Mobile gaming is a better experience when animations look smoother and the screen reacts faster. That’s why gaming smartphones are usually some of the most powerful handsets you can find on the market. On paper, Lenovo’s latest device certainly fits that description. Unveiled in China on Wednesday, the first Lenovo Legion phone includes a display with a super smooth 144Hz refresh rate, a sizeable 5,000 mAh battery and Qualcomm’s brand new 5G Snapdragon 865 Plus processor – all of which are among the best features you can find on smartphones this year. On top of that, the phone also supports 90W fast charging that fills up the battery in just 30 minutes. But there’s a catch: There are two charging ports, each supporting only 45W. So both ports need to be plugged in to achieve the maximum charging speed. But it still looks pretty impressive, even though rival Chinese brand iQOO recently announced its own 120W fast-charging solution for an upcoming smartphone. This smartphone can fully charge its battery in 15 minutes While these features should appeal to a wide range of users, the Lenovo Legion phone has a number of design choices suited more for gamers. The phone has a 20-megapixel pop-up selfie camera on the side instead of on the top like other phones. It also has a 64-megapixel main camera and 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens on the back, which are placed in the middle of the phone. The arrangement makes the most sense for gamers, who usually hold their phones horizontally while gripping them on each side. In another gaming-friendly feature, users can choose to bring up both the front and rear cameras at the same time, perfect for live streaming and vlogging. But for people who would prefer to hold the phone vertically, the camera positioning is right where they’re likely to put their fingers. On the side opposite of the selfie camera you’ll find one of the phone’s USB Type-C ports. The second port is at the bottom. The ports aren’t just good for charging, though. Lenovo suggests you use one of them to connect to a monitor, mouse or keyboard for a better gaming experience. Lenovo has also included two vibration motors in the phone, which the company says can recreate the rumbling sensation of gaming controllers. For those who prefer the real ones, though, the phone supports Xbox One and PlayStation 4 controllers via Bluetooth. The Lenovo Legion smartphone starts at 3,499 yuan (US$500) and ships in China on August 5.
