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 aesthetic. 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 faces stiff 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 improves usability. Rounded edges enhance comfort during extended play, somewhat offsetting its considerable weight of 1.61 pounds (heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X). However, this weight is compensated by its impressive 8-inch, 1200p IPS display with 500 nits of brightness, arguably one of the best in a handheld gaming PC.

Available in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (the latter reserved for the SteamOS version), it features RGB lighting around the joysticks. 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 requires adjustment. These menu buttons offer quick access to system controls and shortcuts.

The touchpad, while smaller than the original, remains functional. The absence of a mouse wheel, present in the original, makes Windows navigation slightly less convenient. This will be less of a concern with the SteamOS version. A dedicated button accesses LegionSpace software for system management.

Rear programmable paddle buttons offer improved tactile feedback. Triggers feature adjustable travel distance, though limited to two settings. Two USB 4 ports are located on top, while the MicroSD card slot is situated on the bottom – an unconventional placement.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Purchasing Information

The reviewed configuration (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 version will launch 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 relatively older technologies. Benchmark tests reveal performance lagging behind the Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally X.

Battery life, at 4 hours and 29 minutes (PCMark10), is shorter than the original Legion Go despite a larger battery. 3DMark scores show significant performance deficits compared to competitors.

Game performance is mixed. While slightly faster than the original Legion Go in some titles, frame rates remain relatively low, especially at higher settings. Demanding games like Horizon Forbidden West struggled even at low settings. Less demanding games perform much better.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Value Proposition

The $729 price point for the 32GB RAM configuration is surprisingly high, especially considering the weaker APU. The excessive RAM doesn't significantly benefit performance. The slower 6,400MHz memory further hinders performance. Manually allocating more memory to the frame buffer improves performance, but requires BIOS adjustments, which are not well documented.

The $599 16GB RAM version launching in May offers significantly better value. The additional RAM in the higher-priced model is largely unnecessary for most users.

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In conclusion, while the Lenovo Legion Go S boasts a great display and comfortable design, its performance and pricing for the initial configuration need improvement. The lower-priced 16GB RAM version is a much more compelling option.