With how high the gaming handheld market's prices are headed lately, I figure that any major deal on any device is worth calling out for my mobile PC gamers.

Standing in stark contrast to the $1,799 MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ that's launching this week is the Lenovo Legion Go S. Regularly priced at $711.13, it's now down to $549.99 (sold out, now $698 at Newegg, or $699 at Walmart) for a limited time during Amazon Prime Day.

This is the lowest price it's ever been, according to CamelCamelCamel, and it's a great opportunity to grab what is likely one of the last affordable gaming handhelds for a while.

• The best hand-picked Amazon Prime Day deals on Windows laptops, PC components, and Xbox gaming hardware chosen by our editors
• See all Prime Day deals at Amazon.com

Our take on the Lenovo Legion Go S

The Legion Go S is available with both Windows 11 and SteamOS operating systems, and we've reviewed both. More on that in a moment.

This model that's on sale for $549.99 (sold out, now $698 at Newegg, or $699 at Walmart) comes with Windows, allowing easy access to features like Xbox Game Pass and third-party launchers, something I sorely miss on my Steam Deck.

It has 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, 512GB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD storage, an 8-inch IPS display with 120Hz variable refresh rate and 1920x1200 resolution, and an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chip with 4 CPU cores and 12 GPU cores. It is, by all means, a lot of hardware for the asking price.

In both of our reviews, we called out the device's comfortable and polished design, including Hall Effect thumbsticks and overall snappy controls.

We also called out how great the display looks, thanks to its speedy 120Hz refresh rate, 1200p resolution, brightness, and full color.

When we reviewed the Windows 11 version of the Legion Go S in early 2025, we found it hard to justify its relatively high price. That's largely been taken care of with this sale, which drops it to the lowest price I've ever seen.

Battery life also wasn't that spectacular, though Windows has received a lot of attention since our review in terms of improving the handheld experience for performance and efficiency.

And don't think that the OS is permanent. If you're wishing the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S we reviewed were on sale, guess what? You can pick up the more affordable Windows version and replace the OS whenever you want.

Considering just how expensive gaming handhelds have become in recent months — even the most affordable Steam Deck is now sitting at $789 — this is an outstanding deal for anyone who wants to try out mobile PC gaming.

It's not the newest nor the most powerful device on the market, but it's also going to leave a whole lot of budget on the table for buying games.

I have no idea how long the $549.99 price will last (yeah, it sold out, now $698 at Newegg, or $699 at Walmart), so don't wait too long. It does require a Prime membership to cash in, but you can always sign up for a free 30-day trial and cancel before you're charged.

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No group has been more vocal about its AI-driven hardships than gamers. The modern silicon rush towards artificial intelligence and the colossal expansion of data centers have diminished the availability of consumer-grade PC components, particularly memory (RAM) and NAND storage (SSDs).

Hardly anyone can afford to build their own gaming desktop PCs, as the usual wallet-crushing cost of a graphics card (GPU) now bleeds into practically every other part you'd need. The answer, at least at first, was to pick up a ready-made alternative, like a portable PC gaming handheld.

Unfortunately, everything from the enduring Steam Deck to a high-end Lenovo Legion Go 2 has been afflicted by the industry's obsession with machine learning and other agentic AI fluff, though it's particularly egregious on the latter's side. Sadly, the Legion Go 2 is now listed at a baffling $2,349.99 at B&H, while Lenovo itself says the handheld is "no longer available" from its own US storefront.

Surprisingly, gamers were already paying $650 over MSRP for the Lenovo Legion Go 2 when it initially sold out, because it's just that good. And that's the real shame of it all: the Legion Go 2 is Lenovo's clever retort to portable consoles, almost like a Nintendo Switch that plays a practically endless library of PC games (and console games, if you dabble in legal emulation of your backups.)

But what's the point if hardly anyone can afford it? And let me be clear, I'm not trying to suggest that the Legion Go 2 was ever marketed as an "affordable" handheld; it's quite the opposite. However, I can't entertain the idea that it's worth more than $1,000 above its launch price, either. If even the wealthier gamers among us are being ripped off, what chance do the rest of us have?

Digging around competing retailers mercifully shows the faintest glimmer of hope: Best Buy lists the Legion Go 2 for $1,999.99, keeping that $650 premium alive and kicking. Nevertheless, I wouldn't expect to see Lenovo's $1,349.99 MSRP making a comeback any time soon, and I shudder at the thought of someone accidentally leaving their $2k handheld on public transport.

Handheld gaming on Windows has at least improved over recent months, with Xbox mode emulating the console-style UI of Valve's SteamOS. If the budget-friendly (white) ROG Xbox Ally manages to avoid this wave of price hikes, it'll likely remain the top recommendation among my team, but I'm not holding my breath. Want one? For now, the ROG Xbox Ally is holding steady at $599.99.

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As temperatures rise in the northern hemisphere, tech prices go down, at least for a short time. Memorial Day weekend deals slashes hundreds of dollars of laptops, making it a great time to pick up a PC.

Right now, you can grab the Lenovo Slim 3X for $518.33. Amazon doesn't mark it as a deal, but this is the lowest we've seen the laptop in a couple months.

The Lenovo Slim 3X is a thin laptop that easily lasts all day. It's an excellent choice for students or office workers.

I love the design of Lenovo laptops in 2026, and that includes the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X. Its rounded corners, comfortable keyboard, and lightweight body combine to make a snazzy little PC.

At 3.52 lbs, it's light for a 15-inch laptop, making it easy to carry around in a bag to work or school.

If you do carry the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X in a bag, you probably won't need to pack a charger. Thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor, the laptop lasts all day. Our friends at Tom's Guide highlighted how long the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X lasts in their review:

"By far the biggest strength of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x is its incredible battery life. It lasted 16 hours and 29 minutes in our battery life test, which is far more than enough for a full day at work or school. Battery life that long is especially impressive for a budget laptop like this one."

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X handles everyday computing well. It's not a powerhouse designed for heavy creative work or gaming, but it's great for web browsing, word processing, and basic apps.

As a budget-friendly laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X has an okay display and speakers that are a bit quiet. But there's always going to be some tradeoffs to get a PC into this price range.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X is a strong choice for anyone who needs a lightweight PC for everyday computing, especially considering the current discount on the laptop.

FAQ

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Lenovo's "Aura Edition" subcategory continues its unique partnership with Intel, featuring a line of Windows devices that lean heavily into the AI PC trend. At its surface, that's what this is: an Intel-powered laptop with smart software tweaks, but most of the magic usually comes from the Core Ultra processor inside and the chassis around it.

• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Ultra (Gen 11) Aura Edition for $1,889.99 at Lenovo USA

It's tricky to explain in a nutshell, so I tested the new Yoga Slim 7i Ultra (Gen 11) Aura Edition to go hands-on with an example — and to find out what's up with the specs and pricing. The US is missing the same flexible processor options I can access in the UK, and prices are fluctuating for Americans, too.

How much does the Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition cost?

Lenovo estimated the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition (Gen 11) would start at $1,499.99 USD when it announced the laptop at CES 2026, but that optimistic price has turned out to be closer to $1,629.99 $1,889.99 for a configured version on Lenovo's storefront (the price increased as I wrote this). Using the "Build Your PC" option, you can upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro for $50 and from 1TB to 2TB of storage for $190.

Whether you push to $1,869.99 $2,129.99 by upgrading its two customizable components will depend on personal preference and individual use cases. Otherwise, we're looking at a $130 $390 price increase since we saw the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition announcement in January.

In the United Kingdom, Lenovo starts the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition at £2,010, but you get more customization options. Crucially, you can choose from three of Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" processors: a Core Ultra 5 325, a Core Ultra 7 355, and finally, a Core Ultra X9 388H with upgraded Intel Arc B390 integrated graphics for an extra £250.

Is the Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition a good laptop?

At 2.15 lbs, this is one of the lightest 14-inch Windows laptops I've ever carried. Lighter than ASUS' Zenbook A14 (2.18 lbs) and Apple's 13-inch M5 MacBook Air (2.7 lbs), the magnesium-aluminum chassis still keeps it feeling solid and sturdy despite its featherweight build. The "thixomolding" procedure for its shell also means it feels particularly similar to the "Ceraluminum" ASUS used on standouts like the 14-inch Zenbook S 14, if slightly more glossy.

The 5.5-inch glass haptic touchpad also makes this laptop stand out from all the mechanical equivalents I've used before, though I'm not sure the technology proved to be quite as life-changing as I expected. Still, cursor control is smooth and responsive, complementing the deep 1.5mm key travel I expect from Lenovo's laptops. Just like the Slim 7i (Gen 9) I loved so much before it, this Aura Edition is a joy to use.

The webcam resides in a wide bar that slightly protrudes from the chassis, doubling up as a lip on the top lid that helps with single-finger opening. It's a great camera, and the speakers follow suit with impressive bass response in a setup with 2 woofers and 2 tweeters. An IR sensor enables Windows Hello for face-enabled logins and Human Presence Detection (HPD) that can blur my screen if "Shield Mode" is activated in Lenovo's Smart Modes via the F9 key.

There's a webcam shutter switch on the right side if you'd rather disable the camera altogether, though I quite enjoy using a "wake on approach" method with HPD enabled. Battery life on the Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition borders on the absurd, reaching over 18 hours in PCMark 10 tests that emulate constant productivity app usage and video playback. For an x86-64 PC, it's an incredible feat and a display of Panther Lake's ability.

Finally, the 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED touchscreen reaches 511 nits without HDR in my colorimeter testing, and setting the brightness to 74% gives you a comfortable 250 nits. Without any tweaking, the display achieves 100% color accuracy in the sRGB and P3 gamuts, while AdobeRGB comes in shorter at 87%. It's a beautiful panel with strong contrast, offering a standard 60Hz refresh rate or a smoother 120Hz mode. Zero complaints here.

Does the Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition have any issues?

Shrinking the hardware into this ultra-lightweight frame comes with I/O sacrifices. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition excludes USB-A, HDMI-out, and headphone options, leaving three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports with 45–65W power delivery and DisplayPort-out 2.1 for compatible external monitors. On the bright side, there's no proprietary AC adapter, but my USB-A dongles all need a hub or conversion cable.

Software bloat is still a minor gripe on Lenovo devices, and I found the usual McAfee (and WebAdvisor by McAfee) preinstalled, along with a Dropbox Promotion and an Adobe Creative Cloud advertisement in the Start menu. There's also a web shortcut to the Lenovo Subscription Marketplace pinned to the taskbar, which, again, is little more than a baked-in ad. Disappointing, but ultimately all removable with some user effort.

Lenovo says the Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition is "designed to deliver exceptional performance for gaming", but you'd need the higher-tier Core Ultra X processors and the more capable Intel Arc B390 integrated graphics to stand any chance of seeing evidence of that. With the standard integrated Intel Graphics in the Core Ultra 7 355 processor in my sample, Cyberpunk 2077 couldn't exceed an average of 26 FPS at its lowest settings.

Less demanding PC games wouldn't need such drastic graphics hardware, but that always feels like a cop-out. As hardware progresses, it's less and less interesting to see the likes of Minecraft advertised as running on modern laptops just to claim they're capable of PC gaming. Counter-Strike 2 couldn't reliably maintain more than 60 FPS on its lowest settings at 1680 x 1050 resolution, and the CPU climbed to 95°C, so gaming is off the table.

How fast is the Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition?

Lenovo advertises the Aura Edition range with phrases like "standout design, uncompromised power". The former is undoubtedly true for the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra, but the latter is muddied by its selection of the Core Ultra Series 3 family of processors. You see, the Core Ultra 7 355 is the sole option for US buyers, who aren't as lucky as those over in the UK, as we can upgrade to a high-end Core Ultra X9 388H — the 'H' meaning "highest performance".

This laptop deserves at least a Core Ultra X7 358H to match its stellar design and promises, a choice referenced in Lenovo's product specifications reference sheet for the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra. It's not that the Core Ultra 7 355 in my US-based sample is bad, as it can match or surpass the Core Ultra Series 2 "Lunar Lake" chips found in the Yoga Slim 9i (Gen 10) and Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (Gen 9).

It does fall behind the Core Ultra 155H "Meteor Lake" chip from two generations prior, found in one of my favorites, the Slim 7i (Gen 9) — admittedly an apples-to-oranges CPU comparison for a laptop that retailed for around $1,240 at the time. Still, the Core Ultra 7 355 offers tremendous battery life, and this Ultra Aura Edition Gen 11 beats the Gen 9 in most other ways that count.

The elephant in the room is the absolutely incredible Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11), powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite processor, which serves as a Windows on ARM alternative to the somewhat more traditional x86-64 chips on offer in this Intel-based Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition. There's no getting around it: the Yoga Slim 7x is extremely tempting, starting at just $1,099.99, and it comes from Lenovo itself. This laptop's biggest competitor is its sibling.

Should you buy the Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want the lightest 14-inch Windows laptop

✅ You're a frequent traveler who relies on long battery life

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You use graphic-intensive apps; upgrades will be needed

❌ You rely on USB-A devices or wired headphones without adapters

An "estimated" $1,499.99 starting price certainly made this laptop more exciting when Lenovo announced it at CES earlier this year, and even a bump to $1,629.99 was one I could handle. However, when the company triggered a second increase to $1,889.99 while I was testing the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition, its limited processor options in the US became harder to accept.

The Core Ultra 7 355 is still a great example of Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" chips and the tremendous power efficiency they offer, but the Yoga Slim 7x and its Snapdragon X2 Elite chip are likely to draw many buyers away. It'll mean losing out on the haptic touchpad, lower display refresh rate, and the lightweight chassis, but I can't imagine that's enough. A tricky one.

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Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) attempts to balance price, performance, and premium features, and indeed, its $1,199.99 starting price before any discounts should turn some heads.

It's built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 System-on-Chip (SoC), and it's the first Windows on ARM laptop that I've actually spent weeks using full-time for writing, heavy browsing, photo editing, streaming, and email.

Not only does it live up to the promises Lenovo makes, but it goes beyond in several areas. Here's what you need to know before buying.

How much does the Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) cost?

The Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) makes its debut at $1,099.99 at Lenovo's website. In this model, you get a Snapdragon X2 Plus (X2P-42) chip, 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and a 14-inch OLED touch display with FHD+ resolution.

Lenovo also offers a Snapdragon X2 Elite (X2E-80) config with 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and a non-touch FHD+ touch display for $1,699.99.

For $1,899.99, you can max everything out with the X2 Elite (X2E-88) chip, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and 2.8K OLED touchscreen.

As usual at Lenovo, you can configure your own model with a mix of hardware as required.

Here's a look at the specs in my review unit.

Lenovo supplied Windows Central with a review unit of the Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11). It had no input, nor saw the contents of the review, prior to publication.

Does the Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) have premium features?

From a design standpoint, the Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) is rock-solid. Its aluminum chassis is rigid, it doesn't creak when twisted, and everything lines up perfectly. MIL-STD-810H certification proves its durability.

It's extremely thin, made to look more so with its wedged shape. The rounded edges hardly have enough space for a USB-C port, and at its thickest point, it measures just 0.55 inches (with the lid included). Weighing 2.73 pounds, it's easy to carry all day.

Not enough space for a varied selection of ports

It's so thin, in fact, that Lenovo doesn't include any ports other than three USB4 (using the USB-C form factor).

No 3.5mm audio, no USB-A, and no HDMI means you'll most likely need a handful of adapters or a Thunderbolt docking station when using accessories.

A power button and a manual e-shutter toggle also reside on the side of the PC.

Superb audio quality and a high-res webcam

Lenovo fit two 2W tweeters and two 2W woofers into the laptop, half in a top-firing orientation flanking the keyboard, and the others on the underside of the chassis. Audio has plenty of volume, some decent bass, and Dolby Atmos tuning for extra control. I have no complaints, especially from a laptop this thin.

The webcam is a similar story. At 9.2MP, it provides clarity beyond what's found in standard 1080p fare, and I appreciate the manual e-shutter for extra privacy.

The webcam lives in a raised comms bar above the display, providing more space for additional features like a manual e-shutter and IR sensor for facial recognition through Windows Hello.

Beyond just unlocking your PC with biometrics, Lenovo has included Human Presence Detection (HPD) capabilities that can lock and unlock your PC automatically when you depart or approach. HPD also ties into battery saving and OLED care settings, of which there are plenty in Lenovo's onboard Vantage app.

I love the keyboard, but I wish for a haptic touchpad

The keyboard's travel is deep enough that I've typed tens of thousands of words without experiencing any fatigue. As usual for Lenovo, key spacing is perfect, keycaps are slightly cupped, and there's a bright backlight to help with working in the dark.

Now that I've used a few haptic touchpads on modern laptops, I've come around to them being the superior option. With no moving parts, they're more reliable and accurate than traditional mechanical fare.

Of course, they also cost more to implement, and in a value-conscious laptop like the Slim 7x, I see why Lenovo went with a standard touchpad. I love its size, and it's admittedly about as quality as mechanical pointers get. It's firm when clicked and points accurately.

Is the Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11)'s 2.8K OLED display worth the upgrade?

The Yoga Slim 7x has a few different OLED touch displays with either a 1920x1200 (FHD+) or a 2880x1800 (2.8K) resolution. Aside from pixel count, the biggest differences involve brightness and refresh rate.

The FHD+ model I have in the review unit tops out at 400 nits (SDR) or 600 nits (HDR); what's advertised is accurate based on my testing with a colorimeter. Unfortunately, the FHD+ version is capped at a 60Hz refresh rate, and there's a fair amount of glare if you're working in a bright space.

The 2.8K display hits 120Hz, making it much easier on the eyes, and it also gets significantly brighter at 600 nits (SDR) and 1,100 nits (HDR). All screens have Dolby Vision, and they all have a glossy finish with anti-fingerprint properties.

I ran a color gamut check on the FHD+ display, revealing 100% sRGB, 95% AdobeRGB, and 97% P3, making it suitable for specialized tasks like photo editing. And because it's OLED, you get perfect contrast without any backlight bloom.

Considering the 2.8K touch OLED upgrade is only $60 more, I recommend going for it no matter what. Battery draw from the extra pixels shouldn't be enough to notice, and your eyes will thank you for doubling the refresh rate.

Is the Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) powerful AND efficient?

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite (X2E-88) System-on-Chip (SoC) is a marvel. With 18 cores, a turbo boost clock up to 4.7GHz, and 53MB of available cache, it has crushed everything I've thrown its way over the weeks.

It comes in just behind the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme (X2E-94) chip that we tested in the awesome ASUS Zenbook A16, but believe me, just because it's a lesser SKU doesn't mean it's not for you.

The X2 Elite (X2E-88) in the Slim 7x (Gen 11) trounces the Apple M5 chip in the MacBook Air in Geekbench, and it also destroys the Intel Core Ultra 7 355 chip that's available in the sibling Yoga Slim 7 Ultra Aura Edition. Testing in Cinebench reveals a similar story.

The laptop's dual fans have mostly remained dormant. They ultimately only kick on if I'm editing high-res photos, and usually only if I'm charging the battery at the same time (which creates extra heat inside the chassis). Otherwise, this is a silent PC.

Does the Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) have good battery life?

Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) has the best battery life of any laptop I've personally tested. The battery has a decent 70Wh capacity, and the lower-res FHD+ display at 60Hz no doubt helps push efficiency; nevertheless, it's a laptop that I use all day off the charger.

The longest the PC has been active without plugging in is around 24 hours. Now, that wasn't full-time use to be sure.

A more accurate reading of active battery life using Windows Performance mode comes out to about 14 hours from a charge. This is all based on the Windows Battery Report tool that delivers a history of charges and rundowns.

I've been consistently picking up the PC in the morning and using it for work all day without worrying about plugging in. The only thing I've found to sap battery faster than normal is Google Meet video conferencing.

Should you buy the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11)?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You're in search of a thin, light 14-inch laptop with high-end features in the $1,000 to $1,500 price range.

✅ You need a laptop with outstanding battery life and snappy performance.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You know for certain that your workload has issues with Windows on ARM.

❌ You're in search of a laptop to be used primarily for gaming.

The use of a Snapdragon X2 Elite SoC pushes the Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) into the realm of remarkable efficiency and performance. You might have a personal issue with Windows on ARM, but for my workflow, it's no problem at all.

Combine this power and efficiency with a high-end build quality, premium features like Human Presence Detection, quad speakers, 9.2MP camera, and OLED display, and you have a lot of PC for the asking price.

It's not perfect — the glossy display finish can be annoying and the FHD+ model's 60Hz refresh rate is a drag — but these are fairly easy to remedy with a $60 upgrade to a brighter 2.8K display at 120Hz.

The Slim 7x (Gen 11) is a laptop I can see fitting in perfectly with students, home business pros, and casual users who simply want a laptop for around $1,199 (even less when it's on sale) that feels like it should cost a lot more.

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ThinkPads are some of the most durable laptops around, and there never seems to be a shortage of enthusiasts who are proud to show off an ancient device that's still in working order.

If you've used a ThinkPad, you know that it comes with some features not regularly found anywhere else. One such piece of hardware is the ThinkPad TrackPoint system, consisting of a red pointing nub placed in the middle of the keyboard and accompanied by a set of physical buttons just above the modern touchpad.

The TrackPoint is a major part of ThinkPad's identity, and although it doesn't get nearly as much attention as it used to when laptop touchpads were not yet in such a great state, it certainly still has its uses.

And I'm not just talking about use as a touch alternative.

I built "FooTrack" – a completely hands-free, foot-operated PC mouse & gamepad using a ThinkPad TrackPoint. Looking for feedback from this community! from r/diyelectronics

This past weekend, I spotted what could be the most impressive second-hand use of a TrackPoint system. Reddit user Gitman_87, who is evidently the engineer behind the CtrlZ YouTube channel, posted a creation that they've dubbed "FooTrack."

As explained in the introductory post, Gitman_87 has been quietly developing FooTrack as an accessibility tool based on the TrackPoint's hardware.

Gitman_87 explains that the project is still in its infancy, and the community outreach on Reddit is mainly to gather feedback from potential users and other ThinkPad aficionados.

How does FooTrack work, and why is a ThinkPad TrackPoint's hardware perfect for the project?

ThinkPads last a long time, and even when they're well past their expiration date in terms of software compatibility, the hardware often lives on. I don't doubt that there are countless TrackPoint systems in working order that get sent to a landfill every year. Not only does that make the hardware cheap, but also rather plentiful.

The TrackPoint pointing nub relies on force input rather than distance, and Gitman_87 recognized that it could "translate into really smooth cursor or joystick control" based on micromovements from your feet.

A Raspberry Pi Zero is used alongside the TrackPoint controller inside the device, and a custom Wi-Fi UDP script allows for 100Hz polling to make it feel plenty smooth.

In a video posted on the CtrlZ YouTube channel, the creator shows off a padded cover installed atop a custom base that's housing the TrackPoint hardware and Raspberry Pi.

The video shows rather smooth navigation in Windows 11 using FooTrack. There's no gaming footage available yet, but the creator has stated that they're putting together a full presentation video for imminent release.

Although the creator originally began working on FooTrack as an accessibility tool for gamers, one response to the original post brings up the possibility of using FooTrack while programming. It's a pain to take your hands off the keyboard, and being able to move a cursor with your feet indeed seems like a no-brainer.

If you have any thoughts or useful feedback, I urge you to jump into the Reddit discussion and let Gitman_87 know what you think.

I truly think the creator is onto something here, especially if it actually works as well as it appears to in these early videos.

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Despite what I can describe only as one of the biggest dilemmas the PC industry has ever faced, global shipments of laptops and desktops have gone up in 2026.

As hardware costs continue to rise, forcing all brands to reevaluate pricing, a new report from Counterpoint Research reveals that global PC shipments grew by 3.2% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026.

That growth comes out to approximately 63.3 million units shipped in Q1 2026 compared to 61.4 million units in Q1 2025. As Counterpoint notes, this growth was caused by the rise of memory prices and the trailing effects of Windows 10's retirement.

ASUS, which I consider to be one of the most improved brands of late when it comes to hardware quality, saw the biggest growth at 20%. It shipped 4.8 million PCs in Q1 2026, though it remains in fifth place overall.

Lenovo, which has been the world's largest PC manufacturer for years, remains in top place with 9% growth, which comes out to 16.5 million units shipped in Q1 2026. Overall, it holds a 26% global market share.

HP remains in second place despite a 5% year-over-year decline, and Dell also holds its spot in third with a modest 8% increase. Apple's global shipments also grew by 11%, no doubt helped by the affordable MacBook Neo.

👉 Microsoft reveals major price increases for all Surface PCs as RAM crisis continues: Flagships now $500 more expensive than at launch

Weren't PC sales supposed to decline in 2026?

I've been keeping tabs on PC shipments and hardware prices ever since the AI-driven RAMpocalypse really kicked off in 2025, and there have been plenty of warnings from analysts that spiking costs will crater PC sales in 2026.

Unfortunately, the growth seen in Q1 2026 isn't actually a sign that PC sales have leveled off. As I mentioned above, this is more about the lasting effects caused by panic buying and Windows 10 users upgrading to Windows 11 PCs.

It's not all bad news, at least for the big PC brands. Counterpoint suggests that a combination of Windows 10 upgrades, interest in Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 chips, and demand for AI PCs using Intel and AMD hardware will help balance growth as we head into 2027.

As noted by Senior Analyst Minsoo Kang, "the PC market's decline is likely to be less pronounced compared to other consumer electronics segments."

It's not looking good for the smaller PC brands

The five companies at the top of Counterpoint's charts ship almost 80% of the world's PCs. Counterpoint lumps other, smaller brands into the same category. Overall, this section fell by 7% year-over-year.

This data aligns with an IDC study I covered in January 2026, which warned that "smaller brands may not survive, and consumers, particularly DIY enthusiasts, may delay purchases or shift their spending to other devices or experiences."

Market growth will ultimately hinge on supply chains, says Counterpoint, as well as the ability to shift away from "low-margin models to more sustainable mid-tier and premium segments."

Windows Central's take

As someone deeply involved in the PC world, I hate to see all the negative market predictions. What's worse is the assumption that entry-level PCs will all but disappear in the next year or two.

Although I love to test the most premium hardware, the reality is that a majority of Windows users are buying in the sub-$1,000 range.

If that market completely disappears, we'll be having an entirely new conversation about how to keep your PC going even when it's far past its expiry date.

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When Lenovo introduced its Qira AI assistant at CES 2026, it was the first "ambient intelligence layer" concept shown off by one of the major PC brands.

Designed to operate seamlessly across Lenovo's PCs and Motorola phones, Qira wants to be your digital twin that's always present and always ready to help. I got a hands-on demo with Qira and came away intrigued at what it will theoretically be capable of when it launches.

I always suspected that Qira wouldn't be the only AI intelligence layer on the market, and indeed, HP introduced its new HP IQ "AI orchestrator" during its Imagine 2026 event hosted on March 24.

These AI assistants seem quite similar at first glance, but the more I've dug into the details, the more I can see how they're actually different. Let me explain.

Lenovo Qira is a lifestyle AI assistant designed to be your digital twin

Lenovo made a big deal of Qira at CES 2026 on the demo floor and during presentations, and it came across to me that it's more of a lifestyle AI assistant that's ready to help with work and with play.

Lenovo envisions Qira as becoming your digital twin over time as it learns your interests and habits, enabling it to take proactive steps to streamline your life at work and at home.

It's "always present" and ready to "support you in the moment," whether you're working at a PC or enjoying some downtime on your phone.

What I saw seems like a boon for someone as disorganized as I am. Qira is able to carry out instructions in apps on your PC or phone (online or offline), and it is able to coordinate with other AI agents on your behalf. Here are some of Qira's abilities highlighted by Lenovo:

• Next Move: Qira offers proactive and contextual suggestions based on the task at hand.
• Chat Mode: Text chat naturally with Qira and have access to all previous conversations and docs from other devices.
• Live Mode: Share your screen or camera, or just talk to Qira about what's happening around you.
• Catch Me Up: A notification organizer that's especially useful on a phone.
• Pay Attention: Qira records and summarizes your meetings and classes. Can also provide live translation.
• Write For Me: Rewrites your text to be more casual, professional, or enthusiastic.
• Creator Zone: An image creator and editor that uses your PC's NPU instead of the cloud.

Because it remembers who you are (it is your digital twin, after all), it works seamlessly across all of your Qira-compatible devices.

On what devices does Lenovo Qira run?

Qira is designed to run on Lenovo's laptops, tablets, and desktop PCs, on Motorola phones, and on a range of wearable, all-seeing and all-hearing devices that have yet to make it past experimental stages.

When not in use, Qira fades into the background until required. When in use, a toolbar expands with extra controls. Qira can be controlled with voice and with text.

How does Lenovo Qira handle your data?

A digital twin wouldn't be much without access to a lot of your data, so there are certainly some privacy concerns. Lenovo hasn't exactly made it clear how it will handle data security, but the company promises to have a "very transparent and clear approach for the user."

Qira will either process data locally or in the cloud, depending on your request and your device's capabilities. Lenovo isn't trying to compete with Copilot, Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT, or any of the other big AI firms.

Instead, it will intelligently select which LLM is best for the task at hand and tap it for help. So, yes, your data will be sent out to the cloud if you allow it.

HP IQ is a professional intelligence layer to boost productivity in workplaces

HP introduced IQ as a "workplace intelligence layer" that's designed to coordinate your workflow across HP's PCs, essentially creating a "connected ecosystem" of AI-capable devices.

HP is focusing heavily on professionals with its AI intelligence layer. At its core, it aims to alleviate the redundancy of routine tasks. HP IQ includes four primary AI tools.

• Ask IQ: "Intelligent, contextual answers and guidance" with voice and text requests.
• Analyze: Summarize personal documents (PDFs, PowerPoints, Word) and get insights on what to do next.
• Notes & Knowledge: An interaction tracker that saves notes and actions to help you pick up right where you left off. Includes a search function.
• Meeting Agent: Can record notes and capture ideas from meetings without switching apps or other interference.

These four tools make up the core of HP IQ, but the feature that has me most intrigued is HP NearSense, a "spatial intelligence" that alleviates pain points surrounding PC-to-PC file sharing and collaboration.

With NearSense enabled, files can be shared by dragging and dropping in real time between select HP laptops and Android phones. The same goes for one-click video meetings and collabs.

HP plans to expand NearSense to its broader ecosystem over time, adding Poly video, printers, desktops, workstations, and accessories into the mix.

Windows Central Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino got a hands-on demo of HP IQ at Imagine 2026, including a look at its Visor PC interface. It's essentially a drop-down half-window that opens up when you need it, with quick access to HP IQ's AI-powered tools.

On what devices does HP IQ run?

HP IQ is first coming to the new EliteBook X G2 laptops, and the company expects to roll out the feature to more HP devices later in 2026.

Thanks to the use of Google's Device-to-Device-Infrastructure (D2DI) for NearSense, the local file sharing and collaboration features will also work on Android devices. This cross-platform interoperability is expected to arrive "later this year."

How does HP IQ handle your data?

In contrast to Lenovo Qira, which operates locally and in the cloud, HP IQ is designed to keep all of your data on your device.

That's ideal for professionals who can't trust sending sensitive information to any cloud. Because HP IQ relies completely on the local device, a capable Neural Processing Unit (NPU) will be required. That's undoubtedly why HP IQ is only arriving on select notebooks to start.

When do Lenovo Qira and HP IQ officially launch?

Lenovo Qira is still expected to launch on select Lenovo devices beginning in Spring 2026. It's expected that Motorola devices will receive Qira following the Lenovo PC rollout.

HP IQ is also coming to select HP AI PCs in Spring 2026. The rollout for other HP devices is expected to occur in Summer 2026. Android compatibility is coming later this year.

What do you think about Lenovo and HP's AI-powered intelligence layers?

Are these tools something you can see yourself using? Would you rather trust one that keeps all data on your device rather than calling out to the cloud? How would you use these AI tools? Let me know in the comments section below!

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Lenovo's ThinkPad T14 is a successor to the legendary T490, and since its first launch in 2020, it has continued the legacy as a staple business laptop for enterprise and professional buyers.

Revealed at MWC 2026 alongside a refreshed ThinkPad X14 Detachable, Lenovo's latest refresh of the ThinkPad T14 is now in its seventh generation, available with both Intel and AMD hardware.

Just one day after its announcement, the new T14 (Gen 7) was highlighted by iFixit for its repairability. It scored a perfect 10/10 on iFixit's repairability scale, and it's the first time a T-series ThinkPad has ever done so.

And it's not just the 14-inch model; the ThinkPad T16 (Gen 5) also received a perfect 10/10 score.

Why is iFixit's laptop repairability rating such a big deal?

If you haven't heard of iFixit, fret not. It's a California company that focuses on device teardowns, repair guides, and ratings, and it's trusted by countless PC users to give accurate info about their hardware. The company is a major supporter of the "Right to Repair" movement.

iFixit has a public repairability scoring rubric available to check out, and it lists everything from design (how easy a PC is to repair) to repair document availability to part availability and cost.

It's a rather thorough analysis, and only a handful of other laptops have received a perfect score. Framework's Laptop 13 and Laptop 16 are on the list, as are several of HP's older EliteBooks and a 2017 Dell Latitude E5270.

iFixit's ThinkPad T14 blog post goes into detail about how Lenovo managed to rise from a 9/10 score with a 2024 ThinkPad T14 model to the perfect score we see today with the 2026 models.

On Lenovo's side, it tackled challenges like placing serviceability at an earlier point in development to help reduce constraints based on "structural, material, or layout decision that are already locked."

It also had to balance repairability without changing the ThinkPad's core perks, including snappy performance, durability, and thermal efficiency.

iFixit lists seven key repairable areas in the new ThinkPad T14 and T16 that helped drive a perfect score:

• An easily swapped battery with a nearly tool-free procedure
• Industry-standard M.2 SSD storage
• One of the easiest keyboard replacement procedures we’ve ever seen
• LPCAMM2 memory that’s fast, efficient, and easily serviced
• Streamlined display repairs
• A modular cooling system, with an independently replaceable fan
• Fully modular Thunderbolt ports

In response to iFixit's perfect rating, Lenovo says that "10/10 isn't the destination" and that this level of repairability is "the new baseline" going forward. iFixit does note that this score is temporarily provisional as it finalizes a few sections of its tests, including part availability and access to user manuals.

Regardless, this is great news for all PC buyers as markets are squeezed by global hardware shortages and laptop lifespans become ever more important.

The new ThinkPad T14 (Gen 7) and ThinkPad T16 (Gen 5) are expected to launch in Q2, starting at $1,799.

What do you think about Lenovo's perfect ThinkPad iFixit repairability score?

Lenovo's ThinkPad lineup making it to the top of iFixit's repairability rankings was a long time coming. Do you believe that Lenovo will expand this design to other ThinkPads? What about consumer laptops?

Additionally, I'd like to know what is the most repairable laptop you've ever used. Which parts have you most repaired on your laptops? Please let me know in the comments section!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Only a few months ago, Lenovo's Legion Go handheld gaming PC lineup received an update that improved support for the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE), introducing optimizations to help the handheld run the efficiency-centric gaming interface even more smoothly when manually enabled.

Now, it looks like Lenovo is taking another step towards broader implementations. Lenovo's community manager shared on X that users can now register for early access to Xbox FSE on the Legion Go (via VideoCardz).

Of course, you might already have the Xbox Full Screen Experience running on your Lenovo Legion Go since we've been able to enable FSE on any handheld, or even a standard Windows PC, using tools like AnyFSE. It isn't limited to the official Xbox app either, and it can launch straight into Steam Big Picture mode if you prefer (or any other app).

Xbox Full Screen Experience is essentially an answer to what Valve offers in SteamOS, giving Windows handhelds a more console-like experience by booting directly into the Xbox app (in full screen, naturally) and reducing background Windows tasks while gaming.

Lenovo's Legion Go handheld lives on despite recent reports suggesting the device would no longer receive future Z1 Extreme graphics driver updates. That confusion began with AMD ending its plans to provide Z1E graphics updates, but soon after, Lenovo clarified that it would still support the Legion Go (via Reddit).

And now, it's receiving another update so Legion Go users can sign up to test the Xbox Full Screen Experience in a more official capacity, with slightly fewer manual tweaks!

🗨️ Do you already use Xbox FSE?

Xbox Full Screen Experience has already been available on devices like the Xbox Ally, as well as some MSI handhelds, for a while now. Support continues to expand as more devices begin testing the interface.

With that in mind, I would love to know if you actually like the experience, or if you have even used it yet.

Let us know in the comments, and take part in my poll!

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The PC hardware you and I use today for work and for gaming had to start somewhere, and that somewhere often involves a concept or pioneering device that changed our expectations (and the overall market) for the better.

Lenovo's Legion Go Fold, unveiled earlier this week at MWC 2026, is one of the company's most ambitious concept devices. That's saying a lot for Lenovo, which historically hasn't been afraid to take chances and has produced some truly remarkable PC hardware.

It got me thinking: how many separate, older devices actually went into the Legion Go Fold's engineering choices? From the folding display to the removable gamepads to the detachable keyboard and stand, I went down a rabbit hole of PC and PC gaming concepts and found some remarkable products from days gone by.

1. Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Fold introduces folding screens to laptops

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Fold was first introduced commercially in 2020, but it went through several iterations behind the scenes before it hit the market. The X1 Fold is the first device I thought of when I saw the new Legion Go Fold.

No, the 2020 and 2022 Gen 2 models are not technically concepts in the sense that they were never launched commercially (they were), but they certainly showed other brands that a folding screen was possible.

HP's Spectre Foldable 17 followed the X1 Fold with a 2023 launch, adding a larger OLED screen and a more stylized, premium design synonymous with the (now retired) Spectre brand.

Going back a lot further in time, I came across devices like the Polymer Vision Readius, which featured a 5-inch rollable e-ink display. It was introduced at MWC 2008.

Also in 2008 came the Nokia Morph, a concept "phone" with a soft display that allowed the device to change into a tablet and a bracelet. It's butt-ugly and never made it into production.

Samsung is the company that really began pushing the idea of foldable OLED displays in 2013, which of course has now evolved into the handful of folding phones on the market today.

2. Razer's Project Fiona lays the groundwork for modern PC gaming handhelds

Gaming handhelds have a long history, running all the way back to the '70s with countless devices throughout the years. But PC gaming handhelds have a more recent origin story.

Sure, devices like the OQO Model 01 from 2004, the Sony Vaio UX from 2006, and Microsoft's Project Origami from the same year were some of the original handhelds that shipped with Windows, but they weren't cut out for gaming.

The Linux-powered Pandora was fairly popular amongst mobile gamers for a few years after it launched in 2010, but it was Razer's Project Fiona concept that really showed us the future of PC gaming handhelds with controllers flanking a large screen.

It launched in 2013 under the "Razer Edge" name, not to be confused with the more modern resurrection. Featuring up to an Intel Core i7 CPU, NVIDIA GT640M LE GPU, 8GB of DD3 RAM, and running Windows 8, it made its debut at $999.

The 2016 GPD Win made a splash with its Nintendo 3DS folding design. Speaking of Nintendo, we got the original Switch in 2017, which added removable wireless controllers, something Lenovo later used in its Legion Go and now the Legion Go Fold.

Alienware's Concept UFO, unveiled at CES 2020, never became anything official despite it being the first look at what I'd consider modern PC gaming handheld design. It was Valve with its SteamOS-powered Steam Deck in 2022 that created a wave of PC handheld gamers unlike anything seen before.

3. Microsoft's Surface lineup shapes the 2-in-1 PC landscape

Lenovo's Legion Go Fold can also be used as a 2-in-1 laptop with a detachable keyboard and folding stand, just like the Surface Pro. For our regular readers here at Windows Central, I'm sure Surface needs no introduction.

For everyone else, Microsoft debuted the Surface RT in 2012 and followed it up with the first Surface Pro in 2013. The latter device proved to be a lot more popular, and it spawned generations of Surface Pro all the way up to the latest Surface Pro 11.

The vast majority of competing 2-in-1 PCs all use the Surface Pro design that Microsoft perfected.

Going back a whole lot further in time, I'm fairly certain that the Compaq Concerto was technically the first detachable laptop with a screen that supported a rudimentary form of inking. It launched in 1993 and shipped with MS-DOS 6.2.

The Concerto was notably included as a prop in the 1995 movie Die Hard: With a Vengeance; it was used by the protagonist, Simon Gruber, to build a bomb.

How many PC concept devices did I miss? I want to hear from you!

My deep dive into PC concepts and pioneering devices that contributed to the 2026 Legion Go Fold is no doubt missing some hardware, and I'd love for you to help me fill in the gaps.

What is your favorite concept device of all time? How long ago did you first get your hands on one? What was it? Let me know in the comments section!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Lenovo's versatile and compact Yoga 7 2-in-1 convertible laptop is always a solid value with its 2K OLED display and strong Ryzen AI processor performance, but right now, for a very limited time, you can save an extra $350 on a PC that's already less than $1,000.

That brings the total down to just $599.99 at Best Buy, a price that seems unfair for this level of PC. The drawback? The promotion expires roughly 15 hours after the time of publishing this deal, so you won't want to wait around too long if it's what you need.

Why is Lenovo's 14" Yoga 7 2-in-1 such an easy recommendation?

Regardless of the pricing, Lenovo's 14-inch Yoga 7 2-in-1 is a PC that I've recommended to friends and family who want a versatile laptop with a lid that rotates 360 degrees to become a tablet. The fact that it's on sale for $350 less than normal only makes it more attractive.

The 14-inch form factor is essentially perfect for a 2-in-1 device that you'll sometimes use as a tablet. It's not too heavy, as Windows Central Senior Editor Ben Wilson discovered in his 16-inch Yoga 7i 2-in-1 review, and it's not so small that it will stand in the way of multitasking.

Despite its budget pricing, it comes with some rather nice specs, including a gorgeous OLED touch display with perfect contrast and deep color. It supports Dolby Vision, it hits up to 600 nits brightness, and it's certified for VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500.

The keyboard and touchpad are both super comfortable, and the keys are flanked by top-firing speakers with Dolby Atmos support. Above the screen is a 5MP camera that does a great job for video conferencing.

With some PCs this slim (it measures just 0.65 inches), you might expect a lack of port variety. Not so. The laptop includes HDMI 2.1, dual USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card reader.

In terms of performance, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 CPU is a strong performer that comes with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) powerful enough to handle Windows 11's Copilot+ AI tools. Combine the chip with 16GB of fast LPDDR5x RAM, a 512GB SSD, and battery life that Lenovo says can go for up to 22 hours when streaming video, and you have a system that can keep up with a busy lifestyle.

This deal that drops the Yoga 7's price to $599.99 at Best Buy is set to expire today, February 2, so you have about 15 hours left from the time of publishing to make a final decision.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

I have covered a lot of laptops over the years, but the Yoga 9i series has always held a special place for me. It is one of the few consumer Windows PCs that consistently feels like it was designed by people who actually use laptops every day. Lenovo has refined this formula for more than a decade, and the new Yoga 9i 2‑in‑1 Aura Edition Gen 11, announced today at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, shows a company that knows exactly what works and is not interested in fixing what is not broken.

This generation feels confident. It feels polished. It feels like a laptop that knows its identity and is not chasing trends.

A display that makes everything look better

The first thing that hits you is the screen. Lenovo kept the 14-inch 2.8K PureSight Pro OLED panel, but the specs have climbed into the territory where I start wondering if this is still a consumer laptop or a creator workstation pretending to be one. The display reaches 1100 nits peak brightness in HDR, covers the full sRGB, P3, and Adobe RGB color spaces, and has a Delta E under 1. The refresh rate goes up to 120Hz with variable refresh support.

That is a lot of technical jargon, but the short version is simple. Everything looks incredible. Colors are rich without being cartoonish. Text is crisp. HDR movies look like they were shot for this panel. Even the Windows 11 Settings app looks dramatic.

Lenovo also added a new Canvas Mode, which uses the included Yoga Pen Gen 2 case to lift the display slightly when it is on a desk. It is a small change that makes sketching feel more natural. The pen now supports AES 3.0, which improves precision and reduces latency. I still take handwritten notes in OneNote, so this is the kind of detail I appreciate.

The soundbar hinge continues to be Lenovo’s secret weapon

Every time Lenovo refreshes the Yoga 9i, I worry they will remove the rotating soundbar hinge. It is expensive to engineer and probably a nightmare to manufacture. Yet here it is again, and I am grateful.

The hinge houses two tweeters that always face upward, no matter which mode the laptop is in. Two woofers on the bottom round out the sound. The result is still the best audio experience you can get on a thin Windows laptop. The Gen 10 model already sounded great, but this one feels more balanced and more confident. Watching a movie on this thing is genuinely enjoyable, which is not something I say often about laptops.

A 2‑in‑1 that still takes the form factor seriously

Convertible laptops have become rare. Many companies treat them like a checkbox feature. Lenovo does not. The Yoga 9i 2‑in‑1 Aura Edition Gen 11 feels like a device built by people who actually believe in the 2‑in‑1 concept.

The Comfort Edge design returns with rounded edges that make it comfortable to hold in tablet mode. The chassis is thin at 15.29mm and light at 1.29kg (2.84lbs), so switching between Laptop, Tent, Stand, Tablet, and Canvas Mode feels natural. The Cosmic Blue finish looks refined without being flashy.

This is one of the few convertibles that still feels like a premium laptop first and a tablet second, without compromising either role.

Intel’s third generation Core Ultra finally feels mature

Inside, Lenovo is using Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 processors. The model in the spec sheet is the Core Ultra 7 355. This is Intel’s third generation of its AI‑accelerated architecture, and it finally feels like the company has settled into a rhythm.

The Yoga 9i Gen 11 pairs that chip with integrated Intel graphics, 32GB of LPDDR5X memory at 7467MHz, and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage. It is a Copilot Plus PC, which means Windows 11’s AI features run more smoothly and consistently. The 70Wh battery should help with longevity, although real-world testing will tell the full story.

This is not a gaming machine, but it is absolutely a creative multitasking machine. Photo editing, drawing, light video work, and general productivity all feel like the intended workload.

Ports and practical touches that matter more than you think

Lenovo kept the port selection simple and useful. You get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port, HDMI 2.1 FRL, and a headphone and microphone combo jack. The HDMI port is especially welcome since many thin laptops have abandoned it.

The 5MP IR camera with a privacy shutter and four 3D noise-canceling microphones is a strong upgrade for video calls. The laptop is MIL‑STD‑810H tested and EPEAT Gold certified, and the packaging is fully plastic-free.

These are the kinds of details that make a laptop feel complete.

What Intel Aura Edition actually means

Wondering what Intel Aura Edition actually is?

Intel Aura Edition first appeared in 2024 as a way for Intel and Lenovo to formally co‑engineer certain flagship systems rather than simply pairing a processor with a chassis. The idea was to create a shared design target that both companies could build toward, combining Intel’s newest Core Ultra architecture with Lenovo’s hardware, firmware, and user‑experience tuning.

Aura Edition laptops are meant to represent the best expression of Intel’s platform and the most polished version of Lenovo’s creative engineering. They are not just “Intel Inside” machines. They are jointly shaped products with a clear performance and experience goal.

The program has grown into a kind of north star for both companies. Intel uses Aura Edition to showcase what its latest NPUs, power management, and graphics pipelines can do when a partner builds around them from day one. Lenovo uses it to push features like improved pen latency, faster mode switching, smarter performance profiles, and more consistent creative‑app behavior. The result is a laptop that feels more cohesive and more intentional because the silicon and the system were designed with each other in mind.

It's a unique program, and while other OEMs do have close relationships with Intel for building laptops, Lenovo and Intel's Aura Edition go to the next level.

How it compares to the last two generations

The Yoga 9i has been on a steady climb, but the differences between generations tell an interesting story.

• Compared to the Gen 10 model, the Gen 11 version improves display brightness, pen performance, and internal performance thanks to the new Core Ultra Series 3 chips. The design remains familiar, which is a good thing because the Gen 10 was already one of the best-looking convertibles on the market.
• Compared to the Gen 9 (or Gen 8, depending on region), the leap is more noticeable. The display is brighter and more color-accurate. The hinge soundbar is sturdier. The Comfort Edge design introduced in later generations makes tablet mode far more comfortable. Performance is significantly better thanks to the newer architecture

Across all three generations, the Yoga 9i has remained one of my personal favorite consumer laptops. It is not the fastest or the most extreme device, but it is one of the few that still feels thoughtfully designed.

Availability and pricing

The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2‑in‑1 Aura Edition (14-inch, Gen 11) will be available starting in May 2026 with a starting price of $1,949.

That said, Lenovo is notorious for putting laptops on sale just weeks later as "door busters," so I expect the price to be much lower and more competitive than that. However, RAM and NAND surge pricing could be a factor here as well. We'll have to wait and see.

💬 What do you think of the new Yoga 9i Aura Edition?

The Yoga 9i 2‑in‑1 Aura Edition Gen 11 keeps everything that has made this line one of our most‑recommended Windows laptops for years, while polishing the design, boosting performance with Intel’s latest Core Ultra chips, and doubling down on the features that make it stand out. The OLED display, the rotating soundbar hinge, the rounded Comfort Edge chassis, and the true 2‑in‑1 flexibility all return in better form.

I’m curious how this generation lands with you. Does the combination of premium design, creator‑friendly features, and convertible versatility still hit the mark, or are you hoping Lenovo pushes the series in a new direction next time? Let me know in the comments!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Lenovo has unveiled its latest 2-in-1 PC, and this one takes on the form factor popularized by the Surface Pro. It's the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Detachable, a tablet PC with pen support, a built-in kickstand and detachable keyboard accessory, and designed from the ground up for professionals and commercial use.

The new ThinkPad X13 Detachable features Intel's latest Core Ultra 3 series chips, a 13-inch 2800x1920 IPS touchscreen with 120Hz variable refresh rate, up to 1TB M.2 SSD storage, up to 64GB RAM and a 45Wh battery that should mean the tablet will last "all day." Given the current RAM crisis, pricing for the ThinkPad X13 Detachable is expected to start at a high $1,999.

If you're a fan of the Surface Pro form factor, but have been frustrated with some of its design decisions, this new 2-in-1 from Lenovo is a strong alternative. In addition to supporting Windows 11, it also supports Fedora Linux, making it a great choice for those who like to frequent the other side.

Lenovo describes the ThinkPad X13 2-in-1 as "a no-compromise detachable designed for professionals who require flexibility and mobility without sacrificing performance or usability."

The keyboard accessory features 1.5mm of key travel and also supports charging the pen, just like the Surface Pro Keyboard does. Because this is a ThinkPad, it also includes the iconic red TrackPoint, a first for a detachable keyboard for a device like this. You won't see that on a Surface Pro!

The tablet itself is also super thin, coming in at 9.3mm, matching that of the Surface Pro. It also has Windows Hello face unlock with a 5MP front facing and 8MP rear facing camera setup, two Dolby Atmos audio speakers, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, with 5G options also. It really does offer everything!

Will the ThinkPad X13 Detachable reignite the Windows 2-in-1 market?

The ThinkPad X13 Detachable will be made available for sale in the third quarter of 2026, with prices starting at an eyewatering $1,999. It's unclear if the keyboard accessory is included in that price. If it is, that makes the $2000 price tag a little easier to swallow, but it's still crazy high.

It's fair to say that Windows 11 tablets aren't really a thing these days. Most OEMs outside of Microsoft and now Lenovo aren't making them, so I want to know your thoughts: Do you think Lenovo reinvesting in the Windows 11 tablet space is a positive sign of things to come?

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Lenovo's Legion Go S and Legion Go 2 are two of our favorite gaming handhelds on the market right now, serving different types of users who want either a more portable design or a more powerful experience.

Unafraid as always about the evolution of form factors, Lenovo brought a new gaming handheld concept to MWC 2026. It's unlike anything I've seen, and I'm confident I'm looking at a design that a lot of competitors will eventually copy.

The Legion Go Fold, as it's known, is Lenovo's most exciting concept device shown off this year. It's essentially an amalgamation of the Legion Go 2's detachable controllers, the ThinkPad Fold's folding screen (albeit at a smaller size), and the Surface Pro's 2-in-1 laptop design with stand and detachable keyboard.

What is Lenovo's Legion Go Fold concept and how does it work?

It's clear from what we've already got our hands on that Lenovo isn't exactly sure where it's taking this concept device, but it certainly is intriguing. It operates in four primary setups: three for gaming and one for regular productivity (or more gaming with a keyboard and mouse).

Here's how Lenovo lays it out. A standard handheld mode sees the controllers attach to the side of the pOLED (plastic OLED) display, which itself is folded over into a 7.7-inch format. Consider this to be the "portable" way to play your favorite games.

👉 Lenovo Legion Go 2 vs Legion Go S: Which is better?

With the controllers attached in the same manner to the sides of the display, the screen itself can be folded up to its full vertical size, effectively giving you two screens stacked on top of each other. One for streaming and one for gaming? Nice. Lenovo calls this vertical split-screen mode.

Lenovo wasn't satisfied with letting you use the screen vertically with controllers attached. In horizon full-screen mode, you can detach the controllers, rotate the screen 90 degrees, then reattach the controllers. This gives you a massive 11.6-inch display on which to game.

And, finally, because an 11.6-inch display is just begging to be used as a regular PC screen, expanded desktop mode sees a keyboard, touchpad, and folio stand connect to the horizontal display to become a 2-in-1 PC for gaming, streaming, and productivity.

The concept device runs on an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, and it has 32GB of RAM. A 48Wh battery powers the device. It'd be great to see Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" chips with upgraded iGPU inside when (or if) the product makes it beyond a concept stage.

How do the Legion Go Fold's controllers work?

We got our hands on the Legion Go Fold's controllers to see how they feel, and we ultimately had no complaints. They're ergonomically sound with larger grips, and the thumbsticks — ringed with RGB lights — are symmetrical.

One thing that stands out is a small LED display that you can use to display several different readouts, like a clock, while you game.

The controllers are designed to slide on and off with ease, just like in the Legion Go 2. When disconnected from the main display, they can be joined again with an extra piece of hardware, effectively creating a standard gamepad. This extra middle portion can also serve as a stand for one controller, which itself can be used as a mouse.

I wish I had a date to share regarding an actual release, but the Legion Go Fold is still firmly a concept device that might not ever come to market. Still, it's a great representation of Lenovo's willingness to evolve PC form factors.

What do you think about Lenovo's Legion Go Fold concept handheld?

Do you think Lenovo is onto something with its Legion Go Fold concept? Is it something you can see yourself using? Let me know in the comments section!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

I'm admittedly a bit of a sucker when it comes to dual-screen laptops, so Lenovo's new modular ThinkBook, shown off at MWC 2026, grabbed my attention immediately.

Not only is it a fresh take on how a dual-screen laptop handles all the extra hardware, but it's also a dream come true for anyone who never seems to have the right selection of ports.

The ThinkBook Modular AI PC concept is built into a 14-inch frame, compact enough to remain portable as part of Lenovo's "carry small, use big" motto. The main 14-inch display is where you'd expect it on the inside of the lid, but beyond that is where normalcy begins to take a back seat.

The keyboard and touchpad slab isn't actually permanently attached to the base of the laptop. It clips into place with POGO pins and magnets, and it's easily removed to be used wirelessly via Bluetooth.

Why remove the keyboard from the base of the PC? To make room for a second 14-inch display, of course. It attaches to the same magnets and POGO pins that the keyboard uses, allowing you to create a dual-screen laptop that works in horizontal or vertical orientations.

Lenovo also placed POGO pins and magnets on the outside of the laptop's lid, allowing users to attach the display in an outward-facing manner. That's great for collaboration, and it also serves as storage for the second display when it's not in use.

Building on the Yoga Book 9i and Zenbook Duo's brilliant designs

This new Lenovo concept design reminds me a lot of what ASUS did with its Zenbook Duo that I reviewed last year, where the keyboard and touchpad are a separate piece that operates wirelessly.

However, on the Zenbook Duo, the second screen is fixed to the chassis and simply hides below the keyboard when not in use. It admittedly works really well, and I actually prefer the Zenbook Duo over the gorgeous Yoga Book 9i that I also reviewed, at least from a functional standpoint.

👉 ASUS Zenbook Duo vs. Lenovo Yoga Book 9i — here's what I recommend after testing both dual-screen laptops

But with Lenovo's concept, that second screen can be used apart from the rest of the laptop; connect it with a USB-C to POGO cable rather than the built-in POGO pins on the laptop's chassis, and you have a secondary monitor ready to go, no matter where you're working.

Lenovo's ThinkBook Modular dual-screen PC has swappable ports

Something else that Lenovo's ThinkBook Modular adds to the mix is swappable ports. The slim base of the PC includes a couple of cutouts where you can slide ports in and out as needed.

It looks as though Lenovo includes HDMI, dual USB-A, and USB-C modules with each laptop.

This being a concept PC that's still under development, Lenovo doesn't share any timeframe for when (or if) this PC will launch. I might be a bit biased here with my interest in dual-screen advancements, but I really do hope Lenovo gets the ThinkBook Modular into a state where it can see a real release.

What do you think about Lenovo's new dual-screen laptop concept?

Are you a fan of dual-screen laptops? In your opinion, what is the current best dual-screen laptop on the market? Let me know in the comments section!

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Amongst the myriad of new hardware shown off by Lenovo at MWC 2026, there's another announcement that gives us new information about the AI super agent known as Qira.

If you haven't heard of Qira, it's Lenovo's personal AI assistant that I went hands-on with at CES 2026. Lenovo calls it a "Personal Ambient Intelligence" that is capable of becoming your digital twin as it learns about your personality, your workflow, and your devices.

Announced at MWC, Qira is beginning its rollout on "more than 20 devices" in the next month or so. It will arrive with a combination of pre-loaded software and updates to existing hardware, with Lenovo stating that everything from ThinkPad to Yoga to Legion to IdeaPad will have devices compatible with the AI super agent.

Qira is expected to launch first in nine separate regions, including the US, UK, India, Latin America, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, and Brazil. Lenovo has six languages covered at launch, including English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese.

What is Lenovo Qira, and why would I need it?

Let me back up for a moment and explain Qira. Lenovo has been toying with the idea of a personal AI super-agent for at least a couple of years. Lenovo exec VP and President of Intelligent Devices Group, Luca Rossi, hinted at it during an IFA 2025 roundtable discussion, and it was officially revealed roughly four months later.

Qira is designed to work across Lenovo laptops, tablets, and Motorola phones, not to mention some additional accessories that may or may not officially come to market. It's essentially an intelligence layer that learns who you are, what you do, and how you do it, over time becoming a digital approximation of your twin.

Your personal Qira is carried over across your devices, and it remembers everything it has seen, heard, and done. You can tell it what to do (if it hasn't already taken proactive steps based on your regular routines), and it will carry out instructions in other apps, often using popular LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini.

No walled gardens for Lenovo's Qira

Similar to how it can function with the help of different AI models, Lenovo plans to unleash Qira on more than just its own devices once it's in a more stable state. Qira is also designed to work on Motorola phones, and Lenovo says it will arrive there later this year, along with new supported languages.

It all seems a tad dystopian, I know, but what doesn't these days? My biggest concern involves privacy and data security, though I've been reassured that Lenovo "will have a very transparent and clear approach for the user."

I've said in the past that this sort of AI assistant seems like a godsend for someone as disorganized as I am; if Lenovo can indeed satisfy my privacy concerns, I foresee this becoming a regular tool in my productivity arsenal.

What do you think about Lenovo Qira?

Is Qira something you're eager to test out? Like me, are you interested in what it can do for organization and productivity? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

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Thanks to reporting from DCInside, we may have just received confirmation that AMD is stopping updates for the Z1 Extreme chipset. The chip powers devices such as the Lenovo Legion Go, Legion Go S, ASUS ROG Ally, and ROG Ally X.

Perhaps more notably, the Legion Go S only debuted last year (see our non-Extreme review). If support is indeed winding down, that could leave many owners disappointed, especially those who invested in the device expecting longer-term driver updates.

For now, it remains uncertain as AMD has seemingly only named the Lenovo Legion Go; it does raise the question of how much longer other Z1 Extreme devices will be supported.

Is AMD ending support, or is this an OEM decision?

Lenovo Korea has reportedly stated that no further driver updates are planned for the original Legion Go. The support response specifically claims that AMD has ended driver support for the Ryzen Z1 Extreme, with some users even reporting they are stuck on older drivers.

Typically, AMD provides drivers to OEMs such as Lenovo or ASUS for validation and release. Without an official statement from AMD, it remains unclear whether this situation extends beyond Lenovo devices, though it is a reasonable concern.

Lenovo has also advised against installing Legion Go S drivers on the original Legion Go, even if the newer device continues to receive updates. Cross-installing drivers is not supported.

For users who want to stay updated, Lenovo recommends using Windows Update or AMD’s universal graphics drivers, where compatible.

ASUS has not commented on the situation, which is to be expected as this pertains to Lenovo.

Users who have Z2-based devices should not have to worry yet either, as they will continue to receive updates.

It does not sit well to see a device potentially reaching the end of support this quickly, especially when the Z1 Extreme remains a capable chipset. Legion Go owners have already raised concerns about slow driver rollouts, and if updates are truly ending, that frustration is unlikely to ease.

Whilst they are specifically discussing the Lenovo Legion Go here, which is only two and a half years old, mind you, it doesn’t give much confidence in support for other Z1 Extreme devices and even Z2 Extreme in the long term.

How do you feel about Z1 Extreme possibly nearing end of life support?

Are you using a Legion Go or another Ryzen Z1 Extreme device? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and make sure you take part in our poll below:

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Lenovo and ASUS both unveiled new featherlight 14-inch laptops at CES 2026, and they're both expected to launch in Q2 this year.

The ASUS Zenbook A14, now in its second generation after a glorious debut in 2025, looks like it will remain the best option for budget shoppers, whereas Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition (what a mouthful) will appease those who want more premium features and Intel hardware.

I put together this in-depth comparison to help you make the right decision when these laptops launch.

How do Yoga Slim 7i Ultra and Zenbook A14 specs compare?

Here's a look at the raw specs that go into these two laptops. Lenovo already has a fairly detailed spec sheet available, while the Zenbook A14 (2026) could have more configs when it launches.

Can I buy the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra and Zenbook A14 right now?

Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition and the ASUS Zenbook A14 (2026) are not yet available to buy. They are both expected to launch in Q2 2026.

Lenovo mentioned a $1,499.99 starting price at its CES 2026 reveal, although whether or not that price sticks due to DRAM and NAND shortages remains to be seen.

Based on the first-generation PC, I am expecting the ASUS Zenbook A14 for 2026 to launch at a more affordable price compared to the Yoga laptop. You can still find the original Zenbook A14 from 2025 starting at $699 at Best Buy.

Two featherweight 14-inch laptops; which one has the better features?

The original Zenbook A14 that launched in 2025 absolutely blew us away with its lightweight chassis and overall sleek design. Former Windows Central laptop expert Zachary Boddy noted in their Zenbook A14 review:

"With a magnesium chassis as light as air and as tough as stone, Snapdragon X series chipsets that barely sip on the physics-defying massive battery, and a great balance of practical function and aesthetic form, the Zenbook A14 is one of the best laptops of the year."

This brilliant design really isn't changing for the new 2026 model. Compared to the new Yoga Slim 7i Ultra, the Zenbook A14 will have a slightly smaller footprint while weighing about 13 grams more.

It's also going to offer a much more varied port selection, with dual USB4 (which uses the USB-C form factor), USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra, on the other hand, offers three Thunderbolt 4 ports. It's far more likely you'll need to add a Thunderbolt docking station to the Yoga laptop in order to connect all your accessories.

Lenovo does a great job with its laptop cameras and speakers, and that's no different here. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra comes with a quad-speaker setup with 8W of total output and Dolby Atmos tuning.

The new Zenbook A14 only lists stereo speakers. The original Zenbook A14 did have Dolby Atmos tuning, so I'm expecting it to return for the second-gen model.

Lenovo's camera is set at 5MP with an IR sensor for Windows Hello. The Zenbook A14 also has an IR sensor for that added layer of facial recognition security, but its camera tops out at 1080p (or about 2MP).

The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra has a small, raised camera bar along the top of the display, which allows it to house the superior hardware. I love the look, but others might prefer the straight Zenbook A14 top bezel.

The keyboard and touchpad quality will need to be tested, but I can say that Lenovo and ASUS both make great keys. The same goes for touchpads, with both PCs offering a spacious pointer.

OLED or pOLED? Lenovo and ASUS use slightly different displays

Lenovo and ASUS are each using 14-inch displays in their new laptops. For Lenovo, it's a Plastic OLED (pOLED) display that's more durable and resistant to drops. ASUS is using standard OLED tech, which should mean it has a glass covering. In any case, both displays come with a glossy finish.

Lenovo and ASUS both appear to be offering just one display option. In the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra, you get a 2880x1800 (2.8K) resolution, touch, 500 nits brightness (up to 1,100 nits with HDR), a 120Hz refresh rate, DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification, Dolby Vision, and perfect color reproduction across sRGB and P3 gamuts.

Here's where I imagine a lot of the price difference comes into play. The Zenbook A14's screen hits a lower 1920x1200 (FHD+) resolution, a lower 60Hz refresh rate, and a lower peak brightness of 600 nits with HDR enabled. It does have DisplayHDR True Black 600 certification.

Ultimately, Lenovo's Yoga display should be the right choice for creators who need the extra pixels. However, the Zenbook A14's FHD+ display should save battery life while still delivering the outstanding color and contrast you expect from OLED tech.

Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 or Intel Core Ultra Series 3?

These two laptops are both using the latest hardware from Intel and Qualcomm, and the performance differences will be interesting to check out once we have an opportunity to benchmark firsthand.

I can, however, make some key initial comparisons when looking at the higher-level platforms.

Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" mobile chips are a big step forward, especially in regard to the integrated GPU. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra will come with up to a Core Ultra X7 385H chip with 16 cores, an Arc B390 integrated GPU with power nearing a discrete RTX 4050, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with 50 TOPS of power for AI workloads.

Lenovo will also offer a couple of wimpier Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7 chips for its more affordable configurations. Make no mistake; these are still excellent performers.

ASUS has upgraded to the Snapdragon X2 Elite; more specifically, the X2E-88-100 with 18 cores, Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics, and an NPU capable of 80 TOPS of AI power.

Generally speaking, you should expect superb productivity performance and efficiency from the Snapdragon X2 chip, with Intel Panther Lake delivering stronger GPU performance and no need for emulating certain programs and games.

Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition vs. Zenbook A14 (2026): Which should you buy?

Both of these thin and light laptops are expected to launch in Q2 2026, and we'll soon have more information as to how exactly they perform, how well the designs work, and what the displays look like in real life.

As it stands now, the Zenbook A14 (2026) should remain the go-to lightweight PC for budget shoppers. No, the display, speakers, and webcam aren't as impressive, but that won't matter for a ton of people who just want a reliable PC that's easy to carry around.

Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition, thanks to its set of more premium features, is expected to cost more, but will be more appealing to creators thanks to its high-res display and strong Intel Panther Lake integrated graphics.

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It's a scary time to think about buying a new PC or laptop with potential price rises looming over us. But the deals are still there to be had, and this is one I'm absolutely convinced by.

That's because I bought this laptop for my son a couple of months ago, and it has not disappointed. On Lenovo's website, the IdeaPad Slim 3X still goes for over $700, but on President's Day, you can snag one from Amazon for just $474.99. You won't regret it.

So, why did I settle on this for my son? I had a very specific list of features, the top of which was that it needed to be a Copilot+ PC. Not so much for the current AI features, but to future-proof it knowing he wants to explore coding and AI.

But Copilot+ PCs also have a solid base spec list that they all must have, among which is 16GB of RAM. I wouldn't ever recommend less than this for Windows 11 anymore. It also had to be a Snapdragon laptop.

In the more budget tiers, with the balance of performance and battery life you get from the Qualcomm chips, I truly wouldn't put my own money behind anything else right now.

The IdeaPad Slim 3X has delivered on every front. It's even capable of a bit of gaming, which wasn't a requirement but nevertheless is pleasing to see. Lighter titles such as Minecraft and Terraria work fine, and as Microsoft's Automatic Super Resolution continues to expand, I'm sure it'll only get better.

It's a really nice laptop, made even better by a discount such as this. For the parent buying for kids, you'll be pleased to know that it's durable to the MIL-STD 810H standard and has truly all-day and beyond battery life.

For the grown-up buying for themselves, all these same features are good to have. The keyboard is great to type on, and the display looks good at 1920 x 1200 resolution with its anti-glare finish.

Lenovo is currently selling an identical spec IdeaPad Slim 3X for $719.99, nearly $250 more than this Amazon deal. There's no telling how long it'll be around for, so make sure to grab it with both hands while you can.

More great President's Day deals

• Amazon.com — Save up to 40% off on Presidents' Day
• Best Buy — New tech added to Presidents' Day sale
• Newegg — Presidents' Day sale on PC tech
• Walmart — Presidents' Day savings
• Lenovo — Doorbusters for Presidents' Day
• HP — Save up to 71% on select products

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President's Day deals have already kicked off at most major retailers, and we're seeing PC prices drop to new lows in 2026. Not only are there plenty of laptops and desktops on sale, but there are also some great deals on mini PCs.

The mini PC market has exploded (in a good way) in the past year, opening up so many more options for users who want a compact device with desktop power. Lenovo's IdeaCentre Mini x, which we tested and reviewed favorably, is now down to $899 at Lenovo from the regular $1,364 price ($-465).

Why we love Lenovo's first Snapdragon-powered mini PC

Windows Central Senior Editor Zac Bowden reviewed the Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini x and came away overall impressed with its abilities. He gave it 4.5/5 stars and a Best Award, noting:

"It has enough ports to go around, and the ability to upgrade things like storage or Wi-Fi card down the line is also an extra nicety you don't always see on these kinds of PCs, so I'm glad Lenovo put in the extra effort to make that possible. The included stand is also a nice touch."

The slim PC boasts a ton of ports, including USB-A and USB-C on the front, with USB4, Ethernet, HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-A on the back. Wi-Fi 7 is as good as it gets for wireless internet, and Bluetooth 5.2 will have no trouble connecting your wireless accessories. Despite its size, you won't likely be hard up when it comes to connectivity.

The PC is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-64) System-on-Chip (SoC) with integrated Adreno graphics and Hexagon Neural Processing Unit (NPU). Thanks to the NPU, this PC makes the cut for Copilot+ AI tools in Windows 11. Even if you don't use the AI stuff, this chip is plenty snappy and will perform well with home or small office tasks like web browsing, word processing, homework, spreadsheets, etc.

Its multitasking capabilities are amplified thanks to a generous 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM. The 512GB SSD inside might not be enough for your needs, but thankfully, Lenovo makes it relatively easy to upgrade it yourself after purchase.

Lenovo usually asks about $1,364.99 for this model, but during President's Day, it's been discounted by 34%. That drops the price to just $899.99 at Lenovo for a limited time.

FAQ

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News that Lenovo's hardware prices could rise to combat the global DRAM and NAND shortages shouldn't come as a shock to anyone who follows us here at Windows Central; we've been discussing "RAMageddon" and its AI-driven fallout for months.

However, a new warning from Lenovo North America's President, Ryan McCurdy, might convince you to shop now rather than later. McCurdy, speaking with CRN, claims that the prices you see now are likely the best you'll get for the next 6-12 months if shortages continue.

With this perspective in mind, I thought it best to highlight some of the best deals on Lenovo PCs available direct from Lenovo and from third-party retailers.

How is Lenovo planning to deal with rising RAM and storage costs?

McCurdy has made it clear that the prices you currently see on Lenovo's website and at third-party retailers aren't likely sticking around for the duration of 2026.

Due to ongoing global supply constraints on DRAM and NAND, Lenovo is warning that "pricing sensitivity is high" and that the existing stock available to purchase now has the best prices you're likely to see for the next 6-12 months.

Lenovo is apparently requesting its partners deliver an extended forecast looking at hardware needs for the rest of the year. Included in the CRN report is a warning from an anonymous systems integrator who says that he has "seen the supply for certain server products disappear within hours from multiple vendors."

Although the CRN report is mainly focused on enterprise and channel partners, you can bet that rising prices will also affect consumer hardware.

I've been saying this for months, but I'll say it again: if you need a new PC, start the buying process now. Prices aren't likely to fall any time soon, and you don't want to be forced to overpay once things really get out of hand.

(via CRN, Wccftech)

Are you in need of a new PC? Are you finding it difficult to find what you need for a decent price? Let me know in the comments section!

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NVIDIA's next conquest, after what feels like years of rumors, is laptops. No, I'm not talking about mobile RTX graphics cards. This is an entirely new processor designed to run Windows on Arm.

The rumors really kicked off in 2023 when NVIDIA was reported to be weighing its options regarding an ARM SoC designed for Windows PCs, and in July 2025, we got a much more significant leak in the form of a Geekbench OpenCL benchmark listing. Earlier this week, we covered a DigiTimes report suggesting that supply chains are gearing up to launch laptops featuring the NVIDIA N1X chip in Q1 2026.

Now, a fresh leak from dataminer Huang514613 gives us an insight into what sort of PCs we might expect. The leak was not hard to spot, at least as long as you aren't shy about poking around in support documents.

On one of Lenovo's "Legion Space" public webpages, support for its software includes a long list of applicable Legion gaming laptops. Included in the listings are the regular collection of Intel and AMD configurations, but there's something there that's not like the others.

A Legion 7 15N1X11 stands out as the only product to not feature the usual "I" (for Intel) or "A" (for AMD) product number. That can't be anything other than NVIDIA's N1X SoC.

Huang514613 follows up the original leak with another X post listing other "known N1 products from Lenovo." These include:

• Ideapad Slim 5 14N1V11
• Ideapad Slim 5 16N1V11
• Yoga Pro 7 15N1V11
• Yoga Pro 7 15N1X11
• Yoga 9 2-in-1 16N1X11

These leaks ultimately fly in the face of assumptions that NVIDIA's N1X was a chip designed for use in desktop PCs. It could very well still be found in desktops, but the fact that it's arriving for laptops — including a 15-inch Legion 7 and a 16-inch Yoga 9 2-in-1 — is exciting, to say the least.

So far, we can only go on leaked and rumored specs to flesh out the N1X. But what we do know bodes well for mobile PC gaming, creation, and AI workloads.

If the N1X is indeed the same chip used in NVIDIA's DGX Spark, we're looking at 20 ARM cores and an integrated Blackwell graphics chip with 6,144 CUDA cores. That's enough to theoretically place its performance alongside the desktop-class RTX 5070. If true, the N1X would be among the fastest iGPUs available in any laptop.

Aligning with rumors of an N1X launch in early 2026, Microsoft has been busy preparing a significant Windows 11 26H1 update. It's a full OS upgrade that moves Windows from the Germanium platform release to Bromine, unlocking platform changes required for Snapdragon X2 and NVIDIA N1X.

Microsoft also rolled out public support for the Xbox PC app on Windows on Arm this week, noting that its Prism emulation layer now supports 85% of games available through the subscription.

(via Videocardz)

Are you excited to see what NVIDIA's N1 and N1X chips can do for laptop performance? What about gaming performance with Windows on Arm? Let us know in the comments section!

If one thing was clear at CES 2026 — other than "AI" still being the mot-du-jour for most leading PC brands — it's that PC hardware is in an excellent spot. Dare I say it's never felt better?

Laptops have never been thinner or better engineered, processors have never been faster or more efficient, screens have never been prettier, and batteries have never lasted as long. GPUs, well, if you can get your hands on the one you want, you might be surprised by how effective the latest upscaling techniques can be.

A lot of budget laptops, which just a few years ago seemed like a significant step backwards from the more expensive stuff, now feel like they could enter the premium category if only they had some stronger performance components inside.

Take the ASUS Zenbook A14 as an example. Often available for about $600 thanks to frequent discounts, it's one of the thinnest, lightest, and longest-lasting laptops on the market today. Indeed, the arrival of laptops with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chips in 2024 gave us an entirely new market segment to shop, and the company is only getting started.

Yes, I think it's safe to say that we're in a golden age of laptop and PC hardware design. I wish I could say the same for the most prevalent PC OS, Windows 11.

Lenovo had the most exciting new hardware to show off at CES 2026

I spent a lot of time with Lenovo during my five days in Las Vegas, and as my colleague Zac Bowden pointed out, it's the company that has taken up the spirit of Surface innovation now that Microsoft's brand has been pulled back.

You can chalk up Lenovo's willingness to innovate and create concept devices to its success in the PC market.

Lenovo is the world's biggest PC brand, with expert analysts placing its global 2025 shipments at around 71 million. It has some capital to play with, and it's not afraid to do so.

From the rollable Legion gaming laptop concept with a screen that unfurls into an ultrawide setup, to the new Yoga AIO i Aura Edition that looks like it's floating on air, Lenovo is certainly pushing back the boundaries.

Elsewhere, HP showed off a new EliteBoard G1a mini PC that's built into a compact keyboard; just connect a mouse and a display to get going. ASUS, which makes the best dual-screen laptop on the market right now, introduced a ROG Zephyrus version with up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 Laptop GPU.

There's plenty more to check out that I haven't mentioned here, and we've rounded up the top hardware in our CES 2026 Awards page. Bottom line? Ignoring for a moment the AI-driven memory and storage shortages that are driving up the costs of all tech, it's a great time to be a PC user.

I don't want to switch to a different OS. I want Windows to feel good again.

Let me preface this by saying that I love Windows. I wouldn't work for a site called Windows Central if I didn't. It's the OS I've been using since the mid-'90s when I first got my hands on a PC, and it's the OS that I use today.

Windows has certainly had its share of problems over the years, but I've stuck with it through the ups and downs. I don't currently plan to make a change (although I can sometimes hear Linux tapping on my bedroom window late at night).

Unfortunately, in stark contrast to the epic state of PC hardware, I don't remember the temperature surrounding Windows ever being colder. The vibes coming out of Redmond HQ have really been off lately, and for that, there are several directions to point.

👉 Microsoft has a problem: nobody wants to buy or use its shoddy AI products — as Google's AI growth begins to outpace Copilot products

Blame it on late-stage capitalism forcing companies to squeeze every last dollar out of consumers, blame it on being swept up in an AI race that it's not likely going to win, blame it on management and executives favoring shareholders over users. It doesn't matter where you place the blame: Windows just doesn't feel like it used to.

Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant that's built on ChatGPT's backbone, is popping up everywhere I look in Windows 11. Microsoft wants to turn Windows 11 into an "agentic OS," which apparently means cramming AI into every corner. Announced by Windows head Pavan Davuluri, the news sparked overwhelmingly negative responses.

👉 Why Microsoft's enshittification of Xbox, Surface, and even Windows itself — are all by design

I'm happy to use AI when it's beneficial, but so far, it seems like it's only getting in the way of how I'm accustomed to using my OS. In the same vein, security concerns have never been more pronounced, especially with Copilot+ tools like Recall. Giving AI the keys to my data isn't something I'm comfortable doing, and there's certainly proof that Copilot is actually making Windows less secure.

I'd like to stress that Windows 11 is improving in some areas. We finally have a consistent dark mode in File Explorer! My colleague Mauro Huculak created an excellent summary of the best additions to Windows 11 in 2025 with a lot more info. But on the other side, Microsoft's insistence on using AI to write code is resulting in unnecessary bugs being passed down to users.

It's ultimately a shame that the most popular OS for PC hardware is in such a sorry state, all while PC hardware has never felt better. Microsoft has lost the plot amidst the ongoing AI frenzy, and I can only hope that 2026 brings some sort of realignment.

Do you agree that PC hardware design has never been better? And do you agree that Windows has never been in a worse spot? Let me know in the comments section below!

Lenovo tried to show off its futuristic rollable laptop on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon — and the demo failed live on national TV. What was meant to be a flashy CES‑style spectacle turned into a blunder, with the rollable screen refusing to cooperate in front of millions of viewers. It’s the perfect example of how chasing hype with unfinished tech can backfire spectacularly

During the demo, the laptop was supposed to expand from its standard 16-inch screen size all the way out to an impressive 24 inches. Unfortunately, the key combination that's supposed to initiate the expansion failed to work, resulting in an awkward moment where the three presenters were forced to banter as they tried to work out what was wrong.

Unfortunately, after some attempts to troubleshoot the problem, Linus Sebastian wasn't able to save the demo, resulting in him simply explaining how the laptop is supposed to work instead. They swiftly move onto the next product without ever showing the device's unique party trick.

While the full segment is available on YouTube, only 3 minutes of the segment actually aired on broadcast TV, none of which included the laptop.

The Legion Pro Rollable, as it's known, is Lenovo's concept laptop for CES 2026, which means it's not currently a product you can buy. With that said, Lenovo is pretty good at turning its concept laptops into real products, and you've been able to buy a rollable laptop from the company for the last year.

Unlike Lenovo's current rollable laptop, which features an expanding screen that extends upwards, the Lenovo Pro Rollable has an expanding screen that extends horizontally. That means you can, on the fly, move between widescreen and ultra widescreen aspect ratios, aimed specifically at gamers instead of productivity workflows.

Of course, this isn't the first time a tech product has failed in front of a large audience. Famously, Apple's first-ever Face ID demo failed, and Microsoft has had its fair share of demo fails, too, such as the infamous Blue Screen of Death when attempting to connect a printer on Windows 95.

I can only assume Lenovo is gutted that its demo failed, but hopefully this won't impact the concept of rollable laptop displays too much. Samsung did serious damage to the reputation of folding screens when the first Galaxy Fold launched and instantly broke in reviewers' hands. Rollable screens share similar tech, so hopefully this hasn't put a stain on the form factor.

The Lenovo segment of Linus Tech Tips' CES 2026 showcase starts at the 4:59 mark on YouTube.

For Lenovo, the failed demo is a reminder that live TV isn’t forgiving — and flashy prototypes can quickly become viral fails. For viewers, it’s another chapter in CES 2026 chaos: companies racing to show futuristic concepts before they’re ready. Whether you see it as hilarious schadenfreude or a cautionary tale, Lenovo’s rollable laptop flop is already fueling debate about the risks of over‑promising in tech.

It's a new year, and that means that top tech analysts are poring over data from 2025 in an attempt to make sense of the next 12 months.

Earlier this week, I covered a report from tech research and advisory group Omdia, suggesting that 2026 will see a laptop supply that fails to meet demand, driving up prices for consumers.

That same sentiment is being shared by the International Data Corporation (IDC) in an independent report that looks eerily similar to the one from Omdia.

According to IDC's research VP, Jean Phillipe Bouchard, "the PC market will be far different in 12 months, given how quickly the memory situation is evolving."

Bouchard is, of course, referring to the ongoing DRAM shortage caused by AI firms buying up production for the months and years ahead. AI datacenters require an unfathomable amount of memory to operate, and unfortunately, the core tech is the same that goes into the consumer RAM found in our personal PCs.

Given the choice of selling to consumers or to AI firms, memory manufacturers are following the big money that seems to swirl endlessly around the latter.

On one hand, the big laptop manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, Dell, and ASUS — which had stellar sales in 2025 — are likely better positioned to weather the storm thanks to their "scale and memory allocations." On the other hand, IDC warns that "smaller brands may not survive, and consumers, particularly DIY enthusiasts, may delay purchases or shift their spending to other devices or experiences."

Laptop makers had a great 2025, and Lenovo continues to lead the way

IDC points out that 2025's holiday season saw strong laptop sales, which isn't out of the ordinary. However, news of the impending laptop price spike likely amplified sales as consumers and the big brands attempted to get ahead of the newfound costs.

Add to that the lingering uncertainty of Windows 10's end-of-life and the push for Windows 11 PCs, and you can certainly see why PC sales were so strong. Lenovo alone shipped 19.3 million PCs globally in Q4 2025, according to IDC.

Just like Omdia's results, IDC shows Lenovo at the top of the PC sales charts with around 71 million (70.8 is the exact number IDC shares) shipments throughout all of 2025. HP comes in second place with 57.5 million shipments, Dell in third with 41.1 million, Apple in fourth with 25.6 million, and ASUS in fifth with 20.5 million.

My recommendation for those who need a new PC? Buy now and get it over with before the big price hikes hit. There are plenty of laptops from 2025 available, many of them at a discount as retailers attempt to clear out inventory for new 2026 models. I just put together a roundup of 13 top laptops on sale at Best Buy's Winter Sale if you need a bit of inspiration.

Do you agree with analysts who suggest that PC sales will decline in 2026? Do you see any way around the factors driving those price hikes? Let us know in the comments section below!

Lenovo had an incredibly packed CES 2026, and despite launching some of the most attractive and forward-looking PC hardware I saw at the show, its two-hour keynote speech at Sphere was entirely dominated by AI.

What the leading PC manufacturer in the world seemed most excited to show off was a new "Personal Ambient Intelligence" platform designed to work across devices.

The first time I heard about this type of "super agent" technology was when it was hinted at by Lenovo's Executive VP and President of Intelligent Devices Group, Luca Rossi, during an IFA 2025 roundtable discussion at which I was present.

Rossi spoke about how China was already home to AI that could seamlessly blend experiences across desktops, laptops, tablets, phones, and wearables, stating that he believed Lenovo was in a unique position — with its wide hardware offerings of all the above — to create this type of AI computing.

That future, as envisioned by Lenovo, is Qira.

Hands-on with Lenovo Qira at CES 2026

Qira is Lenovo and Motorola's new AI super-agent that's designed to be "always present" in order to "support you in the moment." It works on Lenovo laptops, tablets, and desktop PCs, on Motorola phones, and on a range of other wearable hardware from the two companies, including something called Project Maxwell.

If you watched Lenovo's keynote address at CES 2026, many of the speakers were wearing an amulet around their necks. That's Project Maxwell, Motorola's wearable concept that sees and hears everything you do. Yes, it does sound intrusive and borderline dystopian. At the same time, it's entirely necessary for this newfound level of AI servitude.

I got a hands-on demo with the new AI intelligence layer just before the company's keynote address. I must admit that Qira looks like a godsend for someone as disorganized as I am. That is, of course, ignoring the fact that you have to essentially hand over every detail of your life in order to maximize Qira's abilities. I'm not entirely on board in that regard.

Qira is still in beta state, according to the company, but it's already evidently operating relatively smoothly across Lenovo laptops and Motorola phones. It's as unintrusive as a small icon on your screen, expandable whenever you need it, happy to recede into the background and wait when you're OK operating solo.

Everything that Qira sees and does is carried over to any other hardware on which it's installed, and over time, it's meant to learn your habits and needs. There was a bit of jank during the private demo involving PCs and phones, but overall it seemed to do exactly as advertised. I could look up travel destinations on one device, to have Qira recommend some dinner ideas on another based on my recent searches.

Qira can carry out instructions in other apps (whether you're online or offline), it can coordinate other AI agents to your benefit, and at its core, it can help with practically anything you're doing.

This intent-based AI future in Lenovo's dreams is not made to compete with Copilot, Gemini, ChatGPT, or any of the other big AI firms. Instead, it's meant to partner and work with these companies as the demand for large AI models and for cloud workloads increases.

Is Qira intended to be a closed ecosystem?

I was again part of a roundtable discussion with Lenovo's Luca Rossi at CES 2026, where the media asked some additional questions regarding Qira.

On the subject of proliferation, Rossi believes that, over time, Qira will come to "most" of Lenovo's devices. At this point, there are still some requirements to do with computing power, but these will abate as Qira's code gets better and AI hardware — namely Neural Processing Units (NPU) — gets stronger. This applies to phones and PCs.

Qira is also not designed to be an exclusive feature. I was curious to know if I could one day put Qira on my gaming PC that I built myself, to which Rossi responded that there is no intention of creating a closed ecosystem.

Qira is indeed launching first on Lenovo and Motorola products — likely in March or April 2026 — but will eventually expand to other PCs, phones, and wearables as it matures.

How does Qira handle data security?

The phrase "with your permission" was used a lot when it came to Qira security, but it's still not entirely clear how all that data from different devices will be handled.

Rossi added some context after the keynote, stating that Lenovo "will have a very transparent and clear approach for the user," helping Qira adopters understand exactly what data is being processed on-device and what data is being shuttled out to AI datacenters.

Regardless, this level of AI assistance — what Lenovo likens to an AI twin — is an entirely new level of data harvesting that will undoubtedly take some time getting used to.

I admit that my brief time with Qira at CES 2026 only whetted my appetite, and that's despite me being a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to handing out my data. There is great potential here, and Qira could one day be viewed as the pioneering tech that started us down the path of deeply integrated AI assistants as the new norm.

What are your thoughts on Lenovo and Motorola's Qira? Is it something you'd use? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments section below.

Lenovo Qira FAQ

Laptop and desktop PC manufacturers had a healthy year in 2025. Global PC shipments climbed by 10.1% to 75 million PCs in Q4 and, for the entire year, by 9.2% to 279.5 million PCs.

The data, presented by tech research and advisory group Omdia, shows that laptops and mobile workstations were the biggest sellers, hitting 58.6 million units shipped in Q4 and 220.4 million units shipped throughout the full year. That's a significant 8% jump year over year compared to 2024.

The bigger jump, percentage-wise, landed in the desktop PC sector. Desktop and workstation shipments hit 16.2 million units in Q4 2025, raising the total number of units shipped last year to 59 million. That's a 14.4% increase compared to 2024.

Lenovo, the PC manufacturer that I saw focus more on AI than ever at CES 2026 despite having a ton of new hardware to show off, sold the most PCs in 2025 with 71 million units. It grew 14.4% in Q4 2025 and, for the year, 14.6%.

HP arrived in second place with its suite of rebranded Omni PCs that shipped 15.4 million units in Q4 alone. That performance contributed to about 57 million sales throughout the year.

Dell landed in third place with about 42 million PCs sold throughout 2025, which is about 7% better than its sales in 2024. Remember, Dell is the only PC maker that has openly admitted that consumers are not buying PCs just because they have AI, which stands in stark contrast to Lenovo, which is focusing more than ever on AI PCs.

Looking back at 2025, these strong PC sales numbers are not exactly surprising. Microsoft killed Windows 10 on October 14, which undoubtedly forced (and is still forcing) a ton of Windows users to upgrade to something new running Windows 11.

Tariffs on PCs and the parts that go into them seemed to be a constant threat, which surely drove some to buy a new PC sooner than they wanted. And to wrap up 2025, we were treated to a new crisis: memory and storage shortages driven largely by AI's insatiable demand for massive datacenters.

The PC market isn't expected to have such a great 2026

According to Omdia's Principal Analyst, Ben Yeh, 2026 isn't projected to be as kind to the world's PC manufacturers:

Indeed, this shouldn't exactly come as a surprise to anyone who's been following PC markets for the past few months. Yeh adds that "supply-side pressures will be more pronounced and supply will not fully meet demand," while also stating that PC sales will largely "hinge on vendors' memory and storage procurement and negotiating leverage."

Are you expecting to see a decline in PC sales in 2026 due to ongoing market conditions (tariffs, shortages, etc.)? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments section below!

At CES 2025, Lenovo's ThinkBook Plus Rollable became the world's first AI laptop with a rolling OLED display. Capable of vertically expanding its regular 14-inch screen to hit 16.7 inches, it was the culmination of years of testing and concept designs.

Lenovo's next big rollable concept piece, introduced at CES 2026, brings the technology to the Legion Pro lineup of gaming laptops. But rather than expanding vertically like the ThinkBook Plus, the Legion Pro Rollable's 16-inch screen expands horizontally to create either a 21.5-inch or 24-inch ultrawide picture.

The secret to the laptop's versatility lies in a "dual-motor, tension-based design" that keeps vibration and noise to a minimum. More importantly, Lenovo says it keeps the PureSight OLED panel taut to prevent creasing, glare, and other distractions.

Considering one of my main gripes with the ThinkBook Rollable was the visible crease marks on the lower rolled portion of the screen, I'm hoping that what Lenovo claims is true. The same creased effect on a gaming monitor would have far worse repercussions.

Indeed, Lenovo is marketing its new Legion Pro Rollable concept as ideal for esports pros who often travel and want to practice everywhere they go. Lenovo views the standard 16-inch display setup as a "Focus Mode" that helps refine reflexes. Tactical Mode sits at 21.5 inches, and Lenovo thinks it can aid in "peripheral awareness, rotation drills, and team coordination."

Expanded to its full 24 inches, or "Arena Mode" as Lenovo calls it, it's perfect for training competitively without requiring a separate, full-size monitor.

Because the Legion Pro Rollable is based on the mighty flagship Legion Pro 7i we favorably reviewed and which currently sits at the top of our favorite gaming laptops, you can expect the same ridiculous level of performance and refinement.

Lenovo is offering the latest and most powerful Intel Core Ultra chips paired with up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 Laptop GPU. Of course, I still stick by my advice to not buy an RTX 5090 mobile GPU when it's so much more expensive than the RTX 5080 while only offering mild performance improvements.

The ThinkBook Plus Rollable remains a niche device for professionals who need extra screen space without any additional bulk. I have a feeling that Lenovo's next Rollable concept will garner a lot more attention, even for those outside of professional esports.

One of my main complaints with gaming laptops — and one of the main reasons why I always end up returning to my desktop PC with an ultrawide monitor — is, well, screen space. I foresee this PC as being popular for anyone who often works away from home or who doesn't necessarily have the space on their desk for a full-time 24-inch display.

Of course, this being a concept product, there's no definitive release date or set price. It could see a full launch one day, just like its ThinkBook Rollable sibling, but we can only wait to see what Lenovo has in store.

Lenovo's rollable display tech keeps getting better, and it seems perfectly suited for use in a gaming laptop. Would you use something similar? Let us know in the comments below!

Covering the Windows 11 and Microsoft beat has been rough for a while. Windows 11 had a disastrous 2025, RAM prices are skyrocketing and making gadgets unaffordable, and 'Microslop' has been trending on social media.

Luckily for me and others who love tech, CES 2026 gave us a reprieve from bad news and a chance to check out new and upcoming devices — at least mostly.

We had a scare when rumors emerged claiming Microsoft would lay off 11,000–22,000 people this month, but Microsoft's chief of communications shot those down. While there's still a good chance we'll see layoffs at some point in 2026, those specific rumors were deemed "100 percent made up / speculative / wrong."

So, onto the good news. XPS is back baby! After a massive rebrand in 2025, Dell admitted its mistake and resurrected the iconic XPS lineup. The new XPS 14 and XPS 16 look incredible and are rebuilds rather than just refreshes. Our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino even got to see an all-new XPS 13, but he wasn't allowed to share photos or details.

While I'm personally most excited about the new XPS laptops, there was plenty to see at CES. HP showed us the natural evolution of a form factor by fitting a mini PC inside a keyboard.

Weekly Windows Wrap: The Big News

• HP put a mini PC inside a keyboard with its clever new EliteBoard G1a
• Lenovo has become what Surface was supposed to be about
• A SteamOS variant of the Legion Go 2 handheld gaming PC is releasing this year
• Microsoft is not preparing for massive layoffs in January
• Microsoft releases first Windows 11 preview build of 2026
• Microsoft may integrate Copilot Chat directly into the File Explorer

Weekly Windows Wrap: How-tos

• Generate a Wi-Fi report on Windows 11 and fix wireless issues
• Replace Windows Search with Command Palette on Windows 11
• Getting started with the Microsoft Edit command on Windows 11

My favorite story of the week wasn't about Windows at all — at least not directly. Instead, it was about an accessory that bridges a feature gap in macOS that Microsoft sorted over a decade ago.

I got a kick out of covering a snap-on display that adds touch support to macOS. The Intricuit Magic Screen is a transparent digitizer that connects through USB-C.

It's an inelegant solution, but that's hardly Intricuit's fault. Apple has refused to add a touch option to macOS for years.

And before the Apple faithful jump into the comments, I am fully aware some prefer to keep their laptop screen free from fingerprints and interact through a mouse, keyboard, or trackpad. Even 26% of Windows Central readers who voted in a recent poll said as much.

But 42% of voters said they touch their laptop screen often, and an additional 26% said they do so rarely. I think there's at least enough of a demand to give people the option to use touch.

Considering we're approaching a point at which we can have iPad chips in Macs and Mac chips in iPads, it feels like Apple will need to budge a bit on flexibility.

Sales on Windows 11 PCs

CES is about upcoming and experimental devices, but there are still some excellent sales this week.

Lenovo has a huge presence at CES 2026, which isn't surprising given the OEM's (original equipment manufacturer) broad lineup of products coming to market this year.

As part of those announcements, Lenovo has revealed that its flagship handheld gaming PC is getting a new variant. Say hello to the Legion Go 2 — Powered by SteamOS, which is launching just a few months after the original Legion Go 2 (Windows)'s October 2025 launch period.

The addition of this operating system fixes the one gripe that many gamers have with the versatile handheld — Windows 11.

Now, this isn't to say the original model is bad; I gave the handheld a score of 4.5 Stars out of 5 Stars in my Legion Go 2 (Windows) review. However, there's no denying that SteamOS is better optimized for handhelds and provides a more console-like experience that many handheld owners prefer to Microsoft's operating system. That's still true even now that the Xbox Ally X's Xbox Full Screen Experience has rolled out to Legion Go 2 (Windows).

The downside is that moving away from Windows does remove support for one of the Legion Go 2's (also called LeGo 2 by enthusiasts) most convenient and reliable features. You see, SteamOS doesn't natively support biometric login, which means the SteamOS variant cannot use the fingerprint reader.

The most premium SteamOS handheld yet, with an equally premium price

For those of you who have an unshakable feeling that this announcement is old news, that's because the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) actually leaked last month, ahead of its intended CES 2026 reveal period.

So, really, this announcement just confirms that this premium SteamOS handheld is real while also finally giving us a release date and starting price. Prepare your wallets, this device is going to be expensive, but that's because it has some of the best features of any handheld.

This handheld has an eye-watering $1,199 MSRP starting price, and there will presumably be a more expensive version as well. It's currently unclear how many configurations of the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) are coming to market, but it seems like there will at least be two launching as soon as June 2026.

Now, spending over $1,000 on any handheld is a hard decision for many people to make, but as our own Editor-in-Chief, Daniel Rubino, explained, the Legion Go 2 also offers more features and better specs than competitors.

Let's take a look at those specs and features.

The SteamOS variant will obviously run SteamOS instead of Windows, but it's also coming with up to an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, which notably offers far better CPU and GPU performance than the Steam Deck's custom AMD chip.

RELATED: All AMD handheld chips and how they compare

In other words, the Legion Go 2 will be capable of running games far more smoothly than the Steam Deck, and it will even run some games that the less powerful Steam Deck cannot.

Meanwhile, it also has features that its biggest Windows competitor, the ROG Xbox Ally X, does not. Namely, Hall Effect joysticks, a built-in kickstand, detachable controllers, an FPS mode to use the right controller like a mouse, a touchpad, and a larger 8.8-inch OLED display.

So why does SteamOS improve the Legion Go 2 for so many users? Well, first of all, many people love that SteamOS feels more like a simple console interface rather than a full-blown PC, which makes the handheld feel like a truly dedicated gaming system. Secondly, Valve's Linux-based operating system is far better optimized for handhelds, allowing devices to run more efficiently, prolonging battery life and performance.

As an example, the ROG Xbox Ally X, ships with Windows. However, when the operating system is swapped out with SteamOS, the handheld offers more stable frame rates, quicker resumes, and up to 32% higher FPS (frames per second), which is a huge difference (thanks, Tom's Hardware). So, it's likely this is the same case with the Legion Go 2.

That all said, there is one notable downside that I previously mentioned — SteamOS does not support the fingerprint functionality that's tied to the power button.

I've used a number of handhelds, and I love it when I can log in simply by holding my finger to a button for a second rather than entering a pin. It's convenient and lets me dive into gaming faster. Unfortunately, some handheld fingerprint readers really don't work well — I'm looking at you, ASUS ROG.

I don't know how many times I've had to retry the Xbox Ally X's fingerprint reader in a row before having to give up and type in my pin. Meanwhile, my Legion Go 2 (Windows) has never given me an issue with biometric login, so it's sad to see this feature is there but isn't supported on the SteamOS variant.

Of course, I won't be surprised if a SteamOS modder gets inspired to make a homebrew fingerprint reader solution, if someone hasn't put one on the internet already. It's a somewhat niche feature, but that just makes it a challenge for Linux enthusiasts looking for an excuse to play with the operating system.

In the end, when it comes to handheld gaming PCs produced by the most prestigious OEMs, the Legion Go 2 truly offers the most versatile and premium playing experience. Now, it's gotten even more appealing for some thanks to the addition of SteamOS.

What do you think about the new SteamOS version of the Legion Go 2? Has this made the handheld gaming PC more interesting for you? Tell us about it in the comments.

Lenovo has had one hell of a week, unveiling more than a handful of new devices at CES 2026. Everything from foldable phones to innovative new PC form factors are on the company's portfolio for 2026, and I love how brazen the company is about it. It doesn't care if you're not interested in a rollable laptop, it's going to make one anyway.

In fact, Lenovo unveiled TWO rollable concept laptops at CES 2026, one for gamers and another for productivity use. The gaming one is certainly impressive, featuring a rollable display that expands horizontally for a more immersive widescreen experience. The productivity one is an upgrade over its last gen rollable laptop, with a screen that extends upwards, but displays itself on the lid when not in extended mode. Pretty cool!

Of course, these laptops aren't designed for your everyday joe, but that's not a bad thing. Not everything needs to exist to be a mainstream hit, and I like that Lenovo is leaning into niche and unique form factors for the people who want something so crazy and innovative. As these are concept, they don't have any set release date, but Lenovo's concept devices usually do end up shipping in some capacity.

It doesn't just stop at laptops, either. Lenovo has unveiled a couple of new desktop PCs also, one that fits in the palm of your hand, and another with a built-in 165Hz 4K OLED display that sits on a transparent sheet of glass to make it look like it's floating on your desk. They really didn't need to go this hard, but I'm so glad they did.

The Yoga AIO i Aura Edition is likely going to be my next desktop computer. I've daily driven Lenovo's AiO's in the past, and I've always come away very impressed with them. Now, Lenovo's latest AiO is possibly the best on the market, beating the iMac and HP's OmniStudio series with a design that's incredibly unique, paired with one of the best displays you're likely going to see at 32-inches.

Then there's the Yoga Mini i 1L 11, which is a mini PC that fits in your hand. It features a circular aluminum chassis that looks incredibly premium, paired with the latest powerful chips from Intel in the form of its Core Ultra 3 series processors. It also has a built-in accelerometer and touch sensor which allows you to tap your phone against it to share files and data, which is pretty neat.

Heck, Lenovo has even gone above and beyond with the peripherals it's announcing this year. The new Lenovo 900 Wireless Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard and Mouse are a genuine sight to behold. They feature a transparent design which looks so futuristic and awesome, almost like Apple's old keyboard and mouse designs from the early 2000's. I absolutely love these!

Lenovo today reminds me a lot of what Surface used to be about. Microsoft's hardware portfolio was all about pushing the boat out and trying new things, creating an ecosystem of niche devices that appealed to small but passionate groups of people. Surface Book, Surface Duo, Surface Earbuds, Surface Dial, etc. were all unique takes on everyday devices.

That's exactly what Lenovo strives to do these days. While it has its lineup of sensible hardware that appeals to the masses, it also has a lineup of incredibly unique and niche hardware that does attempt to push the boat out and try new things. Lenovo is doing BOTH, and I absolutely respect them for that.

This is the thing Microsoft failed to do with Surface. In 2023, the company scaled back its Surface portfolio, and as a result killed off pretty much all of the experimental and unique hardware it was known for shipping. Now, Surface is all about the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, the two most normal and uninteresting form factors the company builds.

Why Microsoft is unable to do both the boring stuff and unique interesting stuff is beyond me, but I'm so glad Lenovo is able to do it so well. I hope Lenovo continues to build this unique hardware for people like me who are only interested in computers when they are trying to be different well into the future, because it's the only thing keeping the Windows PC industry interesting right now.

Lenovo is one of the world's largest PC manufacturers, and the company's branding is all over the Consumer Electronics Show — so it's no surprise you can see a lot of Lenovo laptops there.

That includes the latest rendition of the iconic Lenovo ThinkPad X1 family of business laptops, including the best-selling ThinkPad X1 Carbon and its ultra-versatile sibling, the ThinkPad X1 2-in-1. At CES 2026, though, Lenovo revealed it took a different approach to updating these laptops this year.

Instead of trying to make the ThinkPad X1 Carbon lighter (something my Editor-in-Chief was told by Lenovo's engineers wouldn't be feasible without compromise), the company instead set out to make it one of the most durable and easily repairable business laptops on the market — all while making it more powerful and efficient.

Introducing: Space Frame, for ThinkPad X1

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 14) Aura Edition and ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 (Gen 11) Aura Edition — two ridiculously long names for what very well may be the best business-grade laptops of the year.

Both are powered by the latest silicon from Intel, rocking up to Intel Core Ultra X7 Series 3 chips paired with best-in-class memory and PCIe Gen5 storage. It's a big jump up in overall performance for both devices, especially with Intel's new 12-core Arc GPU.

Pair that with a wide assortment of ports (including three Thunderbolt 4 ports), a new 10MP wide-angle front-facing camera, optional NFC and 5G cellular, and a bevy of AI features between their Copilot+ PC status and Lenovo's Aura Edition features, and both of these devices are well equipped.

The X1 Carbon also gets a new, larger haptic touchpad, while the X1 2-in-1 benefits from a redesigned active pen that magnetically docks and charges. Ultimately, though, it's all about Space Frame.

When I reviewed the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 13), I expressed my disbelief that Lenovo somehow made its flagship enterprise laptop even thinner and lighter. It wasn't realistic to push that boundary even further this time, but the X1 Carbon doesn't really need it.

Instead, Lenovo re-engineered the internals with a new "Space Frame" design, which makes use of both sides of the motherboard. The improvements are two-fold: improved cooling and heat dissipation lead to significantly greater sustained performance, and repairs are now faster and easier thanks to simpler access to replaceable USB ports, battery, keyboard, speakers, fans, and more.

The latter improvement resulted in both ThinkPad X1 devices earning a 9/10 repairability score from iFixit; for comparison, the latest Apple MacBook Pro 14 only earned a 4/10.

Lenovo ThinkPads are already well-known for their reliability and durability, but the highest-end X1 family wasn't as competitive in terms of repairability. This new design handily resolves that problem, and it could make these laptops unbeatable for professionals in 2026.

What do you think of the new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 series? Could one of these be your next laptop? Let us know in the comments below!

The Legion Go 2 launched in October 2025 as a Windows 11 PC gaming handheld. A few months later, at CES 2026, Lenovo revealed it was launching an official SteamOS version of the Legion Go 2, like the Steam Deck, only with more premium features and internals.

RELATED: Legion Go 2 (Windows) review | Steam Deck review

For those of you unsure of which of the operating systems to choose from when buying Legion Go 2, I've spent some time comparing these two devices and explaining their differences. Let's dive in and discuss how they compare.

TL:DR: Look for the TL;DR sections to get the highlights for each category.

Legion Go 2: SteamOS vs Windows — Specs

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Legion Go 2: SteamOS vs Windows — Pricing

As of right now, we know that the Windows version of the Legion Go 2 has a lower $1,049.99 starting price compared to the SteamOS version's $1,199.99 starting MSRP.

Outside of their operating systems, these handhelds are largely the same, with the same layouts, buttons, processor options, displays, and ports.

It's honestly a bit surprising that the SteamOS version costs more, given that the Windows version of the Legion Go S has a higher price than the SteamOS version.

TL;DR: PRICE WINNER: Surprisingly, the Windows version of the Legion Go 2 has a lower starting price than the SteamOS version.

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Legion Go 2: SteamOS vs Windows — Performance

NOTE: I will conduct performance benchmark testing on the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) when I get my hands on it and will update this section as soon as possible. For now, this section utilizes official spec information for educated analysis.

Despite the Windows and SteamOS versions of the Legion Go 2 having the same Ryzen Z2 Series handheld processors and capacity options when it comes to memory and storage, it's likely that the SteamOS versions will run more efficiently.

RELATED: All AMD handheld chips and how they compare

This is due to the fact that SteamOS is far more optimized for handhelds than Microsoft's operating system. Where Windows 11 is bogged down by bloat and extra background processes, SteamOS is more focused, allowing it to take up less power.

As an example, previous benchmarks showed that the rival Xbox Ally X offered better performance running SteamOS than it did running the Windows 11 it ships with. As such, it stands to reason the Legion Go 2 will also perform better with SteamOS.

TL;DR: PERFORMANCE WINNER: I'll have to run tests to know for sure, but it's very likely that the SteamOS version of the Legion Go 2 will offer better performance.

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Legion Go 2: SteamOS vs Windows — Display

Both the SteamOS and Windows versions of the Legion Go 2 feature an 8.8-inch OLED touchscreen that tops at a crisp 1920x1200 resolution, a high 144Hz refresh rate, and offers VRR (variable refresh rate) support.

Altogether, they offer a fantastic color range and contrast with detailed visuals and smooth motion clarity.

As I noted in my Legion Go 2 (Windows) review, this is the best handheld display to date.

TL;DR: DISPLAY WINNER: It's a tie. Both the Windows and SteamOS versions have the same OLED display.

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Legion Go 2: SteamOS vs Windows — Controls and ports

There is no difference in the general layout between the SteamOS and Windows versions of the Legion Go 2. However, the SteamOS version does show the same game icons for the buttons that the Steam Deck uses.

Both handhelds have offset Hall Effect joysticks that won't develop stick drift, detachable controllers, and a touchpad under the right joystick. They both also have a right controller that has an FPS Mode, allowing the controller to act somewhat like a mouse when dragged around a surface.

I've personally used the FPS Mode for better control in certain games as well as to navigate my cursor around Windows 11 menus, programs, and Google Chrome. I'm guessing FPS Mode will work well in certain games on the SteamOS handheld and in the Desktop Mode. However, I'm not sure how well it will work in SteamOS's handheld mode. I'll be sure to check that out when I review the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS).

On top of the Legion Go 2 is an RGB circle, in the shape of the Legion logo, and at its center is a fingerprint reader that works very well on the Windows handheld. The thing is, this fingerprint reader is also located on the SteamOS version, but it cannot be used since SteamOS doesn't natively support this biometric login technology.

What about ports?

Port-wise, both Legion Go 2 versions offer an audio jack, a microSD card reader that supports up to 2TB, and two USB4 Type-C ports.

Thanks to DisplayPort support, both handhelds can be connected to a docking station and displayed on a TV or monitor. You'll just need to make sure you get a 65W docking station or higher in order for it to be compatible.

TL;DR: CONTROLS & PORTS WINNER: While the buttons, joysticks, and ports are the same between these devices, it's possible that FPS mode is limited on SteamOS and that the fingerprint reader is only supported on the Windows version, which makes Windows the winner here.

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Legion Go 2: SteamOS vs Windows — Software and games

As the names imply, the biggest difference between the Legion Go 2 versions is that one runs the Linux-based SteamOS while the other runs Windows 11.

Out of the box, SteamOS's handheld mode is intended to only access your Steam library of games, but as I explained in my Decky Loader guide, this plug-in makes it easier to access other game services like Battle.net, Epic Games, and more.

Meanwhile, the Windows version is far less optimized for handhelds; it literally operates like a Windows laptop or desktop, which has two main problems: First, many people find the Windows interface to be too convoluted for handhelds compared to the SteamOS interface's console-like simplicity. Second, Windows has far more bloat, with unnecessary programs (for handhelds) and extra processes running in the background. This bloat can slow the handheld down and make it work less efficiently, so it's good to uninstall unneeded programs.

These are some of the reasons why Windows handheld owners have opted to switch to SteamOS or the console-like experience of Bazzite.

Of course, the Xbox Ally X's Xbox Full Screen Experience (Xbox FSE) recently rolled out onto Legion Go 2 (Windows). This mode transforms Windows into more of a console-like interface using the Xbox App; it's an experience that's more akin to the feel of SteamOS, and it also reduces background programs to help Windows handhelds run more smoothly. Xbox FSE isn't quite where I want it to be yet, but Microsoft does have plans to improve it in 2026, so Xbox FSE could get even better this year.

It's also easier to update the SteamOS version and its software by going between your game library and the SteamOS system settings. Meanwhile, you'll need to move between Windows settings, your game services, specific games, AMD Software, and Lenovo Space to keep your Windows handheld and its games up to date.

However, there is a lot of good that comes with Windows as well. You can easily access a web browser, other gaming services, and download programs right out of the box if you know how to use Windows.

Then there's the game compatibility issue.

It's worth noting that the vast majority of PC games are specifically designed for Windows. SteamOS gets around this by using Proton, a compatibility layer, to make Windows games run on Linux. While Proton continues to get better every year, some games still aren't compatible with Proton and thus don't run well or don't run at all on SteamOS handhelds unless you do a lot of tweaking. Even then, there isn't always a guarantee that games will work on SteamOS.

As an example, many competitive multiplayer games require the use of an anti-cheat system to play, but most anti-cheat kernel-level drivers, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's RICOCHET, aren't supported on SteamOS. People have found workarounds, but it's possible a game's anti-cheat could incorrectly flag these fixes and ban your account. This being the case, it's typically safer to play anti-cheat games on Windows devices.

In case you didn't know, you can connect a mouse and keyboard to both the SteamOS and Windows versions and then use them like a typical Linux or Windows computer. I've specifically used my Legion Go 2 to access various non-gaming programs, type up articles for work, and browse the internet using my Artciety Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard with a built-in touchpad ($34.99 at Amazon).

You'll really need to consider what games you intend to play on the Legion Go 2 and then determine whether SteamOS or Windows will do a better job of allowing you to play those titles.

TL;DR: SOFTWARE & GAMES WINNER: We've got a few tradeoffs here. SteamOS is better optimized for handhelds than Windows, and it offers a better console-like interface. However, certain games and most anti-cheat systems do not run well on SteamOS; more games are compatible with Windows.

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Legion Go 2: SteamOS vs Windows — Battery life

Both the Windows and SteamOS versions of the Legion Go 2 offer a 74Wh battery. That said, the SteamOS version likely lasts longer on one charge since its operating system is more efficient, is better optimized for handhelds, and has less bloat (like we previously discussed).

I won't know what Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) battery life is like until I do my own battery testing. That said, my previous Legion Go 2 (Windows) battery tests showed that it tends to run for 1.5 to slightly more than five hours, depending on settings.

Now, the SteamOS version has those same power-hungry Z2 processors, so it likely only runs a bit longer than the Windows version.

I'll update this section as soon as I can run a Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) through battery testing.

TL;DR: BATTERY LIFE WINNER: I won't know for sure until I can do testing, but it's likely that the SteamOS version lasts longer.

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Legion Go 2: SteamOS vs Windows — Grip ergonomics and comfort

The same ergonomic design and shape are at play with both the SteamOS and Windows Legion Go 2.

They are 11.64 inches long, 5.38 inches tall, and 1.66 inches thick, making them some of the largest handhelds on the market. Unsurprisingly, they're also some of the heaviest, ranging between 2.03 and 2.2 pounds depending on configurations.

But your hands and wrists shouldn't cry out just yet. Remember, the detachable controllers are only 0.46 pounds, so you can put the controller in tabletop mode if you tend to experience wrist fatigue.

TL;DR: COMFORT WINNER: We have a tie. Both versions are the same when it comes to ergonomics, dimensions, and weight.

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Legion Go 2: SteamOS vs Windows — Comparison chart

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Legion Go 2: SteamOS vs Windows — Which should I buy?

In all honesty, both the Windows and the SteamOS versions of the Legion Go 2 could make for the perfect handheld, depending on what you want from your portable gaming device.

Generally, more people will likely prefer the SteamOS version due to its console-like interface and efficiency, but Windows can be a better fit for certain use cases.

In the end, choose the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) if you want a handheld that feels more like a dedicated gaming system than a full-blown PC. SteamOS is also a preferred option thanks to how efficiently it runs without unnecessary bloat.

Meanwhile, choose the Legion Go 2 (Windows) if you tend to play games with anti-cheat systems or other titles that don't run well on SteamOS. Alternatively, you might want to go with the Windows version if you want to use your handheld like a Windows gaming laptop or desktop, for school, work, or personal tasks.

NOTE: If you need a handheld right now, you're kind of out of luck, unless you're willing to give in to scalpers. The Windows Legion Go 2 has been out of stock at most retailers for a couple of months, and the SteamOS version doesn't launch until June 2026.

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The Steam Deck was the only official SteamOS PC gaming handheld for several years, until the Lenovo Legion Go S — Powered by SteamOS entered the ring. Now, Lenovo has announced that its flagship handheld is also getting a new version, the Legion Go 2 — Powered by SteamOS.

Once this device launches, buyers will have the choice of going with either a Windows 11 Legion Go 2 or a SteamOS one.

RELATED: Legion Go 2 (Windows) review | Steam Deck review

But how does the new Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) actually stack up against the Steam Deck? I've compared these two devices in a number of different categories, based on available specs, to find out.

TL:DR: Look for the TL;DR sections to get the highlights for each section.

Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Specs

TL;DR SPECS WINNER: There's no doubt about it. The Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) offers far more impressive specs. However, its starting price isn't at all budget-friendly, unlike the Steam Deck OLED.

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Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Price & value

Recently, the Steam Deck LCD 256GB (2022) was discontinued (like the Steam Deck LCD 64GB before it) — its $399.00 starting price had made it Valve's most affordable handheld for a while. But even with Valve removing this entry-level option, the Steam Deck OLED is still more affordable than the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS).

You can get the Steam Deck OLED with either 512GB of storage for $549.00 at Steam or 1TB of storage for $649.00 at Steam. Meanwhile, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) has a starting price of $1,199.00 — that's more than double the starting price of the Steam Deck OLED.

Additionally, the Steam Deck OLEDs are currently available for purchase, while the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) isn't expected to ship until June 2026. As such, you'll have to wait a while before you can get your hands on this new official SteamOS handheld.

TL;DR: PRICE WINNER: In terms of affordability, the Steam Deck OLED is by far the better budget buy. Its starting price is less than double the starting price of the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS). The Legion Go 2 is more costly, but it does give you more features.

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Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Performance

NOTE: I will conduct performance benchmark testing on the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) when I get my hands on it and will update this section as soon as possible. For now, this section utilizes official spec information for educated analysis.

Now, some of you are far more interested in the performance of a handheld than its price, so let's dive into how the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) performs versus the Steam Deck OLED.

Performance is a tricky thing, especially when it comes to handhelds. It's determined, not only by how powerful the internals are, but by how well the system of hardware works with the software it's running.

On paper, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) offers a much, much more powerful APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) — an AMD SoC (system on chip) that combines a CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit) for better efficiency to fit a smaller form factor.

The Legion Go 2 (SteamOS)'s Ryzen Z2 Extreme's CPU utilizes eight cores and 16 threads using the latest Zen 5 architecture, while the GPU has 16 cores and utilizes RDNA3.5, which is the latest architecture for integrated GPUs.

In comparison, the Steam Deck OLED only has half of the CPU threads and cores (4C, 8T) and half the GPU cores (8C), while using older architecture for both. Having more cores and threads allows a processor to work more efficiently and take on more work at once, which is important for gaming performance.

RELATED: All AMD handheld chips and how they compare

Then there's also the fact that the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) with 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD can have up to double the memory and storage space of the Steam Deck OLED with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD. This not only gives the Legion Go 2 room for more games but also allows the system to access data quickly, theoretically resulting in faster loading and saving times.

One last thing to note is that the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) supports VRR (variable refresh rate) while the Steam Deck does not. This is an important distinction since VRR reduces screen tearing and helps games play more smoothly. So even motion clarity is likely better on the Lenovo's handheld.

What this all means is that the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) can take on more graphically intensive tasks than the Steam Deck can handle. As an example, some AAA games might not run well on Steam Deck or might not boot at all, but it's possible that those same games could run well on Legion Go 2 (SteamOS), depending on system requirements.

That all said, we'll have to see how well the Legion Go 2 specifically plays with SteamOS. My guess is that it will be a major performance improvement over the Legion Go 2 (Windows), given that SteamOS has a lot less bloatware and extra processes going on in the background.

What's more, previous benchmarks showed that the rival Xbox Ally X offered better performance with SteamOS than it did with its shipped Windows 11, so it stands to reason the Legion Go 2 will perform better with SteamOS as well.

As far as upgradability goes, I'm willing to bet that the Steam Deck is easier to upgrade than the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS). When I reviewed the Windows version of the Legion Go 2, I took a look inside of it and noted that it hadn't really been designed with easy upgradability in mind, so I'm guessing the same is true of the SteamOS option.

TL;DR: PERFORMANCE WINNER: The Legion Go 2's AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip is far more powerful than the Steam Deck's custom AMD chip. Lenovo's handheld also offers more memory and storage. All of this together means that the Legion Go 2 should be able to run games that the Steam Deck cannot.

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Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Display

This is another area where the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) absolutely dominates.

The Steam Deck OLED has a 7.4-inch OLED touchscreen, but it tops out at 1280x800 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate, which is pretty limited by today's handheld standards.

Meanwhile, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) has a notably larger OLED display that measures in at 8.8 inches. When side-by-side with a Steam Deck OLED, this screen size difference feels massive and allows you to make out more details in your games.

On top of that, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) has a wider color gamut for richer hues and better contrast. It can also hit a higher resolution of up to 1920x1200, providing much crisper imagery for you to view, while a 144Hz refresh rate and the previously mentioned VRR support reduce motion blur and provide smoother visuals.

It's worth noting that the Legion Go 2's display isn't just better than the Steam Deck's display; it's also the best handheld display to date.

TL;DR: DISPLAY WINNER: There is no debate here. The Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) OLED display is better than the Steam Deck OLED in every way, including higher resolution, refresh rate, color range, size, and VRR support.

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Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Controls and ports

Controls and ports are where the Steam Deck and Legion Go 2 really show their physical differences.

They have the same general layout with joysticks on either side, ABXY buttons on the right, D-Pad on the left, bumpers, triggers, four back buttons, and a smattering of system and game buttons.

These controls mostly all function the same. In fact, the SteamOS version of the Legion Go 2 shows the same symbols on the buttons that the Steam Deck OLED does. So there shouldn't be any confusion on that score.

Now for the differences.

Perhaps the most important difference here is that the Legion Go 2 has offset Hall Effect joysticks and triggers, while the Steam Deck has inline analog joysticks. This means that the Legion Go 2 won't experience stick drift, but the Steam Deck might.

Another thing to note is that the Steam Deck OLED offers two touchpads, one under each joystick, while the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) only has one slightly smaller touchpad under the right joystick. To be fair, many people only end up using the right touchpad, but you might be an outlier with your preferences, so it's something to consider.

The biggest control difference between these handhelds is that the Legion Go 2 offers detachable controllers (Legion TrueStrike controllers), like the Nintendo Switch 2. You simply press a button on the back of the controllers and pull them down to remove them. Since the Legion Go 2 has a built-in kickstand, you can take the controllers in hand and play while the tablet part is propped up on its own on a table.

But wait, there's more; another feature the Steam Deck doesn't offer.

The Legion Go 2's right controller has an FPS (first-person shooter) switch on the bottom and comes with a magnetic stand. When this switch is toggled, and the controller is placed in that stand, the right gamepad can be moved around on a surface, a lot like a mouse, to navigate game menus or even be used for first-person shooters.

Both of the Legion Go 2's controllers also feature USB-C ports so they can be charged separately, if desired. But they also charge if they're connected to the Legion Go 2 while it's plugged in and charging.

Something to note is that the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS)'s power button also doubles as a fingerprint reader. However, SteamOS does not natively support this biometric login feature, so it's unusable on this handheld. Of course, this also explains why the Steam Deck doesn't have a fingerprint reader.

What about ports?

When it comes to ports, the Steam Deck OLED is modest, but it gives you all the basics you need. There's one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, one microSD card reader, and one audio jack.

In comparison, the Legion Go 2 also has an audio jack and a microSD card reader. It differs in that it has two USB4 Type-C ports, which are more than twice as fast and support higher resolutions. Additionally, having two ports is more convenient since you can charge your device with one connection while having an accessory plugged into the other port at the same time.

Since both the Steam Deck and Legion Go 2's USB-Cs support DisplayPort, both handhelds can be connected to a docking station and displayed on a TV or monitor. However, the Steam Deck only needs a 45W docking station while the Legion Go 2 needs 65W or higher for it to work.

TL;DR: CONTROLS WINNER: There are a lot of differences here, but the Legion Go 2's Hall Effect joysticks, detachable controllers, FPS mode, and dual USB4 ports make it the more convenient handheld in terms of controls and ports.

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Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Software and games

There isn't too much to get into in this section, given that both the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) and the Steam Deck run the Linux-based SteamOS as their operating system. This means the menus and user interface are the same.

Out of the box, both devices are intended to only access your Steam library of games. But you can access other gaming services like Epic Games, Battle.net, and more using certain plug-ins and programs.

If you're interested in something like that, check out my guide on how to install Decky Loader on SteamOS handhelds.

As I mentioned previously, the Legion Go 2 configuration with a Z2 Extreme chip will be able to run more AAA games than the Steam Deck OLED since it has stronger internal hardware.

TL;DR: SOFTWARE & GAMES WINNER: Both handhelds might offer the same SteamOS operating system and interface; however, the Legion Go 2 is the winner here since it is powerful enough to run more AAA games than the Steam Deck OLED can handle.

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Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Battery life

Simply by looking at the specs, it might appear as though the Steam Deck OLED's 50Whr battery has a shorter battery life than the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS)'s 74Wh battery, but that's probably not the case.

A battery drains faster if it has to support more power-hungry processors and displays, like those in the Legion Go 2. This being the case, it's very possible that the Steam Deck OLED has a longer battery life.

Typically, the Steam Deck OLED can last between three and 12 hours, depending on the settings it's running at. I won't know for sure how long the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) lasts until I run my own battery life tests on it.

However, I know from previous testing that the Legion Go 2 (Windows) tends to only last between 1.5 and slightly more than five hours. Considering that SteamOS lets handhelds run more efficiently than Windows 11, I expect the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) to have a longer battery life than the Windows version, but probably not by a ton.

TL;DR: BATTERY LIFE WINNER: Due to its more power-efficient system, the Steam Deck tends to last longer than the Legion Go 2.

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Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Grip ergonomics and comfort

There's a lot of debate over whether or not the Steam Deck OLED is comfortable to hold. While certainly a beloved handheld, the Steam Deck isn't nearly as ergonomically shaped as the Legion Go 2, but it isn't as heavy either.

Valve's Steam Deck OLED weighs in at 1.41 pounds while being 11.7 inches long, 4.6 inches tall, and 1.9 inches thick. Meanwhile, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is much heavier at 2.2 pounds while being 11.64 inches long, 5.38 inches tall, and 1.66 inches thick.

Of course, one huge difference here is that you don't have to hold the entire Legion Go 2 in your hands if you don't want to. Those detachable controllers only weigh 0.46 pounds and won't strain your hands nearly as much as a whole Steam Deck OLED.

TL;DR: COMFORT WINNER: The Steam Deck might weigh less than the Legion Go 2, but Lenovo's handheld is more ergonomically shaped and has detachable controllers that won't strain your wrists as much.

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Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Comparison chart

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Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Which should I buy?

I've compared just about every aspect of these handhelds, and it's time to declare one the winner. The thing is, they are both good options. What this final decision really comes down to is your preferred playing experience.

If you're specifically wanting a handheld so you can play the latest and greatest AAA games, then the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is the device you want. Just remember, not all games are compatible with handhelds, so you'll need to check system requirements on a case-by-case basis.

I also recommend the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) if you want a larger display that will be easier to see details on. Or if you deal with hand fatigue and want a handheld that will reduce discomfort.

But while the Legion Go 2 is undeniably the more impressive handheld here, you might not need the very best handheld to meet your gaming needs.

At the end of it all, the Steam Deck OLED remains the best budget-friendly handheld, even if it is older and not nearly as powerful. It can still be used to access a wide range of games, and it has a large community that is eager to share tips with newcomers.

Before you purchase either the Steam Deck OLED or the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS), think about what you want to do with your handheld, what types of games you want to play, how much money you're willing to spend, and any features you know you don't want to go without. Then choose the handheld based on that.

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In 2025, I spent dozens of hours running benchmarks to eventually write up my ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X review and Legion Go 2 (Windows) review. I even wrote up a comparison piece pitting the Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (Windows).

But now, thanks to Lenovo's announcement at CES 2026, we know that a new SteamOS variant of the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is coming to market.

I took some time comparing the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS)'s specs against the Xbox Ally X to explain how one of these devices is more impressive than the other. I've also discussed which one is a better buy for most people. Let's dive in.

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Specs

Before we go any further, take a look at the individual specs for the Xbox Ally X and Legion Go 2 (SteamOS).

Note: I am not comparing the starting Xbox Ally (white) handheld against the Legion Go 2 since it is more of a competitor against the Legion Go S rather than the Legion Go 2.

Where the Xbox Ally X is the successor to the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X made via a partnership between ASUS and Microsoft, the Legion Go 2 is the next-gen Legion Go flagship handheld from Lenovo.

Let's discuss how these spec differences change the playing experience.

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Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Price

I won't be surprised if your eyes bulged while looking at the prices for the Xbox Ally X and the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS); these are premium handheld gaming PCs with high prices to fit their features.

The Xbox Ally X has been available at stores since October 2025, but the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) doesn't launch until June 2026. Additionally, Legion Go 2 (Windows) models have been sold out at most retailers for a while now, as of the time of writing.

The Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) has a higher starting price of $1,199.99 compared to the Xbox Ally X, which is $999.99 at Best Buy; the reason being that Lenovo's handheld has several features that ASUS ROG's does not (we'll go into that more later).

For some reason, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is also more expensive than the starting price of the Legion Go 2 (Windows), which has a starting price of $1,099.99 at Best Buy.

Now, it's worth noting that both ASUS ROG and Lenovo offer less expensive handheld gaming PCs (Xbox Ally and Legion Go S), but the Xbox Ally X and Legion Go 2 are their flagship devices, so that's why they are so costly.

PRICE WINNER: There's no denying that the Xbox Ally X has a lower price point. Still, the Legion Go 2 offers many features that the Xbox Ally X doesn't have, so you should consider which one fits your needs best.

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Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Performance and configurations

NOTE: I will run benchmark tests on the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) as soon as I can get my hands on it. For now, this performance section is based on device specs and educated conjecture. I will update this section once my testing has been done.

Both the Xbox Ally X and Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) utilize the latest AMD Ryzen Z2 series chip — both APUs (accelerated processing units) feature 8 cores and 16 threads with Zen 5 architecture, as well as 16 GPU cores with RDNA3.5 architecture. However, the key difference is that the Xbox Ally X APU has an AI-CPU while the Legion Go 2 does not.

What this means is that, when solely comparing the chips, the Xbox Ally X's APU is likely better suited to handling certain tasks than the Legion Go 2's APU, since the AI processor's NPU (neural processing unit) can take some of the load off of the CPU and GPU to help the system run more efficiently. Still, the processor isn't the only thing that determines a handheld's overall performance.

Since this Legion Go 2 model's non-AI processor is still a very powerful handheld chip and the device runs SteamOS, it's likely that the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is still a more efficient device than the Windows Xbox Ally X.

The reason being, SteamOS is better optimized for handhelds. For instance, swapping Windows with SteamOS on the Xbox Ally X saw the handheld increase FPS (frames per second) by as much as 32% while also improving FPS stability and resume times (thanks, Tom's Hardware). As such, I expect the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) will offer better performance than the Xbox Ally X.

We don't fully know what memory and storage configurations will be available for the Legion Go 2, but we do know there will be up to a whopping 32GB LPDDR5X-8000 MHz RAM and up to a huge 2TB M.2 2242 SSD compared to the Xbox Ally X's 24GB LPDDR5X-8000 MHz RAM and 1TB M.2 2280 SSD.

To be clear, the Xbox Ally X's memory and storage are more than enough for handheld gaming, but more memory and more storage are especially helpful for people who play a lot of AAA games.

Additionally, unless there's been some big shakeup, I'm going to assume that the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) will offer faster SSD read and write speeds than Xbox Ally X's SSD, given that in my own SSD testing, all of Lenovo's handhelds have been faster than the SSDs in their direct ASUS ROG competitors —including Legion Go S vs ROG Ally and Legion Go (Windows) vs Xbox Ally X.

Just keep in mind that the best gaming handhelds are in no way as powerful as the best gaming laptops or best gaming desktops since handhelds trade off portability for power.

⚠️ Warning for DIYers and customization enthusiasts: I'm not expecting the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) to have the best upgradeability, considering that when I opened my Windows model, I found that the Legion Go 2 (Windows) wasn't designed with upgradability in mind. It would take more work than many other handhelds just to swap out the SSD. But I'm sure that won't stop many of you from doing it anyway.

This is one of the areas where the Xbox Ally X is better. It's much easier to access the SSD and swap it out. What's more, WD_BLACK has designed SSDs exclusively for Xbox Ally X, so it was specifically designed for upgrading.

Of course, if you don't like opening your devices, both of these handhelds can have their storage expanded using the best microSD cards.

PERFORMANCE & STORAGE WINNER: These are both powerful handhelds, but the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is likely the better performer given that SteamOS is more efficient and Lenovo's handheld SSDs have typically been faster than ASUS ROG's.

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Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Display

There's no beating around the bush here. The Legion Go 2's 8.8-inch OLED touchscreen is basically better than the Xbox Ally X's 7-inch IPS touchscreen in every way. In fact, the Legion Go 2 has the best display of any handheld to date.

In addition to being larger, Lenovo's screen has a wider color gamut, deeper contrast, crisper resolution, and a higher refresh rate than its competitor. What this means is that game scenes look richer, with more details and better motion clarity on Legion Go 2.

RELATED: IPS LCD vs OLED vs tandem OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED: Which is the best display?

It's also worth noting that the Xbox Ally X's panel has a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is typically preferred for most gaming needs. Meanwhile, the Legion Go 2's screen has a 16:10 aspect ratio, like the Steam Deck. This makes Lenovo's display larger vertically, making it more ideal for certain strategy games and general PC usage.

Neither aspect ratio is bad per se, but some people have strong preferences, so it's something to keep in mind.

DISPLAY WINNER: The Legion Go 2 OLED screen is much better than the Xbox Ally X's IPS display. It's larger, has a higher refresh rate, higher top resolution, better color gamut, and deeper contrast.

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Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Buttons, joysticks, and grip

In general, the overall layout and control options on these devices are very similar, but there are a few key differences when it comes to features and technologies.

As you can see from the pictures, both handhelds have triggers, bumpers, ABXY buttons, various menu buttons, and a D-Pad, but only the Legion Go 2 has anti-drift Hall Effect joysticks, whereas the Xbox Ally X has standard analog sticks. Additionally, the Legion Go 2 has a touchpad on its right side, while the Xbox Ally X doesn't have any at all. Some people prefer the fine control that touchpads offer for game menus and certain games on handhelds.

One of the biggest complaints many people have with all handhelds is hand cramping and wrist fatigue. Handhelds might be relatively small devices, but gripping a top-heavy device and forcing it to tilt up slightly at your face can cause discomfort. My pinky fingers often go numb playing certain handhelds. The 1.57-pound Xbox Ally X and the larger 2.03-pound Legion Go 2 both found ways to assuage this pain, but using very different methods.

Xbox Ally X's most physical defining characteristic is its long, thick grips, which were designed after the Xbox controller. In my opinion, this design definitely makes it the most comfortable handheld to actually hold in handheld mode. Of course, Xbox Ally X only has handheld mode, while Legion Go 2 also offers a far less hand-straining tabletop mode.

The original Legion Go was a rather uncomfortable handheld for me to hold, but this newer Legion Go 2 has a far more rounded design with TrueStrike Controllers that feel nicer in your hands thanks to their improved ergonomics.

By detaching the Legion Go 2's TrueStrike Controllers, popping out the tablet's kickstand, and playing in the aforementioned tabletop mode, your hands will only deal with a combined 0.46 pounds of weight from the controllers. What's more, if you connect the Legion Go 2 to your living room TV via a docking station (like my favorite JSAUX 6-in-1 Docking Station $39.99 at Amazon), you already have controllers ready to go instead of needing to find an external one.

Finally, there is one last major design difference between the two devices. It might seem like a simple thing, but having a kickstand turns a handheld into more of an entertainment device. So out of the box, I don't have to prop the Legion Go 2 up against anything when I want to stream Netflix or skim YouTube, but I do have to do this with Xbox Ally X.

For this reason, I recommend grabbing an accessory like the dBrand ROG Xbox Ally X Killswitch at Best Buy to give your Xbox Ally X a kickstand.

By the way, there is a power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader on top of the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS), but SteamOS doesn't support native biometric login, so fingerprint login is unsupported. The Xbox Ally X's power button is also a fingerprint reader, but it isn't very reliable. It's failed to accurately scan my finger several times, leading me to log in via pin much of the time.

CONTROLS & GRIPS WINNER: Once again, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is the winner. It might weigh more, but you can put it in tabletop mode to put less strain on your hands and wrists. It also offers two features the Xbox Ally X doesn't have: Hall Effect joysticks that won't drift and a touchpad.

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Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Compatible games & Operating system

The Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) and Xbox Ally X offer a night and day user experience since the former runs Valve's Linux-based operating system, while the latter runs Microsoft's program.

Many people prefer SteamOS to Windows since, as I said previously, it is far more efficient for gaming and offers a simplified, console-like interface that feels far more conducive to a handheld experience. Still, Windows offers some features and ease of mind that you might prefer.

Microsoft launched a new Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) with the Xbox Ally X that was designed to reduce Windows bloat and allow the handheld to run better, but the Xbox App interface really isn't great, and it's not as efficient as SteamOS. Now, Microsoft will be releasing more FSE updates that could improve this experience, but there's still a lot of work to do.

Then there's the whole matter of game services and game compatibility.

Out of the box, Xbox Ally X owners can easily exit Xbox FSE to access a web browser and navigate to dozens of gaming services (Epic Games, Battle.net, Steam, and more). Meanwhile, out of the box,

SteamOS does have a desktop mode, but it might be daunting for people who aren't familiar with Linux (but there are plenty of helpful guides online to help with that).

Meanwhile, SteamOS's default handheld mode is only intended to access your Steam library out of the box. Of course, you can make it so your Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) can access other game services if you follow my guide on how to install Decky Loader on SteamOS handhelds; it just takes a bit more work.

One thing I love about the Xbox Ally X is how much setting customization it provides. It's Armoury Crate utility software offers far more options than Legion Go 2's Legion Space program, so I can get my system running the way I want. For instance, I can manually change Xbox Ally X VRAM very easily, but the more complicated process for updating the previous Windows Legion Go 2 VRAM involves going into the BIOS. It's possible the SteamOS variant will use a different method.

Another thing to note is that fully updating the Xbox Ally X can be a nightmare compared to Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) since you have to install updates in Windows Settings, Armoury Crate, and AMD Software. Meanwhile, SteamOS updates are done within SteamOS's system settings menu.

As for game compatibility, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) can play a wide range of titles from small indies to the latest AAA games that meet its system requirements.

However, the truth is that most games are specifically designed for Windows and not Linux. SteamOS utilizes Proton, a compatibility layer to make Windows games work on its operating system. While Proton keeps getting better every year, some programs and games still don't work well on SteamOS handhelds.

For example, most anti-cheat software isn't compatible with SteamOS. So, games that require anti-cheat kernels like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Battlefield 6, Valorant, and more cannot be played on Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) unless you find a workaround. Even then, I don't recommend using these fixes since it's very easy for an anti-cheat to mistake your workaround for a cheat and permanently ban your account.

In the end, you'll want to consider what type of games you intend to play on your handheld and what kind of experience you want. Then, make a purchase based on which handheld suits your needs best.

SOFTWARE WINNER: This is the trickiest category to declare a winner, since it's largely a matter of preference. The Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) generally offers a better interface and gaming experience, especially if you're willing to learn how to use Linux. However, more games are compatible with Windows, and it's easier to access a web browser and any gaming service on the Xbox Ally X right out of the box.

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Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Battery life

Since I haven't been able to run the 74Whr Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) battery through battery life testing yet, I cannot say for sure how it matched up to the 80Whr Xbox Ally X battery's life. I'll conduct testing and update this section as soon as I can.

That said, I'm confident the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) will last longer than ASUS ROG's handheld based on the battery life testing I did on the Legion Go 2 (Windows). As seen in the chart below, the Windows variant lasted longer than Xbox Ally X when playing games at max and lowest TDP, but didn't last as long when being used like a computer.

Thing is, SteamOS is far more efficient than Windows, allowing a handheld's battery to stretch further on one charge. So, if the Windows Legion Go 2's battery life was already better than the Xbox Ally X in many ways, the SteamOS variant must be even better.

Once again, I'll run the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) through battery life testing and update this section with the results as soon as I get my hands on it.

BATTERY LIFE WINNER: It's very likely that the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) offers better battery life than the Xbox Ally X since it has a less power-hungry operating system.

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Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Which should I buy?

We've compared these handhelds from design ergonomics to features, and even operating systems to game compatibility. In general, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is certainly the more impressive device with Hall Effect joysticks, the beloved SteamOS operating system, a far better OLED display, detachable controllers, an FPS mode, and, likely, better battery life (benchmark testing coming soon). These are all things you should expect from a premium handheld created by the biggest PC manufacturer in the world.

If you're willing to wait until June and don't mind spending more money for a Legion Go 2 (SteamOS), then you're going to get a fantastic handheld gaming PC that's far more powerful than a Steam Deck and offers more versatility than any of its handheld gaming PC rivals.

But that doesn't make the Xbox Ally X a bad handheld; I still love it, even if the Legion Go 2 is more eye-catching. Truth is, they offer such different features that they suit very different use cases.

If you want to save some money and care more about those meaty grips and ensuring Windows game compatibility, then the Xbox Ally X is the handheld to get. Plus, it's actually available right now, so there's no wait.

Of course, if your biggest gripe about Xbox Ally X is Windows 11, you can always buy this handheld and then use my guide to install SteamOS on it. You'll get the best of both worlds.

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The mini PC market had a great year, and with laptop and desktop prices expected to continue climbing in 2026, I foresee many users considering a switch to a more affordable device that's powerful and compact.

Lenovo is kicking off CES 2026 with a new Yoga Mini i PC that weighs just 600 grams (1.32 pounds) with a 0.65-liter chassis. That's even more impressive considering the chassis is made from aluminum, matching the aesthetic of Lenovo's premium Yoga laptops.

It's absurdly small, with its round design measuring just 5.12 x 5.12 x 1.91 inches (130mm x 130mm x 48.6mm). Forget a backpack or messenger — you could slip this into your back pocket when you leave the office.

And despite having such a tiny frame, Lenovo has packed in some impressive performance hardware and additional features to improve the user experience. The mini PC runs on Intel's latest Core Ultra X7 Series 3 chips, up to an X7 358H with integrated graphics. These chips have more than enough power to run Windows 11's Copilot+ AI tools.

You can configure the Yoga Mini i with up to 32GB of LPDDR5x-8533MT/s RAM and up to 2TB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD storage. There's no word if the SSD is user-upgradeable, but I do know that the LPDDR5x RAM is soldered to the board. It all runs on a 100W USB-C power adapter.

Here's where things get interesting. The Yoga Mini i comes with Wi-Fi sensing abilities, which can automatically wake the PC when it notices changes in Wi-Fi signals (caused by, say, you walking through your office). That's a bit too much sensing for my liking, but I'm sure some will appreciate the feature.

A built-in ambient light will pulse when it senses your presence, and the same light will show up for certain notifications and reminders. The small power button on the side of the device includes a fingerprint reader for additional security through Windows Hello, something that's not often seen on even the best mini PCs currently available.

I don't blame you for thinking that a mini PC this small might lack the port selection for a full workload. However, that's not quite the case. Lenovo managed to fit in dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) with 100W charging capabilities, another USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), 2.5Gb Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio combo, and one USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2).

That covers video, data, internet, and power, and Lenovo says the Yoga Mini i can support "up to four high-resolution displays" with its native port selection. A built-in speaker and microphone make it easy to conference without any additional hardware.

Lenovo expects to launch its new Yoga Mini i in June 2026 with a starting price of $699.99.

Mini PCs are becoming more popular all the time, and companies like Lenovo are pushing the limits in terms of size, power, and features. Will your next PC be a mini PC?

At CES 2025, Lenovo's ThinkBook Plus Rollable became the world's first AI laptop with a rolling OLED display. Capable of vertically expanding its regular 14-inch screen to hit 16.7 inches, it was the culmination of years of testing and concept designs.

Lenovo's next big rollable concept piece, introduced at CES 2026, brings the technology to the Legion Pro lineup of gaming laptops. But rather than expanding vertically like the ThinkBook Plus, the Legion Pro Rollable's 16-inch screen expands horizontally to create either a 21.5-inch or 24-inch ultrawide picture.

The secret to the laptop's versatility lies in a "dual-motor, tension-based design" that keeps vibration and noise to a minimum. More importantly, Lenovo says it keeps the PureSight OLED panel taut to prevent creasing, glare, and other distractions.

Considering one of my main gripes with the ThinkBook Rollable was the visible crease marks on the lower rolled portion of the screen, I'm hoping that what Lenovo claims is true. The same creased effect on a gaming monitor would have far worse repercussions.

Indeed, Lenovo is marketing its new Legion Pro Rollable concept as ideal for esports pros who often travel and want to practice everywhere they go. Lenovo views the standard 16-inch display setup as a "Focus Mode" that helps refine reflexes. Tactical Mode sits at 21.5 inches, and Lenovo thinks it can aid in "peripheral awareness, rotation drills, and team coordination."

Expanded to its full 24 inches, or "Arena Mode" as Lenovo calls it, it's perfect for training competitively without requiring a separate, full-size monitor.

Because the Legion Pro Rollable is based on the mighty flagship Legion Pro 7i we favorably reviewed and which currently sits at the top of our favorite gaming laptops, you can expect the same ridiculous level of performance and refinement.

Lenovo is offering the latest and most powerful Intel Core Ultra chips paired with up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 Laptop GPU. Of course, I still stick by my advice to not buy an RTX 5090 mobile GPU when it's so much more expensive than the RTX 5080 while only offering mild performance improvements.

The ThinkBook Plus Rollable remains a niche device for professionals who need extra screen space without any additional bulk. I have a feeling that Lenovo's next Rollable concept will garner a lot more attention, even for those outside of professional esports.

One of my main complaints with gaming laptops — and one of the main reasons why I always end up returning to my desktop PC with an ultrawide monitor — is, well, screen space. I foresee this PC as being popular for anyone who often works away from home or who doesn't necessarily have the space on their desk for a full-time 24-inch display.

Of course, this being a concept product, there's no definitive release date or set price. It could see a full launch one day, just like its ThinkBook Rollable sibling, but we can only wait to see what Lenovo has in store.

Lenovo's rollable display tech keeps getting better, and it seems perfectly suited for use in a gaming laptop. Would you use something similar? Let us know in the comments below!

We love thin and light laptops here at Windows Central, just as long as they can offer long battery life, snappy performance, and a colorful, bright display.

Last year at CES, the ASUS Zenbook A14 with Snapdragon CPUs stole the show with its 2.18-pound (0.98kg) design and $899 price tag. Lenovo is now gunning for its appeal with a new Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition laptop announced at CES 2026.

The PC weighs in at just 2.15 pounds (975g) and measures only 0.55 inches (13.9mm) thin. That makes it slightly lighter and thinner than the Zenbook A14 from 2024. Lenovo achieved this design by using a magnesium-alloy chassis, as well as opting for a Force Pad haptic touchpad that takes up much less space than traditional mechanical pads.

Inside, you'll find up to an Intel Core Ultra X9 (Series 3) processor with integrated Intel Xe graphics, up to 32GB of LPDDR5x-9600MT/s RAM, and a 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. It is, of course, a Copilot+ PC with access to all of the latest AI tools in Windows 11.

It will be interesting to see how good the runtimes are based on the 75Wh battery. Intel has made a lot of improvements to efficiency with its latest chips, and Lenovo says it has "optimized thermals" to keep everything running cool in such a small package.

The Yoga aesthetic is undeniable, with soft, rounded corners, a raised comms bar above the screen with a 5MP webcam and an IR sensor for Windows Hello, deep 1.5mm key travel, and a stellar display.

The OLED touchscreen measures 14 inches with a 2880x1800 resolution, 120Hz variable refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, and perfect color reproduction across sRGB, DCI-P3, and AdobeRGB color gamuts. Perhaps the best part, at least for those working on the go, is the screen's ability to reach up to 1,100 nits peak brightness. That's bright enough to effectively combat glare when working outdoors.

Port selection is limited to three Thunderbolt 4 connections, which means that you'll likely have to add a quality Thunderbolt docking station to accommodate all of your accessories.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that Lenovo's Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition will be able to match the Zenbook A14's attractive price. It's expected to launch in Q2 2026, starting at $1,499.99. You'll be able to find it in Seashell, Cosmic Blue, and Mystic Violet colors.

Laptops keep getting thinner and lighter, but at what point do you draw the line for the sake of functionality? Let us know in the comments section below!

Lenovo's Yoga hardware is some of the best on the market from both aesthetic and functional standpoints, and its new all-in-one (AIO) PC that was just introduced at CES 2026 introduces a design that I've never seen in any other AIO.

I'm talking about a glowing panel below the 32-inch display that effectively hides the Yoga AIO i Aura Edition's built-in A-frame stand. It extends from the bottom of the actual display, and its built-in adaptive lighting can be set to sync with on-screen video content for a more immersive PC experience.

Beyond syncing with video, it can also be configured to light up when you receive certain messages or notifications. It's all completely customizable, and if that lighting turns out to be a bother, it can be disabled.

Further adding to immersion are dual 3W tweeters and dual 5W woofers with Dolby Atmos certification. The speakers are completely hidden in the sleek chassis.

Lenovo is marketing its new Yoga AIO i Aura Edition PC to creators, and its OLED display can certainly keep up with the related demands. It measures 31.5 inches with a 3840x2160 (UHD) resolution, it hits a 165Hz refresh rate, and it manages 100% sRGB and 99% DCI-P3 color reproduction.

Beyond those base specs, it features TÜV Low Blue Light certification, Eyesafe certification, and TÜV Flicker-free certification, something that's especially important for those who are prone to discomfort when viewing OLED displays.

Also key for creators is the performance hardware based on Intel's latest Core Ultra Series 3 processors. Lenovo is offering up to a Core Ultra X7 358H CPU with 32GB of LPDDR5x-9600MT/s RAM and a 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. It includes Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0, the two most recent standards for wireless connectivity.

And for those who are worried about needing a docking station to connect all their accessories, I can say that Lenovo has done a great job of offering a wide range of native connectivity. Thunderbolt 4 is the main attraction here, but it also includes dual USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), dual USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), HDMI 2.1, hidden USB-A 2.0, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack.

Topping things off, literally, is a 16MP camera located above the screen. It has an IR sensor for Windows Hello, allowing you to log in quickly with facial biometrics.

Lenovo is planning to bring the new Yoga AIO i Aura Edition to market in Q2 2026. It's expected to start at $2,399.99.

Lenovo's new Yoga AIO i Aura Edition pushes the all-in-one PC to a new level of immersion and style. Is it something you can see yourself using? Let us know in the comments below!

Lenovo has a huge presence at CES 2026, which isn't surprising given the OEM's (original equipment manufacturer) broad lineup of products coming to market this year.

As part of those announcements, Lenovo has revealed that its flagship handheld gaming PC is getting a new variant. Say hello to the Legion Go 2 — Powered by SteamOS, which is launching just a few months after the original Legion Go 2 (Windows)'s October 2025 launch period.

The addition of this operating system fixes the one gripe that many gamers have with the versatile handheld — Windows 11.

Now, this isn't to say the original model is bad; I gave the handheld a score of 4.5 Stars out of 5 Stars in my Legion Go 2 (Windows) review. However, there's no denying that SteamOS is better optimized for handhelds and provides a more console-like experience that many handheld owners prefer to Microsoft's operating system. That's still true even now that the Xbox Ally X's Xbox Full Screen Experience has rolled out to Legion Go 2 (Windows).

The downside is that moving away from Windows does remove support for one of the Legion Go 2's (also called LeGo 2 by enthusiasts) most convenient and reliable features. You see, SteamOS doesn't natively support biometric login, which means the SteamOS variant cannot use the fingerprint reader.

The most premium SteamOS handheld yet, with an equally premium price

For those of you who have an unshakable feeling that this announcement is old news, that's because the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) actually leaked last month, ahead of its intended CES 2026 reveal period.

So, really, this announcement just confirms that this premium SteamOS handheld is real while also finally giving us a release date and starting price. Prepare your wallets, this device is going to be expensive, but that's because it has some of the best features of any handheld.

This handheld has an eye-watering $1,199 MSRP starting price, and there will presumably be a more expensive version as well. It's currently unclear how many configurations of the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) are coming to market, but it seems like there will at least be two launching as soon as June 2026.

Now, spending over $1,000 on any handheld is a hard decision for many people to make, but as our own Editor-in-Chief, Daniel Rubino, explained, the Legion Go 2 also offers more features and better specs than competitors.

Let's take a look at those specs and features.

The SteamOS variant will obviously run SteamOS instead of Windows, but it's also coming with up to an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, which notably offers far better CPU and GPU performance than the Steam Deck's custom AMD chip.

RELATED: All AMD handheld chips and how they compare

In other words, the Legion Go 2 will be capable of running games far more smoothly than the Steam Deck, and it will even run some games that the less powerful Steam Deck cannot.

Meanwhile, it also has features that its biggest Windows competitor, the ROG Xbox Ally X, does not. Namely, Hall Effect joysticks, a built-in kickstand, detachable controllers, an FPS mode to use the right controller like a mouse, a touchpad, and a larger 8.8-inch OLED display.

So why does SteamOS improve the Legion Go 2 for so many users? Well, first of all, many people love that SteamOS feels more like a simple console interface rather than a full-blown PC, which makes the handheld feel like a truly dedicated gaming system. Secondly, Valve's Linux-based operating system is far better optimized for handhelds, allowing devices to run more efficiently, prolonging battery life and performance.

As an example, the ROG Xbox Ally X, ships with Windows. However, when the operating system is swapped out with SteamOS, the handheld offers more stable frame rates, quicker resumes, and up to 32% higher FPS (frames per second), which is a huge difference (thanks, Tom's Hardware). So, it's likely this is the same case with the Legion Go 2.

That all said, there is one notable downside that I previously mentioned — SteamOS does not support the fingerprint functionality that's tied to the power button.

I've used a number of handhelds, and I love it when I can log in simply by holding my finger to a button for a second rather than entering a pin. It's convenient and lets me dive into gaming faster. Unfortunately, some handheld fingerprint readers really don't work well — I'm looking at you, ASUS ROG.

I don't know how many times I've had to retry the Xbox Ally X's fingerprint reader in a row before having to give up and type in my pin. Meanwhile, my Legion Go 2 (Windows) has never given me an issue with biometric login, so it's sad to see this feature is there but isn't supported on the SteamOS variant.

Of course, I won't be surprised if a SteamOS modder gets inspired to make a homebrew fingerprint reader solution, if someone hasn't put one on the internet already. It's a somewhat niche feature, but that just makes it a challenge for Linux enthusiasts looking for an excuse to play with the operating system.

In the end, when it comes to handheld gaming PCs produced by the most prestigious OEMs, the Legion Go 2 truly offers the most versatile and premium playing experience. Now, it's gotten even more appealing for some thanks to the addition of SteamOS.

What do you think about the new SteamOS version of the Legion Go 2? Has this made the handheld gaming PC more interesting for you? Tell us about it in the comments.

The PC handheld gaming category won't stop evolving, with different companies taking different approaches to their devices. Lenovo Legion Go handhelds are some of the most popular around, and a new software update aims to make them even better.

Lenovo has updated its Legion Space launcher on various Legion Go handhelds to optimize them for the Xbox Full Screen Experience that debuted with the Xbox Ally. If you're looking out for that update, it's version 1.3.4.9.

With this release, your Legion Go handheld should more closely match the Xbox Ally gaming experience when you're using the Xbox FSE, including better performance, more intuitive controls, and access to quick settings straight from the Xbox Game Bar.

Update! On Legion Go 2 from r/LegionGo

The news broke at Reddit.com, with users talking about the various changes included in the Legion Space update. To save you some time, though, here's what you should know:

• There's a new quick setting inside Legion Space and the Legion Space widget to toggle the Xbox Full Screen Experience.
• There's a new Legion Space widget in the Xbox Game Bar with quick settings for performance modes, RGB lighting modes, vibration intensity, and more.
• A short press of the Legion R button will still open the Legion Space widget by default, but a long press will now open the Windows Task View (just like Win + Tab does).
• When the Xbox Full Screen Experience is enabled, your Legion Go will now update its Registry key to "handheld" to correctly allocate resources.
• The new Legion Space update is now rolling out in waves to the original Lenovo Legion Go, Lenovo Legion Go S, and Lenovo Legion Go 2.

It's worth mentioning that this doesn't strictly add the Xbox Full Screen Experience to your Lenovo Legion Go handheld, as it's simply an update for the Legion Space software. You'll still need to enable the Xbox FSE from within Windows Settings, which started rolling out to all gaming handhelds last month.

If you're wondering why you should care at all, then I'll give you the quick rundown. The Xbox Full Screen Experience basically tries to make Windows 11 more intuitive and performant on compact handheld devices by replacing the standard Windows desktop with a full-screen Xbox App, optimizing the interface for controller input, disabling unnecessary background resources, and bringing together all your games in one place.

The idea is to make PC gaming handhelds more console-like, similar to the Steam Deck and SteamOS, and is especially great if you're already invested in the Xbox ecosystem and want to quickly and easily play all your Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming titles. It's still early days for the Xbox FSE, but we also know Microsoft has some big plans for the experience in 2026.

How do you feel about the Xbox Full Screen Experience right now, and do you think Xbox and its partners are doing enough with it? Let us know in the comments below!

The arrival of new Intel and NVIDIA hardware made 2025 a major year for gaming laptops, and many companies took the opportunity to refresh their offerings. That helped the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 (Gen 10) become one of our top-rated gaming laptops ever in my review, after all.

Now, I'm returning with the Lenovo Legion 7i 16 (Gen 10), the lighter, sleeker, and more reasonable little sibling to the Pro. My first impression when unboxing and setting up this laptop is that the Legion 7i is undoubtedly Lenovo's most beautifully designed gaming laptop yet, and that feeling persisted during my review period.

Of course, that doesn't immediately mean the Legion 7i is my new go-to recommendation. While I do adore this laptop's aesthetics, it may not be the most practical purchase for gamers who prioritize raw performance above all else. It doesn't help that the Legion 7i feels rather pricey, so you're absolutely paying extra for the refined looks.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Lenovo. Lenovo had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

My Lenovo Legion 7i 16 (Gen 10) review

Design ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Is the Lenovo Legion 7i the thinnest and lightest laptop with a discrete GPU? Absolutely not, but it is at least 4mm thinner and nearly 2lbs lighter than its beefier Legion Pro 7i sibling, and it makes a huge difference here.

To cut straight to the point, this is — by a considerable margin — the best-looking Lenovo Legion laptop I have personally handled. I actually love the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i redesign (apart from one change), but this laptop easily clears its more expensive sibling in the aesthetics department.

The all-white, all-aluminum chassis, the black-bordered OLED display, the brushed metal edges, the iconic Legion rear-facing vents, the clean RGB-lit keyboard — this laptop is simply fun to look at and use, and most gaming laptops simply don't achieve that level of design.

Build quality is also exceptional, even if I would still give the edge to Razer when we're talking about thin-and-light gaming laptops. There's definitely some panel flex in areas, but the Legion 7i feels every bit like the premium laptop it's supposed to be.

You can feel the "form over function" mentality here, but Lenovo didn't entirely forget to be practical. You get two, split USB Type-A ports, a full-fledged Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB Type-C port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and even a full-sized SD card slot. The charging port and HDMI port are also rear-facing, when one of my greatest Legion Pro 7i criticisms was Lenovo moving away from that design.

I could ask for a third USB-A port, for that Thunderbolt port to also be on the rear, or even for an Ethernet port (even if that feels slightly unreasonable for a laptop this thin), but Lenovo honestly did a great job all around here.

Display ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lenovo has been adopting OLED displays for many of its Legion gaming laptops lately, and the Legion 7i also benefits from the upgrade. This 16-inch display comes in 165Hz and 240Hz flavors, but each boasts the same visual characteristics and features.

As expected, it's a gorgeous display with excellent color accuracy, vibrancy, viewing angles, and contrast ratios. Performance is also exemplary with a sub-1ms response time and NVIDIA G-Sync VRR support. For playing games, watching movies, doing work, editing photos, and everything in between, this screen rocks.

It's also slightly brighter than your average laptop OLED display, which is nice, and handles HDR content really well, thanks to its even higher peak brightness and Dolby Vision support.

My one major criticism is that this display is very glossy and prone to reflections and glare. Those sensitive to the PWM dimming common with OLED displays don't have an alternative, either.

Performance ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Lenovo Legion 7i isn't positioned as an insane gaming powerhouse, and that's obvious just by the fact that the most powerful GPU you can put inside this machine is an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (8GB).

Still, this laptop makes great use of what it has, and overall is a strong performer with excellent thermal management. The fans can get noticeably loud, and the keyboard deck can become warm to the touch, but I never noticed any thermal throttling, stutters, or performance hangs during my testing.

The Legion 7i is responsive and stable across the board, and is able to handle even the most demanding PC games (even if it won't be with the highest settings or maximum resolution). This is an expensive laptop, though, so starting with just an RTX 5060 under the hood does sting a little — and it's that model (with an Intel Core Ultra 7 and RTX 5060) that I tested.

• Forza Horizon 5 — 96 FPS (Extreme preset, 1600p resolution, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution/Frame Generation disabled)
• Gears 5 — 85 FPS (Ultra preset, 1600p resolution)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 — 101 FPS (Extreme preset, 1600p resolution, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution set to Quality, NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation disabled)
• Cyberpunk 2077 — 46 FPS (Ray Tracing: Ultra preset, 1600p resolution, refresh rate, v-sync, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution Transformer Model set to Auto, NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation/Ray Reconstruction disabled)

Battery life ⭐⭐⭐½

Lenovo Legion laptops have never been known for their endurance, but I had hopes the Legion 7i might turn the tide somewhat, given its more compact and portable design... and it did, albeit only a little.

That is to say, the Legion 7i boasts slightly above average endurance for a 16-inch gaming laptop, losing just over 20% of its battery after an hour of looping Microsoft Office tasks or an HD video at 50% volume.

As a rule of thumb, I don't disable features or throttle everything to the max to test battery life, so there's absolutely room to squeeze 6-7 hours of actual usage out of the Legion 7i, but it'll never be a comfortable all-day machine. The bigger concern, though, is that standby time simply wasn't great with the Legion 7i, so I couldn't reliably leave it unplugged overnight without needing to plug it back in the following morning.

Keyboard & touchpad ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

No surprises here, the Lenovo Legion 7i rocks the "TrueStrike" keyboard, except now in all-white. I still love this keyboard, with a comfortable and intuitive layout, full-sized arrow keys, beautiful per-key RGB lighting, and a tenkey number pad that doesn't feel unbelievably cramped.

It's a fun, responsive, and reliable keyboard for gaming and typing. The glass touchpad is also decently spacious, with a smooth surface, consistent performance, and Microsoft Precision drivers. It's no haptic touchpad, but I didn't expect one.

Software & AI ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Windows 11 is the operating system of choice for the Legion 7i, and it feels right at home on this expansive OLED screen. I had no issues with performance or stability, and Lenovo hasn't ruined the setup experience with endless bloatware.

Lenovo Vantage and Legion Space also work well for managing your hardware and settings, even if it is annoying having all those settings divided into two separate apps. It's worth mentioning, though, that the Legion 7i is not a Copilot+ PC because of its underpowered NPU, so it's lacking all the best AI features in Windows (if you cared about them).

This laptop does boast Lenovo's AI Engine+, too, but it ultimately doesn't mean much for the end user and is basically just for optimizing hardware performance and settings in the background.

Everything else ⭐⭐⭐½

Finally, let's wrap up the leftovers. The Legion 7i is a premium laptop, but it does lose some marks here for things like the lackluster, bottom-firing dual speaker system, which sounds good enough for what it is — but falls well behind other high-end laptops.

The 5MP front-facing camera is also average at best, but it does at least boast Windows Hello facial recognition (and that did work great for me). There's an electronic privacy shutter on the side, too, which is always appreciated.

Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 are on board for wireless connectivity, and I had zero issues with either.

Legion 7i 16 review: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if ...

• You want a thinner and lighter 16-inch gaming laptop.
• You absolutely love this all-white, all-aluminum design.
• You love rear-facing ports for power and display output.

❌You should not buy this if ...

• You need a more powerful GPU with more VRAM.
• You want something that's even more compact.

You can get a great gaming laptop from a lot of places, but one of the first companies I'll recommend to anyone is Lenovo. Legion devices are powerful and reliable, after all, but they're usually not the sleekest on the block, especially when compared to something like the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) we reviewed.

The Lenovo Legion 7i 16 (Gen 10) is different, with an incredible all-white design that struck me the moment I unboxed it. This laptop is a stunner, and it doesn't pull its punches as a gaming laptop, either. That being said, it is an expensive machine, and there's no option to configure it with a more powerful GPU.

If you're on a tight budget or care most about straight performance, the Legion 7i may not be the best option for you. For a lot of people, though, this is a fantastic gaming laptop that runs great but looks even better. You can find the Lenovo Legion 7i 16 (Gen 10) from $1,779.99 at Lenovo.com, or get my review configuration for $1,869.99 at BestBuy.com.

Millions of people have an Android or iPadOS tablet in their arsenal for entertainment, gaming, and creativity, but most people still opt for machines powered by Windows or macOS when it comes to getting work done.

That doesn't mean companies aren't trying to close the gaps between form factors and operating systems to create the ultimate all-in-one device that can do everything. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus (Gen 1) falls into this category, being a premium Android tablet that's bundled with a kickstand and keyboard accessories to transform it into a pseudo-laptop.

Plenty of others have attempted to replace their Windows laptop with tablets like this, and I decided I wanted to take a crack at it — especially now that Lenovo is using the "Yoga" branding most commonly associated with its personal computers. I wasn't surprised by what I found, though, and that's great hardware being held back by software that simply isn't suited for this (yet).

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Lenovo. Lenovo had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

Beautiful hardware that's priced just right

The Yoga Tab Plus is a premium 12.7-inch Android tablet that competes with the likes of the iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S. Lenovo's offering isn't as refined or feature-packed, but it does undercut Apple and Samsung in price.

Lenovo did a great job with this hardware. The Yoga Tab Plus looks and feels great with its aluminum-and-glass build, and it's smartly designed with its six-speaker system, side-mounted power button with a built-in fingerprint sensor, and cleverly positioned magnets for the various accessories that come in the box.

Yes, Lenovo does include all the accessories you need in the box, too, including the Lenovo Tab Pen Pro, a magnetic kickstand attachment, a full-sized keyboard, and a 45W USB Type-C charger. All those extras will cost you a pretty penny elsewhere, so I love that it's all in the box here. They're good accessories, too.

The Tab Pen Pro active stylus is a nice shape and size, feels well-built, magnetically attaches to the top of the Yoga Tab Plus, wirelessly charges, and performs well. My only criticism is that it has a small touch-sensitive area for shortcuts and actions instead of physical buttons, which can be finicky and inconsistent.

Then there's the kickstand and keyboard. Instead of a bulky, awkward all-in-one case, Lenovo brilliantly splits the two. I especially love the design of the kickstand, which is slim and seamlessly connects to the back of the Yoga Tab Plus via magnets. It also means I can have the kickstand for watching movies or playing games without the keyboard being in the way.

I actually do like the keyboard, too. The layout makes sense, the key action is comfortable and responsive, and the touchpad feels good. I wish there were backlighting, but Lenovo did well with these accessories.

Of course, we can't forget about the core tablet. The 12.7-inch display may not be OLED or MiniLED, but it's still a genuinely fantastic, sharp, smooth, bright, and vibrant IPS LCD panel that's perfect for work and play. It pairs well with the surprisingly full and loud six-speaker system, too.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 may not be Qualcomm's cutting-edge mobile chipset anymore, but the Yoga Tab Plus still boasts excellent overall performance with its 16GB of memory. It's fast and responsive, even with multiple apps and browser tabs open at once. I also had no issues with its wireless connectivity, thanks to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

That doesn't mean I have no complaints. You can't expand the 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage because there's no microSD card slot, and you'll also want to avoid accidental splashes thanks to the lack of dust and water ingress protection.

The singular USB Type-C port does support DisplayPort-out and Power Delivery, but its meager 5GBps transfer speed limits your docking potential. Finally, the 10,200mAh battery only provides average endurance compared to the absolute best tablets, especially if you make use of that bright display or loud speakers.

The issue is Android, but we already knew that

The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus launched with Android 14 and a promise of three major OS updates and four years of security updates, and it's now on Android 16. That's a problem in itself — this tablet simply isn't being supported nearly as long as it should be (and it's regularly behind on security updates, too). Lenovo's promises for its "first AI tablet" also haven't panned out, despite multiple updates.

I'll give credit where credit is due in that Lenovo didn't slap stock Android onto the Yoga Tab Plus and call it a day. The company did make some subtle but important changes and additions to make this tablet work better as a computer replacement, with its own take on a desktop mode, a variety of keyboard shortcuts that work exactly as you'd expect, and various multitasking and interface improvements.

I was pleasantly caught off guard by the thought that clearly went into how to make Android work better with a mouse and keyboard, and I was successfully able to wrangle the Yoga Tab Plus to replace my laptop, at least temporarily. The red herring for this tablet, though, is unsurprisingly Android.

This isn't new information — Android is designed for phones first, tablets second, tablets-turned-laptops a very distant third. Whatever optimizations Lenovo makes, whatever desktop mode you turn on, Android is still optimized for touch and stylus input, lots of Android apps still don't have tablet or desktop modes, and many interactions are more awkward, slower, or simply take more steps to complete than on Windows.

Google apparently has big plans for how to change the status quo of Android on tablets, but even Lenovo doesn't seem to be super confident that the future of "Android PCs" will pose a real threat to your traditional laptop.

Yoga Tab Plus review: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if ...

• You want an Android tablet that can sometimes be your laptop.
• You want a premium device with all the accessories in the box.
• You need a great display paired with great speakers.

❌You should not buy this if ...

• You're mostly looking for a laptop that can also be a tablet.
• You rely on software that doesn't work as well on Android.

If you are looking for a pure tablet that can be your laptop when you need it, Apple is still way ahead with the iPad Pro. If you're looking for a 2-in-1 laptop that can be your tablet when you need it, Microsoft is still way ahead with Surface Pro. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus (Gen 1) feels awkwardly caught in the middle, but I don't think that's entirely Lenovo's fault.

Honestly, this hardware is excellent for the price (when you include the well-designed accessories), and Android is a polished, intuitive operating system overall. I need a laptop more often than I need a tablet, though, and there's no reason for me to consider this over what I already have.

Still, I'm glad this exists, and I'm glad I gave it a chance to win me over. I hope Lenovo continues evolving this hardware, and I hope Google continues to optimize Android for this form factor. If you're interested, the Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus (Gen 1) is available for $739.99 at BestBuy.com (and at Lenovo.com). Be sure to watch out for the sales I've seen for it!

I've been looking for a good, all-rounder Windows mini PC with an Arm processor ever since Qualcomm unveiled its Snapdragon X line of SoCs last year. It's taken a while, but we finally have one in the form of Lenovo's new IdeaCentre Mini X, powered by the base Snapdragon X, housed in a premium metal and plastic enclosure that's much like the older Mac Mini design, but with better upgradability and a more affordable price.

In fact, I might go so far as to say this is the best Arm-based Windows mini PC you can buy right now, with a large selection of ports, great performance for everyday tasks, and a premium build quality that you don't often find on mini PCs in this price range. It's certainly a contender for our roundup of best mini PCs.

I've been using the IdeaCentre Mini X as my primary desktop for the last two months, and this is my long-term review.

Price and specifications

The Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini X starts at $699 and comes with the Snapdragon X SoC, 32GB RAM, and 512GB SSD as standard. There's also an $899 model that comes with the slightly more powerful Snapdragon X Plus SoC, still with 32GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage, though I don't think this is necessary for most people.

Frustratingly, the configurations you're able to buy will likely depend heavily on either the region or retailer of choice. Not all models are available in all regions, so your pricing and spec options are likely to vary.

Design and ports

The IdeaCentre Mini X features a minimalist contemporary design that looks at home on any desk, under any monitor. It's a 195mm x 191mm box made out of a combination of aluminum and plastic. The sides of the device are aluminum, and the top and bottom panels are plastic, as they are removable.

The box itself looks and feels very premium, and I love how slim and low-profile it is compared to most other Windows mini PCs. It is on the heavier side, however, though that shouldn't matter much given it's a desktop PC that you're likely not going to be moving around much.

The grey and black color choice is also one I really like. It looks very clean, modern, and premium to touch. The top and bottom covers pop off, which allows access to the inside of the device, where you can swap out and replace components like SSD storage or Wi-Fi card. RAM is soldered, but storage is upgradable using a standard M.2 drive.

The IdeaCentre Mini X also comes with a stand included in the box, which lets you set the device up on its side if that's an orientation you prefer. For me, I prefer having it lying flat, but if you're tight for space, the included plastic stand makes propping it up on its side, so it stands tall is super easy and convenient to use.

Along the front of the device, we have one USB-A port, one USB-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a power button. Around the back, there's one Ethernet jack, three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a DisplayPort 1.4a. There are plenty of ports to go around, though I do wish there were one more USB-C port on the back for extra versatility.

The underside and back of the box are where your vents are located for thermal management. The device has a built-in fan, which helps keep the Snapdragon X cool under load. The fan itself is almost never audible, and for the first few days ,I really did think this was a fanless system. The only time I heard it spin up was under heavy load during benchmarking.

Performance

Lenovo offers the IdeaCentre Mini X in two SoC flavors, the Snapdragon X or Snapdragon X Plus. We received the base model Snapdragon X variant for review, and luckily, I found that this doesn't make it a slouch by any stretch of the imagination.

The base Snapdragon X SoC is great for everyday tasks and light creative work. Paired with the 32GB RAM that this system includes, it's a multitasking powerhouse, easily capable of handling multiple apps running all at once and switching between them without missing a beat.

In our benchmarks, we found the IdeaCentre Mini X lines up with the exact kind of performance you'd expect from an Arm-based mini PC in 2025. In Cinebench 2024, it earned a single-core score of 96 and a multi-core score of 687, putting it in line with Apple M1/M2 performance.

In Geekbench 6, it earned a single-core score of 2,137, a multi-core score of 10,828, and then 9,780 in the OpenCL GPU benchmark test. In CrossMark, it earned a score of 1,332, placing it alongside the Beelink SER5 Pro and Surface Studio 2+. It's a perfectly capable machine for most tasks, which is brilliant.

The only thing it's really not good at is gaming or high-intensity creative work that requires a GPU or a more powerful CPU to run smoothly. Because this is the base SoC, it only has 8 cores, four of which are performance cores, and so demanding tasks will take longer or be laggy as a result.

Again, for day-to-day tasks or light creative work, you won't notice any slowdowns. It's really perfect for office-based workflows, web browsing, email, Teams, and Slack, and media consumption tasks, with a bit of light Photoshop and video editing on the side if you need to get that done every so often.

Conclusion

Overall, I've really loved my time with the IdeaCentre Mini X. It's the Mac Mini of the Windows world I've been waiting for, albeit slightly on the larger side compared to the Mac Mini M4. Still, I think it looks great sitting on my desk, and it's cool and silent pretty much all of the time, meaning I forget it's even there.

It has enough ports to go around, and the ability to upgrade things like storage or Wi-Fi card down the line is also an extra nicety you don't always see on these kinds of PCs, so I'm glad Lenovo put in the extra effort to make that possible. The included stand is also a nice touch.

If I have any complaints, it's that I'd like to see more CPU options down the line. Lenovo currently makes Snapdragon X or Snapdragon X Plus variants, but I'd love to see a Snapdragon X Elite option too. I'd also like to see variants with less RAM, as for whatever reason, 32GB is the base amount. Not everyone needs that amount, and so a lot of people could save a few bucks if there were a 16GB variant too.

Ultimately, this is a great mini PC, one of the best in the Windows market currently. It looks great, performs well, and is actually quite affordable too. If you wait for sales, I bet you can grab one of these new for as little as $599. At that price, it's a no-brainer.

I've reviewed a lot of Lenovo products over the year, and I've become a consistent fan of the company. So, of course, I had to take a look at Lenovo's "doorbuster" deals now that its Cyber Monday sale has properly taken off.

There are too many deals to count, if you wanted to check out Lenovo's Cyber Monday bonanza at Lenovo.com, but I did pick out three laptops that I previously reviewed and loved. All three of these machines are on the front line of Lenovo's promotional offers, shaving off hundreds from the retail price.

Oh, and on a side note — if you want to save even more with Lenovo, be sure to use code LENOVOHOLIDEAL at checkout to get up to $110 extra taken off the top, depending on the value of your cart.

When I reviewed the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 14 (Gen 12), I gushed over the redesigned chassis (barely weighing a single kilogram), and its phenomenal keyboard. The X1 Carbon is one of Lenovo's best-selling enterprise laptops for a reason.

It's worth mentioning that the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 14 (Gen 13) is also here and discounted (I also reviewed that one), but last year's X1 Carbon is still a productivity beast — and its price cut makes it the more tempting laptop.

Shifting focus, I was pleasantly surprised by the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 14 (Gen 10) Aura Edition I reviewed, a sturdy, smart, and versatile convertible that all-around excels at productivity.

Finally, there's the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 (Gen 10) I gave an Editor's Choice award to in my review. This laptop is expensive, even after shaving over $1,000 off the top, but it's also the ultimate high-performance gaming laptop. There's not a game it can't easily handle.

Lenovo's Cyber Monday sale has discounted a lot of hardware, but I selected these three because of the quality of the discounts and because I have personal experience with all of them. I used each laptop for weeks, and I enjoyed my time spent with them.

There are dozens of reviews under my belt, and Lenovo is one of my favorite companies to work with because of laptops like these. Don't feel like you have to limit yourself to my highlighted deals, though, there are plenty of great discounts to find at Lenovo.com right now.

FAQ

More Cyber Monday 2025 — Quick links

• All our TOP recommended Cyber Monday deals: Just the best
• Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
• ANC headphones: great Cyber Monday deals on the best ANC headphones
  
  Even more Cyber Monday deals:
• Dell deals: 13 deals from Dell.com that you shouldn't miss
• Best Buy: 34 hottest discounts on laptops, monitors, gaming, and more
• Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
• Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17

As part of my job, I've used and reviewed more cool tech than I can count, but most comes and goes to make room for the next thing. Loving a product isn't always enough to find it a place in my life, but this Android tablet broke the mold.

A sleeker, more powerful, and (especially right now) more affordable alternative to the iPad Mini — this is the Lenovo Legion Tab (Gen 3), and it's currently just $389.99 at Lenovo.com.

That's the lowest price I've ever seen for my favorite miniature tablet, and it's a perfect companion for mobile and cloud gaming, entertainment, notetaking, and more.

There aren't a ton of options for a smaller tablet, especially if you're looking for something on the premium end of things. Honestly, your only good choice is the iPad Mini, which is also on sale for $399.99 at BestBuy.com.

The iPad Mini is a fantastic tablet, too, with a great ecosystem, impeccable build quality, and a best-in-class stylus experience. It's just not the best miniature tablet in my eyes, especially when Black Friday has made the Lenovo Legion Tab (Gen 3) $10 cheaper.

You pay a little less, but you get a larger, brighter, and much faster 8.8-inch, 165Hz IPS LCD display, a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and capable vapor cooling chamber for improved performance, double the storage, two USB-C ports for improved connectivity and docking support, and added value in the box (like a 68W fast charger and folio case that you don't have to pay extra for).

Honestly, I could talk about this tablet for a long time, so I'll instead refer you to my 4.5/5-star Lenovo Legion Tab review for all the details.

I gave this tablet an Editor's Choice award for a reason, and it remains next to my bed for the same reasons. This is a really good tablet, and it's especially great when you pair it with a quality mobile controller.

It's designed with gaming in mind, from the Google Play Store to cloud gaming to emulation, but its wonderful display and speakers also make it great for general entertainment, and you can add Lenovo's active stylus for drawing and taking notes. With the Lenovo Legion Tab (Gen 3) only costing $389.99 at Lenovo.com because of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it could be one of the best purchases you can make.

Deals on recommended Legion Tab accessories

FAQ

More Cyber Monday 2025 — quick links

• All our TOP recommended Cyber Monday deals: Just the best
• Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
• ANC headphones: great Cyber Monday deals on the best ANC headphones
  
  Even more Cyber Monday deals:
• Dell deals: 13 deals from Dell.com that you shouldn't miss
• Best Buy: 34 hottest discounts on laptops, monitors, gaming, and more
• Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
• Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17

Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 3X delivers strong everyday performance and excellent battery life thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X platform. It is a relatively affordable Copilot+ capable laptop, which benefits users who rely on AI tools for writing, multitasking, and more.

The Snapdragon X processor includes 45 TOPS NPU, meaning it is capable of handling locally-processed AI tasks, rather than relying on the cloud.

You also get a 15.3-inch 16:10 display, with integrated Adreno graphics for casual use, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD with the option to add more later on. Whilst usually priced higher at $679.99, thanks to the festive season, it’s available for $449.99 at Amazon.

Is the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim X3 right for you?

If you want a lightweight 15-inch laptop with excellent battery life and smooth everyday performance, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X is a strong option at this price. The 16:10 display gives you plenty of room to view and edit documents, browse the web, and/or study.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processor also manages to hold its weight here, keeping the laptop quick, cool, and responsive, as well as giving you those 45 TOPS NPU supporting the latest AI features in Windows.

If your everyday tasks include writing, streaming, web apps, and multitasking, you'll be happy to know that all feels responsive here, and the integrated Adreno Graphics is also ideal for light gaming, which is great as this laptop also comes with three months free of Xbox PC Game Pass, usually $49.

The port selection is also impressive and practical, including USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, a full-size SD card reader, and a headphone jack for easy connectivity. The laptop also comes with a webcam that features a privacy shutter.

If your priorities are long battery life, AI-ready hardware, productivity, light gaming, and dependable day-to-day performance at an accessible price, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X is an easy recommendation.

FAQ

More Black Friday 2025 - Quick links

• All our TOP recommended Black Friday deals: Just the best
• Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
• ANC headphones: great Black Friday deals on the best ANC headphones
  
  Even more Black Friday deals:
• Dell deals: 13 deals from Dell.com that you shouldn't miss
• Best Buy: 34 hottest discounts on laptops, monitors, gaming, and more
• Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
• Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17

I'm going to preface this by saying that a handheld gaming PC is basically a mini PC with a built-in screen, battery, and controllers, but mini PCs and handhelds both have tradeoffs that might serve your gaming needs better.

There are several different handheld gaming PCs and hundreds of mini PCs to choose from. For the sake of brevity, this page will mostly focus on comparing the Xbox Ally X (since it's our best handheld gaming recommendation) against the Geekom IT13 mini PC, which is our best mini PC recommendation, but there are plenty of other options to choose from.

I've also included a section on this page that lists our top mini PC recommendations and top handheld recommendations while explaining what each device is especially good for.

Until then, let's discuss the pros, cons, and tradeoffs while comparing a mini PC against handheld gaming PCs.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Specs

Before we go any further, take a gander at the specs for the Xbox Ally X and the Geekom IT13.

Of course, there are plenty of other handheld gaming PCs and mini PCs to choose from. I'll go over some general differences between these two types of devices.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Price & use case

TL;DR: Mini PCs tend to offer more powerful CPUs and can cost less than handhelds, but they also require additional accessories like a monitor or keyboard. Handheld gaming PCs provide everything you need for portable gaming, but the best ones are rather costly.

Both mini PCs and handheld gaming PCs can be expensive, depending on the configurations you purchase.

In general, mini PCs tend to cost less (anywhere from $300 to $1,000+), while the latest and greatest Windows 11 handhelds can cost between $800 and $1,200.) That said, some handhelds are great value buys since you don't have to also buy a monitor or controller to interact with them.

For example, the Geekom IT13 mini PC's processor is technically more powerful than the Xbox Ally X; however, the Xbox Ally X is optimized for gaming, and it also provides a touchscreen, controllers, and a battery, which the mini PC doesn't have.

To be clear, mini PCs and Windows 11 handhelds are actual Windows PCs, just in smaller forms.

What it really comes down to is that the best gaming handhelds trade off power for portability. Some offer more premium features than others, so you might find one option that fits your needs better. They are also optimized for gaming by design, with systems that are more suited to GPU-heavy tasks. Still, they typically aren't as powerful as the best gaming laptops or best gaming desktops.

Meanwhile, mini PCs are intended for more general Windows computer use with a heavier CPU focus, but in a small package. They can be tucked away out of sight if you'd like a minimalist setup. Depending on their configuration, they can be used for everything from office work to gaming. Just note that the vast majority are not optimized for video games, and most don't have powerful GPUs.

Once again, a dedicated gaming laptop or gaming desktop is more powerful. But that doesn't mean you should rule a mini PC out.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Performance and storage

TL;DR: In general, mini PCs tend to be better at performing CPU tasks and often allow for RAM and SSD upgrades. Handhelds tend to be better at GPU tasks and sometimes are only designed for SSD upgrades.

As my colleague has previously pointed out, several mini PCs are only about the size of a bagel, and handhelds are relatively small devices as well. This means that there isn't a lot of room for upgrading certain parts, or at least, not as much room to do so as you can with a full-blown desktop

Still, it's pretty standard to see handhelds and mini PCs that offer 16GB to 32GB of RAM along with 512GB to 2TB SSDs. Depending on the company, some of these devices are designed around upgradability, so you can easily swap out storage and memory as needed, but you need to check on a device-by-device basis.

WD_BLACK has designed SSDs exclusively for Xbox Ally X, but there are several other options you can choose from. You'll just need to make sure you get the size that's compatible with your device.

For instance, it's very easy to upgrade the SSD on the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. However, it's harder to get to the SSD on a Legion Go 2, and it requires more work to upgrade.

Of course, you can also insert one of the best microSD cards in most handhelds, and several mini PCs have SD card slots as well.

Now let's talk performance.

I alluded to this previously, but for the most part, handhelds tend to be better built for GPU tasks while mini PCs tend to be better suited to CPU tasks.

That's because most handheld gaming PCs out right now feature AMD Ryzen Z2 Series handheld APUs (accelerated processing units) designed around gaming, whereas mini PCs can have a much wider range of Intel and AMD processors at hand, but tend to have lower integrated GPUs.

There are exceptions to this, however, such as the pricey ASUS ROG NUC Gaming Mini PC, which has a laptop version of the RTX 5080 GPU and sells for $3,137.99 at Amazon. So if you really want a small computer that offers impressive graphics, this is the device to consider.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Software & Services

TL;DR: Windows handheld gaming PCs and Windows mini PCs can run the same programs and services. However, how well a game runs depends on the device's internals.

While there are exceptions, the vast majority of PC handhelds and mini PCs are Windows 11 devices that function just like a full-blown Windows desktop or laptop.

This means that both mini PCs and handhelds can be used to surf the web, stream shows, make video calls, download programs, run various games, and more. As always, every game has minimum system requirements, so your device needs to meet those in order to run a game well.

That said, the most popular handheld gaming PC to date is the Steam Deck, which runs the Linux-based SteamOS. In case you don't know, SteamOS operates very differently from Windows 11 and offers more of a console-like interface for convenient gaming.

There are also Android gaming handhelds and macOS mini PCs out there. As with any device, each of these machines can only run compatible software. If your main focus is PC gaming, then it's best to stick with Windows 11 or SteamOS devices.

You should be aware that there are a few services that can turn just about any device into a gaming machine, regardless of how good a GPU it has.

For starters, NVIDIA GeForce NOW is a subscription that allows you to stream supported games that you own from a powerful distant server onto your device via the cloud. In other words, a beefy computer far away runs your games, allowing you to get smooth gameplay on your simple computer.

NVIDIA GeForce NOW works on Windows 11, Android, and even macOS devices. I even have a handy guide explaining how to set up GeForce NOW on Steam Deck, if you're interested.

Another option is Xbox Cloud Gaming, which lets you stream a large library with everything from indie titles to AAA games.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Best options to buy

TL;DR: We've tested and reviewed every mini PC and handheld gaming PC listed below. Our top pick for handhelds is the Xbox Ally X, while our top mini PC pick is the Geekom IT13. But each device has its own perks and tradeoffs.

Best handheld gaming PCs

• Xbox Ally X: $999.99 at Best Buy — The most powerful current-gen, Windows 11, AMD Z2 Series handheld gaming PC on the market today. It offers plenty of settings customizations, too.
• Steam Deck: Starting at $399.00 at Steam — The most affordable handheld available right now. It runs SteamOS and has a simplified interface.
• Lenovo Legion Go 2: Starting at $1,099.99 at Best Buy — A current-gen Windows 11 handheld with detachable controllers, a large OLED display, and a built-in kickstand.
• Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS): Starting at $649.99 at Best Buy — This handheld runs SteamOS, but has more powerful internal components than the Steam Deck.
• ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme): $649.99 at Best Buy — While not the latest and greatest, this last-gen Windows 11 handheld can still run many PC games while costing less.

Best mini PCs

• Geekom IT13: $699.00 at Amazon — A fantastic computer with plenty of ports and solid CPU performance.
• ASUS ROG NUC: $3,137.99 at Amazon — This is an actual gaming mini PC with various configuration options. You can have up to an RTX 5080 L in here.
• Beelink EQR6: $439.00 at Amazon — It won't cost you nearly as much as some other mini PC, but it has better integrated graphics than most, too.
• Geekom GT1 MEGA: $799.00 at Best Buy — An AI mini PC with powerful internals to the point that you'll often forget that it is a mini PC.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Which should I buy?

So which type of device should you get?

Honestly, there are cases where a handheld will suit your specific use case better and cases where a mini PC will suit you better.

Choose a handheld gaming PC if: You love the idea of being able to move around your home while gaming, or want to be able to take your gaming device on trips.

Choose a mini PC if: You want a relatively inexpensive PC that doesn't take up a lot of room and is perfect for connecting your various accessories to.

Mini PC are wonderfully compact computers that can pack a lot in a small package. They're also very tempting compared to buying a desktop or laptop since many of them cost significantly less.

That all said, not only can it be daunting to choose from the myriad options to choose from, but there are also some really shady mini PC companies out there that can sell you a device that has malicious software on it. That's why I only recommend people purchase a mini PC from one of the companies that we have tested and trust.

I've put together some tips for buying a mini PC, as well as a list of our most trusted mini PC brands and why we recommend them.

It is certainly possible to factory reset some shady mini PCs, do a clean Windows 11 install, and make them safe to use. However, if you aren't comfortable with that process, it's better to just get a trusted mini PC to begin with. Additionally, you can't always guarantee that all malicious factors have been removed when doing a clean install.

Our most trusted mini PC brands

These are our most trusted brands listed in alphabetical order. Some brands offer a wide range of PCs while others only offer a few models.

• ASUS ROG — Some of the mini PCs in the NUC line (previously Intel's) are honest-to-goodness gaming mini PCs. So, if you want a powerful mini PC for playing video games locally, this is the brand to consider (see at ASUS ROG).
• Beelink — Excellent budget brand with a wide range of models and configurations to choose from (see at Amazon).
• Dell — One of the world's most well-known computer companies. It offers a Dell Pro Micro line (previously OptiPlex) of mini PCs with plenty of configurations to choose from (see at Best Buy).
• Geekom — My personal favorite mini PC company. It offers a robust range of options with several configurations to choose from. This brand also tends to cost less than top brands while still offering a healthy range of ports and great performance (see at Amazon).
• HP — Another of the world's top computer companies. HP notably offers the Z2 Mini (G1a) mini PC, a powerful AI computer with impressive graphics capabilities (see at HP).
• Lenovo — The world's top desktop and laptop manufacturer. Its ThinkCentre and IdeaCentre mini PCs tend to offer solid performance (see at Lenovo).

You can head over to our list of the best mini PCs we've tested to see which devices we recommend most.

Tips for buying a reliable and safe mini PC

• Don't trust reviewer ratings on Amazon: Reviews can be very helpful for understanding a product's capabilities. However, there are plenty of people out there who have bought an inexpensive mini PC and enjoy using it without realizing that it has shady software on it that could steal your information. For this reason, you cannot trust reviewer ratings. Remember, reviews can be faked or written by someone who doesn't know whether a device is safe.
• Only purchase from trusted brands, avoid generic ones: While there are several trustworthy mini PC manufacturers out there, there are also hundreds of cheap companies that have cut corners to create an inferior product or have allowed malicious software to be placed on their devices.
• Only purchase from the seller who manufactured the mini PC: If you're shopping at a retailer that allows third-party sellers, like Walmart or Amazon, you need to be careful. Mini PCs from third parties can be tampered with before being shipped out to you. This being the case, make sure you only purchase from trusted companies and ensure that the device you are buying is actually sold by the seller (company) that manufactured it. Do not buy a device from a company that didn't make it.
• Make sure you know what you're getting in the box: Some mini PCs will come with all of the cables and accessories you need to connect the computer to a monitor. However, some might not come with everything you need, so you might need to make additional purchases.

• You need at least a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and cables: Just as with desktops, mini PCs need to be connected to necessary accessories before you can use them. Make sure you have everything you need, including a mouse, keyboard, monitor, and either a USB-C or HDMI display cable to connect the monitor to the mini PC.
• Understand port selection and upgradability before buying: Most mini PCs do not offer a lot of customization options. Some will make it very easy to upgrade RAM or SSDs, but others won't. Additionally, some mini PCs will have a wider range of ports than others. Make sure you choose one that allows you to connect the accessories you'll want to use and allows you to do the upgrades you want.
• Avoid a deal if it seems too good to be true: While it is possible to find a really good sale like a Black Friday mini PC deal, there are also plenty of scammers out there hoping you buy their disingenuous product. Avoid a deal if it seems too good.
• Make sure you get the operating system you want: The vast majority of mini PCs are Windows devices; however, it is also possible to get a macOS device or, in some rare instances, a Linux device. At any rate, make sure you get an OS that fits what you're looking for.
• Beware of preloaded bloatware, spyware, or other malicious software: There are plenty of dishonest mini PC companies that allow malicious software to be installed on their devices, even on generic devices that look especially professional. If you do buy from a generic company or third-party seller, be on the lookout for forced software usage or anything out of the norm.

Mini PC FAQ

RELATED: I discovered malicious software on a couple AceMagic mini PCs a few years ago

For help with that, check out our guide on how to do a clean installation of Windows 11.

The majority of shady mini PCs will only have malicious agents on a software level. This means that in many cases, doing a Windows clean install can remove anything dangerous.

However, it is also possible for a company to create something malicious on a hardware level that can't be removed with a clean install, so you shouldn't assume that doing a clean install will automatically make the device safe.

WARNING: It's possible that parts of your mini PC will stop working after a clean install of Windows is done. For instance, when I did a clean install to get rid of malicious software on a mini PC, the Wi-Fi card stopped working.

Stick with a safe and trusted mini PC

Hopefully, you found this page helpful. Mini PCs have made my life so much more convenient since they don't take up a lot of room, can cost a lot less than a desktop or laptop. Plus, they can still offer plenty of ports, solid performance, and other conveniences.

You just need to be careful not to fall for the many scams and malicious devices on the market today. If you stick with trusted brands while avoiding generic ones, and don't fall for deals that are too good to be true, you should be able to get an awesome little computer that you can trust.