The Lenovo Legion Go S: A Handheld Gaming 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 release later this year, a first for a non-Valve handheld, but this review focuses on the Windows 11 model. However, at $729, the Lenovo Legion Go S struggles to justify its price against the competition.
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. Rounded edges improve comfort during extended gaming sessions, somewhat offsetting its considerable weight of 1.61 pounds (slightly lighter than the original Legion Go, but heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X).
The 8-inch, 1200p IPS display, rated for 500 nits of brightness, is stunning. Game visuals are exceptional, showcasing vibrant colors and detailed textures. It's arguably one of the best handheld gaming PC displays, rivaled only by the Steam Deck's OLED screen.
The Go S's design borrows elements from other handhelds, but remains visually appealing. Available in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (purple, exclusive to the SteamOS version), it features bright RGB lighting rings around the joysticks, customizable via an on-screen menu.
The button layout is more intuitive than the original Legion Go. However, the placement of Lenovo's menu buttons above the standard 'Start' and 'Select' buttons initially causes some accidental button presses. The right-side menu button offers quick access to settings and shortcuts, proving useful once muscle memory adapts. The left-side button launches LegionSpace, a software hub for system management and game library access.
The touchpad, while smaller than the original, remains functional, though navigating Windows is slightly less convenient. The absence of the original's mouse wheel is noticeable. The SteamOS version will mitigate these issues due to its controller-centric design.
Programmable paddle buttons on the back offer satisfying clickiness and resistance. Adjustable triggers offer only two settings: full and minimal travel. 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 (launched February 14th) 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) is available in May.
Lenovo Legion Go S – Performance and Benchmarks
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 older technologies. Benchmark comparisons reveal that the Legion Go S lags behind the Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally X.
Despite a larger 55Whr battery, battery life is shorter (4 hours 29 minutes in PCMark10) than the original Legion Go. This is likely due to the less efficient Zen 3 CPU architecture.
3DMark benchmarks show significant performance differences: Time Spy scores 2,179 (compared to 2,775 for the Legion Go and 3,346 for the ROG Ally X), indicating up to a 35% performance gap. Fire Strike results show a similar 14% deficit.
Gaming performance is mixed. Hitman: World of Assassination runs slightly faster than on the original Legion Go. However, Total War: Warhammer 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 show performance drops, requiring lower settings for playable frame rates. Horizon Forbidden West proved particularly challenging, even at low settings.
While demanding games may struggle, less demanding titles like Persona 5 run smoothly. The key is adjusting settings to achieve a playable 30-40 fps at 800p with medium settings.
Pricing and Value
The $729 price point for the 32GB RAM/1TB SSD configuration is perplexing. The May release of a $599 (16GB RAM) version makes significantly more sense. The extra RAM in the higher-priced model offers little benefit given the APU's limitations, especially considering the slower memory speed (6,400MHz vs. the Legion Go's 7,500MHz). Manually allocating more memory to the frame buffer improves performance, but shouldn't be a user-necessary step.
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The Lenovo Legion Go S, in its current $729 configuration, is overpriced. The $599 version, however, presents a much more compelling value proposition. The Go S's impressive display and comfortable design are noteworthy, but its performance limitations and questionable initial pricing hold it back. The SteamOS version holds promise, but only time will tell if it truly justifies its place in the competitive handheld gaming market.
