This week marks a big moment for budget-conscious gamers: Lenovo’s Legion Go handheld gaming PC has just seen a significant price reduction on Amazon, dropping a hefty $100. Priced at $499, it’s now a more affordable option compared to its competitors, the Asus ROG Ally X, which retails for $799, and the Steam Deck OLED, priced at $549.
If you’re keeping score in the handheld gaming race, the Legion Go equipped with its AMD Z1 Extreme chipset has a clear edge on performance over both versions of the Steam Deck. Its beautiful 8.8-inch IPS display is hard to overlook. When we dove deep into the Lenovo Legion Go in our review, we were impressed by its dual USB-C ports, vibrant display, robust kickstand, and those nifty detachable controllers, which add a flexibility that’s hard to resist.
For gamers seeking more than just basic features, the Legion Go stands out as an attractive alternative to the Steam Deck OLED. Sure, you might swap the OLED’s vibrant screen for a bigger IPS display, but consider the price gap between Legion Go and the ROG Ally X. While the Ally X might eke out slightly better performance, that edge is mostly noticeable in minor performance dips that hardly cramp your style.
The original Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme, listed at $649, struggles to keep up. It doesn’t match the performance boost delivered by the Ally X, and when you pit it against the Legion Go’s bigger screen or the Deck OLED’s superior screen quality for $549, its appeal wanes.
Looking ahead, the Lenovo Legion Go should serve well over time. There’s chatter about a potential Lenovo Legion Go Lite possibly hitting the market soon. But if you’re already eyeing this price range, you won’t need to worry about missing Lite. Meanwhile, a fresh version, the Lenovo Legion Go 2, is on the horizon, projected for a 2025 release. While it’s too early to speculate on its specs, this price drop might be hinting at upcoming developments. So, whether it’s a trim-down version or a souped-up successor, Lenovo seems to be gearing up to keep its lineup competitive.
