Recently, Lenovo’s Legion Go, a handheld gaming PC designed to rival the Valve Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally, has seen a significant price reduction. Available on Amazon, you can now purchase this device for just $499, which is quite a steal compared to its competitors. For instance, that’s $300 less than the Asus ROG Ally X, which retails for $799, and $50 cheaper than the new Steam Deck OLED, which goes for $549.
When it comes to performance, both the Legion Go and the Asus ROG Ally sport the AMD Z1 Extreme chipset, offering a step up from the Steam Deck and its OLED sibling. This makes Legion Go a standout choice if you’re looking for a cost-effective yet powerful handheld option, especially with its impressive 8.8-inch IPS display catching eyes. Our comprehensive review highlighted its strengths, including dual USB-C ports, a vibrant display, a robust kickstand, and detachable controllers. It’s worth noting that subsequent updates have further refined the device’s performance.
For those in the market for a handheld gaming PC beyond the basic Steam Deck, the Legion Go is a compelling option if the absence of an OLED screen in favor of a larger IPS display is something you’re willing to overlook. The Legion Go is significantly more affordable than the ROG Ally X, which remains the only Z1 Extreme device offering superior performance to others in its class—making a slight performance gap mostly negligible.
Considering the Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme’s MSRP of $649, this model doesn’t quite match the Ally X in terms of performance. Meanwhile, with options on the table like the larger screen of the Legion Go or the superior screen quality of the Deck OLED for $549, the original ROG Ally seems to be losing its edge.
Long-term, the Lenovo Legion Go seems like a solid investment. Rumors suggest the introduction of a potentially less powerful Legion Go Lite in the near future, which could appeal to budget-conscious gamers. However, if you’re already considering devices within this price bracket, this shouldn’t be a major concern. On the horizon, there also appears to be a Legion Go 2 model potentially launching in 2025, although details about its performance capabilities remain speculative. Could this strategic price decrease be related to the forthcoming Go Lite or Go 2? Time will tell.
