Lenovo is suddenly dropping driver support for Legion Go handhelds with AMD’s Ryzen Z1E chip

Alongside the ROG Ally Z1E, the Lenovo Legion Go series remains a strong rival to Asus’ handheld PCs. With a pivot to shipping units that come pre-loaded with SteamOS, it’s the closest thing to a streamlined pick-up-and-play experience outside of installing Bazzite or using a Steam Deck. Yet, Lenovo consoles with the AMD Ryzen Z1E APU may be getting sidelined.

AMD may have stopped regularly updating drivers for its Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, the processor found in portable gaming consoles like the Asus ROG Ally Z1E or Lenovo Legion Go S. This update comes from a customer service response from Lenovo Korea, shared by DCInsider user ‘Retroboy’. 

According to Google Translate, the message shares that “we would like to provide detailed information regarding the BIOS and driver updates for the Legion Go model you inquired about. First, please note that the Legion Go and Legion Go S models have different hardware designs optimized for each device.”

The response reveals that “it has been confirmed that there are currently no further driver update plans for the Legion Go model.” Instead, users are instructed to use Windows Updates and Lenovo Vantage for anything system-related. On the subject of graphics drivers, the advisor recommends going to AMD’s online portal to download drivers directly, but notes that if they aren’t compatible with the Z1E processor, they should stick with Lenovo Vantage.

While the message doesn’t directly confirm AMD’s plans for the Ryzen Z1E, it does suggest Lenovo is scaling back Legion Go support for devices using that APU. It isn’t the first time that issues with AMD’s hardware have been tied to handheld PCs. Reddit is teaming with instances of Legion Go users remaining stuck on outdated software. Right now, the Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme appear to be receiving occasional updates rather than consistent new driver releases.

That said, the picture is not completely clear. Lenovo and Asus don’t resort to using AMD drivers immediately. Each update is tested to ensure it works with its specific hardware profiles. Some users might be tempted to install drivers built for newer handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go S with the Z2 chip, but the support message recommends steering clear of this. Meanwhile, devices powered by the newer Ryzen Z2 Extreme, such as the ROG Xbox Ally X, continue to receive regular updates.

Lenovo is yet to offer any extended comments on its plans for driver support, but it’s still strange to see, considering there are numerous handhelds still trucking along with similar specifications under the hood.