For those who know me, it's no secret that I'm a massive Lenovo Legion Go fan. I loved my time with the original, and now I love my time with the Legion Go S (SteamOS). We've known a proper (non-S) second iteration of the handheld is in the works for a while now—with a potential September release date—but we hadn't actually seen it. Until now, that is, because it looks like folks in China have got their hands, eyes, and video recording devices on a Lenovo Legion Go 2 handheld.
YouTube channel in yo shared footage of the "Lenovo Legion Go 2 Prototype" (via Reddit user Snoo20628), running through device specifications and showing us how it does in action. The main difference you're likely to notice, though—and certainly the main thing I noticed—is the improved controller design.
One of the big selling points of the original Lenovo Legion Go was (is) its detachable controllers, as these allow you to stand the handheld's big screen on a surface and sit back—even wave your arms around like mad while gaming if you feel like it. Judging from this video, it looks like while the Legion Go 2 will have detachable controllers too, these should be a lot more comfy to use.
That's one of the things I love about the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS): it's very comfy to use, and certainly much more comfortable than the original. It looks like Lenovo's learnt from this and has made the grips more ergonomic with the Legion Go 2.
Another big change from the first (which we already knew about from a previous press release) is that the Legion Go 2 will have an OLED screen. I've been keeping my eye on Legion Go communities and I know that at least some potential Go-ers are holding off from buying a Legion Go S because it lacks an OLED panel. In which case, the official second iteration of the handheld should be tempting for a lot of people for this reason alone.
The spec sheet in the video says this is a 500-nit panel, but it looks like the user in the video might be claiming 749 nits for it. It's also a 1200p, 144 Hz, 8.8-inch screen, which is ideal. This matches the large screen and high refresh rate of the first Legion Go, but doesn't go overkill with the resolution—1200p is ideal for this hardware.
Speaking of the hardware, the model in the video looks to be a Ryzen Z2 version, which is essentially the same chip as the Z1 Extreme in the original—same cores, same GPU, same number of compute units (CUs), and so on.
In the Reddit thread I linked earlier, however, there's a user who claims to be the creator of the video (though perhaps that means the uploader, not the person in the video), and they say that "some 890m machines have also appeared in the second-hand market in China."
It seems Lenovo might release different versions of the new handheld with different hardware at different price points. The previous information we had from Lenovo said that "while final production details are still being refined, the prototype features up to the new AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor", so maybe that will just be the top-end version, and Z1E/Z2 or even Z2 Go versions could be available at cheaper prices.
There might also be other differences, as the Redditor also claims that "the memory frequency of the z2e version I saw is 8000", so there's potential for versions with faster memory, too. They also claim good speaker quality, and the video claims better vibration.
That would mean there could be a top-end Legion Go 2 with a Z2 Extreme (more CUs for a bit more graphical horsepower), 32 GB of 8000 MT/s memory, a bigger battery (thank God), an OLED screen, better vibration and speakers, and improved grips. That might seem like somewhat of an iteration of the first rather than a leaps-and-bounds improvement, but I'll take it. The first was great, and these changes would improve most of the pain points.
It even looks like the new handheld will have the same D-pad as you find on the Legion Go S, which I personally love. It feels just the right amount of clicky and tactile, unlike on the original Legion Go which felt too pingy.
The one sticking point might be the weight, though, as the person in the video weighs it in at 938 g with the controllers on. That's even heavier than the original, which was 854 g. The nice grips should still make it more comfortable than the original, but we'll have to wait and see whether that weight is an issue.
Overall, though, what I see does excite me. For those who loved the original design but wanted those few wrinkles ironed out, it looks like this might be it. Though I suppose much will depend on how it's priced, too. Fingers crossed.
1. Best overall: Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS ed.
2. Best budget: Steam Deck
3. Best Windows: MSI Claw 8 AI+
4. Best big screen: Lenovo Legion Go
5. Best compact: Ayaneo Flip DS
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