Since then, many other companies have dipped their toes into the world of portable PCs, including Lenovo.
But I can’t recommend it over Valve’s Steam Deck or ASUS’s ROG Ally.
They feature a similar design with a few key differences, which are noticeable both in look and feel.
Sergio Rodriguez / MakeUseOf
How does everything feel?
I’ll start with the usual controller aspects.
On to the joysticks.
The Lenovo Legion Go is a portable gaming PC that checks off some of the important boxes but fails to deliver a performance that stacks up to the demands of modern-day titles. If your goal is cloud gaming or casual indie enjoyment, the Legion Go is a solution, but not the best handheld possible.
These are a big win for the Legion Go in my eyes.
Clicking them down is easy enough without the fear of depressing them at random.
Plus, they offer small rings of customizable RGB lighting to spice up the overall look of the handheld.
Sergio Rodriguez / MakeUseOf
The D-pad is nothing to write home about.
It’s a standard clicky cross to navigate in-game menus and terrains.
No major problems, either, so I’m counting this as a small plus.
Sergio Rodriguez / MakeUseOf
Last up for the typical controller setup, the ABXY buttons; these are excellent.
Now for some Legion Go feng shui.
Moving to the back side of each controller, there are two programmable buttons on either side.
Sergio Rodriguez / MakeUseOf
In all, the Lenovo Legion Go’s controls have some ups and downs.
It’s bulky and a little confusing in layout, but the controls themselves feel satisfying to use.
It just doesn’t have the hardware to keep up.
Sergio Rodriguez / MakeUseOf
However, if you’re after vivid handheld graphics, the Legion Go knocks it out of the park.
I didn’t have a problem with any of these.
Everything worked as intended and didn’t cause any headaches.
Sergio Rodriguez / MakeUseOf
Is This Really the Performance It Offers?
When it comes to in-game performance, I must admit to being let down by the Lenovo Legion Go.
First things first, I decided to test the limits by booting up Bethesda’s Starfield.
Sergio Rodriguez / MakeUseOf
This was a long shot, but I figured I’d give it a try.
I looked around for a few jagged frames before Starfield closed without an issue notification.
The Legion Go earned a “Low Quality” startup setting.
Sergio Rodriguez / MakeUseOf
Not promising, but I jumped in anyway.
Immediately upon loading in, I could tell the Legion Go was struggling to keep up.
What about Steam Deck favorites that are less graphically intensive, like Travellers Rest or Dave the Diver?
Sergio Rodriguez / MakeUseOf
There’s one issue that rubs me the wrong way, though: Lenovo’s LegionSpace.
The issue lies in how slowly it operates and the inability to easily circumvent it.
Just let me get to my desktop for crying out loud!
Sergio Rodriguez / MakeUseOf
No amount of trackpad inputs or B-button presses will allow you to leave.
Solid Battery, Slow Charging
Battery life is a key component of handheld gaming PCs.
Charging up, on the other hand, could do with a bit of a bump.
That’s a hefty chunk of time just for the handheld to burn out in one to three hours.
Should You Purchase the Lenovo Legion Go?
I cannot recommend theLenovo Legion Goover other handheld gaming PCs, especially the Steam Deck OLED.
