There could be a new player in the handheld PC market, as rumors are swirling about the development of the Lenovo Legion Go.
This rumored device looks to share the best elements of both the Steam Deck and the Nintendo Switch. If early online reports end up being accurate, the Lenovo Legion Go will run Windows 11 and feature Joy-Con-like detachable controllers.
Of course, this is all just speculation for the time being, though leaked images published by Windows Report look pretty convincing.
Read on to get the scoop on all the latest speculation surrounding a rumored device that could end up vying to become one of the best handheld gaming consoles.
Lenovo Legion Go: Expected release date and price
There is currently zero concrete pricing or release date info out there regarding the Lenovo Legion Go… mainly because the handheld is very much still a rumored product at this point. Final pricing is likely to be heavily influenced by however much power the Legion Go might pack under the hood.
For reference, the base models of the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally start off at $399 / $599 respectably, so if the Legion Go wants to be competitive from a cost standpoint, its rivals have put down clear markers in terms of price.
Likewise, there’s precisely zilch out there regarding when Lenovo might launch such a handheld. The rumored Nintendo Switch 2 is reportedly targeting a 2024 release, so if Lenovo's Legion Go really is in development, the company is probably going to want to put as much space between its launch and Nintendo’s device as possible.
Lenovo Legion Go: Design and display
The images leaked by Windows Report point to a handheld device that looks remarkably like the Nintendo Switch OLED. If the Lenovo Legion Go is released and does end up resembling these product shots, then that slim bezel and sturdy kickstand have clearly been taking notes from Nintendo’s premium handheld.
Again, these shots aren’t official, so apply a shedload of salt to your expectations before getting too excited. However, if the final Legion Go is released and its design doesn’t stray too far from the leaked images, those detachable controllers certainly share a striking resemblance with the Switch’s Joy-Cons.
Sure, they look a good deal chunkier than Nintendo’s iconic peripherals, but the presence of what appears to be a wheel on the right detachable controller is intriguing. If the Lenovo Legion Go uses Windows 11 as its OS, as Windows Central reports, said wheel would certainly come in handy for scrolling while browsing.
The button layout of the rumored handheld looks fairly standard, sporting two analog sticks, a D-Pad, four buttons (labelled A, B, X and Y) and what looks like a Steam Deck-like touchpad. It’s at the top, sides and rear of the machine where things get interesting, though.
A pair of triggers are complemented by four bumpers, labelled Y1 and Y2 on the left and M1 and M2 on the right. If the images are accurate, the design here is fascinating. The larger bumpers stretch from the top of the handheld to about halfway down the side of the device, sitting just above much smaller Y2 and M2 bumpers.
The selection of inputs for the rumored portable console only gets stronger if the leaks prove accurate, with the presence of four back buttons (labelled Y3, Y4, M3 and M4). These inputs look like chunkier versions of the paddles seen on the brilliant Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2. We’re crossing all of our digits that these inputs are programmable, as is the case with Microsoft’s high-end gamepad.
There’s no word yet on what type of display the rumored Legion Go may feature (though we’re really hoping Lenovo opts for an OLED panel), but Windows Central reports it will have an 8-inch screen. If true, that gives the Go a slight size advantage over the Steam Deck, Asus ROG Alley and Switch OLED, all of which have 7-inch displays.
There isn’t any information on the Lenovo Legion Go’s resolution or refresh rate — though we’re hoping for at least 1080p (1920 x 1080) and 60Hz.
Lenovo Legion Go: Specs
From a specs perspective, there’s not a whole lot to report on the rumored Lenovo Legion Go at time of writing. Windows Central states the handheld will come installed with Windows 11, meaning the Go could end up being both a Switch 2 rival and a fully functioning mini PC.
Current reports suggest the Legion Go will be powered by AMD’s new Ryzen 7040 ‘Phoenix’ CPU, so we could be looking at a handheld that packs in considerably more power than the Steam Deck. The presence of a large vent on the rear of the device could certainly suggest heat output is a big priority for Lenovo, lending weight to the idea this rumored handheld could be quite the portable powerhouse.
As for connections, it’s rumored the device will have two USB-C ports — one on the top and one on the bottom of the machine — alongside volume buttons, a microSD card slot and a headphone jack.
Lenovo Legion Go: Outlook
If the Lenovo Legion Go is a real device that’s actively being worked on, it’s going to be stepping into a seriously crowded market.
Not only will the rumored machine have to compete with the Nintendo Switch and its eventual successor, but the Steam Deck has already carved itself out a healthy market share. Throw in the AyaNeo 2S, Logitech G Cloud and Asus ROG Ally, and the Lenovo Legion Go is going to have to fight for every potential customer if and when it launches.
Of course, we’ve been here before with Lenovo. It wasn’t all that long ago that the company pulled the plug on the heavily rumored Legion Play. Still, the leaked shots of the Lenovo Legion Go certainly look convincing.
We’re hoping the Go ends up being a real product avid gamers could be playing some of the best PC games on in the not too distant future.
