Lenovo Legion Go S Review

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 extra buttons for a cleaner, more streamlined experience. A SteamOS version is slated for release later this year, making it the first non-Valve handheld to ship with this OS. However, this review focuses on the Windows 11 model. At $729, the Lenovo Legion Go S faces stiff competition and falls short in several key areas.

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, and the rounded chassis provides comfortable grip despite its 1.61-pound weight (heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X). The 8-inch, 1200p IPS display, boasting 500 nits of brightness, is stunning, rivaling even the Steam Deck's OLED.

Available in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (the latter exclusive to the SteamOS version), the Go S features RGB lighting around the joysticks. The button layout is improved, but the placement of Lenovo's menu buttons above the standard 'Start' and 'Select' buttons initially causes some confusion. The custom Lenovo buttons are helpful, offering quick access to system settings and shortcuts.

The touchpad, while smaller than the original's, remains functional, though navigating Windows is slightly less intuitive. This will be less of an issue with the SteamOS version. The left-side button accesses LegionSpace, a software hub for system management and game library access. Rear programmable paddle buttons offer improved clickiness and 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 Lenovo Legion Go S ($729.99) features a Z2 Go APU, 32GB LPDDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. A cheaper version (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) will be available for $599.99 in May.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Performance

The AMD Z2 Go APU, a Zen 3 processor with 4 cores/8 threads and an RDNA 2 GPU (12 cores), is less powerful than expected for a 2025 release. Benchmark results show the Legion Go S lagging behind the Legion Go and the Asus 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 Legion Go in some titles (Hitman), it falls behind in others (Total War: Warhammer 3, Cyberpunk 2077). Horizon Forbidden West proved particularly challenging. The Go S excels in less demanding games like Persona 5.

Value Proposition

The $729 price tag for the 32GB RAM/1TB SSD configuration is perplexing, especially considering the weaker APU and lower resolution display. The slower 6,400MHz memory further impacts performance. While increasing the frame buffer in the BIOS improves performance, this is an unnecessary user hurdle. The $599 16GB RAM version, however, offers significantly better value.

The current top-tier Lenovo Legion Go S is overpriced. The May release of the 16GB RAM version at $599 significantly improves its value proposition. While capable of running AAA titles, expect to lower settings for optimal performance. The extra RAM in the higher-priced model is largely unnecessary for most users.