The Legion Go 2 feels like more than an iterative upgrade, with significant improvements to performance, battery capacity, and quality of life features. However…
The Legion Go 2 feels like more than an iterative upgrade, with significant improvements to performance, battery capacity, and quality of life features. However… Read More Technology
The stage is set for the next generation of PC gaming handhelds, and 2025 is already shaping up to be a wild ride. In addition to new Ryzen Z2 processors from AMD, we have confirmation and details surrounding the Legion Go S — including a variant powered by SteamOS — and a pair of intriguing devices from Acer. But when it comes to a much-needed leap forward in performance and battery life, the spotlight has to be focused on the Legion Go 2, which Lenovo just unveiled at CES.
That’s because the Legion Go 2 represents a meaningful upgrade in both power, battery capacity, and quality of life features. It’s a welcome jolt to the high-end handheld market, which was starting to feel underpowered in 2024.
Legion Go 2: Meaningful Upgrades
Consider that the Ryzen Z2 Extreme powering the flagship model is a step up in architecture (Zen 4 to Zen 5) and graphics capabilities (from 12 to 16 Graphics Cores and RDNA 3.5). The screen is now a native landscape 16:10 OLED display with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). The storage capacity doubles from 1TB to 2TB (not including your MicroSD card). The maximum memory doubles from 16GB to 32GB. The battery capacity increases by a sizable 50%, from 49.2Whr to 74Whr.
And Lenovo has thankfully rounded the corners of the (still detachable) TrueStrike controllers, and tweaked the overall design to be more ergonomic. My one complaint about the original was that the bottom of the controllers dug into my palms. It looks like Lenovo has taken that area of feedback to heart.
Lenovo says there will also be a full redesign of the Legion Space software “that unifies all Lenovo Legion device settings, syncs with all Lenovo Legion ecosystem devices, provides access to all games in one library, and features a suite of new AI-powered features that help gamers up their game, their streams, and their enjoyment.”
It’s a lot. And I’m genuinely enthusiastic to spend some quality time with it, which I say as a card-carrying Steam Deck fan.
There is, however, a catch. What we’re seeing at CES 2025 is a prototype, and not Lenovo’s final design. The specs I have mentioned are finalized, but Lenovo says that “final production details are still being refined.”
Three of those final details are pricing, port details, and audio specs, all currently TBD.
There might be a second catch, depending on your perspective. The Legion Go 2 will have a resolution of 1920×1200; a downgrade from the original Legion Go’s 2560×1600. I can see this being harshly criticized by a vocal minority, but it’s absolutely the right call to maximize battery life and target a realistic in-game resolution.
Lenovo confirmed to me in an email conversation that this change was based on user feedback.
[Sidenote: as an amusing contrast to this, it appears Acer might have to learn the same lesson with its just-announced Nitro Blaze 8 and Nitro Blaze 11, which both boast an ambitious 2560×1600 resolution. We shall see!]
Lenovo plans to launch the Legion Go 2 worldwide sometime in 2025, but no date or release window has been set.
