Lenovo Legion Go in the works

AMD finds itself in a celebratory mood as it witnesses more major players entering the console market, bolstering the industry’s growth and popularity. One significant entrant that made waves was Valve, with its triumphant release of the Van Gogh-based Steam Deck last year. This handheld console quickly gained favor among gamers due to its impressive performance and affordability. However, the console space has now become a bustling arena, as various Asian companies are stepping in, each vying to capture the attention of gaming enthusiasts with unique configurations.

ASUS, known for its innovative gaming products, added a touch of excitement to the mix when it announced the ROG Ally as an April Fools’ joke. Surprisingly, the product eventually materialized four months later, becoming a sought-after high-end handheld console. Meanwhile, Chinese companies are putting emphasis on refining their handheld offerings by focusing on ergonomic designs, screen quality, memory configurations, and other features that entice gamers to invest more in their gaming experience.

Now, according to a report from Windows Central, it seems that Lenovo is also gearing up to enter the handheld console market. Drawing inspiration from ASUS’s gaming ROG brand, Lenovo plans to leverage its Legion logo for its upcoming handheld device. The Legion GO, as it’s known, is rumored to feature an AMD Phoenix APU and will run on Windows 11, potentially urging Microsoft to further optimize the system for gaming purposes.

Anticipation surrounds the Legion GO, which is said to boast an 8-inch screen of unspecified resolution and refresh rate. This presents an excellent opportunity for Lenovo to differentiate itself from the ROG Ally by addressing some of the latter’s shortcomings, such as limited eGPU support and lack of official compatibility with larger M.2 SSDs. By identifying and rectifying these issues, Lenovo has a chance to introduce a compelling and competitive product that captures the attention of gamers.

While specific details, such as the release date and in-depth specifications, remain scarce, industry insiders speculate that the Legion GO, powered by the AMD Phoenix series, will likely hit the market within a year. This timing would place it on shelves before AMD transitions to its Strix Point series, set to replace the current Phoenix architecture.

In conclusion, the console market is undergoing a significant transformation, with new players like Lenovo entering the fray with exciting handheld offerings. As competition intensifies, gaming enthusiasts can eagerly anticipate an array of innovative and cutting-edge products, making the future of gaming even more thrilling.

Handheld Gaming Consoles
VideoCardz	Lenovo Legion Go	ASUS ROG Ally	Valve Steam Deck
Picture
Architecture	AMD Zen4 & RDNA3	AMD Zen4 & RDNA3	AMD Zen2 & RDNA2
APU	Ryzen Z1 Extreme (?) 8C/16T up to 5.1 GHz	Ryzen Z1 Extreme 8C/16T up to 5.1 GHz Ryzen Z1 6C/12T up to 4.9 GHz	AMD Van Gogh 4C/8T up to 3.5 GHz
SoC GPU	AMD iGPU 12CU @ 2.7 GHz	AMD iGPU 12CU @ 2.7 GHz 4CU @ 2.5 GHz	AMD iGPU 8CU @ 1.6 GHz
SoC TDP	TBC	9-30W	4-15W
External GPU	TBC	ROG XG Mobile (up to RTX 4090)	Not officially
Memory Capacity	TBC	16GB LPDDR5-6400	16GB LPDDR5-5500
Storage Capacity	TBC	512GB/256GB	256GB/512GB SSD 64GB eMMC
Storage Type	TBC	M.2 NVMe 2230 SSD PCIe 4×4	M.2 NVMe 2230 SSD PCIe 3×4 eMMC PCIe Gen2x1
Display	8″ 1920×1080 (?)	7″ 1920×1080, 120Hz (VRR), 500 nits, 7ms	7″ 1280×800, 60Hz
Connectivity	TBC	Wi-Fi AX, BT 5.2	Wi-Fi AC, BT 5
Battery	TBC	40 Whr, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion	40 Whr
Weight	TBC	608 g	669 g
Dimensions	TBC	28.0 x 11.3 x 3.9 cm	29.8 x 11.7 x 4.9 cm
OS	Windows 11	Windows 11	Steam OS/Win 11
Retail Price	TBC	$699/€799 (Z1E+16G+512GB) $599/€699  (Z1+16G+256GB)	$649/€679 (16G+512GB) $529/€549 (16G+256GB) $399/€419 (16G+64GB)
Release Date	TBC	Q3 2023 June 13th, 2023	February 2022

Source: Windows Central