Lenovo Legion Go S: A Portable Gaming Powerhouse

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, even amongst similarly priced Windows 11 handhelds, the $729 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 enhances usability. The rounded edges provide comfortable grip, partially offsetting its considerable 1.61-pound weight (heavier than the Asus ROG Ally X but lighter than the original Legion Go).

This weight, however, contributes to a stunning 8-inch, 1200p IPS display with 500 nits of brightness. Game visuals are exceptional, rivaling even the Steam Deck's OLED screen. 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.

The button layout is more intuitive than the original. However, the placement of Lenovo's menu buttons above the standard 'Start' and 'Select' buttons initially causes some accidental activation. These menu buttons, though, offer quick access to system settings and shortcuts.

The integrated touchpad is significantly smaller than the original, hindering Windows navigation compared to its predecessor, which offered a mouse wheel. This will be less of an issue on the SteamOS version. A dedicated button activates LegionSpace software for system management and game library access.

Programmable rear paddle buttons are clickier and offer more resistance than the original. Adjustable triggers have only two settings: full and minimal travel. Two USB 4 ports (one ideally should have been on the bottom) are located on top, while the microSD card slot is awkwardly 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 configuration will be released in May for $599.99.

Lenovo Legion Go S – Performance and Benchmarks

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 core. Performance benchmarks reveal it lags behind the Legion Go and ROG Ally X. Despite a larger 55Whr battery, PCMark10 battery life is only 4 hours and 29 minutes.

3DMark Time Spy scores are 2,179 points (compared to 2,775 for the Legion Go and 3,346 for the ROG Ally X). Fire Strike shows a 14% performance deficit compared to the original Legion Go.

Gaming performance is mixed. Hitman: World of Assassination shows a slight improvement over the Legion Go. Total War: Warhammer 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 require lower settings for playable frame rates. Horizon Forbidden West proved particularly challenging, even at low settings.

Less demanding games like Persona 5 perform exceptionally well. The key takeaway: while most AAA titles are playable at 800p with medium settings, high-end gaming requires lower resolutions and settings.

Pricing and Value

The $729 price tag for the 32GB RAM/1TB SSD configuration is higher than the original Legion Go, despite the weaker APU and lower resolution. The extra RAM is largely unnecessary for the Go S's capabilities. The May release of the 16GB RAM version at $599 significantly improves its value proposition. The higher-end model's excessive RAM is a drawback, making the cheaper option a far better choice.

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Conclusion

The Lenovo Legion Go S, while boasting a beautiful display and comfortable design, suffers from a high price point for its current configuration. The upcoming 16GB RAM version offers much better value. Gamers should carefully consider their needs and budget before purchasing.