Best Buy just slashed its top gaming handheld prices, but I’d urge you not to pick the highest spec option
The Asus ROG Ally and Legion Go are currently scrapping it out with discounts, but there’s a clear winner in my eyes. I’ve spent a significant amount of time with both portable PCs, and while Lenovo’s powerhouse features some pretty expensive specs on paper, its main rival strikes a much better balance in the hands.
Courtesy of a Best Buy 3-Day gaming flash sale, you can now grab the Asus ROG Ally for $549.99. The best gaming handheld contender has been sitting at $649.99 for a few weeks now, and while it’s $50 shy of its lowest ever price, I still enjoy seeing it drop in price. Keep in mind the portable originally arrived with a $699.99 MSRP, so you’re still paying far less for it than you would have back in 2023.
At the same time, the Lenovo Legion Go is also sitting pretty with its own discount. You’re actually getting more off the 8.8-inch device, with an $150 discount bringing it to $599.99 (was $749.99). That’s a pretty nice saving to say the least, and if you like the idea of using a portable rig with a speedy 144Hz QHD display then I wouldn’t blame you for jumping on it. That said, you’ll want to read on if you want a true insight into what both handhelds actually offer, as specs aren’t the only factor worth considering.
Lenovo Legion Go vs Asus ROG Ally: Which handheld should you buy?
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This isn’t the first time I’ve discussed whether you should buy a Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally, and I suspect it won’t be the last. To give you a straight answer, I would pick up the latter device over its larger rival at its current price, as it provides a more refined handheld experience overall.
In part, the Legion Go’s Achilles Hell is its specs. That might sound silly since higher resolutions and faster refresh rates should in practice benefit any gaming PC. The thing is, Lenovo’s handheld ambitions actually make the portable feel more like an experiment than a finished product, with its clunkier formfactor and no-so-comfortable detachable TrueStrike controllers not quite hitting the mark.
I would have cut the Legion Go some slack if it could use its higher spec screen to enhance playing the latest PC games on the go. But, as the portable comes armed with the same AMD Ryzen Z1 chip as the ROG Ally, and the chip doesn’t quite have what it takes to match its QHD 144Hz screen with suitable performance. Sure, you’ll be able to experiment with older games somewhat, but I imagine many players will be disappointed when they realize the realistic limitations of the package.
On the flip side, the Asus ROG Ally feels far more balanced. It’s rocking a Full HD 120Hz screen, which feels like a far more reasonable bar to set the handheld in terms of frame rates. Its integrated controls are comparable to some of the best PC controllers out there, and it ergonomically feels more like a console rather than a slab with laptop innards squeezed in.
Of course, the ROG Ally and Legion Go aren’t the only handhelds on the block, and there’s a strong case to be made for waiting on Black Friday Steam Deck deals instead. Yes, picking up the Steam Deck OLED will mean lower frame rates and compatibility quirks tied to SteamOS, but you’ll be getting a far more vibrant screen that can still hit 90Hz, albeit at 800p. Valve’s controls are also pretty swish, particularly if you like symmetrical sticks.
Can’t live without Windows 11? You might want to instead consider forking out for the Zotac Zone. The GPU maker’s handheld effectively target’s Valve’s OLED model with its own AMOLED screen, but offers up better performance using a beefier AMD Ryzen 7 8840U APU and wider compatibility beyond just Steam (Xbox Game Pass, Epic Game Store etc.) It even has dual touchpads and some refreshing pro controller elements like two-step triggers, but it’ll set you back $799. Yikes.
The ultimate takeaway here is that while the Lenovo Legion Go’s current discount is decent, it’ll need to drop well below the ROG Ally’s lowest price for me to recommend it. I’ll sing a different tune if it manages to drop under $500 during Black Friday this year, as it really needs to make up for its shortcomings with an attractive price.
Looking for more seasonal offers? Check out Black Friday TV deals and Black Friday monitor deals for screen savings. Alternatively, swing by Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals if you want something console-flavored.
