Lenovo Unleashes Gaming Prowess with Legion Go S

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's modular design, the Go S boasts a unibody construction, eliminating 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 Legion Go S struggles to match its competitors in the same price bracket.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Image Gallery

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Lenovo Legion Go S – Design and Features

The Legion Go S's design 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 (1.61 pounds). While lighter than the original Legion Go (1.88 pounds), it's heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X (1.49 pounds).

The 8-inch, 1200p IPS display, rated for 500 nits, is stunning, delivering vibrant visuals in games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Horizon Forbidden West. It rivals the best handheld displays, second only to the Steam Deck's OLED.

The Legion Go S offers two color options: Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (purple, exclusive to the SteamOS version). RGB lighting rings around the joysticks are highly customizable. Button placement is more intuitive than the original, though the Lenovo menu buttons above the standard 'Start' and 'Select' buttons initially caused some accidental activations. These menu buttons, however, provide quick access to system controls and shortcuts.

The touchpad, significantly smaller than the original's, is less convenient for Windows navigation. The absence of a mouse wheel, a feature of the original, is noticeable. SteamOS's controller-centric design will mitigate this issue in the upcoming version.

The left-side button launches LegionSpace, a system management app. Rear programmable paddle buttons offer improved tactile feedback compared to the original. Adjustable triggers offer only two settings: full and minimal travel. Dual USB 4 ports (one ideally positioned on the bottom for better cable management) and a centrally located microSD card slot complete the device's connectivity options.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Purchasing Information

The reviewed configuration ($729.99) includes an AMD 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 and Benchmarks

The AMD Z2 Go APU (Zen 3 processor with 4 cores/8 threads and RDNA 2 GPU with 12 cores) is less powerful than anticipated. Performance benchmarks reveal that it lags behind the Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally X.

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

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

Pricing and Value

The $729 price tag for the 32GB RAM configuration is higher than the original Legion Go. The excess RAM is largely unnecessary for the Z2 Go APU's capabilities. The May release of the $599 16GB RAM version significantly improves its value proposition. The higher-end model's excessive RAM and slower memory bandwidth (6,400MHz vs. the Legion Go's 7,500MHz) hinder performance. Manually allocating more memory to the frame buffer in the BIOS (a process not detailed in the user manual) can improve performance, but this shouldn't be necessary.

Handheld gaming PCs inherently compromise performance. While most AAA titles are playable, high settings drastically reduce frame rates. The 32GB RAM configuration is overpriced; the 16GB version offers better value.

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In conclusion, the Lenovo Legion Go S's value depends heavily on the configuration. The 16GB RAM version at $599 offers a compelling option, but the initial 32GB model is overpriced for its performance.