Lenovo Legion Go S Review

The Lenovo Legion Go S: A Handheld Gaming 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 non-Valve handhelds, but this review focuses on the Windows 11 model. However, at $729, the Legion Go S faces stiff competition from similarly priced alternatives.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Image Gallery

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Lenovo Legion Go S – Design and Ergonomics

Resembling the Asus ROG Ally more than its predecessor, the Legion Go S's unibody design enhances usability. Rounded edges improve comfort during extended play, 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 added weight, however, contributes to a stunning 8-inch, 1200p IPS display with 500 nits of brightness, rivaling even the Steam Deck's OLED in quality.

Available in Glacier White and Nebula Nocturne (the latter exclusive to the SteamOS version), the Go S features RGB lighting around the joysticks. Button placement is more intuitive than the original, though the placement of Lenovo's menu buttons above the standard 'Start' and 'Select' buttons requires adjustment. These menu buttons, however, offer quick access to system settings and shortcuts.

The integrated touchpad, while significantly smaller than the original, hampers Windows navigation. The absence of a mouse wheel, a key feature of the original Legion Go, further exacerbates this issue. This will be less problematic on the SteamOS version, designed for controller navigation. A dedicated button activates LegionSpace, a software hub for system management and game library access.

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 placed on the bottom for better cable management) and a centrally located microSD card slot complete the device's connectivity.

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 model will launch in May for $599.99.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Performance and Benchmarks

Powered by the AMD Z2 Go APU (a Zen 3 processor with 4 cores/8 threads and an RDNA 2 GPU with 12 cores), the Legion Go S's performance falls short of the Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally X. Despite a larger 55Whr battery, PCMark10 battery life is only 4 hours and 29 minutes.

3DMark benchmarks reveal a significant performance gap. Time Spy scores 2,179 points, lagging behind the Legion Go (2,775) and ROG Ally X (3,346). Game performance is slightly better, though still underwhelming at higher settings. While achieving playable frame rates at 800p with medium settings, demanding titles like Horizon Forbidden West struggle even at low settings.

Less demanding games, like Persona 5, run smoothly. The higher-than-expected price point ($729) is partly due to the generous 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD, which is excessive for the Z2 Go APU's capabilities, especially considering the slower 6400MHz memory speed compared to the Legion Go's 7500MHz. Manually increasing the frame buffer in the BIOS can improve performance, but this is not user-friendly.

The $599 16GB RAM version offers much better value.

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Conclusion

The Lenovo Legion Go S, while possessing a beautiful display and comfortable design, is hampered by its underpowered APU and overpriced initial configuration. The May release of the $599 model significantly improves its value proposition, making it a more competitive option in the handheld gaming PC market.