Lenovo Legion Go S Review

Handheld gaming PCs have exploded in popularity, largely thanks to the Steam Deck. Following suit, major PC manufacturers are releasing their own handhelds, with Lenovo's Legion Go S aiming for a closer comparison to the Steam Deck than its predecessor. Unlike the original Legion Go, the Go S boasts a unibody design, ditching the removable controllers and extra buttons. A SteamOS version is planned for later this year, making it the first non-Valve handheld to ship with this OS. However, this review focuses on the Windows 11 model, which, at $729, faces stiff competition.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Photos

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Lenovo Legion Go S – Design

The Lenovo Legion Go S's design resembles the Asus ROG Ally more than its predecessor. Its unibody construction simplifies usability. The rounded edges enhance comfort during extended gaming sessions, partially offsetting the device's considerable weight of 1.61 pounds (slightly lighter than the Legion Go, but heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X). This weight, however, is justified by its impressive display.

The 8-inch, 1200p IPS display boasts 500 nits of brightness, delivering stunning visuals in games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Horizon Forbidden West. It's arguably one of the best handheld gaming PC displays, rivaled only by the Steam Deck OLED.

The Legion Go S's design, while clearly influenced by other handhelds, is aesthetically pleasing. Available in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (purple, exclusive to the SteamOS version), it features bright RGB lighting rings around the joysticks, customizable through the on-screen menu.

The button layout is more intuitive than the original Legion Go's. The 'Start' and 'Select' buttons are now conventionally placed, though Lenovo's own menu buttons above them occasionally cause accidental activation. These custom buttons, however, offer quick access to system controls, including brightness adjustment and power management, plus shortcuts like 'Alt+F4' and Task Manager.

The touchpad, while smaller than the original, remains functional, although navigating Windows is less seamless. The absence of a mouse wheel, a key feature of the original, is noticeable. This will be less of an issue with the SteamOS version. The left button launches LegionSpace, a software hub for system management, driver updates, and game library access.

Rear programmable paddle buttons offer improved tactile feedback compared to the original. Adjustable triggers feature two settings: full travel and minimal movement. Two 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.

Purchasing Guide

The reviewed Lenovo Legion Go S (available February 14th) costs $729.99, featuring a Z2 Go APU, 32GB LPDDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. A more affordable 16GB RAM/512GB SSD version will launch in May for $599.99.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Performance

The AMD Z2 Go APU, while new, doesn't deliver groundbreaking performance. Its Zen 3 processor (4 cores/8 threads) and RDNA 2 GPU (12 cores) are relatively older technologies. Benchmark comparisons reveal performance lags behind the Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally X.

The 55Whr battery, despite being larger than the original Legion Go's, provides only 4 hours and 29 minutes of runtime in PCMark10, shorter than its predecessor.

3DMark benchmarks show the Legion Go S significantly underperforming compared to the Legion Go and ROG Ally X in Time Spy and Fire Strike. Gaming performance is mixed; Hitman: World of Assassination runs slightly faster, while Total War: Warhammer 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 show marginal performance drops. However, adjusting settings to 800p and medium quality ensures playable frame rates (30-40 fps) in most AAA titles. Horizon Forbidden West, however, proved challenging even at low settings. The Legion Go S excels in less demanding games like Persona 5.

Wait, It’s More Expensive?

The Legion Go S's higher price ($729) compared to the Legion Go ($699) is surprising, given its weaker APU and lower-resolution display. The justification lies in its 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD configuration. While more RAM is beneficial with a more powerful GPU, it's less impactful on the Z2 Go, especially with slower 6,400MHz memory compared to the Legion Go's 7,500MHz. Allocating more memory to the frame buffer improves performance, but requires BIOS manipulation—a cumbersome process not detailed in the user manual.

The 32GB RAM is largely unnecessary for most handheld gaming scenarios. The $599 16GB RAM version launching in May offers significantly better value.

In conclusion, the Lenovo Legion Go S's high-end RAM configuration in its initial release is excessive and doesn't justify the premium price. The May release with 16GB RAM at $599 offers a far more compelling value proposition.