Lenovo Legion Go S Review

Handheld gaming PCs, like the Lenovo Legion Go S, have surged in popularity, largely thanks to the Steam Deck. Following Valve's success, major PC manufacturers are entering the market, with the Legion Go S aiming for a closer comparison to the Steam Deck than its predecessor.

Unlike the original Legion Go, the Legion Go S boasts a unibody design, ditching the detachable controllers and numerous extra buttons. Crucially, a SteamOS version is slated 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. Compared to similarly priced Windows 11 handhelds, the $729 Lenovo Legion Go S faces stiff competition.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Photos

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Lenovo Legion Go S – Design

The Lenovo Legion Go S's design more closely resembles the Asus ROG Ally. Its single-unit construction replaces the original's complex detachable controllers. This streamlined design improves usability, though the device's weight remains a factor.

The rounded edges enhance comfort during extended gaming sessions, somewhat mitigating the considerable weight of 1.61 pounds. While lighter than the original Legion Go (1.88 pounds), it's heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X (1.49 pounds). This difference 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, delivering stunning visuals. Games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Horizon Forbidden West looked exceptional, making this potentially 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 competitors, is undeniably attractive. Available in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (white and purple), the latter is exclusive to the SteamOS version, launching later in 2025. Each joystick features bright RGB lighting, customizable through an on-screen menu.

The button layout is significantly improved over its predecessor. The "Start" and "Select" buttons are now conventionally positioned, though the placement of Lenovo's menu buttons above them occasionally leads to accidental activation. This is a minor learning curve, however. These menu buttons offer quick access to system settings, brightness adjustments, and shortcuts like "Alt+F4" and Task Manager.

The touchpad, retained from the original but significantly smaller, makes Windows navigation slightly more challenging. The absence of a mouse wheel, a key feature of the original, is notable. This limitation will be less significant on the SteamOS version, designed for controller navigation.

The left-side button accesses LegionSpace, a software hub for system management, driver updates, and game library organization.

The rear features programmable paddle buttons with increased click resistance. Adjustable triggers offer two settings: full travel and minimal movement, lacking the granular control found in controllers like the Xbox Elite.

Two USB 4 ports are located on top, usable for charging or peripherals. Ideally, one port should be on the bottom for improved cable management. The MicroSD card slot, positioned centrally on the bottom, is an unconventional placement.

Purchasing Guide

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

Lenovo Legion Go S – Performance

The Lenovo Legion Go S is the first to use the AMD Z2 Go APU. While direct comparisons are limited, its specifications reveal it won't be a performance leader. The Z2 Go (a Zen 3 processor with 4 cores/8 threads and an RDNA 2 GPU with 12 cores) utilizes older technology. Consequently, the Legion Go S lags behind the Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally X.

The 55Whr battery, slightly larger than the original Legion Go's, yielded only 4 hours and 29 minutes in the PCMark10 battery test, less than the original's 4 hours and 53 minutes. This is likely due to the less efficient Zen 3 CPU architecture.

3DMark benchmarks highlight the performance gap. 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 show a similar 14% deficit compared to the original Legion Go.

Gaming performance is slightly better. Hitman: World of Assassination ran slightly faster on the Go S (41 fps vs. 39 fps), but Total War: Warhammer 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 showed minor performance drops. At 1080p Ultra settings, Warhammer 3 achieved 22 fps (compared to 24 fps on the Legion Go). Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, Balanced FSR) managed 21 fps, but lowering settings to Medium with Performance FSR resulted in a playable 41 fps. Horizon Forbidden West proved challenging, stuttering even at low settings and 1080p.

While the benchmarks appear concerning, at 800p with medium settings, the Legion Go S handles most AAA titles at a comfortable 30-40 fps. However, it struggles with demanding games at higher settings. For optimal performance with the latest titles, a system with the Z2 Extreme APU is recommended.

The Lenovo Legion Go S excels in less demanding games. Persona 5, for instance, looked and performed exceptionally well.

Wait, It’s More Expensive?

The Lenovo Legion Go S, despite using the weaker AMD Z2 Go APU and a smaller form factor, is priced higher than the Legion Go, starting at $729 versus $699. This is due to the inclusion of 32GB LPDDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD, exceeding even the Asus ROG Ally X's specifications. However, the slower 6,400MHz memory bandwidth negates some of this advantage.

The increased RAM can be beneficial, especially by allocating more to the frame buffer in the BIOS, improving performance (e.g., from 21 fps to 28 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 with an 8GB frame buffer). However, BIOS configuration is cumbersome, and the user guide lacks instructions. For most users, 32GB is excessive.

The current configuration is overpriced. However, the May release of the $599 16GB RAM model significantly improves its value proposition, making it a competitive option.