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PayPalValve, please save us from these prices with a Steam Deck 2. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 arrives officially in October but it's a bit shocking.
Why? Not only does it have a huge price attached but it's a whole lot heavier too, and the original wasn't exactly light either. Here's the pricing that they should launch at:
- AMD Z2 / 16GB RAM / 1TB SSD - $1,099.99
- AMD Z2 / 32GB RAM / 1TB SSD - $1,199.99
- AMD Z2 Extreme / 32GB RAM / 1TB SSD - $1,349.99
- AMD Z2 Extreme / 32GB RAM / 2TB SSD - $1,479.99
This is just hitting levels of silliness now, handhelds are moving in totally the wrong direction when it comes to the cost. And the weight too it's gone from 1.88 pounds to 2.02 pounds. Part of the point wasn't just that they're portable, but accessible and this is just pricing a lot of people out of it completely. The Z2 chips aren't even a whole lot faster than the previous gen, so you're not actually getting that much extra performance.
Pictured - Legion Go 2, Credit: Lenovo
And despite some rumours being spread by other sites due to a render (not a real photo) that was shared that looked like SteamOS, it will not have a SteamOS version. It will be shipping with Windows 11 as expected. So for Linux you'll need something like Bazzite which has added initial support for it.
The official specifications provided by Lenovo are below:
| Lenovo Legion Go 2 | |
| Dimensions & Weight (L x W x D) |
Size: Weight: |
| Display | 8.8" WUXGA (1920 x1200) OLED; 16:10 10-point Touch (144Hz / 97% DCI-P3 / 500nits) / VESA TrueBlack 1000 Certified |
| Processor | Up to AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme 8 Cores / 16 Threads / 15-30W cTDP |
| Graphics | Up to AMD Radeon 890M Graphics 16 Graphics Cores |
| Memory | Up to 32GB 8000 MHz LPDDR5X |
| Storage | Up to 2TB M.2 2242 PCIe SSD (Gen 4) |
| Battery | 4-cell 74Whr w/ Super Rapid Charge |
| Power Adapter | USB Type-C, 65W AC Adapter Output: 20V DC, 65W Input: 100~240V / AC 50/60 Universal |
| Ports |
Top: Bottom: |
| Audio | 2x 2W Integrated Speakers Dual-Array Near-Field Microphone |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) 2×2 with Bluetooth 5.3 |
Lenovo at least do have the cheaper Legion Go S for those who want it (with a SteamOS version too), and there's also the Steam Deck (which continues being a top seller constantly) - so this is very much a top-end enthusiast device which will no doubt limit the market for it.
I'm sort of expecting that when Valve eventually reveal the Steam Deck 2, they can do a nice big reset on the market with a price that isn't out of reach for the masses and force others to be a bit more competitive again.
What are your thoughts on it? Leave a comment and let us know.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
About the author - Liam Dawe
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly checked on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. You can also follow my personal adventures on Bluesky [External Link].
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Not sure if it was a listing error or not but a few weeks ago amazon UK had the legion go S at £350 , now when i check its £480. At that price you can pick up a tablet with a larger OLED screen + controller & use Sunshine/Moonlight to stream PC games for longer .. and the weight will be around or less than a steamdeck.
just remember to get one with a relatively new Snapdragon processor for fast decode times, the other mobile chipsets whilst just as fast don't decode nearly as well ( -4ms vs 20+ ms). Also snapdragon has mesa-turnip drivers for better local emulation support.
*edit forgot to mention, if you want a more integrated handheld feel there is the Odin portal 2 (£380 ) which has a ridiculously good oled screen (better than the deck's) & you can also use sunshine/moonlight with that really well.
Last edited by Lofty on 5 Sep 2025 at 9:33 am UTC
just remember to get one with a relatively new Snapdragon processor for fast decode times, the other mobile chipsets whilst just as fast don't decode nearly as well ( -4ms vs 20+ ms). Also snapdragon has mesa-turnip drivers for better local emulation support.
*edit forgot to mention, if you want a more integrated handheld feel there is the Odin portal 2 (£380 ) which has a ridiculously good oled screen (better than the deck's) & you can also use sunshine/moonlight with that really well.
Last edited by Lofty on 5 Sep 2025 at 9:33 am UTC
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Z2 Extreme (and Z2 even more so) is a bad joke, 10-20% better performance than Z1 Extreme in games. It's not even RDNA4 so it can't use FSR4 upscaling. Lenovo you learn nothing from Valve. Don't just make a whole new device just for the sake of making a new one. There needs to be ACTUALLY A MEANINGFUL PERFORMANCE BENEFIT for people to even bother with a new handheld especially when it's so extremely expensive. Sorry Lenovo but ~+5fps in games for a new chip, that's absolutely not worth it at all. The Z2E is still made on the same 4nm mode and uses the same TDP than Z1E which explains the meager uplift. Basically the only benefit that it has over Z1E is 4 more graphics compute units.
Last edited by Stella on 5 Sep 2025 at 9:48 am UTC
Last edited by Stella on 5 Sep 2025 at 9:48 am UTC
1 Likes
2.02 poundsThat's 916 g. Which is quite a lot. The Deck OLED is 640 g, for comparison.
8.8" WUXGA (1920×1200) OLEDThat's something I'd be interested in for the Deck 2 - assuming the performance to drive that resolution is there by then. Text legibility has been an issue for some games on the Deck, and game devs often don't test their games at resolutions lower than 1080p.
The lack of trackpads on this machine is a major disadvantage when it comes to playing PC games. Does it even have gyro? The detachable controllers are a silly gimmick and the layout of the controls is stupid.
Having USB sockets both top and bottom probably gives some flexibility for use cases without having to be docked.
2 Likes
The detachable controllers are a silly gimmick and the layout of the controls is stupid.
Detachable controls are great for say some Mario Cart with two players on the Switch.
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I totally agree, this pricing is the wrong direction. I tend to use mostly low-power demanding games on my deck, because if i go for big 3D games, i tend to prefer my laptop anyway.
That is why i love these tiny retro-emulation handhelds (like the miyoo mini etc) next to my other stuff - they are so ridiculously cheap and light, i literally can take them with my wherever i am. Doing a handheld with the weight and price of a gaming-capable laptop should have a hard time finding a decent niche.
That is why i love these tiny retro-emulation handhelds (like the miyoo mini etc) next to my other stuff - they are so ridiculously cheap and light, i literally can take them with my wherever i am. Doing a handheld with the weight and price of a gaming-capable laptop should have a hard time finding a decent niche.
3 Likes
Mohandevir 2 days ago
Hard pass. I want my handheld to be as cheap as possible. I already have a PC to play more demanding games; I just stream them to my Steam Deck if it can't run them locally or when I dock my Steam Deck to play in my living room.
Edit: It doesn't mean that I wouldn't like my Steam Deck to be more powerful, It just means that I'm not willing to pay a premium for that.
Last edited by Mohandevir on 5 Sep 2025 at 1:03 pm UTC
Edit: It doesn't mean that I wouldn't like my Steam Deck to be more powerful, It just means that I'm not willing to pay a premium for that.
Last edited by Mohandevir on 5 Sep 2025 at 1:03 pm UTC
3 Likes
I'm a little unclear what you're supposed to do with the controller bits once you pull them off. Do you stick them together? That would be weirdly narrow. Do you just use them as separate bits, one in each hand? I feel like they'd shift weirdly in your hands while you were trying to use them. I don't get it.
Also, this thing costs how much?! And all you get for your expense is a thing running a crappy Windows interface?
Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 5 Sep 2025 at 4:45 pm UTC
Also, this thing costs how much?! And all you get for your expense is a thing running a crappy Windows interface?
Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 5 Sep 2025 at 4:45 pm UTC
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chickenb00 2 days ago
Hey it has a nice trackpad! The pricing sucks. Nobody wants handhelds to go the way of cellphones towards the $2100 flagship prices. The attraction of these from the get-go was being less than half the price of a gaming laptop with better ergonomics.
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chickenb00 2 days ago
@PurpleLibraryGuy
Yes, one in each hand, rest your hands wherever: on your lap, on the back of the couch, to either side of your body, on top of your head. It's very comfortable and freeing and makes gyro mouse very simple.
At risk of exaggeration, the "tyranny of controller design" locks out hands together and our shoulders and arms in a certain position. Split joycons like these permit you to adopt any comfortable position you like. No shoulder or elbow strain!
I'm a little unclear what you're supposed to do with the controller bits once you pull them off. Do you stick them together? That would be weirdly narrow. Do you just use them as separate bits, one in each hand?
Yes, one in each hand, rest your hands wherever: on your lap, on the back of the couch, to either side of your body, on top of your head. It's very comfortable and freeing and makes gyro mouse very simple.
At risk of exaggeration, the "tyranny of controller design" locks out hands together and our shoulders and arms in a certain position. Split joycons like these permit you to adopt any comfortable position you like. No shoulder or elbow strain!
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I'm a little unclear what you're supposed to do with the controller bits once you pull them off. Do you stick them together? That would be weirdly narrow. Do you just use them as separate bits, one in each hand? I feel like they'd shift weirdly in your hands while you were trying to use them. I don't get it.
So, you typically lay on your belly like a snake, with your elbows rested on a pillow in front of the TV with the controller docked, showing your ass crack off from having your pants a bit too low for comfort. Extra points for wearing a beer hat with a straw feeding you your favorite creatine supplement drink, enabling you to gather the arm strength to one day hold the controller above your head like your bench pressing two whole steam decks for 45 minuets. Only then will you be able to say " I have conquered the Legion "
2 Likes
Yes, one in each hand, rest your hands wherever: on your lap, on the back of the couch, to either side of your body, on top of your head. It's very comfortable and freeing and makes gyro mouse very simple.Don't get me wrong, the general idea of a controller that's half in each hand seems like a perfectly good idea. But those specific things do not look like they are designed to be ergonomic when used that way.
At risk of exaggeration, the "tyranny of controller design" locks out hands together and our shoulders and arms in a certain position. Split joycons like these permit you to adopt any comfortable position you like. No shoulder or elbow strain!
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Kimyrielle 2 days ago
The price tag doesn't concern me all that much, but I won't understand for the life of me why someone would put Win 11 on a handheld.
Waiting for Steam Deck 2. In the meantime, the 1 will serve me nicely.
Waiting for Steam Deck 2. In the meantime, the 1 will serve me nicely.
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It's become obvious to me now that none of these companies learned the right lessons from Valve. The whole appeal of the Steam Deck was and always has been a laptop replacement with a more ergonomic shape for playing games on the go and to serve as a more comfortable introduction to PC gaming for console players. Why these companies keep making their handhelds bigger, hotter, and more power hungry without consideration to the fact that the appeal of these devices is supposed to be a low-cost portable console is beyond me.
2 Likes
Though I do enjoy using the Legion Go (2023), especially running bazzite, I made some bad experiences with their RMA policy. I can already see the new detachable controllers are also using spring loaded copper pins. On my Legion Go one of them popped out. I was able to plug it back in and it was fine. For a while. After several detaches it popped out again. I haven't used the Go much before, and when I started using it more, it happened more. As I had 4 months of warranty left, I reached out.
No luck, they claim it's a user caused damage, and they refuse to RMA it. I even reached out to the US department of Lenovo, but they just confirmed it. I've sent them a video of the issue, and yeah, they stay firm with their statement, I caused this. I have no idea how I even could have caused it. My guess is a small mistake in the manufactory that slipped through QA, as it can pass the detaching test.
They offered me to have a look at it at their repair shop. Minimum cost 53€. And if I decide to let it get fixed, minimun another 35€. Well, a new controller was 61€.
They said, I should have done RMA right after it happened the first time within 14 days after purchase. I thought I'd be nice and save them the hassle if it doesn't pop out again... but my takeaway here is, don't wait.
Here's the video I sent them (showing the device running Windows and the Legion Space software, I didn't want to give them any other reason to decline support when I run bazzite):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77XyQchUdv0 [External Link]
No luck, they claim it's a user caused damage, and they refuse to RMA it. I even reached out to the US department of Lenovo, but they just confirmed it. I've sent them a video of the issue, and yeah, they stay firm with their statement, I caused this. I have no idea how I even could have caused it. My guess is a small mistake in the manufactory that slipped through QA, as it can pass the detaching test.
They offered me to have a look at it at their repair shop. Minimum cost 53€. And if I decide to let it get fixed, minimun another 35€. Well, a new controller was 61€.
They said, I should have done RMA right after it happened the first time within 14 days after purchase. I thought I'd be nice and save them the hassle if it doesn't pop out again... but my takeaway here is, don't wait.
Here's the video I sent them (showing the device running Windows and the Legion Space software, I didn't want to give them any other reason to decline support when I run bazzite):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77XyQchUdv0 [External Link]
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It would be very nice of you guys from GamingOnLinux to think of the 7.6 billion people that don't use deprecated imperial units. At least include international units, so the majority doesn't have to search/guess the correct measurements.
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Kimyrielle 22 hours ago
You can literally ask a search engine to do that conversion for you in 5 seconds flat.
Lazy, much?
Lazy, much?
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You can literally ask a search engine to do that conversion for you in 5 seconds flat.
SI units FTW!
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I don't think these are crazy prices for a 32GB/2TB gaming/general purpose computer that is ~2lbs.
If you stop thinking of this as a handheld gaming PC going toe-to-toe with the Steam Deck and Switch 2 and instead think of it as an incredibly compact PC with great specs for under $2k, suddenly it doesn't look sp bad.
I just gave up a work laptop (Asus Zenbook Ultra 7/16GB/512GB) for an original Legion Go that I picked up used. I've long wanted a fast machine around the same size as a Surface Go. The Legion Go is the best option that I could find. I've disconnected the controllers and it's a small powerful tablet running Windows. (Not my favourite at work, but needed for some things there.)
With 32GB of RAM that can shift between CPU and GPU (I assume), this would even be a decent machine for local LLM tasks.
This isn't a great Steam Deck competitor, but it is a pretty nice Windows machine (if you want such a thing) that can also play games.
Me, I'd rather have a high end one of these with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse than a Dell laptop.
It's nice to see some new designs on computer hardware.
If you stop thinking of this as a handheld gaming PC going toe-to-toe with the Steam Deck and Switch 2 and instead think of it as an incredibly compact PC with great specs for under $2k, suddenly it doesn't look sp bad.
I just gave up a work laptop (Asus Zenbook Ultra 7/16GB/512GB) for an original Legion Go that I picked up used. I've long wanted a fast machine around the same size as a Surface Go. The Legion Go is the best option that I could find. I've disconnected the controllers and it's a small powerful tablet running Windows. (Not my favourite at work, but needed for some things there.)
With 32GB of RAM that can shift between CPU and GPU (I assume), this would even be a decent machine for local LLM tasks.
This isn't a great Steam Deck competitor, but it is a pretty nice Windows machine (if you want such a thing) that can also play games.
Me, I'd rather have a high end one of these with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse than a Dell laptop.
It's nice to see some new designs on computer hardware.
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So, you typically lay on your belly like a snake, with your elbows rested on a pillow in front of the TV with the controller docked, showing your ass crack off from having your pants a bit too low for comfort.
...yeah, that's me maxin' and relaxin'.
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@PurpleLibraryGuy
You can stick them together:
https://www.amazon.ca/Gamorek-Controller-Charging-Connector-Compatible/dp/B0DR254KW1/ [External Link]
You can also use the right one as a mouse. Weird.
I'm a little unclear what you're supposed to do with the controller bits once you pull them off. Do you stick them together? That would be weirdly narrow. Do you just use them as separate bits, one in each hand?
You can stick them together:
https://www.amazon.ca/Gamorek-Controller-Charging-Connector-Compatible/dp/B0DR254KW1/ [External Link]
You can also use the right one as a mouse. Weird.
0 Likes
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