Latest news with #LegionGo
Engadget
30-07-2025
- Engadget
Legion Go S powered by SteamOS review: A purpose-built OS makes all the difference
Earlier this year, Lenovo released a more streamlined and potentially affordable take on its flagship gaming handheld in the Legion Go S . Unfortunately, the Windows 11 version came first, which wasn't the one we were most excited about. Now, the Legion Go S powered by SteamOS has arrived, and oh my, what a difference an operating system can make. Not only does this model feature a UI that's much better suited for a portable gaming machine, it has faster performance as well. But the best part is that the SteamOS variant is less expensive than its Windows sibling. All of this makes for a handheld that's a welcome alternative to the Steam Deck, especially for anyone who's not a fan of Valve's hardware. For fans of SteamOS, this version of Legion Go S makes for an interesting and more powerful alternative to Valve's Steam Deck. $830 at Best Buy Like its sibling, the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S features a very straightforward design. A big difference between the two is that this model features a dark purple body instead of the white shell on the Windows variant. Thanks to its large 8-inch 1200p display and sizable grips, it's a bit chunkier than rivals like the Steam Deck or the ROG Ally X. At 500 nits, brightness is above average compared to typical handheld PCs. However, because Lenovo uses an LCD panel, colors aren't quite as vibrant and you don't get those pure inky blacks like you do on a system with an OLED screen such as the original Legion Go. Sam Rutherford for Engadget I like that Lenovo included Hall effect sensors for its joysticks, along with a toggle that lets you adjust the pull depth of the triggers. Plus, the addition of a second USB-C port allows you to charge the device while keeping other accessories plugged in. There's also a pair of programmable paddles on the back and a handy microSD card slot for expandable storage. The biggest departures from the flagship Legion Go are that this model's joysticks and buttons cannot be detached and its built-in touchpad is significantly smaller. This means the latter is better suited to moving the cursor around SteamOS in desktop mode or to navigating menus than it is as a true alternate control scheme while playing games. You also don't get a fingerprint reader, which I think should be a standard inclusion on handheld gaming PCs at this point. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The Legion Go S powered by SteamOS is available in multiple configurations. Our $830 review unit features an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Unfortunately, this means I wasn't able to run true apples-to-apples performance tests with the Ryzen Z2 Go-equipped version of the Windows Legion Go S I reviewed earlier this year. But given the lackluster results from that model, I generally wouldn't recommend any handheld powered by that chip, even though that version is significantly more affordable. If budget is a concern, Valve's Steam Deck remains the better option. Even though the Go S with SteamOS features the exact same chip, I actually saw slightly better performance here compared to the original Legion Go. With both systems set to a 15-watt TDP (total device power), the Legion Go S edged out the Windows model in Cyberpunk 2077 at 800p on medium graphics by pumping out 58 fps versus 54 fps. By comparison, the Steam Deck OLED managed 53 fps. And in Control at 800p on medium, it was a similar situation, though the gap was even smaller. The Legion Go S hit 29 fps, beating out the OG Legion Go (27 fps) and the Steam Deck OLED (24 fps). Sam Rutherford for Engadget The cause of the SteamOS model's improved horsepower is hard to pinpoint — especially as performance varies from title to title — but it's generally due to Valve's platform having less overhead and system processes than Windows-based rivals. And if that wasn't enough, the SteamOS UI is better designed for a dedicated gaming machine, as turning on the system boots you right into your game library as opposed to spitting you out into Microsoft's classic desktop view. There are also some minor tweaks in Valve's OS to support features like the built-in RGB lighting on the Legion Go S — something the Steam Deck doesn't have. For fans of SteamOS, the main reason aside from price to pick a Steam Deck over the Legion Go S (or vice versa) is that each system features different performance targets. Valve's handheld has a TDP that tops out at 15 watts, and at lower power levels, it features better energy efficiency than the Legion Go S. This makes it more suitable for people who regularly play older games or less demanding 2D fare. Alternatively, Lenovo's handheld has a max TDP of 33 watts (or 40 when plugged into the wall), which makes it more adept at handling resource-intensive modern titles. So if you want higher frame rates (which you probably do), a Z1 Extreme Legion Go S with SteamOS has way more headroom to push pixels even harder. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Featuring a mid-size 55WHr battery, longevity on the Legion Go S when running SteamOS doesn't really stand out. However, I found that on average, it runs up to 30 minutes longer than its Windows counterpart across a number of titles. When playing Metal Slug Tactics, it lasted just shy of three hours (2:50) compared to closer to an hour and a half for the Windows 11 model (2:33). It was a similar situation in Elden Ring , where the SteamOS version was able to continue for an extra 15 minutes after its sibling conked out. The Legion Go S powered by SteamOS is a simple and well-built gaming handheld with an even bigger screen than Valve's portable and arguably better ergonomics. When configured with a Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, it's a better choice for playing more demanding modern games without feeling forced to switch to a Windows-based device. It also has a more optimized UI than its Microsoft-powered rivals while retaining handy features like Hall effect joysticks and dual USB-C ports. Sam Rutherford for Engadget With Z1 Extreme models starting at $830 instead of $600 for the Z2 Go configs, though, it's not quite as affordable as I thought it would be back when it was first announced at the beginning of the year. But even so, it's nice to have options. And as just one of two handhelds on the market that come with SteamOS pre-installed, the Legion Go S makes an interesting argument as a bigger and more powerful upgrade to the Steam Deck.
Tom's Guide
22-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Lenovo Legion Go 2 revealed in leaked prototype video featuring an OLED display
We've been waiting a while for the sequel to Lenovo's Legion Go handheld gaming PC, and a new video may have just given us our first look at the second generation console. The Legion Go 2 is one of our most anticipated gaming handheld releases this year, and leaks about the new console have been sprouting up since at least April of 2024. Originally, we spotted the latest leaked images of a purported Lenovo Legion Go 2 in the Legion Go subreddit which showed the screen, kickstand, and even a look at the inside of the console. A Redditor commented that the images were from their video on YouTube, which does appear to match the photos from Reddit. The video claims the device is a prototype, and may even be out of date. It's a bit of a sketchy leak as this is only the second video ever posted to that channel and the Reddit account, while two years old, has only ever commented on this post. They allege that they were able to get one of the devices "due to bankruptcy of the contract manufacturer" which apparently lead to a number of prototypes ending up in e-waste recycling. I don't speak Chinese, so some of what we're going off here is comments made under the video and what the claimed owner of the video said on Reddit. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. According to them, the machine in question features an 8.8-inch OLED display reportedly made by Samsung Display. This would be an improvement over its predecessor which features an IPS LCD screen. The prototype also features a Z2 processor and a 780M graphics card, which is most likely out of date as the Go 2 is expected to feature a more powerful AMD 890M card. In the video, they do show off the device in action playing a game and some of the system settings. It looks like it has 1TB of SSD storage and 32GB of RAM, double that of the original Legion Go. It appears like the battery will be better as well. The current Go console has a 49.2Whr battery which barely lasted two hours in our testing. The new battery is clocked at 74Whr, so maybe we'll get up to three hours with the Go 2, but hopefully Lenovo has worked on some power efficiency and optimization as well. All in all, it does look like an improvement internally. We are curious if Lenovo is working with Microsoft to make an Xbox-version ala the Asus ROG Xbox Ally or with Valve on a SteamOS version like the Legion Go S, which we considered excellent. Allegedly, the Legion Go 2 will launch in September and the leaker said it would cost $1,000. Lenovo has been fairly tight-lipped about the Go 2, so we don't have much more to go on, but we do expect the handheld to release later this year. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
26-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
Score! Lenovo Legion Go is $200 off on Amazon right now
As someone who reviews the best handheld gaming consoles for a living, I'm always excited to recommend them, but the price tags on some of these devices can be a bit of a buzzkill. Good news, though! One of my top picks is currently on sale for a steep discount. Right now, the Lenovo Legion Go is on sale for $499 at Amazon. At $200 off, this is the lowest price we've seen since Black Friday and one of the best early Prime Day deals around. This Windows 11 handheld is reminiscent of the Nintendo Switch 2 in its design, but on par with the Asus ROG Ally X in performance. At this discounted price, the Legion Go is a fantastic device that I recommend. The Lenovo Legion Go is on the higher end of PC gaming handheld tech, which makes its lower price even more stunning. On top, you've got that gorgeous 8.8-inch display with 144Hz refresh rate, and those detachable controllers (plus built-in kickstand) for quick multiplayer action. Whereas inside, you'll find that powerful AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. Like I said in my Lenovo Legion Go review, this is one of the finest Windows 11 handhelds you can get. It's got an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip with Radeon graphics and 16GB of RAM, so you can play even the best PC games at medium to high settings. It also has a gorgeous 8.8-inch, 2560x1600, 144Hz IPS touchscreen that makes everything look amazing. Like the Nintendo Switch 2, the Legion Go has detachable controllers and a built-in kickstand. The right controller even turns into a mouse when it's detached, which is a neat trick that Switch 2 now has. The kickstand is handy for tabletop use, especially if you connect to one of the best PC game controllers. Now, you won't always get high frame rates when you play at native resolution, but dropping down to 1920 x 1200 will usually get you a smooth 30 to 45 frames per second. If you really want more frames, 800p is an option, but the image quality takes a hit on that big screen. Even though the Legion Go 2 is coming out later this year, the original Legion Go is still a fantastic recommendation, especially at this discounted price. It's a solid pick if you want to game on the go without sacrificing too much on performance or visuals.
Tom's Guide
10-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
Lenovo Legion Go is now $100 off in this epic Best Buy deal — and it's the Switch 2 of handheld gaming PCs
The Nintendo Switch 2 is out and making waves, but if you're a PC gamer opting for something more powerful on a handheld device, then you'll want to set your sights on this Lenovo Legion Go — as it's $100 off! Right now, the Lenovo Legion Go with a 1TB SSD has a $100 price cut at Best Buy, and it's still one of the best handheld gaming PCs you can get thanks to the power it packs under the hood. And yes, it even outshines the recent Legion Go S with its AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme performance. It even features detachable controllers that can be used as a mouse. Essentially, you'll be getting the Switch 2 of Windows PC gaming handhelds, and with power to boot. The Lenovo Legion Go is still one of the best handheld gaming PCs to get, with the might of its AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor and 16GB of RAM powering through AAA games at steady frame rates. I've been a huge fan of its 8.8-inch 144Hz display and detachable controllers (that can turn into a mouse!) since it came out, and even better, this model comes with a handy 1TB SSD. With a $100 discount, the Legion Go is a handheld worth checking out. More portable consoles may be on the horizon, but the Lenovo Legion Go still earns its spot as one of the best gaming handhelds you can grab, and this model with a 1TB SSD is now made even better thanks to its $100 price cut. You'll be able to run AAA games thanks to the power of its AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme and 16GB of RAM onboard, with AMD's FSR upscaling tech boosting visuals and frame rates. Don't expect to crank up settings in titles like Cyberpunk 2077 to max, but if you tinker with settings, you'll get smooth frame rates in the best PC games while you're on the move. Who said the Switch 2 was the first to bring out detachable controllers that can be used as a mouse? Well, the Legion Go kicked off that trend, and I've enjoyed my time playing FPS titles like Doom Eternal or Turbo Overkill on the Legion Go while using the controller as a mouse. Sure, Windows 11 can feel a tad clunky at times, and we hoped that its battery life would last longer than 2 hours, but that shouldn't take away from what the Legion Go can achieve. Especially when you're gaming on its 8.8-inch QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) display with a 144Hz refresh rate. Whether you play games on Steam, Xbox Game Pass or others and want to play your PC titles while traveling or just lying on the couch, the Legion Go in this deal is a great shout now that it's $100 off. I'll have you know it even matches the performance of the MSI Cyborg 15 gaming laptop, and that's one of our favorites! Don't think this is the right Father's Day gift idea? Not to worry, as we have plenty more in store. Even the PS5 Pro got a price cut!
Man of Many
02-06-2025
- Man of Many
Lenovo's 34' Legion Pro Monitor is an Ultrawide OLED Powerhouse
By Dean Blake - Review Published: 2 June 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 8 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. The Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 is a fantastic ultrawide monitor for gaming It boasts a natural 3440×1440 resolution and 240hz refresh rate, alongside a ton of ports It's effectiveness in gaming is somewhat hampered by most games' lack of ultrawide support, though Lenovo's gaming-focused Legion lineup has always been a solid bet for anyone wanting to dive into their favourite form of interactive entertainment: whether it be through one of its Pro laptops, the surprisingly powerful Legion Go handheld, or, as I've done for the past few weeks, using its impressive Legion range of monitors. In particular I've been toying around with the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10, a 34' ultrawide monitor that can hit an esport-level refresh rate of 240Hz on a beautiful, curved OLED screen. We'll dive into just how beautiful that screen is below, but suffice to say it made everything I threw at it look far better than my usual fare. That ultrawide size is really the star of the show here. If you're in the market for an ultrawide gaming monitor, this is among the best I've tested, and the 34' size profile keeps it from completely dominating my desk space as other, bigger monitors have. Remember kids, bigger doesn't always mean better. The price is a lot of swallow, I won't lie: AUD$1,899 itself could be the price of your entire rig, but this is 100 per cent an enthusiast display. If you don't already own a PC (or console) capable of pushing this thing to its limit, you're probably better off upgrading a different bit of your kit ahead of your monitor. For everyone else, read on. Tech Specs Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 Philips Envia 34M2C8600 QD Price AUD$1,899 AUD$1,799 Display Size 34' 34' Panel Type OLED OLED Resolution 3440 x 1440 (WQHD, 21:9 aspect ratio) 3440 x 1440 (WQHD, 21:9 aspect ratio) Refresh Rate 240Hz 175Hz Response Time 0.03ms GtG 0.03ms GtG Ports 1x HDMI 2.1 1x HDMI 2.1 (with eARC) 1x USB-C (with DP Alt Mode) 1x Display Port 1.4 1x Ethernet 3x USB-A 3.2 2x USB-C 3.2 1x USB-B 3.2 (Upstream) 1x USB-C 3.2 (Upstream) 2x HDMI 2.0 1x USB-C (with DP Alt Mode) 1x Display Port 1.4 1x USB-A 3.2 4x USB-A 1x USB-B Upstream Scroll horizontally to view full table Why Trust Us Here at Man of Many, we use a wide variety of technology. We're not fans of any one brand, like to get our hands on the latest-and-greatest tech before we call it the next-best-thing, and we've built up extensive experience in reviewing tech as a publication over the past 10 years. The author of this article, Dean Blake, is Man of Many's technology journalist, and has followed the industry for years. He's worked and gamed on many monitors throughout his career, and largely plays his games on PC. Acer sent a review unit to Man of Many, but no money exchanged hands, and all opinions expressed are those of the author and haven't been seen by Acer ahead of time. For more information on our independence, testing and review guidelines, you can read our full editorial policies here. Lenovo's Legion Pro 34WD-10 Monitor | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many The Good Immersive Curved, OLED Screen Well, this is what you're here for, right? The bells-and-whistles are there, don't get me wrong (headphone hook, anyone?), but the selling point is how good the display makes your content look. And, yeah, the 34WD-10 made almost every game I threw at it look incredible—and those that didn't were down to poor optimisation on the side of the game, not the display. It's the delicious combination of top-tier OLED technology paired with an 800R curved ultrawide display that really sells this thing, and the icing on the cake is the 240Hz refresh rate: a limit I didn't come close to reaching. (Though, it's worth noting I was only able to calibrate the display to around 180Hz, for some reason. I'm chalking that up to user or driver error, as I haven't seen anyone else have this problem.) The extra real estate provided by the ultrawide resolution really does go a long way in making a game's environment feel more immersive, and the games that take advantage of such a wider display, while few and far between, benefit from it greatly. I tested out a few games on the 34WD-10, but the standouts were Sons of the Forest (my current multiplayer obsession), as well as Death Stranding and Armored Core 6 – all of which are capable of running at an ultrawide resolution out of the box. Lenovo's Legion Pro 34WD-10 Monitor | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many Lenovo's Legion Pro 34WD-10 Monitor | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many As I've noted in prior monitor reviews, OLED display technology really benefits games that deal in darkness, with the various caves dotted around the map in SOTF completely blacking out my display, save for the small area illuminated by my character's flashlight, or small LED lighter. That game is stressful enough, with all the weird and wacky shit hiding below the ground, but doing in it true darkness ramps up the tension in a way few horror-focused titles can replicate. Likewise, when you emerge from the underground you're granted a beautiful look at the forest itself: a view that looks incredible with the 34WD-10's colour range: with a 99% sRGB colour gamut, and high-dynamic range compliance. Simply put, everything's going to look better on this display. Now, this being part of Lenovo's Legion lineup, it's fair to focus on what this monitor brings to the gaming experience, but it's 34' ultrawide configuration is actually a fantastic productivity improvement for work: giving you more room to use multiple windows or programs, or to keep a cheeky YouTube video up while doing something a bit less mentally taxing. Lenovo's Legion Pro 34WD-10 Monitor | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many Port selection is fantastic Now, if you've read a few of our other monitor reviews, you'll know that port selection is often pretty average. Not here: the 34WD-10 has more ports than I know what to do with, in all honesty. We're largely comparing the 34WD-10 to the similarly sized and priced Philips Envia 34M2C8600 QD—a great monitor, in its own right, but one that falls behind in a few key areas. The biggest gulfs between the two monitors are, of course, the refresh rate and the port selection. Here, you're getting HDMI 2.1 ports, as well as more, faster USB-C and A ports. It's maybe a bit of a boring positive to bring up, but honestly, the last thing you need is to want another port for a keyboard, mouse, microphone, a pair of headphones, or whatever else you want to plug in, and be short a port. The more the merrier, and there's definitely plenty here. Lenovo's Legion Pro 34WD-10 Monitor | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many The 'Bad' Gaming Still Hasn't Embraced Widescreen Now, a monitor this impressive is doesn't really have any major issues to speak of: except one. As common as ultrawide monitors are becoming, there are still plenty of games that simply don't work out of the box in an aspect ratio wider than 16:9. That's not the fault of the monitor, but it's something worth noting before you go out and buy one. For example, one of my favourite games of the past few years, Elden Ring, simply refused to play ball: when running through the Legion Pro, it wouldn't acknowledge my efforts to change its resolution, and only took up a portion of my screen, leaving the rest to display Steam running below. It was a shit show, and that's not an uncommon occurrence. The very recently released Elden Ring: Nightreign also doesn't have access to ultrawide resolutions, so you can't be sure even brand new games are going to take advantage of your hardware. Additionally, most games made in the past five-to-ten years are poorly optimised even for high-end rigs, let alone when pushing the game to a wider-than-usual resolution. I had fun diving into caves and soaring through the skies with my friends in Sons of the Forest, but playing that game at 3440×1440 was netting me a frame-rate jumping between the 30s and 50s. It also didn't get better by lowering the resolution or graphical options — again, this isn't the fault of the monitor, but it's worth mentioning that unoptimised games are pretty common. If you're willing to put time into finding out what games work well in the ultrawide format and then focus on them—Death Stranding, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Armored Core 6 are stand outs, to be sure—or are willing to put in a bit of work installing ultrawide mods onto games you want to play, you can definitely make it work. Just know that you're not necessarily going to get a plug-and-play experience, so if that's what you're after I'd still advise sticking to a display with a more traditional 16:9 ratio. Lenovo's Legion Pro 34WD-10 Monitor | Image: Dean Blake/Man of Many Man of Many's Verdict In all, the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 is one hell of a monitor in the right contexts but, like all ultrawide displays, it's effectiveness is dependant on what you're feeding into it. If the games you love are capable of bringing out the best in it, the Legion Pro is a sight to behold.
