Asus ROG Xbox Ally X vs Lenovo Legion Go 2 vs MSI Claw A8: Which next-gen gaming handheld should you buy?
All three run AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme chipset (Asus getting the AI-injected version), a bucket full of RAM, a giant battery and gaming ergonomics at their core. Out of all the handhelds announced this year (there's a lot of them), these are the three atop the next-gen mountain, and that begs a question — which one should you buy?
There are key differences that make this a very closely-fought bout between the three. The Legion Go 2 aces the others in the display department with an OLED screen, whereas the MSI Claw packs a bigger battery, and thanks to the power pairing between Asus and Microsoft, the ROG Xbox Ally X could beat both in terms of performance.
So let's try to get an understanding of these three, look at all the specs and leaks, take our hands-on time into context and help you pick the right one for you.
Spec
ROG Xbox Ally X
Lenovo Legion Go 2
MSI Claw A8
Processor
AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme
AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme
AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme
GPU
AMD Radeon 890M
AMD Radeon 890M
AMD Radeon 890M
RAM
24GB LPDDR5X
32GB LPDDR5X
24GB LPDDR5X
Display
7-inch LCD, 1080p, 120Hz
8.8-inch OLED, 1080p, 144Hz
8-inch LCD, 1080p, 120Hz
Storage
1TB PCIe SSD
1TB PCIe SSD
1TB PCIe SSD
Battery
80Wh
74Wh
80Wh
Dimensions
11.45 × 4.78 × 2.00 inches
11.64 x 5.38 x 1.66 inches
11.79 x 4.97 x 0.94 inches
Weight
1.6 pounds
2.1 pounds
1.7 pounds
Out of all the categories, this is probably going to be the one that's most divisive, because each company has a different approach to design and display.
Let's start with the ROG Xbox Ally X. It focuses on portability and ergonomics. It's the smallest of the bunch, and that's reflected in a 7-inch LCD panel. But it's also the thickest on account of improved ergonomics, with side grips that do have that cylindrical shape of a traditional game pad.
We've yet to go fully hands-on with this system ourselves (trust me, it's coming soon), but we like the design, even if it's the smallest of the bunch.
If you want the best screen, that's where the Legion Go 2 comes in — alongside that choice to make the controllers detachable, which is going to be great for local multiplayer or just setting down that gorgeous 8.8-inch OLED display. However, with a bigger screen and more mechanical parts to detach the controllers, it's slightly bigger and a lot heavier, at over 2 pounds.
Finally, there's the middle ground in the MSI Claw A8. Ergonomically, its more sound than the previous Claw with blockier controller grips to get your hands around. It's only 1.6 ounces heavier than the Xbox handheld and in return, you get an 8-inch display (LCD though, not OLED).
So really, this is a bit of a three-way tie and comes down to what you're looking for. If you want the best display and don't mind the heft, the Legion Go 2 is your go-to. Want the most portable? ROG Xbox Ally X is the one to choose, and the MSI Claw sits nicely in between for those looking for balance.
Just because both these handhelds sport identical internals doesn't mean there isn't a clear winner in the performance department.
All of them run a version of AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, which in turn shares a lot in common with the Z1 Extreme before it (8 cores/16 threads). In testing the MSI Claw A8, I was able to get some impressive frame rates of 60+ FPS across some key AAA titles like Spider-Man 2. Of course, this was just a quick test and not a full lab benchmarking.
But the superpower comes in moving up to a Zen 5 architecture that unlocks RDNA 3.5. This is what that upgrade does to the performance from leaked testing.
Of course, this is ignoring the elephant in the room — AI. The ROG Xbox Ally X packs a Ryzen AI X2 Extreme, which is essentially the same chip but with an NPU bolted on. What this does for game performance, I'm not sure. But developers could accommodate this for smoother machine-learned frame generation or fidelity in the future.
As for battery, this is one area where MSI and Microsoft might have a bigger edge. The Claw A8 and ROG Xbox Ally both sport an 80Wh cell, while the Legion Go 2 has a 74Wh battery. That's a small difference, but given the bigger power draw of a bigger screen, that could mean a drop in stamina.
But there is one key advantage that the ROG Xbox Ally X will have over these other two — the software. Not just in the UI of opening directly into the Xbox experience rather than to Windows 11, but also in efficiency too.
On this Xbox handheld, Microsoft will stop all the background processes of Windows running, which have often been the key reason behind bad battery life on handhelds when compared to those rocking SteamOS.
How much of an impact this has, we're not sure, but at the very least, I'm seeing performance improvements in other hands-on tests from my friends. So it's definitely reason to be a little optimistic!
And so far, that's where we stand with these — look out for comprehensive hands-on reviews on these three soon enough! But whichever way you go, you're sure to get a powerhouse of a handheld.
Early vibes are pointing me towards the ROG Xbox Ally X in terms of the tailor-made software that should improve efficiency and performance over the other two. That being said, Microsoft has confirmed that this gaming handheld-centric version of Windows 11 is coming to other handhelds soon, as has been leaked in a recent beta build.
That means those who seek the best display will get the benefits of this in the Legion Go 2, or if you want a slightly bigger screen, the MSI Claw A8 would be a strong contender too.
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