I'm not really sure Lenovo is trying to gain asking $2,849.99 for the Legion Go 2. Yet, that's how much the brand's best gaming handheld contender will now set you back at the official store. That's almost double the original $1,480 launch MSRP, so I really think someone should just put the portable PC out of its misery.
It feels wrong even saying this, but the semi-good news is that the 2TB Legion Go 2 is still available for $1,849.99 at B&H Photo, but no one should be buying the handheld even at that price. Lenovo's new "available soon" price honestly feels outright insulting, though, and I'm hoping the increase is actually an automatic hike linked to its potential discontinuation.
The latter feels incredibly likely since Lenovo's landing page currently greets you with a "Sorry, Legion Go 2 Gen 2 (8.8″) is no longer available" message. Hilariously, it then tries to get you to consider paying $1,049.99 for the Legion Go S or, wait for it, $749.99 for the original Lenovo Legion Go. Yes, that 2023 handheld is somehow still available at the site, despite being effectively discontinued at every other retailer last year.
I should point out that the Lenovo Legion Go 2 isn't even a year old, so it would still be pretty surprising to see it discontinued so quickly. Not that I've reviewed it yet, as review loan samples for handhelds at this price point are impossible to get hold of these days. Naturally, the issues all stem back to "RAMageddon" and the ongoing RAM shortage sparked by AI demand, but if I'm being real, Lenovo's handheld was already too expensive at $1,500.
With any luck, Lenovo will address this unexplained Legion Go 2 price hike and either confirm its discontinuation or reduce the cost. No one's buying Legion handhelds at these current prices, and if they are, I want a word with them. At the same time, the Steam Deck OLED is still out of stock, and the ROG Xbox Ally X is staying pretty firm at $1,000, so I do feel anyone who's itching to get into portable PC's pain.
If you want a handheld gaming PC right this second, you'll probably want to stick to second-hand and open-box listings. The latter can pop up at Amazon and Best Buy, but I'm not seeing too many options right now, while marketplaces like eBay can help reasonable players pass on their old gadgets for less.
Who knows, maybe Skynet will eventually fall, and we'll get a bunch of new portable PCs for under $500. Until that happens, it's maybe worth dragging out your old retro console or running some classics on a "cheaper" retro handheld with emulation capabilities.
- Handheld PCs at Best Buy
- Gaming handhelds at Amazon
Already got Valve's handheld? Soup up your setup with the best Steam Deck dock and give your portable PC hybrid abilities.
