Introduction

In the realm of handheld gaming PCs, 2023 has emerged as a noteworthy year. Updates from prominent companies such as Ayaneo and GPD have already made waves. Earlier in the spring, Asus introduced the ROG Ally to the competition. Later on, Valve brought us the updated Steam Deck OLED. Now, at IFA, Lenovo is making its mark by entering the arena with the Legion Go.

The Lenovo Legion Go is equipped with the same AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor as the ROG Ally. Its standout feature is the massive 8.8-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 2560x1600, also known as 2K, boasting a high refresh rate of 144Hz. It comes with 16GB of LPDDR5X-7500 memory. The current offerings include two versions with 512GB and 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD, both following the 2242 specification, similar to the ROG Ally and Steam Deck.

Additionally, it houses a 49.2Wh battery and comes with a 65W USB-C power adapter. It features two USB4 ports, supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, and includes two 2W speakers.

Setting aside its considerable weight of up to 854g (1.88lbs), this handheld console stands out as a top-tier device in terms of both screen specifications and processor performance. However, similar to the ROG Ally, the 512GB storage might prove insufficient for gamers. But the good news is that Legion Go also offers a Micro SD card slot, providing a convenient expansion option for users who may not be tech-savvy or prefer to avoid tinkering with their devices. Interestingly, numerous users have discovered that the disparity in game loading speed between using a Micro SD card and an SSD isn't substantial.

This time, we'll take stock of several Micro SD cards currently available for the Legion Go that have received good reviews and boast decent sales figures.

Silicon Power

Silicon Power Superior Gaming Micro SD Card

Firstly, we have a gaming-focused SD card judged by the D-pad and crown logo. It has garnered an impressive 10,000+ reviews on Amazon US with an outstanding rating of 4.6! Its performance ratings are U3, V30, A2; for those unfamiliar, these specs denote UHS Speed Class, Video Speed Class, and APP Performance, respectively. It's available in capacities of 128GB and 1TB, and it comes with a 5-year limited manufacturer warranty.

Regarding performance, while the official description page doesn't specify, user tests indicate read and write speeds reaching up to 150MB/s. It has high compatibility for different types of devices including smartphones, tablets, Drones, Android Tablets, Tablet PCs, Action Cameras, DSLR and 4K or Full HD camcorder. And it's equipped with an automatic error correction code (ECC) function.

Samsung

Samsung PRO Plus microSD Memory Card

Next is Samsung's Micro SD card, one of the best-selling SD cards on Amazon. It carries performance ratings of C10, U3, V30, A2, offering comprehensive six-layer protection suitable for home, outdoor, and travel use. It comes in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB versions, with a ten-year limited warranty.

Performance-wise, the 512GB version features sequential read/write speeds of up to 180MB/s and 130MB/s, enabling easy 4K video capture for smartphones, drones, and providing ample storage expansion for devices like the Steam Deck and tablets.

SanDisk

SanDisk Extreme SDSQXAV-128G-GN6MA SD Card

Lastly, the SanDisk Extreme Micro SD card. It carries performance ratings of U3, V30, A2, designed to endure harsh conditions and tested for high temperature, waterproofing, shock resistance, and X-ray protection. It's available in capacities ranging from 32GB to 1TB, offering a lifetime warranty.

Thanks to the A2 standard, it achieves faster application performance, delivering an excellent smartphone experience. It also prevents frame skipping when shooting videos, allowing easy capture of lossless 4K ultra HD and full HD videos. Versions above 128GB feature read/write speeds of up to 190MB/s and 130MB/s, suitable for smartphones, tablets, action cameras, gaming consoles, and video monitoring applications.

Acer

Acer MSC300 SD Card

This SD card boasts performance ratings of U3, V30, A2, featuring shockproof, drop-proof, waterproof, and resistance to extreme temperatures, making it suitable for outdoor use in harsh conditions. It's available in various capacities ranging from 32GB to 256GB and offers a five-year warranty.

Adhering to the UHS-I standard, it achieves impressive read and write speeds of up to 160MB/s and 120MB/s, respectively. With A2 (Application Performance Class 2), the Acer MSC300 taps the potential of your mobile devices, speeding up the load time of your applications. It's compatible with digital camera, smartphone and other mobile devices, it also delivers unparalleled performance for gaming devices and video security recorders that support Micro SD cards.

Kodak

Kodak For Nintendo-Switch Expansion SD Card

This Micro SD card boasts performance ratings of U3, V30, A2, featuring characteristics like waterproof, magnetic resistance, temperature endurance, impact resistance, and vibration resistance, making it suitable for various environments. It's available in capacities of 128GB and 256GB, with a three-year warranty.

Its read speed of 100MB/s significantly reduces game loading times. Despite its name as a Nintendo game-specific storage card, it's compatible not only with handhelds like the ROG Ally but also with cameras, phones, tablets, speakers, dashcams, surveillance devices, and more.

Kingston

Kingston SDXC Canvas Go Plus SD Card

First up is Kingston's Canvas Go Plus SD Card, with performance ratings of U3, V30, C10. Here, they signify a minimum write speed of 30MB/s. It's waterproof, temperature-proof, shockproof, and comes in capacities ranging from 64GB to 512GB, with a lifetime warranty.

Performance-wise, it has transfer speeds of up to 170MB/s, supporting UHS-I U3 and V30 speeds, making it ideal for quick transfers and capturing full HD and 4K content. Its data transfer capabilities are particularly suitable for use with 4K cameras, action cameras, drones, Android devices, and, of course, handheld gaming consoles like the Steam Deck.

Lexar

Lexar 1066x SD Card

Lexar's 1066x Micro SD card features performance ratings of U3, V30, A2, indicating a minimum random read speed of 4000 IOPS and a minimum random write speed of 2000 IOPS compared to the previous model. It also offers resistance to extreme temperatures, waterproofing, and comes in capacities ranging from 64GB to 1TB, with limited lifetime warranty.

With read speeds of up to 160MB/s, write speeds of 120MB/s, and WRITE BOOST technology, it ensures more stable 4K shooting. It's compatible with action cameras, drones, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, dash cams, music players, and more.

Netac

Netac 667X SD Card

Netac's 667X Micro SD card features performance ratings of C10, U3, A1, V30, meaning it has a minimum write speed of 30MB/s, a random read speed of 1500 IOPS, and a minimum random write speed of 500 IOPS. It also features resistance to cold, heat, shock, water, and magnetic interference. It's available in capacities ranging from 32GB to 512GB. But sadly, it only has a limited five-year warranty.

Performance-wise, it achieves read speeds of up to 100MB/s, smoothly supporting 4K ultra HD video streaming and adapting to various devices like action cameras, drones, gaming consoles, etc.

Summary of ChargerLAB

For the Micro SD Card category, there are various standards and protocols to consider. Specifically for Legion Go users, attention should be given to the A1 and A2 standards, which represent app-opening speeds. While the aforementioned eight Micro SD Cards all boast specifications of U3, V30, and A2 or higher, there are discernible differences in their actual read and write performances. Let's discuss how to make a choice.

In terms of warranty duration, the aforementioned eight Micro SD Cards come with warranties spanning three, five, ten years, and lifetime warranties. However, overall, these products tend to have high stability, with few quality issues. If product quality is a top priority, selecting the other three products with lifetime warranties would be advisable.

Regarding storage capacity, options vary from 32GB to 1TB. As highlighted in our previous SSD purchasing guide, given the notable expansion in the size of modern AAA games, capacities surpassing 512GB present a more favorable selection. These not only cater to present demands but also provide improved cost-efficiency.

In terms of performance, while their specifications might not differ significantly, there are variations in their actual read and write speeds. Users can further select based on a comprehensive consideration of the prices available.

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