Lenovo Unveils Gaming-on-the-Go Experience with Legion Go S Launch

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 extraneous 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 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 (heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X but lighter than the original Legion Go).

The 8-inch, 1200p IPS display, rated at 500 nits, is stunning. Game visuals are exceptional, showcasing vibrant colors. It's arguably one of the best handheld gaming PC displays, rivaled only by the Steam Deck OLED.

Available in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (the latter exclusive to the SteamOS version), it features bright RGB lighting around the joysticks, customizable via an on-screen menu.

Button placement is more intuitive than the original Legion Go, though the placement of Lenovo's menu buttons above the standard 'Start' and 'Select' buttons initially causes some confusion. However, these Lenovo buttons offer useful quick access to system settings and shortcuts.

The touchpad, while smaller than the original, remains functional, though navigating Windows is slightly less convenient. This will be less of an issue with the SteamOS version. The left-side button accesses LegionSpace software for system management.

Programmable paddle buttons on the back offer improved tactile feedback. Adjustable triggers offer only two settings: full and minimal travel. Dual USB 4 ports are located on top, while the microSD card slot is oddly positioned 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 more affordable 16GB RAM/512GB SSD version will be released in May for $599.99.

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 relatively older technologies. Benchmarks reveal performance lagging behind the Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally X.

Battery life, despite a larger 55Whr battery, is only 4 hours and 29 minutes in PCMark10, shorter than the original Legion Go. 3DMark scores are significantly lower than competitors.

Game performance is mixed. While slightly faster than the Legion Go in some titles (Hitman), it falls short in others (Total War: Warhammer 3, Cyberpunk 2077). Horizon Forbidden West proved particularly challenging, even at low settings. Less demanding games, such as Persona 5, run smoothly.

Wait, It’s More Expensive?

The Legion Go S's higher price ($729) compared to the Legion Go ($699), despite inferior specs (lower resolution display, weaker APU), is perplexing. However, the 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD justify some of the cost, although the slower 6,400MHz memory negates some of the benefit. The May release of a 16GB RAM version at $599 makes it a much more competitive option.

The excessive RAM is largely unnecessary for most handheld gaming scenarios. Manually adjusting the frame buffer in the BIOS to allocate more memory to the GPU can improve performance, but this is a cumbersome process not well-documented.

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Conclusion

The Lenovo Legion Go S, in its current 32GB configuration, is overpriced. The cheaper 16GB version, however, presents a much more compelling value proposition. While the display is excellent and the design is improved, the performance limitations of the Z2 Go APU and the unnecessary RAM hinder its overall appeal at the higher price point.