The Lenovo Legion Go 2 now starts at $1,200, but the version I'd consider is currently AWOL

I can't help but feel like Lenovo is trying to prank me, as the Legion Go 2 is now available for $1,200. The "price drop" follows a wild automatic price hike on the Z2 Extreme version at the brand's storefront that ramped it up to $3,000, and while I'm glad that was just a discontinuation glitch, the only gaming handheld now available is the non-extreme model with a lower spec chipset.

I should stress that while Lenovo says grabbing the Legion Go 2 for $1,199.99 will save you 25%, it's not really a price cut. I'd say it's more like the brand's handheld prices are merely healing, as the base version with a Ryzen Z2 APU, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD originally had a $1,099.99 MSRP, but that tag was fleeting thanks to the RAM situation.

That is to say that the only Legion Go 2 I'd pick up for $1,200 is the Ryzen Z2 Extreme version, as that handheld is on par with the ROG Xbox Ally X. My previous experience with the non-extreme chipset comes from the slightly older Lenovo Legion Go S, which feels like it's running on the same track as the Steam Deck OLED in terms of performance.

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If you do decide to grab the Lenovo Legion Go 2, you'll be doing so for features other than higher frame rates. I can understand the appeal of its 8.8-inch OLED display, and while I previously didn't get along with the detachable TrueStrike controllers when testing the OG Legion Go, the new versions look like they'll provide a slightly nicer faux Switch Joy-Con experience.

I'd be more open to recommending the non-extreme Legion Go 2 as a slightly bougier alternative to the Steam Deck if it were cheaper than the Xbox Ally. Microsoft's handheld is already slightly too pricey for my tastes, and paying nearly $1,000 for successors to the Asus ROG Ally and Legion Go that used to be $600 at full price is hard to swallow.

At the same time, I am trying to accept the reality of gaming hardware prices in 2026. There's no guarantee things will ever go back to "normal", and it'll take some time before component prices settle down, so it doesn't feel productive moaning about MSRPs. That doesn't change the fact that if you've got $1,000 burning a hole in your bag instead of a premium handheld, you should probably start with the Xbox Ally, as it's going to offer up the same specs paired with a punchier APU for less.

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• Xbox Ally handhelds at Best Buy

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