REVIEW: Lenovo Legion Go 2

Lenovo’s original Legion Go launched in 2023 as one of the more ambitious entries in the handheld gaming PC space, but it was also widely reported at the time to have some rough edges: a heavy body, an LCD panel that couldn’t quite keep pace with rivals, and battery life that struggled under sustained load.

The Legion Go 2 is Lenovo’s answer to those criticisms, and having spent a good stretch of time with it, I can say it’s a genuinely enjoyable handheld to game on.

This review covers the range-topping configuration, built around AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, which positions it as the most capable version of the device currently available.

Design & Build Quality

The Legion Go 2 keeps the same basic shape as its predecessor: an 8.8-inch handheld with detachable controllers that clip onto either side, plus a built-in kickstand for propping the device up on a desk.

Lenovo has rounded off the harsher edges of the earlier design, and the grips sit noticeably more comfortably in the hand during longer sessions, something I appreciated the more time I spent with it.

The detachable controllers have also been upgraded with Hall effect joysticks to guard against drift over time, along with a redesigned D-pad mounted on a pivot disk that feels precise in use.

It is still a large and heavy device, tipping the scales at around 920 grams, and it will feel like a lot to hold for extended periods. Build quality itself is excellent though, with no creaking or flex in the chassis, and the two USB-C ports, microSD slot and 3.5mm headphone jack are all sensibly placed.

Anyone coming from a Steam Deck or XBOX Ally will notice the extra bulk immediately, but it never felt like a dealbreaker to me given everything else Lenovo has packed in.

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 size compared to the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X | TheEffect.Net

Display

The screen is where the Legion Go 2 truly shines, and it’s easily the standout feature of the whole device. Lenovo has moved to an 8.8-inch OLED panel running at 1920 x 1200 with a 144Hz refresh rate and variable refresh rate support between 30Hz and 144Hz, a huge upgrade over the LCD panel used previously.

The resolution has actually been lowered from the original 2560 x 1600, but that’s a sensible decision given the Ryzen Z2 Extreme has more realistic odds of driving games at 1200p than at the older, sharper resolution.

In practice, the OLED panel is stunning. Blacks are deep and true, colour saturation is excellent, and the HDR certification genuinely makes the visuals stand out in a way I haven’t experienced on a handheld gaming device before.

Playing through Resonance: A Plague’s Tale Legacy, the game’s moody lighting and fire effects looked fantastic in motion, with HDR highlights popping brilliantly against the OLED panel’s inky shadows. It’s the kind of screen that makes you want to keep playing just to see how good the next scene looks.

AMD’s FSR Frame Generation does a lot of heavy lifting here too, smoothing out motion in more demanding scenes so the higher refresh rate of the panel actually gets put to use rather than going to waste.

The one caveat is that this is a glossy screen, so it can throw up noticeable reflections in brighter rooms, particularly when you dial brightness down to save battery, but in most gaming setups this simply isn’t an issue.

Software Features

Lenovo ships the Legion Go 2 with Windows 11, layered with its own Legion Space software to give the device a more console-like front end. Legion Space handles library management, TDP profiles and controller mapping, and it’s a reasonably slick experience once you’re inside it.

The device also supports the new XBOX Mode, which streamlines boot-up and navigation and cuts down on the amount of time spent fighting with the Windows desktop before you can start a game, a welcome touch that makes picking the device up for a quick session much easier.

None of this fully hides the fact that this is Windows 11 running on a small touchscreen. Menus and system dialogues can still be fiddly to tap accurately, and the occasional driver hiccup or launcher quirk after an update is part of the package.

But it’s a genuinely improved software experience and once set up the way you like it, it fades into the background and lets the hardware do the talking.

Performance

Rather than run a full benchmarking suite, I leaned on the performance overlays and frame counters built into several modern games to see how well the Ryzen Z2 Extreme was making use of the power on offer, since most current titles now do a solid job of reporting this themselves without needing a separate testing pass.

Across a mix of recent releases, the Legion Go 2 handled 1200p gaming comfortably at medium to high settings, with AMD’s FSR Frame Generation providing a useful boost in supported titles when frame rates dipped in more demanding scenes.

The Ryzen Z2 Extreme’s hybrid core setup and its GPU improvements over previous AMD handheld chips are immediately noticeable in day to day use, particularly in menu navigation and load times, and the system stays composed rather than stuttering under typical gaming loads.

A bit of manual tuning of in-game graphics settings and TDP profiles helps get the most out of it, and I found that time well spent given how much smoother and more detailed everything looked once dialled in.

Battery Life

Battery life is the area most reviewers flag as a weak point, and it’s a fair observation, but it’s also worth putting in context. The 74Wh battery is a substantial upgrade on paper over the 49.2Wh cell reported in the first-generation model, and there are genuinely effective ways to stretch it further if you want to.

Dropping the TDP down to a lower power profile and reducing screen brightness noticeably extends playtime, and for lighter or indie games you can comfortably get four to five hours out of it that way.

For me though, the whole appeal of this device is the gaming experience it can deliver, so I was happy to run it at a higher clock speed with everything switched on, HDR included, rather than dial things back to chase extra runtime.

Under that kind of load, expect roughly two to three hours in demanding AAA titles, which is understandable given the power draw of driving a bright OLED panel at full tilt alongside the Ryzen Z2 Extreme working hard.

Fast charging softens the blow considerably too, with the device recovering a meaningful amount of charge in a short period plugged in. If battery life is your top priority there are steps you can take to improve it, but I’d rather enjoy the best version of this handheld than stretch it thin.

Conclusion

The Legion Go 2 with the Ryzen Z2 Extreme, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage is a genuinely excellent piece of hardware, and one I thoroughly enjoyed my time with.

The OLED display alone makes a strong case for the device, delivering some of the best visuals I’ve seen on a handheld, and the performance gains from the new AMD silicon are real and noticeable in daily use.

Battery life requires a bit of give and take depending on how you want to play, but with sensible tuning available when you need it, that’s a small price to pay for a handheld this capable. For anyone prioritising visual quality and raw power, this is one of the most compelling handhelds currently on the market.

Lenovo Legion Go 2 Pricing & Availability

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is available in Ireland from Harvey Norman, with pricing starting from €1,079 for the AMD Ryzen Z2 processor with 512GB storage and 32GB RAM configuration.

The Ryzen Z2 Extreme model with 32GB RAM and 1TB storage tested for this review sits at the top of the range and commands a higher price, highlighting its position as the most powerful configuration Lenovo currently offers. You can check the official Lenovo website for the latest pricing structures available.