ROG Xbox Ally vs Lenovo Legion Go: Which is the better handheld console?

With its release date right around the corner, the ROG Xbox Ally has gained quite a bit of popularity since its reveal. A powerful competitor to this upcoming handheld console would be the Lenovo Legion Go, which combines elements of versatility and high-end performance.

Both devices come remarkably close to delivering a true PC gaming experience in a portable form factor, thanks to their powerful hardware. The hype surrounding the upcoming Xbox Ally has many gamers asking how it'd compare to Lenovo’s Legion Go. In this article, we’ll break down their differences across key areas like performance, display, battery, and overall design, to determine which handheld is the better option.

Note: Some parts of the article are subjective and reflect the writer's views.

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ROG Xbox Ally vs Lenovo Legion Go: What are the differences?

The ROG Xbox Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go are excellent high-end handheld gaming consoles (Image via Asus, Lenovo)

Both the ROG Xbox Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go are super ambitious consoles made for high-end portable gaming. While the Ally focuses on delivering maximum performance and comfort, the Legion Go focuses on high-end performance and versatility, featuring detachable controllers, a large display, and a kickstand.

Here are the detailed specs of the two handheld devices:

Features	ROG Xbox Ally	Lenovo Legion Go
Display	7-inch, FHD, 120Hz	8.8-inch, QHD, 144Hz
Processor	CPU: AMD Ryzen Z2 A (Zen 2) GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics (RDNA 2)	CPU: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4) GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics (RDNA 3)
RAM	16GB LPDDR5	16 GB LPDDR5X
Storage	512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Battery	60 Whr	49.2 Wh
Dimensions	29.0 x 12.1 x 2.75 ~ 5.09 cm	29.88 cm x 13.1 cm x 4.07 cm
Weight	670 g (1.48 lbs)	640 g Legion TrueStrike Controllers - 854 g

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Performance

Both the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go are supposed to be excellent performers when it comes to AAA gaming. The former will come with the AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, featuring RDNA 2 graphics. It will be bundled with 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM, which should help with fast processing and loading. The exact performance metrics are yet to be disclosed, but it should handle most AAA titles quite well at 900p or higher resolutions.

In comparison, the Legion Go has better specs, featuring the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor paired with RDNA 3 graphics. This makes it perfect for up to 1080p gaming. It also comes with a slightly better 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, which is a tad bit faster in terms of processing.

While the exact benchmarks aren't known for the Z2 A, we could refer to the performance metrics of the Steam Deck, which features an almost identical Zen 2 chip with RDNA 2. Based on available game data, the Lenovo Legion Go's Z1 Extreme delivers roughly a 50-70% performance advantage over the ROG Xbox Ally's Z2 A.

The Steam Deck tops out at 3.5 GHz, whereas the Z2 A can boost up to 3.8 GHz, which is about an 8-9% increase. Combined with the Ally’s higher power ceiling or TDP, you could expect 5-10% higher performance on the Z2 A.

	ROG Xbox Ally (Ryzen Z2 A)	Lenovo Legion Go (Ryzen Z1 Extreme)
Architecture	Zen 2	Zen 4
Graphics	RDNA 2	RDNA 3
Boost Clock Speed	Up to 3.8 GHz	5.1 GHz
Default TDP	15W	28W
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	36 FPS (High, 800p)	37 FPS (Medium, 1080p)
Cyberpunk 2077 (low settings, FSR)	30 FPS	60 FPS (Turbo mode, 30W)
GTA 5 (high settings)	40 FPS (720p)	71 FPS (1080p, Turbo mode, 30W)

All in all, the Lenovo Legion Go is the better handheld console when it comes to performance because of a better processor and higher memory. It can comfortably handle most AAA titles with ease, showing very playable framerates even on resolutions as high as 1080p.

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Display

The ROG Xbox Ally features a fixed 7-inch FHD display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Go comes with a detachable 8.8-inch QHD display with up to 144Hz refresh rate.

Both screens feature IPS display panels, which offer decent shadows and bright color tones. You also get up to 500 nits of brightness on both handhelds, so you can view them outdoors without an issue.

While this could affect portability, the larger 8.8-inch display of the Lenovo handheld console offers a much more immersive experience compared to the Xbox Ally. Moreover, the higher display resolution produces better image quality in games, making it a better option.

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Build and design

Both the Xbox Ally and the Legion Go have distinct designs (Image via Asus, Lenovo)

Both handheld consoles feature large builds. However, the Xbox handheld console features a bulky design due to its large controllers. The Lenovo Legion Go, while slightly bigger, features detachable controllers that make it slightly easier to carry around.

The ROG Xbox Ally features Hall Effect triggers, whereas the latter comes with Hall Effect analog sticks, both offering increased durability and precision. Both consoles also feature HD Haptics and a 6-Axis IMU gyroscope. The Legion Go also features a trackpad, giving it a slight edge in games that perform better with a mouse.

The ROG Xbox Ally has a ton of additional features where you can stream games from your Xbox to your Ally through Xbox Remote Play. With ROG XG Mobile, you can get up to RTX 5090 laptop GPU performance for a desktop-level experience on your handheld. Moreover, with this, you can even connect to a larger display to get the best performance and also the best visual experience.

The Legion Go, on the other hand, introduces multiple game modes apart from the standard handheld, like FPS mode, detachable mode, and more. With this, you can detach your controllers and play on a table, using the rear kickstand. You can connect to a monitor for a large-screen experience, or you can even connect it to your Legion Glasses for an immersive VR experience.

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Battery

The Xbox Ally features a 60 Wh battery, while the Lenovo Legion Go features a smaller 49.2 Wh battery unit. While the exact runtimes for the Xbox console are yet to be disclosed, the Legion Go lasts upwards of three hours of gaming. However, with some tweaks in the game settings or with less demanding titles, you could extend the battery duration by a small margin.

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Final verdict

In conclusion, we strongly feel the Lenovo Legion Go is the better handheld console in this comparison. This stems from the fact that the Legion Go has a better processor, a large display, and a slightly more portable and versatile design, thanks to the detachable controllers, a built-in kickstand, and a number of game modes.

While the ROG Xbox Ally is a good choice, it does not meet the performance levels of the Legion Go. However, it is super ergonomic in terms of design, and could potentially feature a slightly longer battery life due to its larger size and the more battery-efficient APU.

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