Lenovo Legion GO handheld is now official, and it launches this Halloween

Lenovo Legion GO handheld with red and navy backdrop — (Image credit: Lenovo)

The Lenovo Legion GO is now officially a thing, and the chonky Steam Deck rival is scheduled to arrive this Halloween. That feels appropriate given that its price point could give you a fright, as the extra large 8.8-inch gaming handheld will cost more than both Valve’s portable powerhouse and the Asus ROG Ally. There also won’t be any spooky surprises in terms of specs, as we seem to be in the loop thanks to previous leaks.

If you’ve been listening to the rumor mill, you’ll already know quite a lot about the Lenovo Legion Go. It’s a Windows 11 gaming handheld not unlike the Asus ROG Ally and Ayaneo 2S, armed with an AMD Z1 Extreme APU and an 144Hz 1600p display, so it’s safe to say it’s distinctly premium compared to the Steam Deck. That means it also costs a chunk more than Valve’s portable gaming PC, which may or may not prevent it from being a true rival.

Announced in line with IFA 2023, the Lenovo Legion go is scheduled to launch on October 31st for $799. While a previously leaked promo video provides a pretty good look at the portable PC, the laptop maker has kindly shared a bunch of handy images that highlight key hardware aspects. We’ve attached a few diagrams below that point out features like a mouse wheel located next to the triggers, as well as release buttons for the Joycon style controllers and a ‘FPS mode’ switch that’s positioned next to a mouse sensor.

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Lenovo Legion GO handheld with red and blue backdrop — (Image credit: Lenovo)

Again, that’s something that was demonstrated in the leaked trailer, but it’s nice to see specific parts of Lenovo’s Legion Truestrike controllers. We’re talking about a premium portable rather than something that’ll target budget players, so there’s a lot going on when it comes to extra features and innards related to cooling.

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Lenovo Legion GO specs
Price	$799
Screen	8.8-inch 144Hz QHD
Battery	49.2WHr
Processor	AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
Operating system	Windows 11
RAM	16GB LPDDR5X
Features	Multi finger touchpads, detachable Legion Truestrike controllers

Lenovo’s grand handheld unveiling also includes details surrounding its Legion Glasses, an AR alternative to using a gaming monitor that’ll work with the Legion GO. The company says the augmented reality goggles should arrive this October for $499, but it’s worth reiterating that they’re not included as part of the portable PC package.

We’ll hopefully be able to put the Legion GO to the test soon, so watch this space for benchmarks and our review verdict. In the meantime, if you’re not fussed about Lenovo bringing to the handheld scene, we’ve got you covered when it comes to what’s currently available when it comes to portable gaming PCs.

Sticking with Valve's portable for now? Check out the best Steam Deck docks and turn the handheld into a desktop hybrid. If you're not interested in gaming on the go, you may want to peep at our best Alienware gaming PC list instead, as it features powerhouse Aurora builds.

Phil is the Hardware Editor at GamesRadar+ who specializes in retro console setups, choosing the latest gaming handhelds, and navigating the choppy seas of using modern-day PC hardware. In the past, they have covered everything from retro gaming history to the latest gaming news, in-depth features, and tech advice for publications like TechRadar, The Daily Star, the BBC, PCGamesN, and Den of Geek. In their spare time, they pour hours into fixing old consoles, modding Game Boys, exploring ways to get the most out of the Steam Deck, and blasting old CRT TV visuals into their eye sockets.