2025 has been a massive year for handheld gaming devices, especially for Lenovo. The new Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 is the latest one to drop, with the Legion Go S and Legion Go S SteamOS dropped earlier this year. Not only has Lenovo been dropping handhelds, but other brands as well. From MSI to ASUS, the handheld gaming space is heating up. While you can do mobile gaming on your smartphone, there is no denying that a dedicated device for mobile gaming is the way to go, and the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 may be the best Windows handheld gaming PC currently out there.
Estimated reading time: 21 minutes
To be clear. Lenovo has been the only brand to send along their latest 2025 handheld gaming PCs for review. Except for ASUS, but they sent the Ally X back in 2024. While I welcome the other brands to send over their handhelds for me to test, not all brands are willing. So my opinions and experiences in this review do mostly revolve around the Lenovo Legion ecosystem. That said, let’s get into the full review of the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2.
I am not going to bury this quick take. The Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 is the best Windows-based gaming handheld PC on the market right now. That said, its one major flaw might be the cost. This is not a cheap handheld, and even with its awesome upgrades, you could get a Gen 1 for much cheaper. But if you want the absolute latest and greatest in gaming handhelds, this is it. Heck, even if you don’t want to use Windows, you could install SteamOS on this and have one heck of a Steam Deck!
I absolutely love the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2, and I have a few key takeaways about this gaming handheld. Both good and bad. Let’s dive into the bottom line!
Overall, I think the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is the best Windows gaming handheld on the market. Yes, it has its shortcomings and some issues. But I’m a realist, and I understand that every device is going to have issues, and nothing is perfect. There will always be something to gripe about, but in its current format, if you can afford it. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is the best handheld gaming PC you can currently purchase.
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The design of the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 is a mix of the same with a lot of different. At first glance, you might think not much has changed, but there are significant changes and improvements. There are also some questionable design choices, especially in the placement of certain things. Below is the full mockup of all the ports and slots on the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2.
So if you look through that mockup, I am sure you can spot the questionable design choices. The headphone jack and one of the USB-C ports are on the bottom. This makes it much more difficult to use headphones and power when in docked mode or tabletop mode. Sure, you can use the top USB-C port for power, but the headphone jack placement is just questionable.
I will give them credit for including a fingerprint sensor on the power button of the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2. The first gen was missing this feature, and it is very welcome.
My first impression of the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 was that it was very much the same as Gen 1. But now that I have had time to use it more. I found the True Strike controllers to be a bit more ergonomic than Gen 1. They have a nice sculpt to them and feel very nice to hold. The whole unit is heavier than other handhelds, so I do get a little fatigue from holding it too long.
Thankfully, you can mitigate that by detaching the controllers and propping the display up with the built-in kickstand. The kickstand works very well, and you can even prop this up with the kickstand on a desk and play with controllers. There are numerous options here.
The power button on top of the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 now has a fingerprint sensor, finally. This is an excellent inclusion, but I did find that I would have liked the power button to be closer to the left controller. Sadly, the speaker grille is where I think the power button would be more comfortable. Moving the speaker grille over and the power button over would be an option, but then the symmetry would be off. I don’t have a solution or suggestion to fix this, but maybe they will figure one out.
The Hall effect sticks are excellent, the D-pad is fantastic, and the buttons and all their placements are perfect. Everything has good tactile feedback, and this setup and design are just an absolute joy to use. The fan outlets are now larger, and you do hear these when under load. They are pretty loud.
Overall, this already great design has been upgraded with better ergonomics, a fingerprint sensor, and just an overall better user experience. The build quality is also solid, with premium materials used throughout the build.
The Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 has the best-looking display I’ve seen on a handheld gaming device. It features a massive 8.8-inch OLED panel, which is significantly bigger than screens on most other handhelds (like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally).
This OLED display provides vibrant colors, true black contrast, and crisp details that deliver a beautiful and immersive experience that is just off the chart. The Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 uses a 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) resolution. While this is a step down from the 1600p resolution of the original Legion Go, I don’t see a significant difference, and the lower resolution is better for performance.
This thing also supports a high refresh rate of up to 144 Hz, making motion feel extremely smooth and fluid in games that can reach such high frame rates. Even if you’re not playing HFR games, the playback looks clean and smooth thanks to the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 supporting VRR.
Variable Refresh Rate operates from 30 Hz up to 144 Hz. This is a critical feature that eliminates screen tearing and makes lower frame rates (e.g., 30-48 FPS) appear much smoother and more stable.The display also supports HDR (High Dynamic Range) and has achieved the DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification, meaning it can achieve bright highlights (up to 1,000+ nits) for truly impactful HDR content.
The display is also a full multi-touch screen, allowing for easy navigation of the Windows 11 desktop environment. I prefer using the touchpad to navigate around Windows myself. The display also features a very glossy panel coating, which results in reflections, making the screen highly reflective and maybe difficult to use comfortably in bright rooms or outdoors.
Overall, the display has more pros than cons, and it is easily the best display I’ve seen on a gaming handheld.
The Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 runs Windows 11, yes, Windows. There has been a lot of hate being thrown at Windows on gaming handhelds, and some of it is warranted. It’s not exactly the easiest to navigate, and then having to deal with Windows updates and security patches is a PITA. So yes, Windows has numerous faults, and it’s far from perfect on any device like this.
But it’s not all bad. For the most part, and I will say at least 85% of the time, you’re not even going to realize you’re using Windows. I found that if you set aside a day to grab your Legion Go Gen 2 and check for updates and make sure all is running properly. The days you grab it just to have fun will be better because you won’t be interrupted by annoying Windows notifications for updates.
That all said. Lenovo Legion Space helps to make this feel more like a dedicated gaming handheld. The software brings together your Steam and Xbox libraries into one area, so you can launch games from there. It works nicely and gives the interface more of a polished look and feel. That is, once you launch it.
Overall, I get the argument and agree with many that Windows on these handhelds can be a bear of a thing. It’s not always the smoothest experience, and of course, you get the Windows issues that come with it. But overall, it’s doable, and when you’re in the game, it’s not all bad. That being said. I do think it would be much nicer to have SteamOS on this and get rid of Windows. It can be done, just saying.
The Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 is, undoubtedly, a powerhouse in the performance realm. Featuring the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip (in the higher-end model) and the standard Z2 chip in the base model, providing a noticeable performance boost over the previous generation (Z1 Extreme).
The new 1920×1200 (1200p) resolution is a better fit for the Z2 Extreme chip than the original model’s 1600p, allowing the device to achieve stable, playable framerates (40-60+ FPS) in many modern AAA titles by utilizing technologies like AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR).
Performance scaling with power (TDP). Performance is strongest when plugged into a power outlet, as the TDP (Thermal Design Power) limit increases to up to 35 W or more, maximizing the chip’s power output. When running on battery, performance is capped at a lower TDP (often around 20W in Performance Mode), which results in a necessary drop in frame rates, though efficiency is highly praised at lower power levels (e.g., 15W or below).
The Z2 Extreme is highly efficient at low TDP settings, allowing it to run less demanding or older AAA titles at a stable 60+ FPS for extended periods, conserving battery life significantly better than the previous generation. So, basically. Expect better performance when plugged in; this seems a logical thing to expect, but we know not everyone is logical.
The top-tier Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 comes with 32 GB of high-speed LPDDR5x RAM, which provides ample memory for modern games and helps with overall system performance, especially when dedicating a large amount of VRAM to the integrated graphics. I highly recommend maxing out the RAM.
The inclusion of VRR, working down to 30 Hz, is a major performance factor. It makes games running in the 30-48 FPS range feel significantly smoother and more stable, masking performance fluctuations better than consoles without VRR. The cooling system is effective at handling the high heat output of the Z2 Extreme, and the device generally stays cool to the touch. However, the fans can become very loud when pushing the processor to its highest performance limits. Again, something that sounds logical and should be expected.
The Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 comes with a fast 1TB M.2 SSD and utilizes speedy USB4 ports, providing quick load times and fast data transfer rates. My review unit was upgraded with the 2TB version, and it really is quick and efficient.
I used the same games I normally use to test the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2, and these are them.
Overall, the performance of the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 is a step up from Gen 1. That being said. The price point is heavy, and if you already have a Gen 1 and don’t want to spend the money. The Gen 2 may not be worth it. Yes, you do get performance gains, but you have to decide if it’s worth upgrading for those gains.
One area the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 has improved by miles over the Gen 1 the speakers. Holy cow, these are so much better than what the Gen 1 had on it. I mean, NOTICEABLY better. The video above does not do the speakers justice, and I rarely use a gaming handheld with speakers because if I use it, it’s mobile, and I don’t want to disturb anyone. So I use headphones.
But if you intend to use the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 in areas that are speaker-friendly, you will not be disappointed. While these speakers are still far from as good as a set of excellent gaming headphones, they are still good. The soundstage is much broader and stronger. The lows and mids are well supported with a good spatial sound.
Overall, these are excellent speakers for what this device is. Better than the Gen 1 and better than both the S versions of the Legion Go. I really love these speakers and have even taken to using them when lying in bed (when my wife isn’t there) and playing the Lenovo Legion Go 2 for short sessions.
Battery life is going to vary (INSANELY) from one user to the next. I guess all we can hope for is decent battery life, given that this is a AAA mobile gaming device. I’m just going to be honest. If you’re the type expecting and demanding over 3 hours of battery life from something like the Lenovo Legion Go 2 Gen 2, then you’re living in a dream world.
I think, maybe, if you tried hard enough. You might be able to get over 3 hours of battery life out of this device. That’s if you’re really pulling things back and you have settings just right. I always just stick to balanced mode with brightness at full, and I was able to get 2.5 to 3 hours of battery life out of it.
The nice thing is the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 supports Rapid Charge, and you can get 50% battery in 30 minutes. Overall, I think the battery life is excellent for what you’re dealing with here. I can never understand how you could want or expect more.
The starting price of the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 is an eye-watering 1,099 USD, and that only goes up when you upgrade RAM and storage. There is an option for 2TB of storage; that is what I have here, but I haven’t seen that option on the Lenovo website. But I would recommend upgrading to 2 TB, as getting into the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 to upgrade the SSD yourself can be involved. If you’re handy with taking electronics apart, you can upgrade it later. But overall, I think the value is here for what you get in this package. Power, performance, a brilliant display, great ergonomics, and amazing sound make this the overall best handheld gaming package.
I absolutely love the Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2, and I have a few key takeaways about this gaming handheld. Both good and bad. Let’s dive into the bottom line!
I am not going to bury this quick take. The Lenovo Legion Go Gen 2 is the best Windows-based gaming handheld PC on the market right now. That said, its one major flaw might be the cost. This is not a cheap handheld, and even with its awesome upgrades, you could get a Gen 1 for much cheaper. But if you want the absolute latest and greatest in gaming handhelds, this is it. Heck, even if you don’t want to use Windows, you could install SteamOS on this and have one heck of a Steam Deck!
Overall, I think the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is the best Windows gaming handheld on the market. Yes, it has its shortcomings and some issues. But I’m a realist, and I understand that every device is going to have issues, and nothing is perfect. There will always be something to gripe about, but in its current format, if you can afford it. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is the best handheld gaming PC you can currently purchase.
