The Lenovo Legion Go S: A Handheld PC Review
Handheld gaming PCs have surged in popularity, largely thanks to the Steam Deck. Lenovo's Legion Go S aims to compete, offering a design closer to the Steam Deck than its predecessor. Unlike the original Legion Go, the Go S boasts a unibody design, ditching removable controllers and extraneous buttons. A SteamOS version is slated for later this year, a first for a non-Valve handheld, but this review focuses on the Windows 11 model. However, at $729, the Legion Go S struggles to justify its price against competitors.
Lenovo Legion Go S – Image Gallery
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Lenovo Legion Go S – Design and Features
Aesthetically, the Legion Go S resembles the Asus ROG Ally more than its predecessor. Its unibody design enhances usability. The rounded chassis provides comfortable grip, mitigating the device's considerable 1.61-pound weight (slightly lighter than the Legion Go, but heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X).
The 8-inch, 1200p IPS display, boasting 500 nits of brightness, is a standout feature. Game visuals are stunning, showcasing vibrant colors and detail. It rivals the best handheld displays, second only to the Steam Deck's OLED.
Available in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (the latter exclusive to the SteamOS version), the Go S features RGB lighting around the joysticks. This is easily customizable via an on-screen menu.
Button layout is improved over the original Legion Go, with more standard placement of 'Start' and 'Select' buttons. However, Lenovo's custom menu buttons, positioned above, initially caused accidental activations. These buttons offer quick access to system controls, including brightness and performance settings, along with shortcuts like 'Alt+F4' and Task Manager.
The touchpad, while smaller than the original, remains functional, although navigating Windows is slightly less intuitive.
The SteamOS version will likely address these navigation challenges, leveraging controller-centric OS design. A dedicated button activates LegionSpace software for system management, driver updates, and game library access.
Rear programmable paddle buttons are improved, offering more resistance to accidental presses. Adjustable triggers offer only two settings: full and minimal travel.
Dual USB 4 ports (one ideally positioned on the bottom for better cable management) and a centrally located microSD card slot complete the device's connectivity options.
Lenovo Legion Go S – Purchasing Information
The reviewed model ($729.99) includes a Z2 Go APU, 32GB LPDDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. A more affordable configuration (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) will launch in May for $599.99.
Lenovo Legion Go S – Performance Analysis
The AMD Z2 Go APU (Zen 3 processor with 4 cores/8 threads and RDNA 2 GPU with 12 cores) is the Go S's defining component. While benchmarks reveal performance lags behind the Legion Go and ROG Ally X, particularly in 3DMark tests, in-game performance is more competitive.
Battery life, despite a larger 55Whr battery, is slightly shorter than the original Legion Go, lasting 4 hours and 29 minutes in PCMark10 testing.
While capable of running most AAA titles at 800p with medium settings, achieving 30-40fps, demanding games like Horizon Forbidden West struggled even at low settings. Less demanding titles like Persona 5 performed flawlessly.
Lenovo Legion Go S – Value Proposition
The $729 price tag for the base model, exceeding the Legion Go's starting price, is initially perplexing. The higher price is justified by the 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD, but this is arguably excessive given the Z2 Go APU's limitations. The slower 6,400MHz memory further diminishes performance. Manually allocating more memory to the frame buffer (requiring BIOS access) improves performance, highlighting the RAM's underutilization.
The May release of the $599 configuration with 16GB of RAM significantly improves the value proposition.
Poll: Which Handheld Are You Most Excited For in 2025?
AnswerSee ResultsIn conclusion, the Lenovo Legion Go S's high-end configuration is overpriced, but the lower-priced option offers compelling value. Its performance is adequate for many games, but demanding titles require lower settings. The impressive display is a highlight.
