For those unfamiliar with the Lenovo Legion Go you’re probably curious about the start up process and time.
Being a Windows handheld computer means the startup times, and process are going to be very familiar for PC users. In fact, with the exception of a custom splash screen, it’s exactly the same.
Time to Start
Assuming you don’t pollute your Lenovo Legion Go with crapware, the boot up time should be very fast. I’ve clocked an average of 12-14 seconds from button press to an interactive Windows login screen.
Time to Sleep
The time to wake from Windows “sleep” mode is pretty much instant.
Time to Shut Down
The time to shut down is also quite fast, clocking in at 5-7 seconds in my tests.
Time to Restart
Combining shut down and boot up in one process we call “Restart” (I’m here all week folks), we get a time of… 45 seconds?!?
The restart time is a little surprising considering how fast the other times were but still not bad when considering that restart in this context means a true fresh boot whereas the shut down and start up process does not.
As a grown-ass adult, I don’t have the time or motivation to play games every. single. day. I do have a library of PC games, but not enough time or will to play any of them, let alone all of them.
Hence the decision to purchase Lenovo Go, which could utilize my existing game collection (Steam, Epic, EA, etc.) and not require purchasing a new library of games, as would have been required with something like a Nintendo Switch.
Why does this matter in the context of a long term review? I want you the reader to understand what kind of gamer I am, so as to better understand my expectations.
I am not playing all day. I am not spending my non-gaming time tweaking settings. I am not measuring FPS, or frame rates or any other metric to determine if my Legion Go is getting maximum performance. I have no plans or will to mod this thing, and I have no desire to spend any more time in Windows than I’m required.
Lenovo Legion Go Observations
I moved all controller games from my gaming PC to the Lenovo Go. I have an Alienware where I formally played all of my games and using the Steam Link, streamed them to my TV. The Lenovo Go replaced the Steam Link part, as well as my need to use my gaming PC for any controller based games. As a result I’ve removed all controller games from my gaming PC and shifted them to my Lenovo Legion Go. Keyboard/mouse games like CS:GO remain on my Alienware.
I use it less than I thought. I didn’t have high expectations as most gadgets don’t live up to the usage expectations. However, even with the slightly improved living room TV experience I’m not using it a ton. This one is mostly on me, but it’s worth mentioning when dropping more than $800 on a new device. Lesson: maybe the $400 device is enough.
Updates have been smooth. I’ve had no issues with Windows, or the Lenovo software update process. I’ve resisted the urge to fiddle, and tweak which I believe has served me well. With any Windows gaming device there’s always a need to tweak game and performance settings (more on that later) but I’m a firm believer in playing games over modding/fiddling (Jerry: not that there’s anything wrong with that!)
My playtime rarely exceeds the battery life. Unless I’m playing with someone else, I find myself ending my session with 25-40% of the battery remaining. The lesson here is don’t sweat battery specs unless you’re a sweat.
Hooking up to my TV can be a nightmare. It’s not so much a problem connecting the Legion Go itself, as it is what happens when I launch a game. Some games just don’t handle it well, and I have to spend time tweaking the resolution in either Windows or the game. Then I have to decide to mirror or extend my screen. Extending makes sense, but then that opens up new issues with games that don’t handle multiple monitors. Mirroring sort of makes sense, but it seems like a waste of resources. Disabling the primary works, until you have a Windows problem and are forced to use your TV. And to top it off, sometimes the picture just goes sideways and the only fix is either changing Windows display settings or rebooting the device. To make matters even worse, sometimes there’s no audio so you either have to play the audio through the tiny LeNoGo speakers or nothing at all (I “solved” this by connecting to my soundbar via Bluetooth). Nothing quite like playing a video game on mute!
Built in software is 50/50. While I enjoy (and sometimes use in a panic) the right button / quick settings screen. The Legion Go Space app (left shortcut button) is only okay. While I like the concept of aggregation, the app doesn’t reliably launch applications so I typically go directly to the desired launcher: Epic, Steam etc.
Lack of dock is annoying. While I know many have used Steam Deck docks, the lack of an official dock is an oversight. The other issue I have is that I use one USB-C cable for power, and the other for HDMI out. That means I have a cable coming out the top and the bottom of the device. For optimal air flow, I keep the device standing up with the kickstand, but then the cable coming out of the bottom is awkwardly pinched. Hard to describe in words, better to show a picture.
Nothing like placing your $800 gaming device precariously on the edge of your TV stand so you don’t crimp or damage your USB-C cable and port. A dock would solve this but come on Lenovo! This is silly. Note: It can only be laid down if the controllers are attached because if not, there’s no airflow.
I need more time.
I simply need more time to game and work out my various issues. My goals for the next 6 months are as follows:
Install more emulators. The best games are older.
Play different games, I tend to get stuck in a rut.
Play more on the TV. I need more living room time to work out my issues, and because it’s better than sitting on my gaming PC.
Figure out my dock situation. I know I can solve the awkwardness with some accessories, I just want to pick the right ones!
Try out the FPS mode, and overall explore more device features. I need to spend more time on Reddit looking at what the fanboys are doing with their devices.
While my Lenovo Legion Go unboxing post mentioned some of my first impressions, I thought it helpful to expand on my experience over the first few days.
I remain impressed. While no device is flawless from start to finish, the Lenovo Legion Go continues to impress after a solid week of play.
My 22 first impressions in bullet list form:
The screen is big, and fabulous.
The device is big, but not too heavy to hold for 30-45 min.
Running Windows is a double edged sword. It offers access to all my libraries but some games require tweaking, and some games just don’t work well.
I had one worrisome issue, where the device would not power on. A quick visit to Reddit gave me the solution: hold power for 15-20 seconds. According to the post (and others) Windows can have sleep issues…
I easily paired my two Steam controllers and Xbox controller.
I had to admit I prefer my Xbox controller over all others including the built in ones.
The buttons on the back side of each controller are somewhat annoying as they are easily pressed when picking up, holding or playing. Thankfully they do nothing in most games and applications.
Make sure to check Legion Space for updates, as well as Windows. If you have experience setting up a new Windows PC, you know the drill.
Battery life is so-so. This is a powerful device, and therefore you should never stray far from your power source.
Some people complain about fan noise, it has never bothered me.
I easily connected the device to my TV although without an official dock, it’s a little clumsy.
Speaking of, there’s no official dock! An oversight for sure, most people buy Steam Deck docks.
I haven’t had time yet to try out the novel “FPS” or First Person Shooter mode. Basically the right controller turns into a mouse, and for someone like me who’s terrible with controllers in FPS games this sounds intriguing.
Some people have reported “wobbly” controllers but I’ve yet to have an issue. From what I hear you either have it out of the box, or you don’t. Thankfully I don’t.
When I called Lenovo support for my “won’t wake up issue” they weren’t super helpful, or knowledgeable. I had to use Reddit to find a solution.
My living room experience was decent, but some games had “two controller” issues and one a TV/second screen issue. It’s probably the games’ fault, but I won’t know until have more hours of playtime on my TV.
The quality of the device feels exceptional. The photos and videos online do not do it justice. I was briefly worried about the quality of the controllers but have been impressed with the build and feel.
The kickstand kicks ass. It’s offers a wide range of movement for upright, and tilted back orientation.
The hard shell case is nice, but there’s no room for the charger. Bonus point for the hole in the front that allows charging with the case closed.
Out of the “big three” launchers, Steam handles controllers and the touch UI the best. EA is annoying to use specifically scrolling which is finicky.
Speaking of the touch UI, Windows with touch is actually decent and you’ll find yourself not using the touchpad as often as you’d expect.
Legion Space, and the Lenovo hardware control panel interface, both available via hardware buttons are nice features and provide quick access to all the primary functions (gaming and config).
I spoiled myself and purchased a Lenovo Legion Go (you can grab one from Best Buy). While seemingly out of character of me to purchase such an expensive toy, the Legion Go (or LeNoGo as I lovely call it) was the best fit for my needs. And besides, using “boy math” my purchase was “free” as it was funded by a small profit in crypto (try not to roll your eyes).
But I digress, the Legion Go so far is a fantastic device. Granted, one that I’ve had for only a weekend.
I chose the Legion Go because I am a PC gamer, and have libraries across several launchers. While I know I could have modded a Steam Deck, or chose one of the other new gaming Windows devices, the Legion Go was just the right mix of power, form factor and compatibility.
Without further adéu here is my Lenovo Legion Go unboxing post with photos.
Lenovo Shipping
Before I begin with the photo show I wanted to highlight how amazingly communicative Lenovo was regarding shipment. I’ve never purchased anything online with more communication. The icing on the cake was the live UPS map that allowed me to track the delivery in real-time to my door. Which turned out to be essential as it required a signature and I was not home (special thanks to my Ring doorbell)
Here’s my Gmail inbox showing emails at every step:
It Arrives! Well padded.
Open box showing a fancy sleeve and space on the right for the 65W USB-C charger.
It has a hard shell case!
Open case showing lift strap. The case is tight, which is good and bad (more on that later).
The LeNoGo outside the case showing that there’s no room for the charger! I have no idea what that plastic thing is (yet).
Open case showing screen cleaning cloth with instructions on how to launch Legion Space… I didn’t see and blew right past.
Boot screen showing Lenovo Legion logo. Exciting!
Aaand it’s just Windows 11. Underwhelming and exciting as “it’s just Windows” is primarily why I chose the Legion over the Steam Deck, or Nintendo Switch.
Windows 11 touchscreen desktop. The touchscreen is quite usable in Windows making the tiny trackpad almost unnecessary.
Detached controllers which are both very cool and difficult to get used to after decades of using traditional one-piece controllers. Note: There are several 3D-printable bridges or connector for these controllers. Check out the forums!
The backside showing the very sturdy and flexible kickstand (sorry about the smudges). Also worth noting the plethora of buttons on these controllers which makes picking it up without mashing a few buttons impossible.
Legion Go with a banana for scale. Yes it’s big.
Lenovo Legion Space app which consolidates all your launchers and games into one interface. It’s decent, and being tied to a hardware button makes it very practical. Impatient me didn’t really know about this, and I started by installing Steam which worked, but I should have gone slower and updated drivers first (yes I should have known better)
Bonus pic showing one of my favorite games in action: Sky Force
Another bonus picture showing the new Contra: Operation Galuga game with my (newly paired) Steam controller.
Final Thoughts
While waiting for Windows to update and reboot, I called support at 9:30 PM just to ask a question about registration. After pressing 2 and waiting for just 2 rings, a helpful man answered the phone! No waiting on hold, no menu maze, just a real person on the other line, and available so late! Lenovo clearly wants this Legion line of gaming products to succeed (or I got lucky).
It’s not as heavy as you’d expect. Yes it’s big, but it’s not so heavy as to make holding it a chore.
Detaching the controllers takes some practice. While easy, finding a method that isn’t clumsy takes time.
Pairing my Xbox and two Steam controllers via Bluetooth was super easy (it’s just Windows!)
Prepare yourself for updates galore. Both the Lenovo Legion Space app and Windows will have many updates that will need to be installed over your first few days.
The firmware update gave me a brief scare. As is typical with firmware updates the reboot didn’t go quite as smooth as expected and I had two boots where the device turned on, but the screen was inactive. Another reboot and it solved itself, however some of my games had their video settings reset.
I installed Steam, Epic, and EA with no issues. I have yet to find a game that will not run (I’ve installed about 10).
Generally speaking AAA games will require lower quality settings to run smoothly but all games look great thanks to the amazing screen.
Lots of performance options I have yet to dip into. I’m still new!
