Lenovo Legion Go review: 2 things I dislike about this Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch hybrid

Have you ever before desired the Nintendo Switch to be means beefier and even more effective, in addition to much more costly? The Lenovo Legion Go could be the tool for you.

A number of those descriptors may appear pejorative, however actually, Lenovo’s brand-new mobile video gaming computer (suggested to emulate the similarity the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally) is precisely that. As we wait possibly one more year for the Switch 2, the Legion Go can sharpen your hunger with its massive, buttery smooth screen, removable controllers, and greater than appropriate horse power for running video games brand-new, old, indie, and AAA. 

Starting at $699 for the 512GB version (there’s likewise an or else the same 1TB version for $749), it’s absolutely not economical by video gaming console criteria. But if you intend to obtain a foot right into the computer video gaming door without devoting to a method much more costly laptop computer or desktop computer computer, the Legion Go can be a suitable selection for you.

What I love about Lenovo Legion Go

It’s a mobile giant

Let’s cut right to the chase: This point is actually efficient running all sort of video games. It’s loading an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme GPU, which coincides as the premium ROG Ally version. Since the ROG Ally is commonly recognized to be a little bit much more effective than Steam Deck, so as well is the Legion Go. It’s likewise obtained 16GB of RAM, so it’s plenty with the ability of multitasking without obtaining stalled if requirement be.

I played a package of various video games both brand-new and old on the Legion Go and left rather excited by its capability to run them all. Here’s a fast run-through of exactly how my screening went:

• Burnout Paradise Remastered: A constant 60 structures per secondly above setups

• Yakuza: Like a Dragon: Around 30FPS above setups

• Halo: The Master Chief Collection: A constant 60FPS on “Performance” setups

• Halo Infinite multiplayer: A constant 60FPS on reduced setups

Of program, absolutely nothing in computer video gaming ever before functions completely without a bit of setup in advance, and the Legion Go is no various. By default, the tool’s display resolution is evaluated the optimum 2560×1600 setup. I located that this stalled efficiency in video games like Like a Dragon, which was nigh-unplayable at that resolution. But bumping it down simply a little bit to 1920×1200 dealt with almost all the issues I was having without compromising a lot in the means of aesthetic intensity.

You likewise have some control over things like follower rate at the tool degree. Simply press the “Legion R” switch (put approximately where the time out switch gets on the Switch, on top of the best controller) to open up a fast setups food selection. From there, you can transform resolution, revitalize price, and thermal and power settings. The last 2 can be changed to “Performance,” that makes video games much more usable at the cost of shooting up the interior follower and most likely compromising some battery life.

Doing every one of that, which just takes a couple of secs, was what approved me greater than appropriate efficiency degrees in every video game I attempted. I located that things were likewise a little far better when the Legion Go was linked into its consisted of air conditioning adapter, however I had the ability to recreate every one of the above efficiency accounts while unplugged, also.

Oh, and if it can run every one of those AAA video games dependably, there shouldn’t be issues with simply about any type of smaller sized indie video games.

A desire Game Pass equipment

One of the larger issues with Valve’s Steam Deck (an or else beautiful little equipment, by all accounts) is that it runs Linux by default. You can set up Windows on it, however it needs some initiative and some knowledge to do it effectively. This is not a trouble with the Legion Go.

Lenovo Legion Go
Credit: Kim Gedeon/Mashable

Like the ROG Ally prior to it, the Legion Go includes a reasonably tidy Windows 11 set up out of package. There’s some proprietary Lenovo video gaming software application that I’ll discuss a little later, however as lengthy as you understand your Microsoft account details, you can visit and bring over all your applications and setups from a COMPUTER, if you desire. 

The greatest advantage right here from a pc gaming point of view is that Xbox Game Pass for computer is natively sustained on Legion Go. That implies greater than 400 video games are offered right now as lengthy as you have a Game Pass registration. Of program, various other systems like Steam, Epic Games, and GOG are sustained in addition to they would certainly get on a normal Windows COMPUTER. If your collection exists in among those shops, you’ll have no problem accessing it right here.

Having choices behaves, is all I’m claiming.

Big ol’ screen

If you approve the disagreement that the Legion Go’s major 2 rivals are the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, Lenovo’s tool has quickly the very best screen of the 3.

Lenovo Legion Go
Credit: Kim Gedeon/Mashable

It’s very little of a dispute, either. Here’s exactly how they accumulate:

• Steam Deck LCD: 7-inch screen with 1200×800 resolution and 60Hz revitalize price

• ROG Ally: 7-inch screen with 1920×1080 resolution and 120Hz revitalize price

• Legion Go: 8.8-inch screen with 2560×1600 resolution and 144Hz revitalize price

See? The numbers are higher to ensure that implies it’s far better. Seriously, however, it’s a huge, sharp, lively display that’s fantastic for video gaming. 

The just caution right here is that Valve simply introduced an OLED Steam Deck with a larger 7.4-inch screen and a somewhat far better 90Hz revitalize price. The OLED aspect can turn things in Valve’s support right here, however not up until the tool remains in individuals’s hands and prepared for side-by-side screening.

What I dislike about Lenovo Legion Go

The followers can obtain actually loud.
Credit: Kim Gedeon/Mashable

Quiet down over there

This one is easy: The follower is rather loud.

To be much more details, allowing the details efficiency setups I allowed to obtain those video games to run in addition to they did methods you need to manage follower sound. It’s not at jet engine degrees like the initial PlayStation 3 or anything, however you can hear it from throughout a medium-sized space. I would absolutely fidget about bringing it on an aircraft if the individual resting alongside me didn’t have earphones.

Legion Space kinda has an odor

The just factor I called the Legion Go’s variation of Windows 11 “relatively clean” is that it includes an exclusive video games library/storefront called Legion Space. This instantly introduces on bootup (changing that off in the setups relatively didn’t take care of that, either) and needs to be lessened or liquidated of totally prior to you can reach the applications you really intend to make use of. 

Lenovo Legion Go
Credit: Kim Gedeon/Mashable

It’s essentially simply a method for Lenovo to gather every video game you have actually mounted throughout every system right into one little center, which behaves theoretically however not all that fantastic in technique. Personally, if I intend to release something from Steam, I’ll simply open up Steam. Legion Space’s UI is likewise loaded with large, hideous switches relatively suggested for touchscreen usage. I simply don’t such as the means it looks.

This isn’t a significant damage in the Legion Go’s total high quality, however it is irritating sufficient to be worth pointing out.

What’s ‘eh’ about Lenovo Legion Go

Lenovo Legion Go
Credit: Kim Gedeon/Mashable

Controller tricks

The last distinct aspect the Legion Go has more than the competitors is that the controllers on the left and best sides of the screen can be moved off and utilized individually from the equipment, a la the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons. If you intend to video game without holding a 1.88lb tool in your hands, you can do that.

What’s much more intriguing is that there’s a little toggle under of the best side controller to switch it right into “FPS Mode.” The concept is that you put the best controller up and down right into an included controller base and utilize it as a computer mouse (with the left side serving as a key-board) for video games that take advantage of computer mouse+key-board controls. 

In technique, this functions great however is rather wacky. You essentially move the controller around on your workdesk to replicate computer mouse motion. It’s absolutely special and functions precisely as marketed, however it’s not something I’d ever before intend to provide for an extended period of time. You may like it, however.

Lenovo Legion Go
Credit: Kim Gedeon/Mashable

Oh, another point to keep in mind about the controllers: The analog sticks utilize what are called “Hall effect sensors.” Without obtaining unfathomable right into what that implies on a technological degree, everybody I understand that enjoys that kind of point informs me that Hall result sensing units are much much less most likely to catch controller drift issues than the sticks that feed on Switch and PS5 controllers. In various other words, the Legion Go’s sticks need to be a lot more trusted for a a lot longer time than any type of Switch Joy-Con.

Lenovo Legion Go battery life

I wasn’t able to obtain our common battery benchmarking software application to service Legion Go, however anecdotally, you can anticipate to obtain no greater than 4 hours of continual usage on a solitary fee, unless you’re playing video games that are actually not requiring. 

It’s not fantastic, however it’s likewise about in accordance with what the OG Steam Deck and ROG Ally deal. These are effective equipments and the innovation to provide long battery life without making concessions in dimension and cost simply might not exist yet. In terms I and several others can recognize, you could be able to play the Legion Go while enjoying a football video game on your television, however most likely except any type of longer than that.

How well does Cyberpunk 2077 operate on Lenovo Legion Go?

‘Cyberpunk’ can bring a great deal of Computers to their knees, however not the Legion Go.
Credit: CD Projekt Red/Steam

Last however absolutely not the very least, allow’s talk about exactly how the Legion Go takes care of among video gaming’s most notoriously requiring titles: Cyberpunk 2077.

Nearly 3 years after launch, Cyberpunk’s insects have actually mainly been settled and the video game is currently really respectable. However, it’s still extremely straining on any type of equipment you play it on. Running the in-game benchmarking device on the “Steam Deck” setups pre-programmed (that includes high structure high quality, to name a few things), the Legion Go balanced 40FPS. The exact same standard on a Steam Deck correct appeared to about 30FPS.

Not just is Cyberpunk totally usable on a Legion Go, it may also be downright pleasurable. How about that?

Final ideas

With the qualifier that the Steam Deck OLED isn’t out right now, I don’t assume it’s insane to claim the Legion Go could be pound-for-pound the very best among these portable video gaming Computers to day. 

Its efficiency account promotes itself, while the screen is a bargain far better than the initial Steam Deck and the ROG Ally. A fundamental variation of Windows 11 methods you can do basically whatever you desire with the tool, also while handling the annoying Legion Space software application. The removable controllers are likewise cool theoretically, though I’m not the sort of individual that would certainly ever before obtain make use of out of them.

At $699, it’s not precisely economical, however it’s quickly among the far better entrances right into computer video gaming you can solve currently.