Lenovo Legion Go 2 Handheld with Z2 Extreme Priced at €1,500

Key Takeaways

1. The Legion Go 2 features detachable controllers and a built-in kickstand, enhancing versatility despite its heavy weight of over 900 grams.
2. It boasts an impressive 8.8-inch OLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate, offering vibrant colors and peak brightness levels exceeding 1100 nits, though the resolution is lower than the previous model.
3. Performance upgrades with the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme are minimal, with similar performance available from other brands at lower prices.
4. Intel’s new processors, like Panther Lake, can offer significantly better gaming performance while maintaining similar power consumption.
5. While the Legion Go 2 is a strong contender in image quality, its high price may not be justified compared to alternatives.

We recently took a look at Lenovo’s latest gaming handheld, the Legion Go 2. Like the previous model, this one also features detachable controllers and comes with a built-in kickstand. This adds some versatility in usage, especially given its hefty weight of over 900 grams, which you will definitely feel after some time of use.

Impressive Display

One of the standout upgrades is the display, as Lenovo has incorporated an 8.8-inch OLED screen that boasts a refresh rate of 144 Hz. While the resolution has dropped from the prior IPS setup (1920 x 1200 compared to 2560 x 1600 pixels), the visual experience is truly stunning: vibrant colors, deep blacks, quick response times, and impressive contrast. HDR gaming enthusiasts will be pleased too, since the OLED can hit peak brightness levels exceeding 1100 nits. Overall, the Full-HD resolution aligns better with the capabilities of the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme.

Performance Concerns

Now, let’s address a concern. AMD laid a solid groundwork for portable gaming devices with the Ryzen Z1 Extreme, and the Z2 Extreme with the Radeon 890M offers a minor upgrade. Meanwhile, Intel has also made strides with its Lunar Lake processors and Arc Graphics 140V integrated GPUs. This means that the performance landscape has only seen slight enhancements over the years.

The Z2 Extreme in the Legion Go 2 meets what’s expected, but the catch is that you can find similar performance from brands like Asus or MSI for significantly less than €1,000. You should really consider if spending that much is wise right now, especially since Intel’s new Panther Lake processors can deliver up to 70% more gaming performance within similar power constraints.

Conclusion

In summary, the Legion Go 2 stands out as a solid gaming handheld that provides excellent image quality compared to many competitors. However, whether the high price is justified remains a point of debate.