Prepare for Victory: Lenovo Revolutionizes Gaming with Legion Go S

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 match competitors in its price range.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Image Gallery

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Lenovo Legion Go S – Design and Features

The Legion Go S resembles the Asus ROG Ally more than its predecessor. Its unibody design enhances usability. The rounded chassis provides comfortable grip despite its 1.61-pound weight (heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X but lighter than the original Legion Go). The 8-inch, 1200p IPS display, boasting 500 nits of brightness, is exceptional, rendering games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Horizon Forbidden West beautifully. It's arguably one of the best handheld PC displays, second only to the Steam Deck OLED.

The device comes in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (purple, exclusive to the SteamOS version). RGB lighting rings around the joysticks are customizable. Button placement is more intuitive than the original, though the Lenovo menu buttons above the standard Start/Select buttons initially cause some accidental presses. These menu buttons, however, offer quick access to system settings and shortcuts.

The touchpad, significantly smaller than the original's, makes Windows navigation less convenient. The left-side button accesses LegionSpace software for system management. Rear programmable paddle buttons are clickier but offer more resistance. Adjustable triggers offer only two settings: full and minimal travel. Two USB 4 ports are located on top, while the microSD card slot is unusually placed on the bottom.

Purchasing Guide

The reviewed Lenovo Legion Go S ($729.99) features a Z2 Go APU, 32GB LPDDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. A cheaper 16GB RAM/512GB SSD version will be released 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 not the most powerful. Benchmark tests reveal performance lags behind the Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally X. Battery life (4 hours 29 minutes in PCMark10) is shorter than the original Legion Go, despite the weaker chipset and lower resolution display.

3DMark results show significant performance differences. Gaming performance is better, though still not class-leading. While capable of running most AAA titles at 800p with medium settings, demanding games like Horizon Forbidden West struggle even at low settings. Less demanding games like Persona 5 perform flawlessly.

The Price Question

The $729 price tag for the Legion Go S is higher than the original Legion Go, despite the weaker APU and lower resolution. The 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD are over-specced for the APU, especially considering the slower 6400MHz memory compared to the Legion Go's 7500MHz. Manually allocating more memory to the frame buffer in the BIOS can improve performance, but this is not user-friendly.

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Conclusion

The current $729 configuration of the Lenovo Legion Go S is overpriced for its performance. The May release of the $599 model with 16GB RAM offers much better value. While capable of gaming, it's not a powerhouse and requires lower settings for smooth gameplay in demanding titles. The exceptional display is a highlight.