Another Steam Deck rival is on the cards, this time from Lenovo

(Image credit: Liliputing/Windows Central)

published 2 August 2023

If you've ever wanted a grown-up Gameboy then it seems we're now heading a golden age. The likes of the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally pack some impressive gaming hardware into portable units, but now Lenovo is getting in on the act too.

According to our sister site, Windows Central, Lenovo is preparing to release a handheld gaming PC called the "Legion Go". The Lenovo Legion name has some pedigree in gaming so this could be a big development.

A word of warning however, Lenovo have in fact developed a handheld gaming machine before, the Lenovo Legion Play, which was an Android-powered machine that never make it to market. It seems pretty likely that the Legion Go will be powered by Windows 11 which would give it full access to the likes of Steam and the Epic Games Store, so let's cross our fingers it actually releases.

Under the surface, Windows Central are pretty confident we can expect an AMD Phoenix 7040 processor, an ultra-thin chipset used in ultrabooks. But it's the display that has us sitting up and taking note. The Steam Deck and Rog Ally both have 7-inch screens, but rumours suggest that Lenovo could plump for an 8-inch option which would definitely help on more text-intensive and complicated games. It will be interesting to see what price point Lenovo targets, with the 256GB Steam Deck coming in at around £459/$529 and the ROG Ally's £699/$699 pricetag (although a cheaper model is coming). That puts them as a fair chunk cheaper than most of the best gaming laptops.

The portable gaming PC market does look set to be a big business in the future. More companies are rumoured to be working on equivalents while Valve itself could soon announce a Steam Deck 2. Of course, it won't play PC games, but there is also a wide belief that the Nintendo Switch 2 will launch in 2024.

TOPICS

Andy was T3's Tech Staff Writer, covering all things technology, including his biggest passions such as gaming. If he had to save one possession from a fire it would be his PlayStation 5. He previously worked for Tom’s Guide – where he got paid to play with ChatGPT everyday. When it comes to streaming, Andy will have his headphones glued in whilst watching something that will make him laugh. He studied Creative Writing at university, but also enjoys supporting his favourite football team (Liverpool), watching F1, teaching himself guitar, and spending time with his dog.