Lenovo Legion Go vs. Asus ROG Ally: an in-depth look

The handheld gaming PCs just keep on coming! With the Steam Deck, Logitech G Cloud, and the Asus ROG Ally, you could say there’s been a legion of new handhelds over the last few years…

And that’s exactly where the Lenovo Legion Go comes in. We already know all about their excellent Lenovo Legion gaming laptops. But this is their first step into the exciting world of handheld PC gaming. And after our first look, we can definitely say that things are looking pretty next-level.

But how does the Legion Go get on against Asus’ ROG Ally? In a techy version of Mortal Kombat, we’ve put them head-to-head to try and find out. Round one, fight!

Lenovo Legion Go vs. Asus ROG Ally: the specs

First things first - let’s check out what’s going on under the hood of these handhelds:

Performance

The Asus ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go are neck and neck when it comes to processing power and graphics. Both use an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor. And this beast makes light work of powering through the latest and greatest games. Completely without any slowdown or lag – which can easily ruin even the best titles. Running graphically demanding games like the latest Forza Motorsport and Red Dead Redemption 2 really won’t be a problem for either.

And they’ll look stunning too. With AMD RDNA graphics displaying racetracks, open worlds and battlefields in incredible detail. Letting you see the mud caking your tyres, and the tiniest dents in your character’s armour.

Because they’re handheld, you’re probably going to end up playing outside at some point. And that means you’ll have to go up against the enemy of screens everywhere – the sun. Luckily, the two handhelds easily come out on top. Both have a max brightness of 500 nits, which can display whatever you’re playing clearly, even when the sun’s beaming away. So, if you’re on holiday and want to get some adventuring in while you’re sat by the pool, then you can. Just stay away from the water!

Speaking of heat, tech can get hot quite quickly. We’ve all played games on a laptop, tablet, or phone that’s started to feel hotter than the surface of the sun after just a few minutes. Thankfully, the Ally can be put into Performance cooling mode, helping it stay even cooler and quieter than usual. While Legion Go has Coldfront thermal tech that does exactly what it sounds like. Basically, neither will feel like it’s melting in your hands. And you can game for hours without them overheating.

The built-in controls are actually pretty different too. On the Go, as well as your standard sticks and buttons, there’s a mouse wheel and a trackpad. Why does that matter though? Real time strategy games and other PC-specific genres are usually way better when you play them with a mouse.

So, with the Legion Go, you could quite easily play Age of Empires or Company of Heroes on the go. Nice! Unfortunately, the Ally doesn’t have these controls. If you’re a big strategy fan, there’s only one winner here.

Storage

Games just keep getting bigger and bigger. Nowadays, your average blockbuster title is going to take up about 50GB. Once you’ve got a few of them installed, it’s going to eat into your storage space pretty quickly. And that’s before you’ve even added any DLC and expansions to them.

Luckily, the Legion Go comes in a hefty 1TB version. And with a full terabyte of storage, you should be able to hold about 20 average sized AAA games. This number can drop a bit though if you’re playing a lot of big open world titles. After all, Bethesda’s latest spacefaring epic, Starfield, is a whopping 125GB!

If you prefer playing smaller indie experiences – or just like to have a couple of larger games installed at once - then the 256GB/512GB version of the Go and 512GB ROG Ally still have more than enough room. Giving you plenty of space to add some variety to your gaming sessions.

Game libraries

Both handhelds give you a humongous library of games to try out – we’re talking in the tens of thousands here. That’s because the Ally and the Go are built around Windows 11. Which means all the major gaming platforms are supported.

You’ve got Steam, Xbox Game Pass, EA Play, GOG.com, Battle.Net, Ubisoft Connect and The Epic Games Launcher to get stuck into. And all of them are super easy to download and install straight to each handheld. You definitely won’t be struggling to find something to play!

Each console has their own handy game launchers too. With Asus, you’ve got the Armoury Crate app – giving you quick access to all of your installed titles in one place. While the Go has Legion Space, which makes accessing your favourite games (and buying new ones) incredibly easy. So, you’ll spend less time digging about in complicated menus and spend more time actually playing.

Battery life

For both handhelds, the amount of battery life you’ll get from one charge really comes down to what you’re playing and the settings you’re using. Those chunky, graphically demanding games will drain the battery quicker than say, a 2D indie side-scroller. While if you’re just having a browse on the internet, it’ll last even longer.

But let’s check out some actual numbers. If you’re just surfing the net, you’ll get about 6 hours from the Ally. When you start gaming, this can drop to around 1 hour 40 minutes – especially if you’re playing one of the latest titles.

Loading up an indie classic – like Stardew Valley or Hades – will give you a bit more playtime though, with about 4 to 5 hours of juice. Just make sure you give it a full charge before you go out. And even better, remember to pop a portable power bank in your bag too!

What about the Go? Well, it’s got a battery that’s 23% larger than the Ally’s so it should (in theory) go a little bit longer. Plus, there’s one big trick up its sleeve that Asus’ console doesn’t have - and that’s fast charging. Plug the handheld in and you’ll be good to go with a 70% charge in just 30 minutes. So, you won’t have to put your next gaming session on pause for long!

Design

This is where you’re really going to spot some big differences. You know how the Nintendo Switch has that cool pair of removable Joy-Cons? Well, Lenovo have taken a leaf out of Nintendo’s gaming book and done exactly the same with the Legion Go. And it’s a literal game changer.

They’re especially handy for those fast paced, FPS multiplayer matches. Just slide off both Legion TrueStrike controllers and fire up FPS mode - then flip out the built-in kickstand to prop up the screen. Pop the controller in your right hand into the included magnetic base and you’ve got yourself a mini joystick that works just like a mouse. It’s like your very own secret weapon.

And all you PC gamers know just how much more accurate that mouse feel is when you’re trying to quickly nail a headshot. After all, every second counts when you head online. Hand to hand combat just took on a whole new meaning!

The Ally is a bit more traditional in terms of the set up. You’ve got your standard joysticks and D-pad, and overall, it’s a lot slimmer (with the Go definitely the chunkier of the two). That lighter weight means you’ll barely know its there when you chuck it in your backpack – and it won’t get heavy in your hands during those marathon gaming sessions either.

There’s a bit of fun customisation too. With its light up RGB thumb sticks, you can pick from a bunch of colours. And these can be set to change between different shades and tones while you play. Just maybe go for something that isn’t too distracting and won’t throw off your aim!

Display

You’ve probably spotted it from the pictures already, but the Legion Go has a much bigger screen than the Ally. It’s packing an 8.8” touch screen (nearly 2 inches larger than Asus’ handheld), with a higher 2560 x 1600 resolution and a really impressive 144Hz refresh rate. But what does all that techy talk actually mean?

That high refresh rate will guarantee smooth performance and has massively reduced input lag. And those milliseconds you’ll shave off can be all the difference between victory and defeat in an online multiplayer clash.

On the other side, that increased resolution means your favourite games will look even better. Because the screen can display even more pixels, you’ll get sharper and clearer images. So, you’ll be able to see every thread of Spidey’s suit, or the cracks in the bodywork of your race car.

Legion Go also takes things full on sci-fi mode as well. It supports Lenovo’s custom augmented reality Legion glasses. Yep, you heard that right. Oooooooh.

Not near a big screen? Maybe you haven’t got space for a massive telly? No worries. Just whip out your specs, put them on, and a large screen that only you can see will show up behind the lenses. That’s all thanks to micro-OLED tech which creates rich colours and brighter contrast, plus a 60Hz refresh rate. Which keeps your gameplay nice and smooth and helps to recreate the performance of an actual TV. Epic.

Connectivity

Fancy taking your adventures from the small screen to the big screen? Both consoles pack a handy USB Type-C port. So, when you’re done gaming on the train after work, you can hook them up to your telly when you get home. Picking up the action straight from where you left off!

Or, if your mates are coming over, connect a couple of controllers and fire up some old-school couch co-op. If bragging rights are more your thing though, you could just smash them at EA Sports FC 24 instead…

Asus’ Ally can even be used as a normal gaming PC with its Gaming Charger Dock. Plug an HDMI cable into a monitor and then hook up a keyboard and mouse and Bob’s your uncle. Now you’ve got yourself a desk-based computer too – plus a completely new way of playing your games.

The Legion Go works exactly the same way too. Which is absolutely ace. As sometimes you just want to settle into your gaming chair and conquer the world in Total War’s latest historical masterpiece. Just. One. More. Turn.

Price and final thoughts

The Legion Go and the Ally are both £699 – with the Go increasing in price depending on the amount of memory you need. But when you really dig into what you’re getting for the money, the Go does seem to come out on top. There’s a bigger screen. More memory options to store all your games. An included carry case that’ll protect your handheld on the go. Plus, a genuinely cool detachable design that completely changes the way you play. Oh, and let’s be honest – that augmented reality compatibility on the Go is just plain cool.

Need something great to play on your new handheld? Check out all the latest upcoming games and stay up to date with the biggest releases. Or maybe you’re still not 100% sure which handheld game console is right for you? Head over to ShopLive and have a chat with one of our in-store experts. They’ll be able to help you get ahead of the game – and you won’t have to hit pause on your search.