The smashing success of the Steam Deck has led to other companies offering their own handheld PC game machines, and you can probably add Lenovo to the list. A new leak purports to show the Lenovo Legion Go, an AMD-powered Windows 11 handheld that borrows a key feature from the Nintendo Switch.
The leak does not include any specs, save for the confirmation that Lenovo's handheld will use the new AMD Phoenix processors, which are intended for ultra-portable laptops and handheld gaming machines like the Legion Go. These chips will include cores dedicated to power and efficiency, similar to the way Intel uses P and E cores, and ARM chips have "big.LITTLE" designs. The handheld will also have a pair of USB-C ports and a microSD card slot.
We do get a good look at the chassis in the leak, which appears to be a collection of official press renders. The device has a bulky design similar to the Steam Deck, but the Legion Go could offer more gameplay options thanks to its Switch-style removable controllers. Windows Report calls them Joy-Cons, but Lenovo will no doubt have its own moniker. The device features a kickstand on the back, so you can prop it up while you use the controllers (whatever they're called) in a more comfortable position.
The controller setup looks basic at first, but there's a lot of power hiding in this matte black chassis. On the front, there are two thumbsticks, a d-pad, and all the usual game controller buttons. Tucked behind the right trigger is a scroll wheel, and there are two macro buttons next to the right bumper. Two more macro buttons can be found on each grip, bringing the total to six. That should satisfy even the most picky gamers. The Asus ROG Ally has a few macro keys, but not this many.
This new breed of handheld PCs don't have dedicated GPUs, but the integrated graphics in x86 chips has gotten surprisingly capable. With the smaller screens on these devices, you can fiddle with settings to make even new AAA games look acceptable. Gamers are even willing to put up with mediocre battery life to play proper PC games on the go—the Steam Deck can blow through its battery in as little as two hours, and it sells like hotcakes.
We don't know when the Legion Go will arrive, where it will be available, or how much it will cost. It's possible that cloud gaming will eventually reach the point where you don't need beefy hardware like this in a handheld, but devices like the Legion Go still offer more games and features than the cloud—at least for now.
