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 excessive 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 against 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. Rounded edges provide comfortable grip despite its 1.61-pound weight (slightly lighter than the original Legion Go, but heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X). The 8-inch, 1200p IPS display with 500 nits brightness is stunning, rivaling even the Steam Deck OLED.

Available in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (purple, exclusive to the SteamOS version), it features RGB lighting around the joysticks. Button placement is more intuitive than the original, though the Lenovo menu buttons above the standard 'Start' and 'Select' buttons initially cause some confusion. These menu buttons, however, offer quick access to system controls and shortcuts.

The touchpad, while smaller than the original, remains functional, though navigating Windows is slightly less intuitive. The left button activates LegionSpace software for system management. Rear paddle buttons are improved, offering 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 oddly placed on the bottom.

Purchasing Guide

The reviewed configuration ($729.99) includes a Z2 Go APU, 32GB LPDDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. A more affordable 16GB RAM/512GB SSD version will be released 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 older technologies. Benchmark tests reveal performance lags behind the Legion Go and ROG Ally X. Battery life (4 hours 29 minutes in PCMark10) is surprisingly shorter than the original Legion Go.

Gaming performance is mixed. While slightly faster than the original Legion Go in some titles (Hitman), it shows noticeable performance drops in others (Total War: Warhammer 3, Cyberpunk 2077). Horizon Forbidden West proved particularly challenging, even with low settings. Less demanding games, like Persona 5, run smoothly.

Value Proposition

The $729 price tag for the base model seems excessive considering the weaker APU and lower resolution display. The 32GB RAM, while impressive, is largely unnecessary given the APU's limitations. The slower 6,400MHz memory further impacts performance. Allocating more memory to the frame buffer improves performance, but requires BIOS adjustments, a cumbersome process not detailed in the user guide. The May release of the $599 16GB RAM version offers much better value.

Conclusion

The Lenovo Legion Go S is a mixed bag. Its design and display are excellent, but its performance and pricing (for the 32GB model) are disappointing. The upcoming $599 configuration is a much more compelling option. While capable of playing most AAA titles at reduced settings, it's not a powerhouse. The excessive RAM in the higher-priced model makes it a less attractive purchase.

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