Lenovo’s Legion Go Handheld Could Soon Compete With the Steam Deck

Handheld gaming is making a comeback, and hardware companies are reluctant to miss out. Lenovo is said to be making a portable gaming PC to rival Valve’s successful Steam Deck. Called the Legion Go, the device is rumored to capitalize on AMD’s new gaming-focused Phoenix processors to create a lean yet powerful on-the-go experience. 

Sources familiar with the project shared a few details with Windows Central this week. The Legion Go is expected to boast an 8-inch display, offering more space to see graphics and UI designed for desktop monitors and TVs. (The resolution would need to match, though; we don’t have any information yet about that.) Most notably, the Legion Go might leverage AMD’s Ryzen 7040 Phoenix series, a super-thin flagship APU designed for gaming and ultrabook graphics. AMD’s commitment to optimizing Ryzen for Windows leads us to believe the Legion Go will run Microsoft’s OS rather than something like SteamOS.  

One of many Lenovo Legion Play devices. Credit: YouTube user Taki Udon

The rumored Legion Go is a welcome development after Lenovo’s fumbled Legion Play project. With a 7-inch display and a Snapdragon 888 chipset, the Legion Play was initially supposed to debut at Mobile World Congress in 2021. But the company repeatedly delayed the handheld’s release, ultimately canceling it earlier this year. Nobody knows why the Legion Play didn’t make it to market; some suspect there wasn’t enough demand for a handheld with an Android OS, while others wonder whether the hardware simply wasn’t up to par. A few people bought cheap prototypes online, but the device never hit shelves. 

Although the Legion Go is only a rumor, it’s difficult not to compare its potential specs with the industry’s leading handhelds. The Steam Deck is probably the first to cross most people’s minds when they think about handheld PC gaming, but other companies have vied for a piece of the portable pie since its release. ASUS introduced its Windows-powered ROG Ally in June when up-and-comer AYANEO released its aesthetically-pleasing 2S. But the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and AYANEO 2S each offer a 7-inch screen, giving Lenovo’s 8-inch display plenty of space to impress. 

Windows Central’s sources didn’t specify when the Legion Go could be expected to release, let alone whether it would see the light of day. Either way, we wouldn’t recommend holding your breath when other fun and sturdy handhelds are on the market.