wanting rather less boxy, these felt method nicer within the hand once I tried them out. They even use the identical rail system as the unique Go, so any equipment you’ve purchased or printed for that system’s controllers will work right here. And sure, meaning there’s nonetheless an optical sensor on the underside of the right-hand controller, so you may nonetheless use it like a mouse (identical to a Switch 2 joy-con). These are small touches, however they go a great distance in direction of making the system click on as “new” in my mind.
Upgraded chips
The massive improve right here is the brand new chips, which have been punched as much as AMD’s Z2 household and go as much as the Z2 Excessive. That’s a generational leap over the processor in most premium gaming handhelds today, together with the Legion Go S and the Asus ROG Ally. Provided that the Z1 Excessive within the S was already giving me 8 to 10 further frames over the Steam Deck even whereas operating at increased resolutions, you may anticipate much more efficiency from this mannequin, though Lenovo didn’t give me any estimates or hands-on gameplay demos. The reminiscence can be pushed to as much as 32GB now (double the earlier max of 16GB), which is able to assist guarantee smoother play, and the storage now goes as much as 2TB, which doubles the primary Legion Go’s capability.
An OLED display
Credit score: Michelle Ehrhardt
There are just a few different extras as nicely, like an up to date battery with 74WhR of capability relatively than the 49WhR on the primary mannequin, in addition to a fingerprint reader. Most noteworthy is that whereas the display is similar measurement as earlier than, at 8.8 inches, it trades some decision for OLED. Whereas the prior IPS mannequin was 1600P, this model is now 1200P, though that’s a compromise I’m keen to make for OLED-level distinction, particularly since increased resolutions are inclined to have diminishing returns on handheld screens. Except for that, it’s nonetheless 144Hz, contact suitable, and maxes out at 500 nits of brightness.
In any other case, it’s largely the identical unit, albeit a little bit thicker, which Lenovo says is for further thermal headroom, and a little bit weightier, at round 2.03 kilos relatively than 1.88 (I didn’t discover that in my quick hands-on, though that might change over an prolonged play session). On prime of these mouse controls, you continue to get a touchpad on the best controller, a sturdy kickstand throughout the size of the system, all the identical buttons, and all the things else you may need come to anticipate from the unique Legion Go.
What do you assume to this point?
The downsides
Credit score: Michelle Ehrhardt
I’ll admit that after the S, I’m a little bit torn. The primary Legion Go all the time appeared a little bit over-engineered to me, with the controllers particularly being far much less intuitive than Nintendo’s joy-cons. If you happen to all the time struggled to take away or join the Legion Go controllers earlier than, or have been upset that you just couldn’t use them for two-player, this received’t change your thoughts, even when these controllers are simpler to carry than the unique mannequin’s. The S was so seamless to make use of that, regardless of being extra highly effective, the Go 2 comes throughout as a little bit user-unfriendly. Whereas conserving compatibility with earlier equipment is a pleasant contact, after using the Switch 2, I can’t assist however assume magnets may need been the way in which to go right here. And even simply controllers which might be hooked up to the system, to be trustworthy.
That consumer unfriendliness can be true of the working system. Not like the Legion Go S, The Legion Go 2 is just launching with Home windows, and Lenovo refused to inform me whether or not SteamOS was deliberate to be added as an possibility additional down the road. That’s an enormous disappointment after the Legion Go S grew to become the primary non Steam Deck handheld to formally ship with Valve’s working system as an possibility. Whereas it seems like a minor gripe, Home windows has confirmed throughout a number of units to be a pain to navigate with a controller, whereas SteamOS is constructed from the ground-up for controllers. It could additionally drag down efficiency, because it’s extra useful resource hungry, and licensing Home windows can inflate a tool’s worth. Microsoft says it’s engaged on addressing these points, however we received’t see how that works out till the Xbox handheld hits the market. Within the meantime, I’d have cherished to have extra choices.
Well worth the worth?
In different phrases, I don’t see this changing the Legion Go S for me, and one other huge a part of that’s the worth. The Legion Go S begins $200 greater than the Steam Deck, and improves on that system simply sufficient that I believe it’s value it. In the meantime, the Legion Go 2 begins at $1,049, which is a number of hundred {dollars} greater than the Legion Go S, the primary mannequin, and even opponents just like the ROG Ally X. It’ll be accessible subsequent month, and whereas I’d love for it to be a straight improve on the Legion Go S and even some sort of grownup Nintendo Change 2, I anticipate it’ll find yourself competing extra with gaming laptops than the rest. That’s nice for the wealthy youngsters who already go for units like that, however after the Legion Go S, I can not assist however really feel like Lenovo’s lacking a chance to take the follow-up in a extra enticing, much less area of interest path. I suppose I will await a Go S 2 within the meantime.
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