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 Steam Deck-like experience, unlike its predecessor. The Legion Go S boasts a unibody design, ditching the original's removable controllers and extra 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. Compared to similarly priced Windows 11 competitors, however, the $729 Lenovo Legion Go S falls short.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Photos

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Lenovo Legion Go S – Design

Resembling the Asus ROG Ally more than its predecessor, the Legion Go S is a single, unified unit. This streamlined design enhances usability. The rounded chassis provides comfortable grip during extended gaming sessions, somewhat offsetting the device's considerable weight of 1.61 pounds (slightly lighter than the original Legion Go but heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X). While a minor difference, the weight becomes noticeable during prolonged use.

This added weight, however, contributes to a remarkably large display. The 8-inch, 1200p IPS screen boasts 500 nits of brightness, resulting in stunning visuals. Games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Horizon Forbidden West showcased vibrant colors and detailed graphics, making this arguably one of the best handheld gaming PC displays, rivaled only by the Steam Deck OLED.

The Legion Go S's design, while clearly inspired by other handhelds, is undeniably attractive. Available in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (white and purple), with the latter reserved for the SteamOS version launching later in 2025. Each joystick features a bright RGB lighting ring, customizable through the on-screen menu.

The button layout is far more intuitive than the original Legion Go. The 'Start' and 'Select' buttons are now conventionally placed, though Lenovo's own menu buttons above them sometimes lead to accidental activation of the Legion software. This is a minor learning curve. These menu buttons, however, offer convenient access to quick settings adjustments (brightness, power) and shortcuts (Alt+F4, Task Manager).

The touchpad, while smaller than the original, remains functional for mouse input. Its diminutive size, surrounded by ample empty space, slightly hinders Windows navigation compared to the original Legion Go, which offered a mouse wheel under the right trigger. This will be less of a concern with the SteamOS version, designed for controller navigation.

The left-side button launches LegionSpace, a software hub for system management, driver updates, and game library organization across various launchers. The rear features clickier, more resistant programmable paddle buttons, and adjustable trigger travel distance (two settings: full and minimal).

Two USB 4 ports (top) allow charging and peripheral connection; a bottom-placed MicroSD card slot is less ideal for docked use.

Purchasing Guide

The reviewed Lenovo Legion Go S (February 14 release) costs $729.99, featuring a Z2 Go APU, 32GB LPDDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. A more affordable $599.99 configuration (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) launches in May.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Performance

Utilizing the AMD Z2 Go APU, the Legion Go S lacks direct comparisons. The Z2 Go (Zen 3 processor, 4 cores/8 threads, RDNA 2 GPU, 12 cores) uses older technology for a 2025 release. Consequently, the $729 Legion Go S underperforms the $699 Legion Go and $799 Asus ROG Ally X.

Despite a slightly larger 55Whr battery, the Legion Go S lasted 4 hours and 29 minutes in PCMark10, shorter than the original Legion Go's 4 hours and 53 minutes, likely due to the less efficient Zen 3 CPU.

3DMark benchmarks reveal significant performance differences. Time Spy scores were 2,179 (Go S), 2,775 (Legion Go), and 3,346 (ROG Ally X), indicating the Go S is up to 35% slower than the Ally X. Fire Strike results showed a similar 14% deficit compared to the original Legion Go.

Game performance is slightly better. Hitman: World of Assassination ran at 41 fps (Go S) versus 39 fps (Legion Go). Total War: Warhammer 3 achieved 22 fps at 1080p/Ultra (Go S) versus 24 fps (Legion Go), highlighting the need for lower settings. Cyberpunk 2077 managed 21 fps at 1080p/Ultra (no ray tracing, FSR Balanced), improving to 41 fps with Medium settings and FSR Performance. Horizon Forbidden West proved challenging, exhibiting stuttering even at low settings.

While performance appears concerning in benchmark tests, the Legion Go S handles most AAA titles at 30-40 fps at 800p with medium settings. However, demanding games require compromises. Less demanding titles like Persona 5 run smoothly and look excellent on the display.

Wait, It’s More Expensive?

The Legion Go S, despite using the weaker AMD Z2 Go APU, a smaller form factor, and simpler design, costs more ($729) than the Legion Go ($699). This is explained by its 32GB LPDDR5 RAM and 1TB SSD—more memory than even the Asus ROG Ally X. However, this extra RAM is less beneficial with the weaker GPU, especially considering the slower 6,400MHz memory compared to the Legion Go's 7,500MHz. Allocating more memory to the frame buffer (via BIOS) improves performance, but this requires user intervention, absent from the user guide.

The 32GB RAM is largely unnecessary for most handheld gaming scenarios, unless using it for tasks beyond gaming.

The $599 16GB RAM version (May release) offers better value.

In conclusion, the current Lenovo Legion Go S configuration is overpriced for its performance. The cheaper 16GB RAM version is a significantly better value.