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Home windows Report / Lenovo
Lenovo Legion Go
Our high choose
The Legion Go is a newly launched competitor to the ROG Ally. It has a high-spec display, removable controllers, and an FPS mode.
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ASUS ROG Ally
Additionally glorious
The ROG Ally is a mainstay within the handheld gaming PC market as a result of it provides nice efficiency for the worth, particularly when it is on provide.
The Lenovo Legion Go has lastly launched, giving the hand held gaming PC market one other product to chew on and consider. Its closest competitor when it comes to goal market and value is the Asus ROG Ally, so on this article, we’ll offer you all the information it’s essential determine between the 2 handhelds.
Again in September, we obtained our hands on the Legion Go – a pre-production model, a minimum of – and through the quick time we spent with it we preferred what we noticed. We additionally preferred the Asus ROG Ally after we tried that handheld console in June, and though we had considerations concerning the Home windows 11 expertise with the Ally, these considerations will apply equally to the Legion Go.
In different phrases, then, the Legion Go and ROG Ally actually are peas of a pod, making it very important that you simply examine them in the event you’re available in the market for a handheld gaming PC. Let’s get into it.
Value, specs, and availability
The Asus ROG Ally has been round since June 2023 when it launched for $699 MSRP. The Lenovo Legion Go, then again, launched on the finish of October 2023, additionally for an MSRP of $699. Each could be picked up from the producers’ web sites or Greatest Purchase.
Whereas each handhelds run an AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive processor, with the Ally you may go for the much less highly effective common Z1 (non-Excessive) APU for $100 much less. The common Z1, nonetheless, performs a lot worse than the Z1 Excessive and makes different choices just like the Steam Deck a more sensible choice.
We must also be aware that it could be harder to search out SSD upgrades for the Legion Go than the ROG Ally as a result of the previous solely helps new M.2 2242 SSDs whereas the latter helps normal M.2 2230 SSDs. This should not be a problem for many players, although, as a result of you may get a 1TB model of the Legion Go for simply $50 additional, making it much less prone to want a storage improve.
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Lenovo Legion Go ASUS ROG Ally Dimensions 299x131x41 mm 279×111.8×12.7 mm Model Lenovo Asus Weight 854g 1.34 lbs (608 grams) Chipset AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive RAM 16GB 7500Mhz LPDDR5X 16GB of LPDDR5 reminiscence Storage As much as 1TB PCIe 4.0 512GB PCle 4.0 SSD, microSD card slot Show 8.8-inch IPS 7-inch IPS Output decision 2560×1600 16:10 144Hz Full HD (1080p 16:9) touchscreen with 120Hz refresh price
Design and show
The Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go are fairly totally different when it comes to design and show. The lengthy story quick is that the Legion Go is a chunky, heavy, however extra versatile machine, whereas the ROG Ally is a smaller, lighter, much less versatile one.
Whereas the Legion Go is larger, it is not uncomfortably so. In actual fact, it is about the identical dimension because the Steam Deck, however has a much bigger display (the Steam Deck’s actual property is taken up by wider left- and right-side management panels).
The display actually is a promoting level for the Legion Go in comparison with the ROG Ally – it is greater, larger res, and has the next refresh price. Each are IPS panels, however 1600p is noticeably higher than 1080p, and an additional 1.8 inches on the diagonal is unbelievable for a handheld console. This being stated, the ROG Ally’s show isn’t any joke – it is nonetheless higher than the Steam Deck’s, for example – it is simply that the Legion Go’s is that significantly better.
One other manner wherein the Legion Go shines is in its means to detach its controllers similar to the Nintendo Switch. It additionally has a kick-stand on the again so you may prop the display up after detaching the controllers. That is what makes the Legion Go so versatile.
There’s a disadvantage to the Legion, although, this being that it weighs considerably greater than the ROG Ally – greater than most handhelds, in reality. And whereas it is not monumental, the additional couple of centimetres in width and peak are noticeable when utilizing the gadget. As all the time with handhelds, it is a query of display dimension and efficiency vs gadget dimension and weight. The Legion Go wins within the former respect, the ROG Ally within the latter.
Controls
On the floor the controls of each the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally are comparable. Each function an Xbox-style format with A, B, X and Y buttons, left-side DPAD, bumper buttons and triggers, and offset left and right-side analogue sticks. In different phrases, these handhelds are nice in the event you’re used to Xbox controllers, whereas one thing like a Steam Deck is nice in the event you’re used to PlayStation controllers.
That is the place the similarities finish, although. Past this, the Legion Go has far more to supply within the controller division.
First, its controllers are removable. This implies in the event you fancy resting your palms in your lap whilst you recreation, you may nonetheless relaxation your console display on one thing nearer to eye degree after flipping out its kickstand. (Sadly, although, the left and proper sides do not be part of collectively like they do with the Change.)
Other than this, most likely the most important benefit to the Legion Go over the ROG Ally is its “FPS mode”. This basically helps you to flip the right-hand controller right into a bona fide mouse, which is particularly helpful for aiming in first-person shooters (thus the identify). Merely slide it into the puck that comes with the gadget, flip the underside swap over to FPS mode, and the optical sensor activates. Now, you need to use it like a vertical mouse and begin cracking these headshots.
FPS mode is, for my part, probably the most interesting function of the Legion Go. Notice that it is not solely nice for aiming in FPS games, however permits for simpler looking on the desktop, too. It even has a scroll wheel on the again. Positive, each the ROG Ally and Legion Go have touchscreen panels, however throwing a mouse into the combo by no means harm anyone. Mix this with a keyboard related to one in all its two USB-C ports, or through Bluetooth, and you’ve got a reasonably succesful little desktop PC.
Lastly, having seemingly realized from the Steam Deck in a manner the ROG Ally has not, the Legion Go has a touchpad underneath the suitable analogue stick, permitting for simpler in-game or desktop mouse cursor motion. So even when you do not have a floor to relaxation it on for FPS mode, normal desktop use must be rather a lot smoother with the Lenovo Legion Go.
Working system
Each the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go run Microsoft Home windows 11. Additionally they use the identical processor, so the desktop expertise must be virtually similar on each units.
The selection to go for Home windows slightly than one thing bespoke like Valve did with its SteamOS has professionals and cons.
In the event you’re a fan of simplicity and ease straight out of the field, Home windows 11 on a handheld gaming PC could be a bit of too fiddly.
However, with a Home windows gadget you get entry to video games with out having to attend for devs to push out OS help. And, after all, you are not restricted to any explicit recreation consumer or platform, and this might prevent cash in the long term, permitting you to take your choose of all the most recent game deals.
As a facet be aware, one factor to think about is that it could be a bit of simpler to navigate the OS with the Legion Go due to its greater display and the choice to show the controller right into a mouse.
{Hardware} and efficiency
Offering we’re speaking concerning the Z1 Excessive model of the Asus ROG Ally slightly than the cheaper, common Z1 model, each the Ally and the Go ought to carry out equally.
After we examined the ROG Ally, we discovered that the Z1 Excessive was able to outperforming the Steam Deck fairly simply offering you run it at a excessive sufficient TDP and crank its energy draw. However, after all, it will drain your battery faster, and whereas the Legion Go’s battery has about 23% extra capability at 49.2Wh, at such a excessive TDP this additional capability will not make a large distinction.
The Legion Go has sooner reminiscence than the ROG Ally, however RAM capability is similar for each consoles. In most video games, the elevated reminiscence velocity most likely will not generate a lot additional efficiency – possibly a body or two right here or there.
We must also be aware that whereas the display is best on the Legion Go, its {hardware} won’t enable it to make full use of that in each recreation. The Ryzen Z1 Excessive is a cell chip, and its GPU ought to give comparable efficiency to a midrange gaming laptop computer from circa 2019 such because the GTX 1650.
In different phrases, with each units you will most likely find yourself decreasing your decision and in-game settings anyway to keep up a playable framerate in fashionable video games, making the Legion Go’s larger decision and refresh price considerably redundant for a minimum of some fashionable titles.
Which is Higher: Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally?
On condition that the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally each have MSRPs of $699, except you discover it too heavy and unwieldy, the clear winner is the Legion Go.
All of the drawbacks of the Legion Go – potential issues with Home windows 11 on a touchscreen handheld, battery life when TDP is cranked, and so forth. – are additionally issues with the ROG Ally. All, that’s, besides its dimension and weight. In the event you’re apprehensive about hand or wrist fatigue then the ROG Ally could be a greater shout.
However, for this elevated dimension and weight, with the Legion Go you are getting barely higher {hardware} (due to the sooner reminiscence) and a significantly better display. And whereas not each recreation will be capable to make good use of this high-res, excessive refresh price panel, it is good to have even for simply looking the web or watching films.
WindowsReport / Lenovo
Lenovo Legion Go
Editor’s Selection
The Legion Go is one of the best handheld gaming PC in its value bracket, due to its stellar {hardware}, high-spec display, and flexibility.
This normal desktop utilization is the place I feel the actual worth of the Legion Go lies. The additions of removable controllers, a touchpad, two USB-C ports (for simpler peripheral connectivity), and the power to show the right-side controller right into a mouse by enabling FPS mode, make for a way more versatile and succesful desktop expertise.
That is no small factor, both. For $699, many customers would possibly need not only a nice handheld gaming PC, however one thing that may additionally sometimes be used rather than a laptop computer when on the go, or maybe simply when sitting down at house away from the PC. The Legion Go is significantly better outfitted to deal with these various use circumstances, and for that cause comes out on high.
The Asus ROG Ally, nonetheless, continues to be an excellent different in the event you’re searching for one thing that is good on your backpack, because it’s smaller and lighter and provides very comparable efficiency.
ASUS ROG Ally
Good different
The ROG Ally continues to be an excellent handheld gaming PC in its value bracket. It performs higher than different choices just like the Steam Deck, and is lighter and smaller than the Legion Go.
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