The recent launch of the Lenovo Legion Go has reignited discussions about handheld gaming consoles within the gaming community. Handheld gaming consoles have gained popularity among gamers who seek immersive gaming experiences with the added benefits of portability and convenience. Notably, well-established handheld consoles like the Nintendo Switch, Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP), and Valve’s Steam Deck have long been the go-to choices, each offering distinctive features.
However, in this age of innovation, the reign of these consoles appears to be continually challenged as various tech companies introduce their own handheld gaming devices, such as Asus’s ROG Ally. With a multitude of options available, the natural inclination is to make comparisons when selecting the right one. In this article, we will focus on a comparison between the two latest offerings: the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally. And if you’re a gamer still considering which to choose, dive deeper into this article to see which one is for you: Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally?
Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally: A Bit of Their Background
Those in the gaming community who keep a keen eye on the latest developments in handheld gaming consoles may be aware that the Asus ROG Ally hit the market a few months before the Lenovo Legion Go on June 13. The Asus ROG Ally, released earlier, is a gaming console created by Asus as part of their Republic of Gamers product line. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion Go, which was made available to the public starting on October 31, belongs to the Lenovo Legion series, with a primary focus on delivering high gaming performance through its handheld gaming device.
Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally: Comparing Them with Strong Rivals
If you have seen the products of the Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally, you’ll notice that both draw inspiration from the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. In terms of external design, the Lenovo Legion Go appears to take cues from the Nintendo Switch, featuring detachable sliding grips on both sides of the console. Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Ally not only resembles the Steam Deck externally but also shares similarities in terms of memory and storage expansion.
This leads to a question among some gamers: Are these two new handheld gaming consoles superior to the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch? While each handheld console has its unique qualities, the answer is affirmative – either Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally offer certain features that outshine the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch, primarily in their operating systems.
Both Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally operate on Windows, providing a more extensive selection of games compared to the relatively limited choices available on the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. Furthermore, Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally exhibit superior gaming performance, a point we will delve into in more detail when comparing the two.
Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally: Comparison Starts!
The appetizer is over, and now is time to serve the main dish. Having gained some insight into the background of both handheld gaming consoles, let’s now delve into the specifics via comparison.
Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally: Comparing in Exterior
Design
In terms of their design, the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally exhibit contrasting approaches. The Asus ROG Ally is a unified device housing its controllers within the unit, whereas the Legion Go features detachable controllers. To separate them, simply press a button located at the rear of the controller and extend the rear kickstand.
In terms of its physical dimensions, the Legion Go is noticeably bulkier, which could potentially make it less comfortable to hold for certain individuals. When equipped with its controllers, it spans approximately 11.8 inches in length and boasts a thickness of around 1.61 inches. The combined weight with the controllers attached comes to about 1.88 pounds. In its standalone configuration without the controllers, the base module measures approximately 8.27 inches in length, 0.79 inches in thickness, and weighs approximately 1.41 pounds.
Conversely, the Asus ROG Ally offers a more compact form. Its controllers are not removable, yet it maintains a sleek profile, measuring approximately 11.02 inches in length, around 0.83 inches in thickness, and weighing about 1.34 pounds.
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Colour
The Lenovo Legion Go is available in an elegant Shadow Black colour variant, while the Asus ROG Ally is available in a stylish White finish.
Controllers
As previously mentioned, the key distinction between the Lenovo Legion Go and the Asus ROG Ally lies in their controller setup. The Legion Go features detachable controllers, while the Asus ROG Ally has integrated controllers. However, both systems share a common Xbox-style ABXY button layout and include a dedicated D-pad, a preference often favoured by PC gamers.
The controllers on the Legion Go bear a resemblance to those found on the Nintendo Switch, but they lack the ability to connect when detached. Notably, the right controller on the Legion Go offers an FPS mode with an optical sensor on its underside. This mode is accessible by placing it into the provided holster and flipping the switch on the base, facilitating more convenient gameplay for FPS titles. Additionally, the right controller boasts a touchpad on its side and a mouse wheel on the back, enhancing navigation within Windows 11.
One noteworthy feature is the Hall sensors integrated into the thumbstick of the controller, a magnetic sensor designed to prevent stick drift. Furthermore, this thumbstick incorporates customisable RGB lighting, configurable through software to suit individual preferences.
The controls on the Asus ROG Ally, while functional, have some limitations. Notably, the controllers are fixed in place, which can make them more susceptible to wear and hardware issues. Additionally, the ROG Ally lacks a touchpad, necessitating the use of the thumbstick or the touchscreen for navigation. However, it does feature RGB lighting, which, given its status as a stylish gaming system, is an almost essential aesthetic feature.
Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally: Comparing in Interior
Display
The comparison continues on the differences they have regarding display. The Legion Go boasts a larger and higher-resolution screen compared to the display on the ROG Ally. Naturally, one may need to adjust its settings for improved game performance, but it remains undeniable that the Legion Go currently offers the most impressive display among mainstream Windows-powered gaming handhelds.
The Legion Go showcases an expansive 8.8-inch IPS touchscreen configured in a 16:10 aspect ratio. With a resolution of 2560×1600 and a remarkable 144Hz refresh rate, it can achieve an impressive brightness level of up to 500 nits. This generous screen size undoubtedly enhances the immersive gaming experience, offering more screen real estate to fully immerse you in your favourite titles. The 144Hz refresh rate is a noteworthy feature as well, ensuring smooth and visually appealing gameplay. For those with a technical inclination, Lenovo claims that the display panel can cover an impressive 97% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, indicating a rich and vibrant colour reproduction.
In contrast, the ROG Ally features a more compact 7-inch IPS touchscreen display, configured with a lower 1920×1080 resolution and a slightly slower 120Hz refresh rate. While this may result in games appearing less razor-sharp, the lower resolution proves advantageous for gaming at higher settings and contributes to a more comfortable handheld experience. In terms of colour accuracy, the Asus ROG Ally is rated at 80% of the DCI-P3 gamut, which, while not matching Legion Go’s standards, still provides solid performance for most gaming scenarios.
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Performance
As mentioned in the beginning, it’s worth noting that both consoles run under Windows 11. Initially, this may appear promising because it allows you to play games from virtually any PC gaming platform, including Steam, Xbox Game Pass, and the Epic Games Store. Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that Windows isn’t currently well-optimised for touchscreen use, which can make navigating the interface a somewhat challenging experience.
Other than the fact that the Lenovo Legion Go utilises slightly more power-efficient, data-efficient, and higher bandwidth LPDDR5x RAM, the performance distinctions between the ROG Ally and the Legion Go is expected to be minimal. Both systems are equipped with the same pair of AMD Ryzen Z1 series processors. While these processors are quite potent, it’s crucial to remember that they are still mobile CPUs. Consequently, it’s essential to maintain realistic expectations; these devices won’t deliver the same level of performance as gaming laptops. You may need to adjust settings to medium or low and make changes to scaling and aspect ratios for optimal performance.
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Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally: Pricing and Availability
The ‘Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally’ battle sets its last regarding price and availability. The Asus ROG Ally is presently obtainable for purchase at Best Buy in the United States, with the top-tier model featuring the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and 512GB SSD storage, retailing at $700. Additionally, Asus has unveiled a lower-tier model equipped with the standard Ryzen Z1 processor and 256GB storage, which is priced at $600, although it is not yet on sale.
Conversely, the Lenovo Legion Go has a starting price of $699.99 and is currently offering two models, both featuring 16GB of RAM. The base model, with 256GB of storage, is priced at $699.99, while the higher-end model, equipped with 1TB of storage, is available for $749.99.
It’s important to note that the Lenovo Legion Go is currently only available in some countries, including the United States and China, with pre-orders open for countries like Australia. To ensure product availability in your location and avoid disappointment, it’s advisable to visit Lenovo’s official website and check if the product is listed as available. Don’t worry if it hasn’t landed in your country, as with the official release, it is going to be available very soon globally.
Here’s a table for easy comparison when planning on which one to buy:
Lenovo Legion Go | Asus ROG Ally | |
Dimensions | Starting at 8.27 x 5.15 x 0.79 inches (210.05 x 130.81 x 20.06mm) | 11.02 x 4.37 x 0.83-1.28 inches (280 x 111 x 21.2-32.4mm) |
Weight | Starting at 1.41 pounds (640 grams) | 1.34 pounds (608 grams) |
Chipset | Up to AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (8 cores, 16 threads, up to 5.1GHz, 16MB L3 cache) | Up to AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (8 cores, 16 threads |
RAM | 16GB LPDDR5x 7500Mhz | 16GB LPDDR5 |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 2242 SSD | Up to 512GB SSD |
Display | 8.8-inch IPS, 16:10 aspect ratio, Quad HD+ (2560×1600), 144Hz refresh rate, 97% DCI-P3, 500 nits, touch | 7-inch IPS, 1920×1080, 120Hz refresh rate, touch |
Graphics | AMD RDNA 3 Graphics (Up to 12 cores) | AMD RDNA 3-based graphics, 4 or 12 CUs |
Ports | 2x USB4 (One on top, one at the bottom) 3.5mm headphone jack microSD card reader | 1x USB-C, 1x ROG Xg Mobile interface, 3.5mm headphone jack |
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Final Verdict: Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally?
The decision between choosing the Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally ultimately comes down to personal preferences. However, it appears that the Lenovo Legion Go holds a slight advantage.
In terms of design innovation and versatility, the Lenovo Legion Go offers removable controllers, allowing multiple users to use the same device, making it a more compelling choice, especially given the similar price range of both consoles. Additionally, the Lenovo Legion Go offers a wider range of models, providing gamers with more storage options for their games compared to the Asus ROG Ally, which primarily varies based on chip configurations. For those who appreciate a larger screen, the Lenovo Legion Go also stands out with its more substantial display. However, it’s worth noting that this may result in a slightly heavier device compared to the Asus ROG Ally, which could be a crucial consideration for certain players.
Ultimately, the choice between these handheld gaming consoles depends on individual preferences, desired features, design preferences, and budget constraints. This comparison aims to assist gamers in making an informed decision by providing relevant data, but the ultimate decision remains with the user. Time to ask yourself now, Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally?
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