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 more streamlined design than its predecessor. Unlike the original Legion Go's detachable controllers and numerous buttons, the Go S boasts a unibody design, closer in style to the Asus ROG Ally. 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 Windows 11 Legion Go S struggles to justify its price against competitors.
Lenovo Legion Go S – Image Gallery
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Lenovo Legion Go S – Design and Features
The Legion Go S's unibody design improves usability. Its rounded edges enhance comfort during extended gaming sessions, despite its 1.61-pound weight (slightly lighter than the Legion Go, but heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X). The 8-inch, 1200p IPS display, boasting 500 nits of brightness, is stunning, rendering games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Horizon Forbidden West beautifully. It's arguably one of the best handheld PC displays, rivaled only by 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. 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, however, offer quick access to system controls and shortcuts.
The touchpad, significantly smaller than its predecessor's, hinders Windows navigation. The absence of a mouse wheel, a key feature of the original, further complicates this. This will be less of an issue with the SteamOS version. A dedicated button activates LegionSpace software for system management. Rear programmable paddle buttons offer improved clickiness and resistance compared to the original. Adjustable triggers offer only two settings: full and minimal travel. Dual USB 4 ports are located on top, while a MicroSD card slot is oddly positioned on the bottom.
Purchasing Guide
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 Battery Life
The AMD Z2 Go APU (a Zen 3 processor with 4 cores/8 threads and an RDNA 2 GPU with 12 cores) is the Go S's defining feature. Performance benchmarks reveal it lags behind the Legion Go and ROG Ally X. The 55Whr battery provides only 4 hours and 29 minutes of use in PCMark10 testing, less than the original Legion Go.
3DMark results show significant performance deficits compared to competitors. Gaming performance is mixed; while slightly faster than the Legion Go in Hitman, it falls short in titles like Total War: Warhammer 3 and Cyberpunk 2077. Horizon Forbidden West proved particularly challenging, even at low settings. Less demanding games like Persona 5 perform well.
The High Price Puzzle
The $729 price tag is perplexing, exceeding the Legion Go's starting price despite inferior specs. The 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD are excessive for the Z2 Go APU's capabilities, especially considering the slower 6,400MHz memory compared to the Legion Go's 7,500MHz. While allocating more memory to the frame buffer improves performance, accessing the BIOS to do so is cumbersome. The May release of the $599 16GB RAM version offers significantly better value.
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AnswerSee ResultsConclusion
The Lenovo Legion Go S, in its current $729 configuration, is a flawed device. The excessive RAM is unnecessary given the APU's limitations. However, the May release of the $599 version significantly improves its value proposition. The Go S's strengths lie in its comfortable design and gorgeous display, making it suitable for less demanding games. For those seeking top-tier performance in AAA titles, more powerful options are recommended.
