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Lenovo Legion Phone Duel Smartphone Review- Gaming phone with 144 Hz screen

Consistently across. That Lenovo's Legion Phone Duel is a gaming smartphone is obvious at first glance. Thanks to the 144 Hz screen and extreme performance, it feels extremely smooth and the price is also convincing. However, there are also small flaws...
Android ARM Gaming Smartphone
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel (Legion Phone Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus) 8 x 2.4 - 3.1 GHz, Cortex-A77 / A55 (Kryo 585)
Graphics adapter
Qualcomm Adreno 650
Memory
16 GB 
Display
6.65 inch 19.5:9, 2340 x 1080 pixel 388 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, AMOLED, glossy: yes, HDR, 144 Hz
Storage
512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash, 512 GB 
, 492 GB free
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, Audio Connections: audio via USB-C, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: acceleration sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.0, 2G,3G,4G(B1/​B2/​B3/​B4/​B5/​B7/​B8/​B12/​B17/​B18/​B19/​B20/​B26/​B28/​B34/​B38/​B39/​B40/​B41/​B42),5G (n1/​n3/​n28/​n38/​n41/​n77/​n78/​n79), Dual SIM, LTE, 5G, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 9.9 x 169.2 x 78.5 ( = 0.39 x 6.66 x 3.09 in)
Battery
5000 mAh Lithium-Polymer, two battery cells, 90 W charging
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 10
Camera
Primary Camera: 64 MPix f/​1.89, phase comparison-AF, dual LED-flash, Videos @2160p/​30fps (Camera 1); 16.0MP, f/​2.2, wide angle lens (Camera 2)
Secondary Camera: 20 MPix f/​2.2, extendable
Additional features
Speakers: stereo speakers, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, charger, two USB cables, hard case, audio adapter, SIM tool, 24 Months Warranty, notification LED (rear/​multicoloured), SAR value: 0.884 W/kg (head), 1.132 W/kg (body); LTE Cat 15/​18 (800Mbps/​210Mbps), fanless
Weight
239 g ( = 8.43 oz / 0.53 pounds), Power Supply: 208 g ( = 7.34 oz / 0.46 pounds)
Price
999 Euro
Links
Lenovo homepage
Lenovo notebook section
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible competitors in comparison

Bewertung
Rating Version
Datum
Modell
Gewicht
Laufwerk
Groesse
Aufloesung
Preis ab
87.3 %7
02/2021
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
SD 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650		239 g512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.65"2340x1080
89 %7
12/2020
Asus ROG Phone 3
SD 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650		240 g512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.59"2340x1080
90.4 %7
02/2021
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14		227 g128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.80"3200x1440
84.7 %7
10/2020
Nubia RedMagic 5S
SD 865, Adreno 650		218 g128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.65"2340x1080

Case, features and operation - Unusual cell phone

In red or blue, but in any case with a very unusual chassis design, the Lenovo Legion Phone Duel comes to your home. Even the packaging is unusual: It consists of several triangles that you open to reveal the phone, accompanied by a machine sound that comes from a small speaker including a battery in the package. That is pretty cool, but of course questionable in terms of the environment.

The metal and glass chassis feels high-quality and refracts the light at the back, which looks good. The Legion lettering and the large logo in the center glow in different colors. The positioning of the main camera and the flash is unusual; both are in the center of the smartphone. However, this actually corresponds to the positioning of a conventional camera. Overall, it is noticeable that Lenovo has optimized the smartphone for a landscape orientation of the screen, and one of the two USB-C ports is located in the center of the long side.

The smartphone comes with either 12 or 16 GB of RAM and 256 or 512 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. This puts it on a similar level as Asus' ROG Phone 3; Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra cannot keep up here. 5G is installed, the audio signal is output via USB-C, and an adapter for 3.5 mm jacks is included in the smartphone.

WiFi 6 is also available, but the Legion Phone Duel ranks rather behind in the comparison. The Wi-Fi is not slow in our test with the reference router Netgear Nighthawk AX12, but it is a bit slower than in other smartphones in the price range.

The software is based on Android 10, but is specially adapted. It offers a very good user manual including videos, but it is not always perfectly translated and the security patches were completely outdated at the time of testing.

For real gamers, there are two touch-sensitive areas that can be used as shoulder keys that can be customized for different games. Physical buttons would have been more suitable here, but they serve their purpose.

There is a fingerprint sensor behind the screen. It is a bit far down for our taste, but it is reliable. It is not active when the screen is turned off, and you at least have to activate the always-on display. Thanks to the 144 Hz screen and the fast processor, the smartphone can be operated quickly and feels very responsive.

Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel

Size comparison

❌
171 mm / 6.73 inch 78 mm / 3.07 inch 9.9 mm / 0.3898 inch 240 g0.529 lbs169.2 mm / 6.66 inch 78.5 mm / 3.09 inch 9.9 mm / 0.3898 inch 239 g0.527 lbs168.56 mm / 6.64 inch 78 mm / 3.07 inch 9.75 mm / 0.3839 inch 218 g0.4806 lbs165.1 mm / 6.5 inch 75.6 mm / 2.98 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 227 g0.5 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Wi-Fi 6E
803 (437min - 889max) MBit/s +19%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Wi-Fi 6E
633 (523min - 703max) MBit/s -6%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
681 (343min - 699max) MBit/s +1%
Asus ROG Phone 3
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
676 (337min - 699max) MBit/s 0%
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
673 (618min - 693max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Wi-Fi 6E
922 (904min - 928max) MBit/s +23%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Wi-Fi 6E
169 (156min - 180max) MBit/s -77%
Asus ROG Phone 3
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
893 (825min - 923max) MBit/s +19%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
870 (371min - 959max) MBit/s +16%
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
751 (686min - 802max) MBit/s
04590135180225270315360405450495540585630675720765Tooltip
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø750 (686-802)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø673 (618-693)

Cameras - High image quality

Recording front camera
Recording front camera

The rear camera offers two lenses: The main camera with 64 megapixels, which increases the light yield via pixel binning, but then also only takes pictures with 16 megapixels, and a wide-angle lens.

The photos of the main camera are rich in detail and colorful. However, there could be more detail in dark areas in low light and high contrasts. The sharpness also decreases slightly towards the edges.

Videos can be recorded in a maximum of 4K resolution. The picture quality is also convincing here. The autofocus reacts quickly and precisely, but the brightness adjustment could be a bit more elegant.

The front-facing camera extends centrally from the casing's long side, which is also unusual at first glance, but not that bad in everyday use. The camera also takes detailed pictures and has no problems with fine structures like hair.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Hauptobjektiv BlumeHauptobjektiv UmgebungHauptobjektiv Low Light
ColorChecker
18.9 ∆E
10 ∆E
14 ∆E
18.8 ∆E
12.9 ∆E
7.4 ∆E
12 ∆E
10.1 ∆E
13.8 ∆E
12.3 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
8.3 ∆E
8.6 ∆E
10.5 ∆E
13.3 ∆E
3.5 ∆E
11.2 ∆E
11.2 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
4.7 ∆E
6.2 ∆E
9.1 ∆E
13.2 ∆E
9.1 ∆E
ColorChecker Lenovo Legion Phone Duel: 10.6 ∆E min: 3.47 - max: 18.85 ∆E
ColorChecker
28.6 ∆E
50 ∆E
37.5 ∆E
35 ∆E
43.1 ∆E
61.5 ∆E
51.1 ∆E
33.5 ∆E
38.8 ∆E
27.8 ∆E
63.2 ∆E
63.7 ∆E
30.9 ∆E
46.8 ∆E
35.1 ∆E
72 ∆E
42.6 ∆E
41.1 ∆E
70.2 ∆E
65.8 ∆E
50.1 ∆E
35.9 ∆E
23.3 ∆E
12.2 ∆E
ColorChecker Lenovo Legion Phone Duel: 44.15 ∆E min: 12.19 - max: 72 ∆E

Display - Fast and color-accurate

Subpixel recording
Subpixel recording

The screen's resolution of 2,340 x 1,080 pixels is usual, but 4K gaming is not possible. The brightness is solid, but lower than all comparison devices. The color reproduction is quite accurate; we measured in the "natural" color mode.

With its 144 Hz frame rate, the screen feels very smooth in operation and can reproduce scrolling well. Although not many games support such high frame rates yet, that should change in the near future and then you can get small advantages in fast shooters due to the fast screen.

The AMOLED screen flickers as usual at brightness levels below 100%, but the frequency is quite high.

535
cd/m²		547
cd/m²		564
cd/m²
532
cd/m²		546
cd/m²		571
cd/m²
541
cd/m²		543
cd/m²		568
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 571 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 549.7 cd/m² Minimum: 5.59 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 546 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.24 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
95.7% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.303
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.65		Asus ROG Phone 3
AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.59		Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3200x1440, 6.80		Nubia RedMagic 5S
AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.65
Response Times
15%
14%
32%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
8 ?(5, 3)
3.6 ?(2, 1.6)
55%
3.2 ?(1.6, 1.6)
60%
2.8 ?(1.2, 1.6)
65%
Response Time Black / White *
6 ?(3, 3)
2.4 ?(1.2, 1.2)
60%
2.8 ?(1.2, 1.6)
53%
2.4 ?(1.2, 1.2)
60%
PWM Frequency
833
255.1 ?(99)
-69%
250 ?(99)
-70%
581 ?(99)
-30%
Screen
-40%
1%
-98%
Brightness middle
546
625
14%
910
67%
589
8%
Brightness
550
630
15%
913
66%
592
8%
Brightness Distribution
93
88
-5%
98
5%
90
-3%
Black Level *
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.24
2.6
-110%
2
-61%
3.1
-150%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
2.01
4.5
-124%
3.1
-54%
7.2
-258%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.9
2.5
-32%
2.2
-16%
5.6
-195%
Gamma
2.303 96%
2.22 99%
2.06 107%
2.31 95%
CCT
6200 105%
6750 96%
6512 100%
6633 98%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-13% / -22%
8% / 6%
-33% / -55%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 3 ms rise
↘ 3 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 13 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5 ms rise
↘ 3 ms fall
The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 15 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 833 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 833 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 833 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17898 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.


CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color space sRGB
CalMAN color space sRGB
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN Saturation

Performance, emissions and battery life - Fast in everyday use and charging

Of course, you expect a lot of performance from a gaming smartphone in the first place, and thanks to the Snapdragon 865+, this is also given in Lenovo's Legion Phone Duel. The performance remains constant even under longer load, as the 3D Mark Wild Life stability score of 99.2% shows.

However, the smartphone gets quite warm during operation; we measured 45.7 °C. However, this warming cleverly occurs in the center of the smartphone, where the hands are not in landscape mode.

The stereo speakers of the Legion Phone Duel are directed to the front and get averagely loud. On maximum power, they seem a bit overpowered and emphasize trebles very strongly. At 3/4 of the maximum volume, the sound seems rounder overall. Overall, the speakers are OK, but there are definitely better systems in the high-end sector.

Lenovo has divided the battery into two parts. It has a total capacity of 5,000 mAh. This has the advantage that both batteries can be charged simultaneously via the two USB-C ports and the charger with two cables. Thus, the Legion Phone Duel achieves ingenious charging times: Approximately 40 minutes from 0 to 100%. If you do not have the charger at hand, you can of course only use one of the two USB-C ports, but both batteries are still charged. The smartphone lasted 14:11 hours in our Wi-Fi test. That is not a record, but quite good and much longer than Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Geekbench 5.5 | PCMark for Android | 3DMark | GFXBench
Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
977 Points
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
995 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
1106 Points +13%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
904 Points -7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (950 - 1006, n=6)
979 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 2138, n=221, last 2 years)
910 Points -7%
Multi-Core (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
3424 Points
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
3458 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
3583 Points +5%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
3264 Points -5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (3012 - 3458, n=6)
3243 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 6681, n=221, last 2 years)
2986 Points -13%
PCMark for Android - Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
12355 Points
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
14979 Points +21%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
14362 Points +16%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
11075 Points -10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (12355 - 14979, n=6)
13143 Points +6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points -12%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
8780 Points
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
8777 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
8345 Points -5%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
8022 Points -9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (7369 - 8780, n=6)
8154 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=184, last 2 years)
6683 Points -24%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
10442 Points
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
10330 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
10794 Points +3%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
9395 Points -10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (9453 - 10442, n=6)
10019 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=183, last 2 years)
9635 Points -8%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
5639 Points
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
5751 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
4651 Points -18%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
5307 Points -6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (4159 - 5751, n=6)
4965 Points -12%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=183, last 2 years)
4216 Points -25%
Wild Life Score (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
4244 Points
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
4143 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
5756 Points +36%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (4143 - 4244, n=2)
4194 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (395 - 9839, n=137, last 2 years)
2529 Points -40%
Wild Life Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
4167 Points
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
4132 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
5873 Points +41%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (4132 - 4167, n=2)
4150 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (394 - 20068, n=205, last 2 years)
6226 Points +49%
Wild Life Stress Test Stability (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
99.2 (4210min - 4259max) %
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
99.4 (4129min - 4155max) % 0%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
64.7 (22.3min - 34.4max) % -35%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
64.4 (3633min - 5645max) % -35%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (99.2 - 99.4, n=2)
99.3 % 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (36 - 99.8, n=195, last 2 years)
84.6 % -15%
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
51 fps
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
50 fps -2%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
37 fps -27%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
50 fps -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (27 - 54, n=6)
41.5 fps -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=228, last 2 years)
43.8 fps -14%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
58 fps
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
59 fps +2%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
69 fps +19%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
53 fps -9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (46 - 59, n=6)
56 fps -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=228, last 2 years)
63.8 fps +10%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
33 fps
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
33 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
26 fps -21%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
32 fps -3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (18 - 35, n=6)
27.2 fps -18%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 119, n=228, last 2 years)
32.5 fps -2%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 16384
22 fps
Asus ROG Phone 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus), Adreno 650, 12288
22 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14, 12288
28 fps +27%
Nubia RedMagic 5S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, Adreno 650, 8192
21 fps -5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ (Plus)
  (22 - 22, n=6)
22 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=228, last 2 years)
25.4 fps +15%
Lenovo Legion Phone DuelAsus ROG Phone 3Samsung Galaxy S21 UltraNubia RedMagic 5SAverage 512 GB UFS 3.1 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
15%
30%
-5%
37%
19%
Sequential Read 256KB
1711
1710
0%
1710
0%
1348
-21%
1877 ?(1695 - 2023, n=23)
10%
1506 ?(226 - 4512, n=220, last 2 years)
-12%
Sequential Write 256KB
765
772
1%
1077
41%
674
-12%
1156 ?(575 - 1876, n=23)
51%
1116 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=220, last 2 years)
46%
Random Read 4KB
207.7
274.3
32%
316.7
52%
213.3
3%
281 ?(208 - 386, n=23)
35%
247 ?(22.2 - 543, n=220, last 2 years)
19%
Random Write 4KB
220.6
280.6
27%
279.5
27%
243.5
10%
333 ?(221 - 503, n=23)
51%
272 ?(13 - 709, n=220, last 2 years)
23%

Temperature

Max. Load
 39.9 °C
104 F		42.7 °C
109 F		39.7 °C
103 F		 
 40.9 °C
106 F		44.6 °C
112 F		40.4 °C
105 F		 
 40.7 °C
105 F		45.7 °C
114 F		39.9 °C
104 F		 
Maximum: 45.7 °C = 114 F
Average: 41.6 °C = 107 F
34.8 °C
95 F		38.3 °C
101 F		36.1 °C
97 F
36.1 °C
97 F		40 °C
104 F		37 °C
99 F
35.2 °C
95 F		42.1 °C
108 F		36.8 °C
98 F
Maximum: 42.1 °C = 108 F
Average: 37.4 °C = 99 F
Power Supply (max.)  37.6 °C = 100 F | Room Temperature 21.2 °C = 70 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 41.6 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45.7 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.1 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 33.8 °C / 93 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.


Heatmap Front
Heatmap Front
Heatmap back side
Heatmap back side

Loudspeaker

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.541.82532.635.23127.529.14030.231.65032.330.96325.527.68017.819.910022.623.612514.632.116013.3432001148.32509.749.8315858.94008.66450011.269.863013.771.580015.368100017.466.2125010.370.2160010.569.8200010.671.8250011.272.7315012.573.5400014.372.2500015.27063001564.7800016.1601000017.361.21250016.258.51600016.956.2SPL6568.126.182.2N18.221.50.752.3median 14.3median 64.7median 13.4median 67.2Delta2.710.812.71536.935.6292821.924.52223.629.936.12229.519.340.816.345.61448.316.958.114.956.214.160.21062.71167.111.771.310.970.811.971.51174.310.276.511.479.312.882.112.981.812.578.91376.613.177.413.476.415.772.113.574.21473.913.766.724.889.90.680.3median 13median 73.91.36.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo Legion Phone DuelAsus ROG Phone 3
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 67.2% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 67.2% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 67.2% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (117.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 85% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 7% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Asus ROG Phone 3 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (12.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 0% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 100% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 9% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 88% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life

Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
5000 mAh		Asus ROG Phone 3
6000 mAh		Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
5000 mAh		Nubia RedMagic 5S
4500 mAh		Average of class Smartphone
 
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
851
912
7%
702
-18%
730
-14%
914 ?(424 - 2844, n=230, last 2 years)
7%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
14h 11min

Pros

+ much power
+ very fast screen
+ extremely fast charging
+ good runtimes
+ high camera quality

Cons

- outdated security patches
- high heating under load
- WLAN comparatively slow

Verdict - This gaming phone does a lot right

In review: Lenovo Legion Phone Duel. Test device provided by Lenovo Germany.
In review: Lenovo Legion Phone Duel. Test device provided by Lenovo Germany.

Lenovo's Legion Phone Duel is a good gaming smartphone that can actually be used very smoothly thanks to its 144 Hz display and is future-proof for games. The manufacturer often goes unusual ways, such as placing the camera in the center of the casing or the centrally extending front camera. However, after a short familiarization phase, we actually find these quite good.

Whether you like the case is a matter of taste, but it is certainly not restrained. It is stable and ergonomic. We also like the cameras. The picture quality is convincing and the front-facing camera takes good selfies. The battery life is good and the smartphone charges extremely fast thanks to the dualbattery and the dual charging port. However, the heavy charger has to be accepted in return.

Lenovo's Legion Phone Duel is a gaming phone with a fast screen, many clever details and a few minor flaws.

The screen could be brighter, but the display is convincing and the system's performance is also more than sufficient for current mobile games.

All in all, Lenovo has come up with some clever details, which makes the Legion Phone Duel appealing not only for gamers. In other areas, especially the localization of the software, the final touches are missing and Lenovo should urgently release a software update for the security patches.

Price and availability

The Lenovo Legion Phone Duel is currently only available via

. It costs 899.99 Euros with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage and 999.99 Euros with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB storage.<br />

Lenovo Legion Phone Duel - 08/31/2022 v7
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
86%
Keyboard
69 / 75 → 92%
Pointing Device
96%
Connectivity
55 / 70 → 79%
Weight
87%
Battery
90%
Display
91%
Games Performance
69 / 64 → 100%
Application Performance
89 / 86 → 100%
Temperature
85%
Noise
100%
Audio
70 / 90 → 78%
Camera
75%
Average
82%
87%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo Legion Phone Duel Smartphone Review- Gaming phone with 144 Hz screen
Florian Schmitt, 2021-02-21 (Update: 2021-04-15)