So let's get the basic details out of the way first. The Z2 Extreme version retails for MSRP $1349 but a base Z2 (not extreme) model exists for $1049 according to their website. Here's the Legion Go 2 specs: 8.8 inch 144hz OLED screen (the biggest difference between this and other handhelds); Detachable controllers; AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme Processor (there is a lower power base model as well); integrated AMD Radeon Graphics; 32GB memory; 1TB M.2 SSD (I understand it is possible to get up to 2TB but I haven't seen this version in the wild anywhere); a MicroSD card reader that works well.
The first takeaway from those specs you should get is that this is the most luxurious and prestige handheld gaming PC currently easily available on the market unless you start counting in OneXPlayer products and other niche handheld PC builds that tend to have better specs but also tend to be very expensive and require that you kickstart them first before you can get one. The OneXFly Apex, for example, is roughly equivalent but starts around $1700 MSRP for a lower end model with specs similar to the Legion Go 2.
So with that in mind, let's just say that the Legion Go 2 is the most expensive prestige level handheld gaming PC that is not necessarily aimed at enthusiasts alone; it's got plenty of functionality for anyone willing to fork over the money for a device that can also function as an on-the-go laptop substitute. I have already been hooking it up to my big monitor and speakers and connected it to a mouse/keyboard set up with a handheld dock and the device functions very well. In fact I have been able to get decent performance out of it playing games on the big screen, something that can be done with no effort using the detachable controllers (I hook them on to a rechargeable connector to turn them into a "real" controller). This is a hard feat on other devices which requires messing around in Windows settings to get the devices to acknowledge an external controller and not keep defaulting to the embedded controllers. Legion Go 2? It does this effortlessly.
You can get a lot of rechargeable connectors out there (Jsaux has a good one) and it doesn't matter if they are for the original Legion Go or not, they work just fine with the LeGo 2 controllers, which are both retro- and forward compatible with the original legion Go controllers. Unlike the original, the LeGo 2 controllers work very nicely out of the box, and while you can tamper with their settings and calibration, I have not yet needed to do so....in contrast, with the original Legion Go I spent a lot of time tinkering and had to consult online communities for advice.
The Legion Go 2's other and probably most amazing feature is its gorgeous 8.8 inch OLED screen. This is bar none the most satisfying screen experience you can get on any handheld device on the market right now that I know of, and that feature coupled with a powerful processor and enough RAM (32 GB) it can run most games on average or even high settings at the 1200p native resolution on this thing, which means it borders on "a normal gaming experience" when playing games. The LeGo 2 does not make you feel like you are making any compromises in your gaming experience with it.
Games I have been playing on the LeGo 2 include Hell is Us, The Crew Motorfest, Destiny 2, Atomfall, the ever-present Deadzone Rogue, and The Callisto Protocol. I have not as of yet run into a game that could not be played on the device, or which required me to settle for a suboptimal experience. Most of the time the autodetect settings in the respective games seem to recognize and adjust, but occasionally a game will default to high or even epic settings, which may not be optimal; average settings at 1200p are great for most, but some high settings at 1200p will also work fine, and on occasion dropping the resolution a bit can yield good results with high or even epic settings. Destiny is running on high settings with max resolution and getting 60+ FPS, for an example of a game that runs very well on this device.
The Legion Go 2 has one glaring issue: it is heavy, it feels good in the hands but its weight is just a bit too much for the intended purpose as a handheld. I have repeatedly found its optimal play approach is actually to use the kickstand to prop the screen and then detach the controllers and play it that way. In this mode the LeGo 2 both excels and make me think that was really the best way to play as envisioned by its designers.
For sound the device is far superior to the original Legion Go, but its not as good as the MSI Claw 8 AI+ or the Xbox ROG Ally X, both of which have front-facing speakers and incredibly optimized sound quality. The Legion Go 2 does seem to have weird sound issues (it feels tinny and watered down) when navigating the Steam app, but the sound immediately improves when going into a game. The sound is decent....its just "decent" as opposed to "amazing."
The LeGo 2 also feels weighty and a bit awkward to carry by hand. There's no easy way to carry this that won't make you worry about its safety if you drop or bash it by accident. I purchased a silicone skin of Amazon for it that provides a decent layer of extra protection, albeit with the caveat that I must pull the skin off every time I want to play with detached controllers.
Because of the price it is hard to advise anyone go buy a Legion Go 2 unless you are very serious about your handheld gaming interests, but if you really do want the premium experience and like the idea of a device which emulates the Switch 2 aesthetic of playing with detachable controllers, that also connects to a big screen monitor without any issue, you may well find this to be your cup of tea. The fact that you can also get a Switch 2 which does all of this for a $450 price tag is the big problem; LeGo 2 works for me since I have an enormous library of Steam and GOG games (and even Xbox, though I haven't set that up on it as of yet) but if you were starting from scratch, I'd suggest that if the desire is just to have a convenient on-the-go experience then you probably should get a Switch 2, Xbox Ally or Steam Deck OLED. All of those are much cheaper and provide a perfectly find on-the-go experience.
If you really do like the idea of having a gameplay experience with a handheld that borders on proper competition with decent gaming laptops, gives you lots of flexibility in how you choose to play, provides the best screen experience you can get in a handheld and can still function as a full Windows 11 based PC and even substitute for a laptop during travel if you find a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, then the Legion Go 2 is perfect for you. But this thing is heavy, so just don't drop it! Solid A+ but maybe just a straight A due to being just a tad too heavy for its intended use as a handheld, offset by its flexibility for playing in detachable mode, or docking to a monitor.
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