Lenovo Legion Go In-Depth Review

[@xauthegamer]

I have a Deck, just bought the Legion Go. Haven't touched the Deck ever since. The big screen and screen quality of the Legion Go are top notch like for real. In person it looks so damn good!! very sharp and bright colors. Love that after 6 months this video and his showcase aren't near what Legion Go has to offer now. It runs now perfectly with high FPS output, just a few tweaks and its now playable at 60+ fps.

[@antonio_carvalho]

Now we have to choose between: OLED (Deck) VRR (Ally) 8.8" screen (Go)

[@alantsai3453]

Only if someday we get the best of all worlds

[@rettenthetetlen8759]

I chose the OG Deck, end of story 😅

[@halo1crysis]

The Go is for me. I also owned a Steam Deck , too. But the Steam Deck lacks performance, lack of games to play, and the cache fill up too much space. I have non of those issues with the Go. So the Go is for me.

[@RampagingJupiter]

I'm preordering the OLED Steamdeck next week and already own an Ally(collecting dust in my work bag). The Lenovo is a pass for me.

[@CuriousTinkering]

Get all and you'd never have to choose.

[@Kabjgm]

These devices are what I imagined 20 years ago, it's amazing how they are getting better and better

[@Caba-Rojo]

I too remember wishing I could program QBasic on my Game Gear.

[@kylebattagin621]

Bought one today at Microcenter for $799 with an upgraded 2TB drive !!!!! Love my new Legion GO

[@ButtonMashGaming]

Wow please update video for current state of go

[@mvp-the-evilgamer]

No

[@San_fr_23]

@@mvp-the-evilgamerlol i actually need an update as well

[@TheAkustikus]

After 3 Months with the LeGo im must say this is the GOAT. I installed Bazzite and Windows on Dualboot, printed a new Backcase and Full Size SSD bracket and upgraded to 2TB. With Bazzite its just a big SteamDeck with a nice screen. Every Game i throw at it works flawless and the latest Bios Updates makes the device better. Like Full Button remapt and 80% Charge Limit. Best Money spend on a PC in a long time.

[@MegaArcade_]

Really appreciate the in depth review and honesty. Mine is on its way today and I cant wait to set up emudeck. Looking forward to more emulation featured on the Legion Go! Thanks Russ!!!!

[@smartphonefan5226]

I am looking forward to getting the Legion Go. I have used the Steam Deck and ROG Ally and both of them are great devices. I did end up selling my Steam Deck earlier this year for the ROG Ally due to compatibility issues with titles that have the anti-cheat software. When I first got my ROG Ally back in June, it was a buggy mess to the point where I almost returned it. However, I am glad that I kept it because five months later, it is possibly the best Windows handheld you can get right now. The majority of the issues have been fixed and the games run well. The speakers are a major selling point for this device as they sound amazing. My three criticisms with this device would be the microSD card slot issue, battery life, and screen size. The screen size is actually one of the reasons why I am getting the Legion Go. The 8.8 inch display is more of an ideal size for me. The detachable controllers also adds flexibility to the device since it is basically a mini Windows tablet. Since I am a fan of the iPad mini form factor, this is a win in my book. I will definitely be paying close attention to see how this device holds up in the long run, but I am guessing that it is going to be a similar situation to the ROG Ally.

[@jacksonperotti]

Ughhhh, I'm wanting to sell my Deck but like I'm unsure if I wanna save for the Legion Go or just buy an Ally once I sell my deck. There's some killerrrrr open box deals on the ally so i'm gravitating towards that for now but would you reccomend I just try to save for the Go?

[@smartphonefan5226]

@@jacksonperotti If you want a traditional handheld experience that runs Windows, go for the ROG Ally. Not only it will be similar to the Steam Deck, but you will get better speakers, variable refresh rate, and more polished software since it has been out longer. If you want the bigger screen and the ability to use the device as a mini Windows tablet, get the Legion Go.

[@itsquiwi8780]

​@@smartphonefan5226this is 100% correct it really is down to better speakers vrr vs bigger screen and removable joycons a great battle if you ask me but ally wins because of vrr!

[@guser7137]

@@jacksonperotti Hold off. I got one and it's going back. It is just not acceptable that a product at this price is such a mess. I was super excited to be getting one, but then some very glaring issues not even touched on by 'reviewers' were obvious the minute it was powered on.

[@CAAARRRLL]

@@guser7137what did you experience with yours that these reviewers may have missed? I just picked up my GO yesterday and wanna be on the lookout for any issues so if it does need to go back I don’t miss the return window

[@Rando3498]

I was already sold on the legion go but wanted to watch this in case there were any deal-breakers and I loved the depth of information in the video!

[@Mixx10]

It’s the one for me! That big screen is what I’ve been wanting out of a handheld since the steam deck came out. I use mine 80% of the time streaming my desktop to it and so I’m able to game at its full capability at 1600p 144hz and it is glorious. Other 20% of the time is when I’m using it out of the house and gaming on its internals and it works good enough for those times too.

[@martindescoteaux9288]

Yea same here!!

[@vincentchanbiz]

Streaming from PC and playing on bed is such an underrated feature,

[@Mr.NiceGuy1986]

xemu app and conker live and reloaded at 3x is amazing on the LEGO

[@bebdik1654]

Planning on doing this myself. What software are you using to achieve this, any suggestions?

[@GameboyAdvance1]

this sounds awesome! How would I go about doing this?

[@metrix8155]

Another reviewer (filterless) reported the same issues concerning the USB ports when using an external driver. So it's definitely not just your device. Now we have to wait and see if it's an issue that can be fixed by software or if it's a hardware problem

[@LCast31]

There's a new design and update of the Legion space today. That's faster, more beautiful now. Legion Go is worthy of "Legion Go after 1 month "

[@Daxter609]

Great honest review that gets to all the important details. I still want a Legion Go but I hope by the end of November they get the performance on par with the ROG Ally, especially at lower TDPs.

[@jiaododojiao3513]

Yes! Hopefully! It depends on the drivers and systems settings for shore! Today there was a system Update from Lenovo, but I don't think it improved performance yet...

[@drimz2949]

ROG easly overheat. Lenovo is better than ROG. I just discover this lenove 1 hours since i write this post. I need to watch more of it. The vertical mouse and mouse pad on lenovo is big plus for me

[@M4rio21]

I bought it this week. Fantastic device because of the screen! There is definitely problems with it. the software is crap even after the update. The fan is also annoyingly loud. I will be returning it in a month or two if they don't make big improvements to the performance. Best buy allows for holiday returns up to January, very cool.

[@Kuriketto]

I have an upcoming trip where I'll be evaluating it as a gaming and general laptop replacement for three weeks, and the extended holiday return period is a major reason why I'm hanging on to the Go. Another one is the display. I just can't handle gaming on 7 inch displays, sadly. Here's hoping the major issues get sorted out before that return window closes, because it has a lot of potential.

[@LianCasablacks]

Hows the battery life on that thing?

[@M4rio21]

@@LianCasablacks pretty bad the way I use it. Screen maxed out and set to performance it only gets an hour and some. I haven't tried to use it as low power device.

[@somebodyoutthere]

The loud fan is the major turn off for me, especially since the sound isn't that impressive, and when the loud fan competes with the game sound, that does sound like a joke. I wonder if it's something that can be fixed with a software update.

[@V3ntilator]

I bought Lenovo 2 days ago, and it's a very good handheld. The big screen is the best part. Lenovo posted a temporarily fix to improve the audio, but will be in a update soon. It's not a hardware problem. They made a list of around 20 things to upgrade ASAP. You can already disable the Lenovo app from starting on auto. In a patch yesterday.

[@alantsai3453]

The speaker can be improved with software but I doubt it'll be any better than the Deck or Ally. Up-firing speakers with smaller drivers have hardware limits.

[@Panopticon14]

Opening the Realtek Audio Control app and turning Omni speakers on and putting it on the "Powerful" profile makes the speakers excellent.

[@bipbop3121]

​​​@@Panopticon14review I saw mentioned just changing the EQ. Still, that guy who had all the handhelds said it took the speakers from a 3 to a 7, but still not better than Deck, Ally. Don't exaggerate. (which that increase is impressive enough and probably can only take seriously on a handheld relativity, since even the best can't compare to a serious audio set up).

[@jiaododojiao3513]

​@@Panopticon14Really? I need to try that! Is the Realtek app automatically installed with the drivers, or do I need to download and install it manually?

[@V3ntilator]

@@alantsai3453 Lenovo will make the sound "good" by default without using settings in a fix soon. It's on their roadmap to be fixed ASAP.

[@Teremei]

This is perfect. My Legion Go is due to arrive today and I'm just sitting here super antsy and bored.

[@pelanebaat]

I love your channeleverything is so calming

[@belowaveragejoe3]

Great video, I love my steam deck but I picked up a GO as well, the potential for upgrading not only software but hardware as well and the avenues they can go with what the detachable controls is super exciting!

[@itsquiwi8780]

There is 0 ways to upgrade the go besides ssd swapping what you on about?

[@belowaveragejoe3]

@@itsquiwi8780 not currently, but like Russ said, there is nothing stopping them from coming out with different controllers that can upgrade the experience

[@ominousview]

​@@itsquiwi8780they're making different styles of controllers and may allow 3rd parties

[@jesusbarrera6916]

​@@itsquiwi8780I think they mean thunderbolt 4 and the controllers

[@bipbop3121]

​@@jesusbarrera6916the thunderbolt four that at least for Russ, was being unreliable and overheated with dock use for someone else?

[@Goalier95]

I love these over 25 minute reviews by Nerdnest, The Phawx and RGC... so much more in-depth than the fluff of some other shills that say, "this is the most amazing, most powerful handheld I've ever played with - it's an absolute beast of a gaming machine". Thanks Russ!

[@bulletpunch9317]

Beast tamer eta

[@aarond1591]

I believe the usb issues you are having are related to the power bypass feature that Lenovo put in the Go. It makes the power input not charge the device while using it and this has somehow messed up power delivery to connected devices. Any powered hub I have works flawlessly, but any device that requires power to be supplied from the usb port has issues. This is something they can fix in firmware and bios updates. I have brought this issue to their attention in the main lenovo forum so I hope this gets fixed.

[@volcalstone]

This makes sense now, thx. I've been using a hub with DP out with FreeSync but with power passing through to the Go. No issues whatsoever on my connected usb devices. Yeah I heard there is a new bios in the works that will let us change it.

[@dutchie45mk]

U probably right, hope they fix it before my 60 day return window is up

[@mattb6522]

Good review! I've had the Steam Deck for almost a year now and this seems like a potential alternative if you didn't already pick up a Deck or Ally. Hopefully, Lenovo can make improvements and make the Go even better in the future. It doesn't sound like it is a bad device, but there is so much competition in this market especially with Valve pretty much setting the standard for which everything will be measured.

[@Etridamu]

True but there’s a caveat. Valve has had well over a year to iron out the kinks & fully flesh out their user experience on the software front. And Asus had about 5 1/2 months as well. Lenovo is a week out and we’ve gotten 2 updates with regular feedback & a roadmap from them. It’s kinda unfair to compare them but it’s inevitable, really. Hopefully Lenovo can remain aggressive with the software releases & once the software matures over time, it’ll be an excellent device. I knew what I was getting into so I’m in it for the longhaul. The hardware is there. And while a lot of ppl complain about VRR, they seem to blatantly disregard the fact the Steam Deck doesn’t have it either. Nor does the switch, Aya Neo, Odin, GPD, One X, etc. I know my gripes are simply software related atm. So I’ll stick it out.

[@bipbop3121]

​@@EtridamuI would need more information, but I wouldn't say people are disregarding that Steam Deck, etc doesn't have VRR, merely focused on how much they prefer stable fps over max and the Ally exists. It's great that the Legion Go exists to align with your priorities and it's OK that others have other priorities and find the Ally, Steam Deck OLED, etc a better fit Even if you want to oversimplify display issues due to hardware choices of portrait and a display twice the resolution target of the APU, as software issues, I do not have any expectation that Lenovo will develop software resolving the portrait screen issues across any key alone all unplayable games, nor collaborate with AMD on the first portable integer scaling. It'd be great if those happened, but alternatives already exist and how many more will there be, by the time it happens? It fine to not be bothered that you cannot play those games. Are you disregarding that others do play them? I mean, in making your choice to in buying each of them, did you not make comparisons? How is it unfair to pros, cons and figure out what you like best? It's great you got to get hands on with all three to really test it out, not everyone has that luxury.

[@sevensuperbambinos1607]

Just received mine in the UK, can’t wait to get into it 😊

[@enwsiths]

Please revisit legion go to see if lenovo fixed the software.

[@nolanyagelski6486]

This is the one I'm definitely going to get.

[@overoula]

you will love it.. i really like mine... and ofc have already deck/ally/gpd win 4 etc but the big screen of lenovo is something else.... love playing diablo iv and cod on it

[@dopeeyx7605]

@@overoulafacts, only thing i would change about the go is the weight & the speakers

[@MorningCoffeeDaily]

I loved the Atari Lynx from 1989, and so I got one Sega Game Gear in 1992... this is such a blast to see how it developed so far...

[@randyfiglehorn9192]

This looks a lot more appealing than the OLED deck in almost every way.

[@johanlandstrom1895]

I use the bottom USB-C port all the time when docked, with the kick stand at a maximum angle and an angled usb-c cable. Works great and does not put a strain on the cable.

[@j_dun4830]

Bottom USB port is awesome for couch play plugged in too!!

[@retro_ed746]

I already sum up Steam Deck OLED points. 95 Display (+3), Fan Noise (+1), Battery Life (+1), Value (+1)

[@sskento]

I could watch a new video of this guy from now until the end of time

[@rushmore3927]

Deck OLED seems to have sucked the enthusiasm out of the gate for this. Wild stuff. Added: Great review, none the less! Betting your tally for the Deck at 25:35 will increase by about 13 points for the OLED.

[@Sofawookie]

This was one of the reasons I returned my Go. It’s a great device with a lot of potential. It just seems like the Deck OLED sucked all of the oxygen out of the room, and will prob further cement Valve’s market share. I’d love to be wrong, but I don’t see the Go being successful enough to guarantee the kind of long term support it needs to be competitive.

[@CandysChannel]

@@SofawookieI don’t know you hon, so please forgive me for saying this. I think you are out of your mind for returning such an incredible handheld computer. It is already getting big updates with more at the end of this month. You were able to do things on the Go, you can’t do still on the OLED SD. I can’t even imagine returning the Go. Despite this, you are entitled to your opinion. 😃

[@CandysChannel]

No, it hasn’t for me! I’m 57 and I need that 8.8 inch screen and the ability to play games very well that the SD/OLED SD can’t even play or performs poorly on. 2024 won’t be kind to the aging SD chip despite the refresh that has added to the longevity of the SD no doubt but I need to run some graphic intensive games. I love the ability to take off the controllers as well. For me, the Go is perfect.

[@Sofawookie]

@@CandysChannel that’s awesome! I’m stoked that you’re enjoying it. For me, the Steam Deck is more of a known quantity, and I just prefer its OS over Windows for handheld gaming. I also jumped on the OLED bandwagon this year and really prefer it over LCD. That said, totally understand the Go is a more powerful device. Having so many great handheld options is ultimately a win for everyone 🙂

[@TheCoolDave]

Ok, let's put things here. Over the years, I have had gaming laptops over the years, truth be told, they suck. It was always a PIA to deal with it and setup. It was not a quick game here and there. When the Steam Deck came available, I ordered it, it took 1 year and 1 day to get my home. Still to this day, I am blown away what I can do with it, and how it feels in the hand. I have a few handled devices, but the steam deck is always my go to device (when I can afford to take a larger device with me), Some PC games, it's the only device I finished it on, not my gaming PC. I like the bigger screen/performance level that the Legion go could possibly hit. The Steam Deck software wise, hits almost perfect NOTE for a portable device (even with non-steam games), and with EmuDeck, OMG, emulation is there too, perfect (and up to Switch/PS3 games). I love the size of the Legion go, I could deal with Windows BS but, is it really that much more powerful? According to your numbers, not so much. The biggest problem with the Deck is I CAN'T PLAY a modern COD game. It's my ONLY problem with it. Even with the OLED SteamDeck (no serious performance boost here), there is NO perfect device for me. Maybe when the Deck 2 finally hits, a Modern COD could play on Linux......dreams could come at least... Cool device, has some nice options but, maybe next years models it will be worth looking at.

[@bryanee83]

Performance issues will be sorted out. The Ally also had issues at launch. When there are more updates and drivers itll be much better.

[@phlipse90]

Good to know, that I’m not the only one with USB-C connection issues. Same as you, with external SSD‘s (SanDisk Extreme) as well as the Lenovo Thunderbolt Dock. Both disconnect randomly. I also took a look on the DPC latency’s on this device and it’s all over the place. Especially the Audio, Display, ACPI and WiFi driver cause massive delays, causing stutters. I guess there could be something wrong with the chipset drivers or BIOS. This would also explain the random disconnections due to time outs on the USB/thunderbolt connection.

[@monkeymonk4976]

I personally love my legion go so much, it runs games so great and it feels so great to play in handheld and desktop.

[@wliv4173]

Great Review! I will be getting my ally soon, because while legion go is something that could become great for a lot of people who would love to have a larger screen and/or someone who just cannot be asked to play shooters with the sticks because of Go's fps mode, but for me personally I want something more portable than Go, meaning a bit smaller dimensions and also VRR is something I am not ready to give up (I've opened FreeSync premium on PC for myself not so long ago and it's amazing). And also I really want something more mature than what Go is right now. Overall your review kind of reassured my choice since I feel like Ally will fit me way better than Go would.

[@BiscuitLazers44]

wow, another left handed gamer? I know the struggle lol. I am very hesitant about the fps mode because of this, but seeing you do it is interesting. I've managed to train myself to use traditional keyboard and mouse left handed, and its second nature at this point

[@SpikeBlighty]

Awesome review. I like your honesty when you related your issues with the controls. Reviews are subjective, and you made that clear with your final statement on the device.

[@tomoprime217]

Nice review Russ, I really dig the points system break down which defines what's subjective by comparison in relative terms. I definitely had reservations about getting the Legion Go and now I see them justified in using my bestbuy rewards towards a meta quest 3 instead.

[@beanyinabeanie]

im really exited to buy one of these quite soon!

[@rsorry]

Ally gang that VRR is literally the first and only device on market right with that combined with low frame compensation is 10/10 display no doubt.

[@3up3rn0va]

If I had money I would consider this. The mouse controller sounds so cool! I would love a dedicated windows handheld. I have the Steamdeck. But like you said there are certain games and mmos that can’t be played via steam. So having a windows handheld would be great. But I am still fine with the steameck. And I also have my PC. These amounts of handhelds is interesting! I’m loving the variety!

[@Mo.Tarian]

Love the legion go

[@digitaldoom3593]

Ordered the 1tb version this morning should be here in 4 days can't wait..

[@cyrax3840]

You gonna need alot more than 1gb bro😅

[@plaistowjames6792]

After watching this video I bet you can't wait to send it back lol

[@digitaldoom3593]

@@cyrax3840 1tb

[@digitaldoom3593]

@@plaistowjames6792 watched the video before ordering actually..

[@digitaldoom3593]

@@plaistowjames6792 the only one I wish I could return is the Steamdeck had it since day1 not a fan.. I'll probably sell it to recoup some money

[@DankerTVTimeCapsule]

would be nice if we get a 6 months later video to see if things have been fixed.

[@michaelhenggeler223]

Luckily a lot of these issues have been addressed, aside from the bad legion space. Should find a way to make a more relevant video on this topic. Perhaps an update to the state of all three in one video. Either way, I enjoy the content. It's unfortunate these companies don't release these devices in a better state to begin with.

[@biorum]

I played the Go on tablet with a PS5 controller the game Ratchet and Clank. It was a great experience. Just use take out the "joy-cons" and use only the Go tablet with an Xbox or PS controller. Nice portable experience.

[@wbsbraden4]

Was it easy to connect the controller? I've heard of a gee instances of external controllers not working well

[@biorum]

@@wbsbraden4 yes the PS5 and Xbox Elite controllers worked excellent. Don't know about the other aftermarket controllers. But can't go wrong with those 2 mentioned. I'll be testing the Switch Pro controller later on, but I assume it'll work fine. Awesome experience, much better than the Deck with that 2K screen in full tablet mode.

[@tyo101]

Great video, thanks, Russ.

[@KnightMD]

I was so looking forward to this video..... before the Deck OLED was announced.

[@kailuu8185]

Enjoyed the video a lot but wish next time you would include some actual game play for the battery test section instead of just the voice over. But great review!

[@cme9241]

This was a scathing review thanks Russel

[@jetli3333]

Thanks. Once my best buy return policy is up the Legion Go will be returning back to the store.

[@knight67010]

Good video wish had the glasses to hear about it.. atm moment I'm looking threw reviews to find out the info of best to get out of 2

[@mark_midmark]

I feel like the OLED steam Deck is going to be so much better than anything on the market, even when ignoring cost. It's also going to be so much more affordable too. Big win for gamers

[@LianCasablacks]

Not until they update the hardware. This things are already way more powerfull than the Deck, that being said they got nothing on Valves prices and care for their community and device

[@Rawrcraft]

As someone who cares about speakers and audio quality, I couldn’t disagree more about the differences between SD and Ally. The Deck’s speakers are PAiNfuL but clear whereas the Ally’s speakers sound better than any device I’ve ever owned. This also applies to sound processing via headphones, I fell in love with Ally mainly for its audio and overall bumped up hardware experience. Now if only Asus could give us dat 8.8 screen…

[@dominusprotocol8942]

Another slam dunk video my friend! Well done! As a long time Lenovo Legion line supporter and current owner of two of their laptops, I was genuinely pumped for the release of the Go. Unfortunately, mine had to be returned within 24 hours of delivery. After unboxing the handheld I was immediately impressed with the size of the screen and overall build of the device, but quickly recognized that the right joy-con had a lot of movement and play when holding the device in my hand. After further inspection I confirmed that the joy-con was properly seated and locked to the base and that none of the screws on either attachment points were loose (found reports on reddit about loose screws from the factory causing this issue). Needless to say, this issue did not sit well with me and caused some serious concerns about the longevity and durability of the console over time. It is my hopes that this is an isolated issues that relates specifically to the device I received. Regardless this was truly disappointed because if it hadn't been for this problem, the Go really did check most of the boxes on my wish list for a handheld device to replace my Deck as my daily driver. When referencing your "Wishlist" section of this video I think you are spot on. In the future I would like to see replacement standard joy-cons without the first person shooter mode buttons and/or design, as I feel from a personal use case, this really isn't much of a value added option. Again, just my personal opinion as I recognize that this feature may be truly appreciated and utilized regularly by other consumers. Thanks again for another killer review!

[@GMoney88-x2]

Man this thing is a beast

[@subiesojourner777]

Now that Valve will be releasing the OLED Steam Deck, I'll be buying one of those.

[@1stBNDeathWalkers6thMarines]

Been debating on buying this for a couple of days now. Hopefully this video will give me some input on if I want this one.

[@faithandreason]

having both the Go and a Steam Deck, I can tell you they are both good for what I play, I do a lot of VN games and RTS and having a larger screen really helps. Is it perfect nope but for me was a good selection, the screen size mattered. I got rid of my Loki due to the screen was to small and the whole SD debacle on the ROG really damped my decision on which direction I wanted to go, The fact also ROG cannot be bothered to give a good stand or case for the same cost as the Go and the Steam Deck could also for 150 dollars cheaper also turned me off the device. Great Video Russ as always!

[@mrii114]

How is it for the VN games? Was it comfortable to use as a handheld? VNs are very niche and I mainly want to use it for that purpose. I can't really consider using the 2 in 1 laptops bc they're too big or heavy

[@faithandreason]

@@mrii114 for me it works very well, I take off the right controller and I use that as my mouse to move forward in the VN, I was using my steam deck for VN but on some of them I have issue reading the text but not with GO, so far it been working out great. I also use the kickstand alot and read at a desk.

[@slackreviews]

What RTS games do you play? Are you able to play them in handheld mode on the deck using the track pads? If I’m in a position to detach the controller and use as a mouse like on the LeGo I would rather just get on my desktop.

[@faithandreason]

@@slackreviews I been playing Pharoah, Halo Wars. For me i use a Bluetooth mouse with the controllers attached. I play on my lunch breaks and such. The trackpad is fine but I Bluetooth mouse allows me to do more.

[@水彩咖啡廳]

Russ, besides wanting to thank you for this wonderful review. I wish you a wonderful Veterans Day. Thank you so much for your service =)

[@Tonno7]

Great video as always, Russ. I was waiting the "tablet productivity use case" as you promise me in discord but I guess you preferred to cut it. Also another note: the 1TB version is available only in the US, for the rest of the world there is only the 500 GB version For me the Steam Deck OLED isn't an option because of SteamOS and the Ally for the SD burning and little screen. I was really hyped to buy the Go but I did well to wait this review. I'll wait some other 2-3 months when the software will be more optimized and i can grab it up more easily here in Canada (as of now no Legion Go in local stores and it is sold out online in best buy, only way to take it from Lenovo online store).

[@RetroGameCorps]

Hi, yeah I ended up not finding a good fit for using it as a tablet. Unless you are propping it up on the table and using it that way (like when I was playing games), it has quite a few drawbacks as a traditional tablet, like the thickness and weight, and you can't lay it flat due to the fan. I filmed a bunch of footage showing that but it felt like I was trying to force something out of the device that didn't seem to be part of its design, so rather than fit a square peg in a round hole, I focused on the gaming aspects.

[@Tonno7]

@@RetroGameCorps Hi! :) I imagined you had a good reason as always. Thanks for info and for the work you're doing! Happy gaming :)

[@COBRO56HD]

I think I'm a traditional mouse enjoyer moreso, using a regular mouse for my controls that I have ingrained it my brain and muscle memory, combined with the left controller being my "Keyboard" was an amazing experience. I'm determined to get better with the vertical mouse to have the all in one experience, but taking a separate dedicated mouse to use with the left controller is my favorite way to "FPS mode" this device, I love the Legion Go, and this is coming from a Steam Deck veteran

[@SpookySkeletonGang]

I cannot wait to see your steam deck oled review. That table comparing handhelds is gonna look insane for the oled deck lol.

[@binarysun_]

Can’t wait to find the money that buys me this. Great review

[@moskbarto9436]

Every time I click on video of yours I think "man, this guy looks so excited!" I wish for you to keep this excitement in the future, too! 😄✌🏻

[@crozius1221]

" I'm keeping it because I'm using it for work" best line of the review

[@acervans312]

Best review 👌🏼

[@paulwinter5609]

So in-depth 🔥🔥🙌🙌🙌

[@RDTech]

I’ve watched this whole video. New sub here. Great review and I was torn between this and the ally. I have a steam deck but I wanted a windows device for cod etc. glad I made the choice to order the ally from best buy and pick it up tomorrow. I just feel the Lenovo isn’t ready

[@rannxerox3970]

Here is the thing about the Legion Go... its a full PCs that actually pretty powerful. You can just "dock" it and run it as your desktop PCs with a monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc. This might sound dumb but this is what I am doing. I have to take a computer when I travel for work... I am just taking the Go. I can even VPN into my company with it. You can run full Microsoft Office, etc.

[@RetroGameCorps]

I don't think it sounds dumb at all! I do this exact thing with my ROG Ally, although I have the XG Mobile accessory so I can also play games at 4K resolution when docked.

[@Orain88]

I've had no issues with using usbc hubs. I haven't been running any emulators off an external ssd but I have no issue playing steam games on ssd through my usbc hub. I've been using it as a desktop substitute and I'm able to work full days with it plugged into an external screen and a mouse, keyboard, and ssd plugged into my usbc hub. I have had no issues while using it. I've only had a few weird soft locks on the windows sign-in screen that forced me to restart by holding down the power button.

[@sizzla167]

Could I ask what hub you are using please for your go?

[@SmartFool24]

I’m glad a company made the Go but only to further progress and experimentation. I do like the detachable controllers and second usb c port but I’m honestly more excited for the Oledeck, despite having a deck and Ally.

[@steveybiggunzgaming8118]

Lenovo thinkpad thunderbolt 4 universal dock works beautifully on the legion go. No issues, running dual display with the works.

[@michaelebeling5158]

Nice work as always! I have a Steam Deck, and now I've also got the Legion Go as a second device because some things are still a bit too cumbersome with Linux for me. Plus, I like to play games with mods, and it fits well for that

[@tw8e60]

One more note... you should ,make a disclaimer and say this needs to be revisited, as most if not all the CONS, are already resolved... Just saying, love the cahnnel, but providing informaiton that is not longer valid

[@napsta2776]

Different controllers (joy cons) that u can buy would be a cool idea for it Iv got a steam deck lcd model b4 the oled came out and love it but was interested in buying a windows based handheld so I just ordered a legion go I liked it because of the large screen and different play styles and ur vid really helps and is informative thanks 👍👍👍

[@LeftyPencil]

Wish the right con was like the left as I don't play fps

[@marleensrain]

its a 100 percent buy for me, i really want it

[@carlthewinner]

So did performance ever get better on this thing? I am interested in picking this up to have a portable Windows PC. But some of the performance notes were concerning.

[@UnrealNeal]

It got better

[@ramshtick]

I know I'm a bit late to reply, but Lenovo dropped a couple of new updates so From what I've seen, the overall performance has definitely gotten better. Currently, the Ally performs better at lower TDPs in the 15-20w range, but the Go outperforms it at higher TDPs in the 20-30w range. Not sure about any of the other TDPs, I wasn't able to find any 7-10w benchmarks

[@omegamanGXE]

He made a 6 month update video go watch it

[@idlehour]

​@@ramshtickTy

[@jc74435]

Amazing review, as always Russ. Thank you for all your work.

[@richardwolfangel4724]

The performance issues are really odd here. The Ally and the Go both use the same chipset... I understand there being some discrepancies depending on background tasks and the like. The huge deltas between the two are a little too wild.

[@halo1crysis]

I agree, it is odd. My legion go is really solid in performance mode, double the steam deck's performance. the games that I ran in 60fps, stay in 60fps pretty much all the time. So I don't know what is going on with his Legion go.

[@npcimknot958]

I men the screen is also way bigger so there is that

[@mhc_isme]

I just ordered mine for Christmas. I believe most issues will be solved with software updates over time and in short order.

[@GregLopes]

Damn… this is a crazy good and crazy detailed video! So now the real question, you had the regular Steam Deck ranked higher than both the Lenovo and ASUS, so does the new OLED model just destroy everything else? Watching the part of the video with performance issues on “Stray,” I’ve been playing that game on my Steam Deck since it came out, and I get way better performance. But we all know that the SD is the performance per watt king.

[@frdsg8350]

oled model would probably be a 95+ on his rating at the end of the video if i had to guess. A lot of it still subjective.

[@panickynarwhal6729]

So... Steam Deck meets Switch? Also definitely one of my favorite reviews.

[@jacktarr385]

Thank you, best reviewer on Utube.

[@TheGodzilla2201]

I just ordered the Lenovo go couple of days ago during prime day for $588 the original price was $549. I got the 512gb version from Amazon. I also ordered a grip and a stylus for it as well.

[@John-gh2lz]

Download the 780m driver . All games will run smooth

[@simongonzalez5805]

Great review. I love the way you broke it down into a points system but one aspect I believe you should also score these "handhelds" on is actual portability and whether you would actually use the device outside of the house. I just got the rog ally because for me I could never see myself lugging the much bigger legion go around. It was a huge reason for my purchase and might be a huge thing to alot of people.

[@Riknos]

Good point but let's be honest, since the Switch onwards handhelds are all now too big to fit in a pocket so it's a bit moot, they all need a bag to carry them

[@larrybraham4884]

I came from the commodore 64 era. Had a gameboy, game gear, psp, and vita, among others. The steamdeck OS is the only leg the deck can limp on. Performance is awful except for emulation. This so-called revival of gaming handhelds is nice to see, but I think the bar is set at an unrealistic level. Therefore, you get countless reviews that are all over the place. Its too bad because the previous handhelds were amazing, but folks shit on them or just didn't care. Now we are left with folks who apparently don't know what they are doing, as if this "handheld s" has never been done before. At any rate, hopefully you're happy with whatever you get, but we are a farcry still from the quality they had 10+ years ago. Keep on keeping on retro cheers 🍻

[@JustinJordan1]

I have. Razor core egpu as well and it was a plug and play experience for me. Far better experience then I had with the Ally and xg mobile

[@tommykopy7779]

I have Steamdeck and Legion go here. The larger screen is a complete game changer! In Triple A games, the higher resolution makes a big difference. The performance is also absolutely good. (is there perhaps something wrong with your device?) Forza Horizon 5 in 1200p with medium and some high details runs at 50 FPS and looks so much better than in 800p. You can also see more details in Batman Arkham for example. I just love it.

[@tommykopy7779]

@@SPG8989 I can not confirm. It should be clear to everyone that Triple A games cannot be played at full resolution. but with the same resolution as the Ally it performs at least the same. usually better. every review confirms this

[@halo1crysis]

@@tommykopy7779 I agree, something is wrong with his device. I owned both Steam Deck and the Legion Go, and Legion Go perform great! No BS, I got the benchmark to prove it. Plugged and unplugged benchmarks.

[@TheRealJPhillips]

Nice video. Glad I watched it before I got the GO. I'm good with my steam deck. 👍🏾

[@michaelrousseau4373]

great review thanks . I would love to see with Lenovo release different style joy cons, that maybe address some of the gripes with layout or better D-Pads. so many possibilities with the joy cons

[@bozolozo21]

Lenovo all the way.

[@nefariou5]

fyi editing error at 33:09 amazing review and comparison though!

[@Mr.NiceGuy1986]

legion go with a few updates will be the best handheld system for a while.

[@Scrap_and_build_ourselves]

One thing these manufacturers should do, is requesting a custom, leaner version of windows that is optimized for handheld devices, perhaps a custom compilation that has built in support for the hardware. Otherwise using the system seems clunky and unpleasant.

[@samh5886]

Waiting for the steam deck OLED video 😂

[@Boogie_the_cat]

Is that a JoJo reference?

[@cristianellis2742]

X2

[@Marzimus]

Oh shoot, thought this was it since he just received one..

[@blanka4545]

Its already out steam deck oled! @samh5886 getting my nov 16th thursday at 10am! :)

[@Mister_Jay_Tee]

He said Sunday.

[@retrohandhelds]

Ayyyeeee. Great vid! Stubbs

[@JosephCase-l9m]

I'm enjoying mine, and don't disagree heavily with anything. Although I'm not of the opinion i'd return it. Each has its pros and cons and it depends on what you value. Ally - Good Screen, VRR, Performance, Compatibility for good points, Lack of track pad, Cooking SD Cards, and some spotty performance at low wattage. SteamDeck - Console level ease of use, Great Ergonomics, Great Buttons for good points, Compatability and a poor screen on the LCD Version. LLG - Great screen, Performance, Compatibility, and buttons present for good points, back buttons, software and efficiency are some concerns. Personally I didn't consider the ally cause of the lack of track pad, using a windows OS without a trackpad is just frustrating. Windows IMO needs to work with these handhelds and work on a scheme that allows a controller to do some things at OS level. My steamdecks screen, certain games not working cause of the linux OS, and gamepass not being available (non-cloud) made me look at the LLG.

[@PJ_rips]

I think the legions score will definitely go up a lot in 6 months with some software upgrades and fan optimization. Steam deck OLED should get a nice bump too based on initial previews but the game compatibility is still a dealbreaker. The only part of your score I disagree with is compatibility should be a lot lower on the deck 👍 good review

[@UltraRonin79]

I'm honestly shocked that the Deck got anything over a 5 for compatibility. 2 years in, and there are still a SHIT load of Steam games that will not run on the SD. That doesn't even include all of the non Steam games that either can't be played at all, or require jumping through hoops to get them to run. Lack of compatibility is the biggest reason I switched to Ally. The extra performance and high refresh screen is nice, but I can live with the performance on SD. Not being able to play half of my INDIE games that I bought on Steam is a problem. I can play all of them on Ally.