(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
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Lenovo's tear through a succession of Legion Go products is a mighty indicator that PC gaming handhelds aren't just a fad. In 2023, the company took its first steps into this market with the original Lenovo Legion Go. It was a big swing, both literally and figuratively: A huge 8.8-inch QHD (1600p) screen, detachable controllers, and a bulky build set it apart from an increasingly crowded arena of competitors. The follow-on Lenovo Legion Go S revised and simplified the machine slightly; it was joined by a SteamOS edition months later. But we’ve yet to see the "true" heavy-hitting sequel to the first Go—until now.
Ahead of IFA 2025, Lenovo stopped by New York City to give me a hands-on preview of the new gaming handheld, aptly named the Lenovo Legion Go 2. This latest update has changed a lot, but much has remained. However, will the Legion Go 2 stand out among fierce competition from major players like Asus and MSI? That remains to be seen, ultimately coming down to performance.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Design: The New and Improved Legion Go
First teased in a prototype design back at CES 2025, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is far more iterative than I expected. The screen, for example, is still the same size, though the original model's IPS panel is now a colorful OLED display. On the other hand, its resolution has rolled back from 2,560 by 1,600 pixels to 1,920 by 1,200. The screen has a variable refresh rate of up to 144Hz, though the screen can refresh at up to 240Hz at maximum. Lenovo also included HDR TrueBlack 1000 for content that supports high dynamic range (HDR) black levels and color production.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)The machine's overall build remains the same, albeit more comfortable. Lenovo redesigned the detachable Legion TrueStrike controllers with more comfortable lines, a smoother feel, and a smarter button layout. The control sticks feel more natural in my hands, unlike the Steam Deck’s unique design. The device as a whole feels comfy in my hands, though it is still considerably heavier than other gaming handhelds like the Nintendo Switch 2.
Speaking of Nintendo’s console, the Legion Go 2 can also still detach its controllers. The TrueStrike controllers include Hall-effect control sticks and a large directional pad. The buttons feel sturdy, akin to an Xbox controller. However, I struggled to detach the controllers from the base of the Legion Go, and that’s still the case with the Go 2. The Switch 2 has Lenovo beat in that regard, but note one neat trick: The Legion Go 2 works with the original Go’s controllers. So, if you prefer the original’s controller grips, you can swap those in.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)The Legion Go 2 measures 5.4 by 11.6 by 1.7 inches (HWD) and weighs a hair over 2 pounds. At the top of the system, you’ll find a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB-C port that also supports DisplayPort 2.0 and Power Delivery 3.0. On the bottom, an identical USB-C port is beside a microSD card reader with support for up to 2TB cards. Inside, expect up to 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to a 2TB SSD.
Using the Legion Go 2: The Promise of Performance
While broadly similar to the original Go and even the Go S, the Go 2’s most significant difference—and one that you might care about most—is the upgrade in processor. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 uses either AMD's Ryzen Z2 or Z2 Extreme processor. These new chips include eight cores, 16 threads, and 24MB of cache, amounting to a 30W maximum TDP. The main difference between the two is the number of graphics cores—the Z2 has 12 graphics cores, while the Z2 Extreme has 16. The new chips still run on AMD's legacy RDNA 3 graphics architecture, not its latest RDNA 4.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)The mid-level Z2 matches the Z1 Extreme in cores, threads, cache, graphics cores, and even maximum power draw, so expect more drastic performance differences with the Z2 Extreme. The Legion Go 2 also runs on Windows 11. This fact is interesting because I observed dramatically improved performance across the board when playing with the Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS (both its Z2 Go and Z1 Extreme variants) instead of Windows. While you lost access to Windows (and easy access to almost every game platform you might want), the performance gains were undeniable.
Perhaps this might be why Lenovo's demonstration unit had no particularly demanding games installed. I got to play Blue Prince, Balatro, and Wheel World via Xbox Game Pass. Blue Prince and Balatro are relatively simple, so it was no surprise that they looked and performed excellently. Wheel World is an open-world game with a unique art style that popped well through the Go 2’s OLED screen.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)These games are perfect for handheld devices like this, but I hoped to see something more graphically demanding to show off what the console can do. I can play Balatro on my phone, but I can’t play Indiana Jones and the Great Circle or Star Wars Outlaws, graphically intensive games headed for the Nintendo Switch 2.
I'm also left wondering if the Legion Go 2 delivers enough to stand out from some imminent competition, notably the Asus ROG Ally Xbox X, due October 16. The OLED screen and detachable controllers help, but performance might be similar since they pack the same processor options.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)When Can I Get One? Legion Go 2 Is Coming Soon
Still, despite my reservations, I could tell that the Go 2 is shaping up to be a comfortable, capable handheld. It’s far more hand-pleasing than the original Legion Go, and new shortcut buttons make navigation far easier. Lenovo's software has also matured, so switching between games feels more like playing a game console and less like a laptop jerry-rigged into a handheld.
I’m still curious about what performance gains we can expect from the Go 2, but I won’t have to wait long to get my hands on it for deeper testing and a full review. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 will be released this October, with an expected starting price of $1,049.