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, a departure from its predecessor. Unlike the original Legion Go's modular design, the Go S boasts a unibody construction, ditching removable controllers and extra buttons for a more streamlined approach. 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 handhelds, 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's unibody design enhances usability. Its rounded edges offer comfortable extended gaming sessions, partially offsetting its considerable weight of 1.61 pounds – slightly lighter than the original Legion Go but heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X. This weight, however, contributes to its impressive 8-inch, 1200p IPS display with 500 nits of brightness. Game visuals are stunning, from the vibrant colors of Dragon Age: The Veilguard to the realistic detail of Horizon Forbidden West. This display rivals the best in handheld gaming PCs, second only to the Steam Deck OLED.

The Go S's design borrows elements from other handhelds, resulting in a visually appealing device. 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 significantly improved over the original Legion Go, with more standard placement of Start and Select buttons. However, the placement of Lenovo's menu buttons above them can initially cause accidental activation. While this requires adjustment, these buttons prove useful, offering quick access to system settings and shortcuts like Alt+F4 and Task Manager.

The touchpad, while smaller than the original, retains its functionality, albeit with more limited navigability. This will be less of an issue with the SteamOS version, optimized for controller navigation. The left-side LegionSpace button accesses system management tools, including driver updates and game library integration.

Rear programmable paddle buttons offer improved tactile feedback compared to the original, and trigger travel distance is adjustable via levers with two settings: full and minimal travel. Two USB 4 ports on top allow for charging and peripheral connection; ideally, one would be positioned on the bottom for better cable management. The microSD card slot's placement on the bottom is unconventional.

Purchasing Guide

The reviewed Lenovo Legion Go S (available February 14th) costs $729.99, featuring 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

Utilizing the AMD Z2 Go APU, the Legion Go S's performance is underwhelming compared to competitors. The Z2 Go, a Zen 3 processor with 4 cores/8 threads and an RDNA 2 GPU with 12 cores, uses older technology. Benchmarks reveal performance lags behind the Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally X. Despite a slightly larger 55Whr battery, PCMark10 battery life is reduced to 4 hours and 29 minutes.

3DMark tests show significant performance differences: Time Spy scores 2,179 points (compared to 2,775 for the Legion Go and 3,346 for the ROG Ally X), indicating up to a 35% performance gap. Game performance is more competitive, with Hitman: World of Assassination running slightly faster than on the original Legion Go. However, Total War: Warhammer 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 show similar performance drops. Horizon Forbidden West proved particularly challenging, exhibiting significant stuttering even at low settings. While most AAA titles are playable at 800p with medium settings, high-end gaming requires lower settings. The Legion Go S excels in less demanding games like Persona 5.

Wait, It’s More Expensive?

The Legion Go S's higher price ($729) than the Legion Go ($699) is puzzling, considering its weaker APU and lower-resolution display. The justification lies in its 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 1TB SSD—more than the ROG Ally X. However, this extra RAM is less beneficial with the weaker GPU and slower 6,400MHz memory compared to the Legion Go's 7,500MHz. While allocating more memory to the frame buffer improves performance, this requires BIOS adjustments, a complex process not detailed in the user guide. For most users, 32GB is excessive. The May release of the $599 16GB RAM version offers much better value.

In conclusion, the current Lenovo Legion Go S configuration is overpriced due to its excessive RAM. The cheaper 16GB version, however, presents a compelling option within the handheld gaming PC market.