ROG Xbox Ally X Vs Lenovo Legion Go 2: Which Handheld Gaming Gadget Wins 2025?

We’re racing towards the top of 2025, and whereas there’s nonetheless over two months left to go, we’re assured in saying that there in all probability will not be any extra high-profile handheld {hardware} launches this 12 months. We do count on to see some programs primarily based on Intel’s new Panther Lake processors subsequent 12 months, however for now, the 2 highest-profile handheld releases in latest reminiscence are the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X and the Lenovo Legion Go 2.

So in case you’re available in the market for a high-end gaming handheld, which one must you choose? Within the strictest sense, neither of those gadgets are halo-tier machines; the extant programs primarily based on Strix Halo (heh) processors, just like the GPD Win 5 and Ayaneo Subsequent II, completely brutalize these programs by way of uncooked efficiency. They’re additionally considerably costlier, with absolutely the least expensive GPD Win 5 mannequin going for $1,599 at retail, so we’re not going to incorporate these gadgets on this comparability at this time.

As an alternative, this can be a head-to-head, a direct comparability, between ASUS’ most interesting handheld machine and Lenovo’s biggest Go system: The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X and the Lenovo Legion Go 2. Handheld machines are much more than simply the specs, however let’s check out the specs anyway, as a result of they’re informative:

There’s fairly a bit to check simply from the specs. The 2 machines supply basically the identical SoC, though the model of the Ryzen Z2 Excessive within the ROG Xbox Ally X retains its AI-accelerating NPU—for what that is price. In any other case, they’re the identical chip, with three Zen 5 cores and 5 Zen 5c cores, operating at 2GHz base and clocking as much as 5GHz increase. Sixteen threads, 16MB of last-level cache, you realize the drill.

Each machines additionally boast the identical highly effective built-in GPU with eight RDNA 3.5 Workgroup Processors, giving them absolutely sixteen compute items. That is the full-fat GPU for the Strix Level die on which these processors are primarily based, and it is fairly potent when it is not being held again by energy limits or reminiscence bandwidth—which is never not the case.

Not that these machines have sluggish RAM. Each programs sport 128-bit reminiscence buses with LPDDR5X reminiscence operating at 8Gbps. That gives 128GB/second of reminiscence bandwidth, precisely the identical as a Radeon RX 6400 desktop GPU, or as a lot as a Radeon HD 7850 from again within the day. After all, it is shared with the CPU cores, so the GPU does get a proportionally decrease determine to battle with. This reminiscence bandwidth limitation does prohibit efficiency, however so long as you retain the sport decision low, it is not an enormous drawback. Finally the SoC’s strict 35W (ASUS) or 40W (Lenovo) energy restrict would be the remaining bottleneck for efficiency.

Nevertheless, they do differ within the quantity of RAM; the ROG Xbox Ally X brings ahead the unique Ally X’s 24GB of RAM, whereas the Legion Go Gen 2 that we’re comes with 32GB. Make no mistake; 16GB will not be sufficient RAM for this class of SoC. Why? As a result of the reminiscence must be shared between the CPU and GPU. The 24GB of the ROG Xbox Ally X offers it sufficient for 16GB of system RAM whereas dedicating 8GB to the GPU; that is simply sufficient for contemporary video games at low resolutions. The 32GB of the Legion Go 2 is best, although, because it offers extra headroom for the longer term. A transparent win for Lenovo.

8.8″ vs. 7″ would not sound like so much, nevertheless it’s truly a 58% bigger display screen.

Arguably the only greatest distinction in these handhelds has to do with their display screen alternatives. The ROG Xbox Ally X makes use of a superbly acceptable 7-inch IPS LCD in 1920×1080 that refreshes at 120Hz and helps Freesync. That is the very same display screen that was used within the unique ROG Ally, and at the moment it was distinctive amongst gaming handheld shows. That was two and a half years in the past, although, and issues have moved on since then.

The Legion Go Gen 2’s show is an enormous 8.8-inch OLED in 1920×1200 decision that refreshes at 144Hz, helps Freesync, is rated for 97% of the DCI-P3 colorspace, and VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 1000 licensed. That is each good and unhealthy: it is good, as a result of the display screen is totally beautiful; it makes the actually fairly good show on the ROG Xbox Ally X look washed-out by comparability. It is unhealthy as a result of it is gigantic, and it makes the machine fairly massive. The 16:10 decision can be nonetheless a bit awkward in some video games that do not correctly help it.

Do not get us incorrect—the display screen is totally acceptable on the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X. In the event you’ve performed on an Ally or Ally X earlier than, you already know what to anticipate; it is razor-sharp and many vivid. Nevertheless, the Legion Go Gen 2’s show is in a complete different class of laptop display screen. It would not actually even bear comparability. After all, it does have the same old OLED downsides of restricted lifespan and potential for picture retention, however hopefully no one’s leaving their handhelds on displaying a picture for ten hours a day, each single day.

As we famous, the Legion Go 2’s massive display screen makes it a significantly extra huge machine, and that is borne out within the specs—the Legion Go Gen 2 is absolutely 33% heavier than the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X. That is not simply right down to the additional dimension; the mechanisms to help the removable controls (and the batteries for the controls) additionally add to that weight. By all accounts, the Legion Go Gen 2 is heavy sufficient to be unwieldy for longer play classes, however the counterpoint to that’s that it has a kickstand and removable controls, so you possibly can merely set it on the desk and play that approach. However then, if you are going to do this, what is the level of a handheld?

Whereas we’ve not examined the battery life on the Legion Go Gen 2, we count on that the ROG Xbox Ally X will simply win the day there. The reason being due to the smaller, dimmer display screen, the decreased quantity of reminiscence, and the marginally bigger battery. We had been in a position to pull out gameplay instances from the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X which can be frankly irresponsible, so until you are making an attempt to play one thing like Cyberpunk 2077 at 60 FPS—absolutely potential, by the best way—you will not have battery life troubles on the ROG Xbox Ally X.

Lenovo does choose up one other clear win within the storage class, although. Merely talking, it has 2TB of storage, and from the info that we have seen, Lenovo is delivery speedier SSDs than ASUS is, too. Each machines can settle for M.2-2280 SSDs, so it is truly comparatively simple to interchange the inner storage with no matter SSD you need, and there is the argument to be made that 1TB is definitely lots for this type of machine, however extra is at all times higher.

Neither machine has satisfying storage enlargement. UHS-II MicroSD playing cards are costly and may be laborious to come back by; additionally they supply disappointing velocity in comparison with the inner SSD. We wish to see a transfer towards SD Specific on these handheld gadgets; Nintendo already made the bounce, so it is loopy that these high-end handhelds have not performed so. There’s additionally that fascinating Mini SSD machine from Biwin, nevertheless it seems to be proprietary and we would not wish to proliferate a proprietary normal. Nonetheless, it is even quicker than SD Specific.

So far as the distinctive options of every machine go, effectively, on the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X, there’s the brand new Xbox Full Display screen Expertise. That is truly out there on any Home windows system now, however solely the ASUS machine has the devoted Xbox Information button to invoke it. The ROG Xbox Ally X additionally has massive formed handgrips that I am significantly keen on, however others with bigger fingers say the machine is radically extra snug. The display screen on the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X is barely tilted upward from the handgrips, and that may give a extra snug viewing place when enjoying whereas seated, though it is not nice for another positions.

The Legion Go 2 has the extra fascinating distinctive options by far. We already talked concerning the superb HDR OLED display screen, nevertheless it bears repeating; you might want to see this factor in individual. There’s additionally the distinctive nature of the Legion Go 2 that it carries ahead from the unique Legion Go, although. That is the truth that it may be used kind of like a pill, with the controls indifferent. You should use the controls aside, and the precise one has an optical sensor on the underside that enables it for use as a mouse. It’s also possible to snap the controls right into a “grip” that turns them into one thing like a wi-fi gamepad. There are even third-party grips which have a battery.

The Legion Go 2’s “TrueStrike” controllers even have a touchpad on the right-hand facet. Not like the minuscule one on the Legion Go S (the place we might have most popular that it merely wasn’t included), this one is extra just like the dimensions of the touchpads on the Steam Deck and appears significantly extra usable. Lastly, we should level out that the analog inputs on the Legion Go 2’s included controllers use magnetic Corridor-effect sensors. The analogs on the ASUS machine usually are not Corridor-effect, which suggests they may put on over time, though they’re modular and simply replaceable, with many aftermarket kits out there.

Lastly we come to the elephant within the room, which is the pricing. There is no getting round it: these machines begin at a few thousand {dollars}. That is so much to pay for a system that performs PC video games on built-in graphics. However, if you have not owned certainly one of these gadgets, the comfort is difficult to overstate; simply snatch your system off the charger, wake it up from sleep, and get proper again to enjoying no matter recreation you had been enjoying earlier than, wherever you might be, with out having to sit down in a particular spot at a sure machine. Significantly for individuals who journey so much, or share an area with others, these PC gaming handhelds are extraordinarily enticing.

Evaluating strictly these two gadgets, it is clear that the Legion Go Gen 2 is the higher machine. It has extra reminiscence, it has a a lot better display screen, it has double the storage out of the field, and it has the higher distinctive options. It is also an additional $350 over the already-expensive ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X, although. If you’re contemplating certainly one of these handhelds, an additional 35% on the value could possibly be sufficient to swing you both approach. They’re each going to play the identical video games with minimal efficiency variations between them, in spite of everything.

Nonetheless, it must be mentioned that when we get into the vary of $1,349 USD, it turns into awfully tempting to stretch an additional $250 for the entry-level mannequin of the GPD Win 5. That machine retails for $1,599, and whereas it is a downgrade from the Legion Go Gen 2 in lots of areas—being total extra corresponding to the ROG Xbox Ally X by way of the display screen, the controls, and the shape issue—it’s a radical improve in efficiency, with double or extra the realized body charge in most video games. In the event you’re a severe fanatic, you’d be remiss to skip this selection.

For everybody else, although, and particularly youthful individuals or these outdoors of the world’s wealthiest nations, we really feel compelled to level out that previous-generation handhelds, like the unique ASUS ROG Ally, can be found in good situation for actually one-thousand {dollars} much less—$350—on websites like eBay. In the event you’re allergic to pre-owned PCs, the OLED Steam Deck begins at $549 model new, whereas the unique Ally goes for $649. The brand new ASUS and Lenovo programs are certainly among the many cream of the crop, however we would not fault anybody for locating them a bit treasured.

In the event you’re severely contemplating your first handheld buy, we might actually advocate choosing up a less expensive machine first to see if the use case actually appeals to you. For some individuals, like myself, it clicks instantly; it is extremely compelling to flop down on the couch and play Silksong for a number of hours. For others, they run into limitations which can be insurmountable, just like the comparatively low out there efficiency, the sometimes-questionable battery life, or the frustrations of touchscreen Home windows. A few of these are defeatable with a nicer machine, however a few of them are merely realities of utilizing a handheld gaming PC.

For many who have already got one thing like a Steam Deck or unique Ally, these new machines do supply a substantial improve in capabilities, however we might advocate a transfer to a machine with an OLED display screen earlier than we might advise an improve in SoC. The Ryzen Z2 Excessive merely is not that a lot quicker than the Z1 Excessive, and the advantages of a fantastic HDR show are extra impactful to the expertise than a marginal bump in efficiency. Whether or not meaning a Steam Deck OLED, an Ayaneo Flip 1S, or the Legion Go 2 is as much as you.