The original Lenovo Legion Go hasn’t exactly set the world on fire, but it’s notable as a Steam Deck-style gaming handheld from a major player that isn’t afraid to try new ideas.
And it looks like Lenovo isn’t letting the tepid response to its first model get it down. No less than three new versions of the Legion Go have been spotted in official testing by a regulator.
The Eurasian Economic Commission, a customs body that handles imports for Russia and several partner states, published documentation for the three models. NotebookCheck spotted the documentation, which mentions model numbers 8ARP1, 8AHP2, and 8ASP2. The original Legion Go that was released a year ago uses the designation 8APU1, so these look like significant departures.
We’ve already heard a few whispers about a “lite” version of the Legion Go, presumably slimming down the beefy 8-inch handheld’s dimensions, so one of these three models could be that design (if it’s still active). NotebookCheck makes an educated guess that the “SP2” and “HP2” in the model numbers might correspond to AMD Strix Point and AMD Hawk Point processors, respectively. That would mean APUs in the Ryzen AI 200 and Ryzen AI 300 families, probably sporting the “Z Extreme” branding seen on handhelds like the Legion Go and the Asus ROG Ally.
Even laying aside the guesswork, the fact that multiple models are being submitted for international electronics certification indicates that Lenovo is quickly moving past the design phase and into production. That’s a good thing if you’re a fan of this form factor.
For a while it seemed like Windows-based competition to the Steam Deck might fizzle out, but we’ve seen follow-up gaming handheld designs from Asus, MSI, and now almost certainly Lenovo, along with a new model from Acer. Microsoft is hard at work on the software side, too, trying to make the cumbersome Windows 11 a little more nimble on these small, low-power devices. It looks like this competitive market is staying crowded for the time being.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.