This is NOT a sponsored video! Lenovo has ZERO connection to this video! This unit was PURCHASED for this review. How does the Lenovo Legion Go compare to the ROG Ally!? Is it worth the high cost for handheld gaming?!
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I think one of the biggest pros of the detachable controllers is the fact that they can be replaced if there is stick drift or stuck buttons etc…
You know all of these are very upgradable including the deck and Ally. Sticks can be easily replaced by the user and drift shouldn't be an issue on the Legion since it's a hall based analog stick
I'm still waiting for Hal-efect controllers I can buy.
There is one more to the list to check out and I got bad news about it please get one and test it I like to know your view points on the MIS CLAW It is more expensive $800.00 7 INCH FHD SCREEN 120 FPS INTEL ULTRA 7 155H now for the BAD NEWS its got INTEL ARC GRAPHIC 8 XECORES we all know INTEL ARC SUCKS on TOWER GAMIN.PC I started out NOT BUYING STEAM DECK and NOT ASUS what is left is MSI CLAW I HATE INTEL ARC and then all of a sudden put of the blue LINOVOL LEGION GO (EXTREME) comes in to the battle field what is your review on the MSI CLAW yes that is a stupid name CLAW that sound like that. STUPID ARCADE MACHING that no one wants to play THE CLAW GANE so there you have it dose MAI CLAW is it worth it? I like to know
@@user-xc8bi7cb4y The MSI Claw is the worst option due to poor intel drivers and performance that's incredibly inconsistent. Plus the Core Ultra 5 ends up outperforming the Core Ultra 7 in many games since it takes less power for the CPU. Most games have the Ally winning at 15w even with the Claw maxed out. The select few games it does win in like RDR2 are so few and far between it's not worth talking about. Not to mention a few older games refusing to launch on intel iGPUs
You would rather replace the whole controller than replace a part lololololololol contributing to the e-waste
I have a OLED steam deck and Legion Go. I love them both but the Go is my favorite device.
Thanks for this comment. I have found those with multiple handheld gaming devices like the Deck find the Go to be their favorite
How come?
@@LucidSimsame, which is what sealed my decision to get it (as I can only get one of the handhelds). I don’t have a PC so the Legion makes for a good replacement.
Bought a steamdeck a few months ago (oled) and thought it was fantastic. Bought a legion go in February and haven't touched the oled since
How is 2 USB C ports weird? Having a port on the top and bottom is great. You can plug in an external monitor + peripherals into the other. You can use an eGPU + accessories. Or just choose which port is more convenient for the occasion.
@GHOSTSTARSCREAMM the dock would use that bottom usb - c slot but the issue is that the legion go doesn't come with a dock and there isn't one sold by lenovo.
It's weird because afaik it's the only handheld x86 device with more than 1 USB-C port.
Exactly Dex, the Go has two TB4 / USB 4 ports each on its own PCIe bus lanes. This requires 3 or 4 duplicated IC's per port, so they had to spread them out. This is what a lot of people dont realize. You can literally (I have done it) attach two 40Gbps external NVME and get more than 3000MB/s from both, simultaneously. Or hook up a 1080p display @ 240hz if it supports freesync.
@GHOSTSTARSCREAMM It's how the Switch works. Just a USB C port on the bottom for the dock. And docks expand the number of ports, giving more type C and/or A ports and HDMI and sometimes Ethernet, as well as letting you pass through charging through the dock.
@@michelvanbriemen3459 how is it weird? the GPD WIN 4, GPD WIN MINI, AYANEO KUN, AYANEO SLIDE and others all have 2 USB-C ports it's not rocket science guys.... it's a 2 min GOOGLE search
Have tried all three, I think each is great in their own way. - Legion Go is much more versatile than the rest and the bigger screen is absolutely fantastic. I have a portable gaming monitor that flips out like a tablet (18") and packing that + legion go = full PC when away on business etc + portable for on the plane etc. Biggest downside would be the battery/size compared to the Steam Deck. - Steam Deck OLED is MUCH more user friendly... it just works and the battery life is insanely good. However it's much less versatile than the rest re options and compatibility and after using the Go the screen feels very small. - ROG Ally if the Legion Go is too big for you, however the overheating issue is bleh. I think it comes down to personal preference and at what price you can get each product for.
What did you mean with overheating on the Ally? Mine doesn't really get that hot, though the SD card reader died after two weeks (I only checked 2w after I got it)
@@dreamcat04 SD reader Dying = the overheat issue.
Since you have tried all three I would like to ask you something. Here all three cost the same price, the legion, ally and deck. If all three had the same cost, which one would you rather go for?
the rog ally doesnt have an overheating issue, it has a default fan curve issue and users are literally too stupid fo fix the fan curve
@@Robbie-mw5uu Why are they too stupid? What I find annoying is that in the manual mode, ASUS forces us to use 74% fan speed at an APU temperature of between 60°C and 69°C for the fan under the SD card while the other fan is limited at just 45% in the same temp range. Why don't they just force 50% on both fans at that temp range? I don't like how the one fan turns so much faster than the other, so I just set both fans to 74% at 65°C and it's worked very well. Keeps the APU at around 50-52°C above ambient (usually it goes to around 72°C) while being acceptably unquiet. There's only so much you can try to fix a hardware issue with software, it is how it is...
Phil's doing a great job as a host! keep it up man
I second this
I third this.
I too this
This, this.
Im sorry but no
I love this. 4 years ago we didn't have any of these first party handheld gaming pc's, and then Valve came through and essentially put a cornerstone in this market. With its success I knew that other companies would want their piece of the pie and innovate. We're still pretty expensive in this market (2x steam decks for 1 Legion Go?) but I'm happy to see that the customer gets to win with options with the companies' competition for your dollar.
steamdeck availability is limited, and to get it from third party is almost same price as legion go 😅 but yeah price is pricey still, but theres so much potential but it will get better not so soon for first gen handheld pc its a great purchase right now imo
Correction: Legion Go has quadruple the steamdeck resolution, not double. It's a perfect integer scaling of 4, meaning you can run games on Go at 1280x800 resolution and 1 pixel at that resolution will be the exact equivalent of 4 native pixels with no overshoot or undershoot, best picture quality possible when not running at native res. So in that sense they designed the resolution of this screen very well. You can have a high res display when you need it for movies and what not, and when you rather have performance like when gaming, you can run it at 1280x800 and still get great integer scaling that fills whole screen and retains great image quality.
This is a good point. I was surprised at how good 800p still looked on this screen.
@@rickgear2579i agree with you.. Do you run 800p in game on 1600p native resolution? Or 1200p?
@@Peacetasyo I wiped out windows and installed Bazzite Steam OS, and sadly I don't feel like I am able to truly take advantage of the extra power afforded by the Legion Go. Still, the useability of SteamOS is vastly superior to Windows. I have to run most games at 800p
I want to know that, too as a lot of games dont let you change the game resolution separately from the device resolution @Peacetasyo
You can run the games at 1280x800 while the screen is set to 2560x1600 and turn on RSR and get a sharper more detailed image.
Important to note that the Legion Go can be used with any usb-c external egpu whereas the Ally can only be used with proprietary Asus gpus. Also, the main feature for the detachable controllers is the fps mode which is something I would be interested in as I cannot play shooters with a controller. I personally like the trackpads on the steam deck and from other reviews I’ve watched the trackpad on the Legion Go is not very good. I have the OG Steam Deck that I got on sale and upgraded to 1TB.
One mention, you can config the start and select button to the top left and top right buttons in Legion Space fairly easily. I agree though, it's annoying that that's their default position. Great review though!
I got the Legion Go soon after it was released mainly because of it's larger screen and higher resolution. I use it as my travelling PC for content consumption and light on the go gaming.
Content consumption 😂 Mans gotta eat
Got my Legion Go last month and I have to say I am absolutely loving it, I use it for on-the-fly video editing with my iPhone 15 Pro Max (recording Log straight to SSD and not having to worry about on-board storage also helps). DaVinci Resolve works really well on the Z1Ex and is my go-to mobile video editing solution, I just attach a KB, mouse and dock then detach the controllers when I'm on work mode. I can echo the controller functionality in that it really is a missed opportunity to be able to use them like the switch, there are some third party solutions for having the controllers as a desktop controller ( a good chunk of them are 3D printed), the lack of first party solutions would have been livable if there were more third party solutions available ( the steam deck seems to have that locked down). All-in-all I absolutely adore the Legion Go, I take it with me wherever I go and never have a dull moment with it around. Currently I play MWIII and Diablo IV permanently live on the Legion Go and I just install and uninstall other games when I get bored ( I only have the 512gb version, but I plan to upgrade the SSD to 2tb whenever prices are more desirable) I just wish we weren't stuck with 16gb of RAM
Awesome video, love seeing Phil in videos. Keep up the great content guys! Long time sub and absolutely love seeing the team, more please 😂❤
I have a Switch and an Anbernic RG35XX Plus for my handheld needs. For the rest, it's on PC, and I feel 100% fulfilled!
I was waiting for this since Jay did the unboxing and said Phil was going to do the full review. Love Phil's nerd energy.
yeah but you can 3d print or pay someone to 3d print a controller center holder that way u can slide them In a shell like the switch
Thingiverse has several already to download. But that means either you have a 3D Printer and can it for 1 Dollar, or you pay for printing it around 5-10 Dollar. Dock-Stand is out there as well. But this is a 5-10 cent part from Lenovo to pack into it.
Actually I think that's a good idea. Specially if you actually are one of those who likes to "tinker about"
@GHOSTSTARSCREAMM what's pointless is you commenting on how pointless this is 🤡
Lenovo has also confirmed that they're working on some extra accessories for the Legion Go, so we might even see a first party controller attachment eventually. I know a lot of people have been wanting other controller options, though personally i really like the ones that come in the box, and it seems like Lenovo has been listening closely to feedback from consumers. Whether or not any of these accessories will see the light of day is another story, but we'll just have to wait and see.
I had a similar gripe about the start/select buttons, and it was nearly a dealbreaker for me until I found the option to switch them in the Legion Space software. Literally just a click of a button rebinds the buttons with the two on the left controller, which I am SO happy about. Really wish they touched on that in this video, because while the Legion Space software is god awful (I set it to never run on startup anymore), that was one option I am eternally grateful for.
had rog ally at launch i loved it sold it two months ago picked up an a leigon go last week and it in my experience it just has a lot less issues works really well display and comfort are way better on the leigon go i think i like the leigon more tbh
It's due to all the updates the Lenovo Legion Go team has been pushing out since its release. I picked it up on release, and it has come a long way with many quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes. I really enjoy this thing; I just wished mine didn't come with the wobbly control issue...
You can swap the start/select with the legion/settings keys now. I personally love this device, was curious to see what this channel thought
Great review of the Go and it does line up with a lot of my thoughts when using both of these devices. Go was just too big for my small hands. Weight wasn't really an issue because I'm used to carrying my laptop in one hand
Timing of this is perfect. Been trying to decide between this steam deck oled and the asus (though the sd card issue is ruling out the ally
I wouldn't have been upset about the SD card if i didn't buy one before the issue was known. Honestly 2TB ssd is the way to go if you do get the ally. Have no complaints besides that.
The fact that it is Asus alone is the reason why the Ally should be ruled out.
I have both, the ally for myself as my laptop replacement, and the steamdeck oled for my wife. Overall the Steam deck is great for just flat out enjoying games vs the ally being a full on laptop and switch replacement.
I have the SteamDeck and the LeGo. Ever since I got the LeGo, I haven't used the SteamDeck. The bigger screen and detachable controllers are extremely useful to me.
Ultimately the choice is do you want to play multiplayer games or not. Ally and deck are some of my favorite handhelds
I think this is the first review of this device I've seen that mentions the screen being portrait-native, and this is very interesting to know.
Great review Phil! I wish you would spend some more time talking about ergonomics and the quality of the buttons and analog sticks though. Like for instance, I thought the analog sticks and the face buttons felt really good, but the weird mouse buttons on the back right controller would kind of unsettle me when I accidentally pressed them. Also, for my XL-glove size hands, the bottom corners of the legion go were very uncomfortable after about 45 minutes of gameplay.
As a tinkerer, I really want this as a handheld with omph.. Nice review, youre sounding honest. Wished you covered more use [noise, heat, muscle cramps..] and use cases like replacing tablet, actual third party accessories, and more about docking [support for a tv via hdmi or displayport over usb-c is, as you say, a__]. Overall, good job👍
There ARE features unlocked by detaching the controllers, mainly controller gyro. You can use them in emulators on Linux, and emulate a Wii Remote + Nunchuck for example!
this helped me realize while I like the idea of these handhelds; I'm probably going to wait a while before wanting one.
And then you'll wait, wait and keep on waiting....
@@KIIVxshit best thing to do cuz all these pc handhelds are trash. I’ll give it another 3 years before they push out a pc handheld that can give me at LEAST 3hrs of battery life while getting 60fps minimum
Good work Phil. I'm honestly more interested in the clamshell ones coming out and can't decide between keyboard or second screen. I just remember my ds and picking it in my bag without worrying about it. That's what I'm looking for from a portable system. No cases, no add ons, nothing flimsy. Ruggedised flip PC with no extraneous rgb and two nvmes with selectable boot so I can go between windows and Linux. Two USB 4 top and bottom and an optilink as well, delivered by an airborne hog.
I've been listening to the rtfm show again and I love how much phil has really come out of his shell when he is on camera. Defo keep Phil for this subject. He nailed it
I really miss them doing the rtfm show.
@@Aggrosk8 yeah I have it on for my daily commute
Did a great job Phil! If you missed it you can change the legion space button on it now. Can turn it to the top buttons are "start" and "share"
The Legion is a beast it has only been out for 5 months! The Legion go is the king
Nice review Phil, it is easy to see that you have passion and great knowledge in this space.
Thanks, I am on the Hunt for a handheld pc...might wait for rog ally 2
Reserved my Steam Deck 256GB within 2 hours of reservations opening. Got it late Q2 2022 and love it. I have since upgraded the sticks to Hall Effect, the ssd to a 1TB drive and replaced the battery because it wore out. I have very large hands. I have been so thrilled with that device that I sold my Switch because I could play almost every game I had on it on the Deck anyways about 6 months after receiving the Deck. I can't recommend it enough and have been persuaded to switch my main PC to be a Linux machine because my CPU is not supported by 11 and I don't like 11 anyways. I really like the Steam Deck, but I think I should've named it Prometheus instead of Archimedes.
The detachable controllers is such a big plus regardless of having a standalone (extra) piece of hardware you have to lug around or not. I think the functionality of being able to use one of the controllers as a mouse is huge and it wouldn't work without the controllers being detachable. Makes it even better if you're couch gaming because you can just use your couch cushions or coffee table as a mouse pad, or get one of those lap boards that you'd put a keyboard and mouse on anyways. It opens up a ton of versatility imo. I also think the lack of a dock doesn't really matter, extra ports will always be welcomed and I don't really see it as an oversight more so than the fact that they didn't intend for it to have a docking station. It'd be more useful as a second monitor anyways, which is what it would be used as when "docked" at most setups
does the controller become a mouse if you use that fps mode, does it need to be in that "dock" thing? or does it automatically become a wireless "mouse" ?
@@hatorihanzo3431 You just flip the switch and it turns it into a mouse, it doesn't have to be in the dock but it would probably be advisable to use the dock for more comfort
l've been using my Legion Go as an ultra portable PC first & foremost rather than a dedicated handheld gaming system, find this brilliant when on the go to do work etc using a portable Bluetooth keyboard & mouse. At home I have it plugged in running at 30 watts using a Xbox controller rather than the detectable controllers on my coffee table when gaming, I find this much more comfortable than trying to play it handheld due to it's size. The Nintendo Switch is my dedicated handheld console of choice.
the only reason i'm not even considering the ally is due to that sd card killing problem. i want to go legion but now there is a cheaper alternative handheld from orange pi coming which if shipped to the UK for under 500, it is a hard choice.
The added functionality from removing the "Gocons" comes from docking the device. If you connect this to your TV let's say and have USB-C out to your TV, you won't need an additional bluetooth controller. As for the START/SELECT buttons, you can swap those in Legion Space. Also... how does this compare to a laptop and/or desktop? Psst, I know a channel that did some comparisons... okay fine it's mine. Also, you can get this refurb now for $590!
Compare? CPU wise it's great. The Z1X is pretty fast and has 8 cores so it works well even with a gaming laptop. GPU wise it's a low end PC just because it's a handheld. At max it matches a GTX 1650 but if you want battery life you won't use that mode
Well how does it compare? Whats the bottom line?
@@crestofhonor2349 Perhaps "comparison" wasn't the best word to use, but when I said comparison I didn't just mean performance. Like Phil says in the video, there's portability in the Go which IMO translates to versatility; Do you need that versatility? Depends highly on your use case. But it's not just a case of a laptop or desktop being a clear winner I'd say.
@@docbrody This might sound like a cop out but I promise it isn't. It's completely up to the use case and priorities. I for instance currently value portability over performance and so while my desktop will stomp the Go in performance, I can't take it with me; and I don't want to game in bed with a laptop, or while commuting, so the Go is the clear winner for my particular use case as it also hits the minimum requirement for me in performance.
I just bought the Legion GO and it's awesome, I recommend it. About the battery, "BUY A POWERBANK 65 WATT"
Yeah the battery genuinely isn't all that great but it's decent atleast compared to the rog ally ( only by a little)
I got a PC 3700x/3080, a ROG Ally, a GPD win4 (7840u version), Switch, and a Odin 2. I got all avenues ready to play for different use cases. also great video love that you guys are getting into or starting to make vids on Handheld PCs was waiting to see if you guys would. great work phil and looking forward to more videos!
Your 3080 is CPU bottlenecked my boy. I say upgrade it to a 5800x3d and sell the 3700x.
@@ZackSNetwork I thought about it but then I’d have to update the Bios then take off the cooler and put the new one in and I’m gonna make a NEW PC soon anyway although it would raise the value of the PC abit when I sell this. But if i end up selling it to my friend for cheaper I’ll just let him do it.
@@JsmashTech The 3700x was bottlenecking me even at 4K, but went full upgrade to a 7800X3D. Hogwarts saw a ridiculous jump in performance along with Spider-Man
Also the kickstand folds out quite a bit. Just keep folding it open until it stops, then will sit flatter on a desk when hooked up to a monitor, and better acess to the bottom usb-c port
8:30 I use the bottom USB port for charging when I'm playing in handheld and the top one when it's in "tablet" mode or when I want to rest my hand on the table , just like on the video. So I am really glad that they have 2 ports.
Assuming the two usb c ports were geared towards using with the legion ar glasses and still being able to charge device. The legion AR glasses were released as a companion accessory for Legion Go.
watch out for Legion Go OLED with AR Glasses coming soon
I think comparing these devices is great but there is one glaring issues and that’s how do they hold up over time . My Asus Rog ally I loved it … until the sd card reader died . Then the vibration function just decided to stay on permanently. Even after reboots . I decided to go to legion go. So far so good . Detachable controls is Awsome so your hands don’t get tired holding up rite 😮
I'm about Jay size, 6'4" and 275 lbs... I would go for the Lenovo myself. I do like the looks of it too. The mouse control sounds cool.
I'm a full foot shorter than you and I love the size of the Legion Go. It's all a preference thing and not a physical limitation thing.
I'm loving this current push for handheld gaming pc's. I haven't been a console player in years and my time is limited to just sit at my pc all day gaming. I expect as more companies enter the industry and another generation of the steam deck comes out, these will be amazing handhelds.
Appreciate this review, I'm currently trying to decide between The Go / Ally / Deck right now to go along side my 4080 desktop.
I have a SteamDeck and a LeGo...I have not touched the SteamDeck since I got the LeGo.
Got all 3 of them second hand. Stayed with legion go with hopes that the software gets better. It also replaces my ipad mini for basic stuff like netflix etc. The fps mode is actually great for games like Battlefield Bad Company 2 which does not have any good support for aiming with joystick. Software is trashy, but getting better with some beta releases
if you have a desktop get the OLED SteamDeck. The Deck is pickup and play, and suspend and resume works properly...unlike the other two. The Ally and Legion GO are laptops without mouse and keyboard thanks to Windows. I got so pissed off with the Windows experience on my Ally I put a SteamOS clone on it. That has made it much more usable as a handheld games console vs computer. However battery life is no where near as good on Ally as the OLED deck which I also own. Same game at 12W TDP and same settings my Deck runs for about 3.5 hrs at 45fps and my Ally gets about 2.25 hrs at 30fps. I double checked last night. Deck has better perf and battery life at lower TDPs where you get better battery life🤷. The Ally will give you more at 18W which is the sweet spot perf wise BUT battery life nose dives.
I have an Steam Deck OLED and it's been an amazing device. Having dual trackpads allows you to create radial menus for in game commands which is amazing. Also Steam input makes it easy to play a lot of older games that don't have controller support. Since I also have a PC, games that may struggle on it I just stream to it using remote play. Nice laying in bed playing a heavily modded Skyrim.
@@jas0x139 Wait so you can have your PC just stream the games to your Deck? Could you have it running at Max Settings this way?
PHIL!!!!!!! Nice review :) I was debating between the two but then I went and got a Quest 3 instead :P I have a powerful enough PC so I was looking for something a bit more in terms of experience.
I have a Legion Go and I loved it. The bigger screen felt better than the Ally to me. I do agree that not having an official dock looked like a miss. The detachable controller - there could be better value added if the right one is somehow sculpted to be a mouse when detached (without using the disc base) - they already crammed in a mouse optical in it after all. Overall, they could have added an eyelet for a hand loop (like the PSP and some old phones) for those of use that are worried we might drop the device when holding it.
I think there's one important keyword when it comes to the Legion Go: Flexibility. It allows you to play as a normal handheld, as a table setup with wireless controllers and hooked up to a TV/monitor, also with wireless controllers. The fact that it has windows also allows you to connect more or less any peripherals you would like, and play it as more of a traditional PC with keyboard and mouse, or just hook up whatever bluetooth-controllers you might have laying around to play splitscreen multiplayer. The fact that it has two USB-C ports, one on the top and one on the bottom, also allows you to insert the charger or dock/dongle on whatever end might fit better in your environment. Maybe you're playing handheld and prefer having the charger hanging off the bottom, or maybe you've set it up with the kickstand and need to use the top one because the bottom is blocked? The FPS mode is also yet another addition for more flexibility. Don't have a mouse and keyboard around but still want to play your favourite mouse and keyboard games? Just make some keybinds for the controller, turn on FPS-mode and have at it! There's just so many ways to use this device, and like Phil said, it's a great fit for anyone willing to tinker a bit. It's by no means perfect, but I would never under any circumstance say that any added feature that adds flexibility is a wasted feature.
Doing great Phil!!! Sending love to the team! Keep it coming guys!
Thx Phil for the honest overview between the 2 Devices.I bought the ROG ALLY
Do you know if they have fixed the SD Card reader issue?
I've never updated Vampire Survivors on the Switch till yesterday and now I got this sweet Adventure mode to play now! 😅
You can switch the start and select at the top in the settings. So its not an issue
Exactly..
I absolutely love my Legion Go. I purchased it because i was going on vacation from California to Oklahoma to visit family, and i needed something quick and easy to use if my job had an issue i needed to take care of, I have a foldable bluetooth keyboard and it all fit in my back pack, plus I could play games on it in the cramped airplane seat. I love being able to play it in bed while my wife is watching TV, while I do have a Switch this give me more options between my steam library and my XBOX game pass. With innovations happening as fast as they are i can't wait to see what a 3rd or 4th gen handheld can do.
If it has Windows and I can connect a 4K or widescreen display, then I’m all in. I’ll 3D print a dock if I have to, but if this does well, I’m sure Lenovo will come out with their own. Perfect travel computer. Better than a laptop. Smaller. Lighter. More portable. As a bonus it plays modern games half way decently (only need 60fps for single player games I’d be playing on a plane or in a hotel room anyway).
I haven't had a chance to play with the Ally or Go, but I love my OLED Steam Deck. Screen is amazing, it runs anything I want it to, emulation is amazing, battery life is amazing. Haptics are top notch
Hmm... Nicely done, Phil. This quite an insight. But for me, I still think both are expensive and lack upgrade paths aside from storage. Looks cool, but hard to justify as a daily driver.
I love using my steam deck for travel. I picked it up before these windows handhelds were available and it’s great for flights. Essentially every steam game I own that I can’t carve out time for on my desktop works great. The ever evolving updates are sick. And now steam basically auto transferring updates and downloads from my desktop to my steam deck?? So awesome!
I got my partner a Steam Deck OLED for Christmas last year and they love it and constantly use it. For myself, I'm still more of a just desktop PC guy as I don't travel much or anything and when I do I just pack up the Switch. That said I think if I did get one, I'd either get the Steam Deck OLED myself or the Legion Go because of the dual USB ports and because I have big hands. Great job on the review Phil!
I went with the base Rog Ally for $399. I mostly play emulation, retro games, and indie games, so it's perfect for that use case. One of the main reasons I chose the Ally (other than price) is lack of fan noise. It's basically silent unless you're really pushing it. Other reviews of the Legion Go have mentioned that it has a pretty loud fan.
The fan is fine unless of course you're playing something heavy
Awesome review! I think I will wait for the next generation handhelds. To get a little more performance and perhaps cooler system. :)
I don't think you're going to see massive performance improvements in upcoming generations, but they will probably be big improvements in battery life and therefore temps.
I love my Lenovo LeGo. When I travel its way more convinient to carry around than a laptop. Games run much better than I exspected to be honest. The screen has amazing sharpness for movies. When taking the controllers off and connecting a bluetooth keyboard its even a good looking small pc to use in a conference. It did what I bought it for: replacing my laptop.
Legion Go is such a great emulation device paired with Mig Switch. If you wanna just read an Ebook or browsing, just detach the controllers, flip the device and it's a nice little tablet. The 1600p screen is really nice for browsing and reading. The legion pop out OSD allows you to change resolution on the fly too, so you don't have to run 1600p. Some people argue that integer scaling 1280x800 to 1600p looks good, but to me it's still rather dull for 3D applications. Been fine running 1600x100 - 1920x1200, or streaming to the Go from main RIG. The biggest issue right now is speed of software updates and Memory Capacity. Yes the soldered memory allows for the 7500mts, but with 6GB reserved for GPU, it's a bit light for the system to work with.
I wish! Nice Carball play!
for ergonomics of the detached controllers, I'd say phil's take isn't the best. the switch style holder he wants does as grips that the joycons sorely lack, but then they're even closer together than any other controller. while shoulder width apart is a better ergonomic posture for your hands. so each has a big plus, while having a big minus at the same time. I've only ever used the holder type thing to rubber band the sticks together for some auto grinding in some games on my switch. I just got some joycon covers that add the much needed grips & play with the joycons apart. it's so much more comfortable for long play sessions. you can use the button remapping to add confirm & cancel buttons to each side too. difference in opinion on the ergonomics/reasons for the detachable controllers aside, great video Phil!
I came across the desire for a handheld gaming device this year. Legion Go wasn't on my option list due to it's size and bulkiness. I tossed for over a month between Steam Deck and Ally. Figuring out how my gaming, preferred games, and current library could be played while mobile, and how they could be played from my norm. Lots of time spent weighing the cost and use case to find if it was worth it to me. I went with the Steam Deck, due to its user-friendliness as Valve has put a lot of effort in the OS and UI. Didn't want to deal with the perceived hassle of Windows 11 on a device that it ultimately wasn't designed for. Ended up spending higher dollars on it than I was originally planning because I got the OLED Steam Deck. Couldn't bring myself to buy anything less on the sole basis that the OLED touch screen is far more responsive and not laggy than the LCD is. I love it!! Use my Deck FAR more than I thought I would!
I get its all preference, but for me a bigger higher res screen is well worth it. I use my go to stream games from my pc often and i love being able to do that at 1600p and 144hz. I dgaf at all about legion space. I never use it. You can remap the buttons to start and options. There are plenty of frames for the controllers online. A first party dock would he nice, but im glad if theyre gonna have two ports, i like having one up top and the bottom. Not discrediting Phil's experience, but every con for him, has been a complete non issue for me. And if you plan to stream games at all (which i highly recommend) the bigger, higher res screen is worth it.
Just a heads up, The start and select buttons can be swapped with the bottoms buttons to the top buttons in the legion space app.
was going to comment this! one of the first things i did when i bought mines. i definitely understand his frustration though at first i hated it too but a quick google search does wonders
Awesome review Phil!!! On the ASUS ROG Ally, the issue I have with mine is I still the expanded memory slot which is busted.
I'll always refer to them as start and select I'm right there with you!
I'm picking mine up later today can't wait to see the performance just happy I can bring it everywhere I have a laptop too but these seem way more portable
As someone who already owned an eGPU it was a no brainer for me to get the Go. But I agree that for a tinkerer like myself, there is a ton of possibilities with the Go compared to other devices. I still recommend for people if you have to get a Windows handheld, get the ROG Ally.
I wonder if you can remap the start/select button. Great video guys!
They've been remapable for months he just didn't look in legion space .
You will appreciate detachable controllers when you got a painful bad back and when lying in bed you can put a pillow on your stomach with a screen on it, and both hands lie comfortably next to you and you hold the controllers in them and play. Holding it normal way just hurts after a while.
I have a very bad back and the last thing I want is to lay flat on my back with a 2lbs tablet on my stomach while holding 2 controllers at my sides.
what about the HDR implementation on the legion go? did you notice a difference?
I love the legion more than all of them. Sent my steam deck back as soon as the legion dropped and have not regretted it at all. Its still fun and and very powerful til this day. And ive had it since it first dropped to the public
Sent it to me. I have a "super nerdy" idea to use this as a home theater PC. Put it on a dock, add a hard drive with your backed up media and use the detached controllers to operate Plex. Add an external BluRay player and your Steam library and your set for life. I would happily test this setup for you!
That's what I do when I'm watching movies with it plugged into my TV. I use the right controllers so scroll through my videos and then select and play them.
I have them both and my Ally has been in its case since my Go came in at launch, the screen can't be beaten!
I like the bigger screen on Legion, but I hate the user experience on their embedded app. I got a Ally and returned it because I still like the SteamDeck better. I hope Microsoft will get a better handheld experience on the windows. The windows based ones are quite finicky to work with. This is the reason I kept the SteamDeck to be fair. I think what is most important in all this, is that we have multiple options and with the companies fighting each other, we get the discounts. This is great to see.
You know that you can install steamOS on legion right ?
Thankfully they just released an update where you can rebind the buttons to whatever you want including swapping the top face buttons to start and select and the other 2 lower ones are now the hot keys for me. The software def sucks but hopefully they keep working on it and I know they have been listening to feedback. Valve continue to knock it out of the park with software so hopefully these other companies step up their game (and that includes Microsoft) I love that the controllers separate I think they work well in that configuration but thankfully there are 3d prints and even lenovo and Jsaux are making some new accessories including the adapter to combine them into a single controller.
What refresh rates don't cause tearing for a 144 display (I want to lower my max FPS to not be 144) ?
U can swap the start and select with the ones on the left controller. Also the vibration works pretty good just varies by game. Horizon forbidden west has a near little effect on the right controller when shooting the bow, I keep it on the strongest setting.
Awesome review, you did a amazing job and gave me what i needed to make a decision on what device was for me..thankyou!
Doesn't the ROG Ally still have the SD Card heat problem? Not sure how that's still a viable option if one of the platform's core features eventually winds up broken.
It is I had to send mine back for a new mainboard. Good thing is ASUS knows it’s an issue and extended the warranty another year for card reader issues.
Heat isn't the problem. The reader itself is just bad. The SD card that you think is bricked if it stops working on the device still works on other devices.
@@Shadowespeon17 Appreciate the response. I've heard the exact opposite from other KZheadrs and people on Reddit about the SD cards still working if moved to another device, though. A lot of folks are saying the cards get wrecked.
Love my steam deck. 2 years on it still performs great and UI seems like it has the best refinement of all these handhelds. Just waiting for a 3rd party to release an OLED replacement screen.
Im happy and satisfied with the performance of my lenovo legion go, even though it's 2nd hand, just 2 months of use of the owner. But it's still awesome. I just bought it only 600 euro. Brandnew is 750 euro. Awesome deal
I know you said not to quote you and I'm not. But the reason it doesn't support vrr is because it uses embedded display rather then a displayport protocol for connecting the screen. Embedded display doesnt have that function.
I have a 1TB OLED Steam Deck and love it. My bro has the Ally and he installed Steam OS on it and loves it. Both are good.
I love my Steam Deck OLED. The screen is amazing and it runs smooth as butter. I knew I wanted a Steam Deck OLED and did not cross shop it all, but a Phil-parison between the three would be interesting.
The detachable controllers are nice if they break and needs to be replaced perhaps? If they are available to buy seperatly?
I owned this since November. I use this ever single day. I had the ally before and the legion go is by far the better product. Why? It’s future proof. GeForce now ultimate sub gets me 1600p at 120hz. And it’s portable. Every night after a long hard day of physical labor, placing the go on my chest and have my hands by my side is amazing. Gfn works flawlessly so I have zero reason to have a desktop now
i own one and the first thing i did was get an adapter to turn the ssd from 2242 to 2280, then i straight up uninstalled legion space and put on handheld companion cause the 3rd party software had much more capabilities than legion space does, then i found a way to get the official amd drivers installed for the gpu and i've been happy since
Ive had a Legion Go for 3 months now. I stopped using my Steam Deck since ive had it. Its awesome
depending on how it connects to the screen portion itself, one could print their own. (to make a xbox controller type design)
I like the LGo, its not perfect, but the larger screen was a necessity for my use. I run games at the 16 : 10 equivalent of 1080 or 720, depending on the game and how well it is running. On these small displays, just using vsync and shooting for 50-60fps is perfectly acceptable. I change the refresh rate from 144 to 60, and leave it there, and let the game's vsync handle the rest. And I can even handle 30+fps on it, as long as it is solidly no lower than 30fps during the more demanding areas of the game.
I just bought the ROG Ally to replace my 2 year old MSI gaming laptop. The laptop is faster since it has an RTX3050 and i5 11400H. But like Phil said laptops are not as portable. I wanted something like that and i hope the Ally meets my expectations. Im going to get it tomorrow and ill be testing it all of the coming weekend. 😃 If i like it ill sell my old laptop to cover a portion of the Allys price.🙂
i got an ally since launch date :P, just get a portable battery if you are traveling and thats it you can get like a good 5 hours of play time with a battery pack, and dont use SD cards :P, just upgrade the SSD
@@espartanofxfx8107 Yeah allready have a battery pack. Going to uppgrade the storage at some point. Not going to use the SD cards those are slow as hell. Thinking about getting a Corsair 2TB gen4 SSD to it. I only have couple of options in my region for the 2230 formfactor. Btw im setting the Ally up right now. 😃
I have large hands so I went for the legion go and my commute to work on the train is around 90 minutes so it is perfect for me and I can recharge it in the office to use on the way back home. Though 95 mins is based on you playing very demanding games. With my Balatro addiction I stick the device on 5 watt mode and it lasts like 3-4 hours with decent brightness settings on.
I bought the Go a couple of months ago for the detachable GoCons, screen size, Windows, and you can use it as a small Win-tablet. The cons for me is the lack of a GoCon dock, USB A port, dock mode USB C port (it should've been mounted in the center so some sort of KB or dock can be used because the port is useless when the Go is sitting. I like the stand because you can stand the tablet on the sides when the GoCons are removed.
FYI, Lenovo was in the gaming pc/laptop area much longer than ROG/asus
Got the Legion go open box basically brand new for almost $200 usd less than msrp. I personally think the device is amazing.