Lenovo Legion Go S Review: What’s Missing?

In recent years, the handheld gaming PC market has been buzzing with excitement, largely thanks to the Valve Steam Deck’s debut. As a result, we’ve seen some fascinating alternatives like the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go enter the scene. Now, Lenovo has shaken things up with the Legion Go S, a new model driven by AMD’s Z2 Go processor, which utilizes the Zen 3+ architecture. This update offers a distinct departure in design from its predecessor.

One of the biggest changes you’ll notice is that the Legion Go S leaves behind the Nintendo Switch-inspired detachable controllers in favor of a unified design akin to the ROG Ally and Steam Deck. This time, you get an 8-inch screen, slightly smaller than the previous 8.8-inch display, and you’ll find that it’s still a bit hefty without the need for detachable controllers. Before making it your top choice for handheld PC gaming, some areas, where it falls short compared to older models, might be worth considering.

### Design and Comfort of the Lenovo Legion Go S

Despite sharing the same basic goal, the Legion Go S differs significantly in design compared to the original Legion Go. The former blends matte grey aluminum and plastic, while the latter is all-plastic, swapping out premium vibes for a no-nonsense approach with white molding and black for the buttons and triggers. Still, it feels solidly put together, with the new rounded design offering more comfort than its angular predecessor. Extended play sessions also suggested that the renewed shape leaves your hands and fingers less worn out.

Another immediate change is the absence of a built-in kickstand. Originally, the kickstand helped stabilize the system when using the detachable controllers a la the Nintendo Switch. But with the controllers now built into the body, Lenovo seems to have decided that a kickstand is unnecessary.

The display has also seen a bit of a reduction: the older model boasted an 8.8-inch 2560 x 1600 screen, while the Go S has scaled it back to 8 inches at 1920 x 1200. Personally, I don’t mind this trade-off too much, as playing at 2560 x 1600 can stretch the capabilities of both the Z1 Extreme and the new Z2 Go processors.

In terms of size, the Legion Go S stands at 11.77 x 5.02 x 0.89 inches and weighs about 1.61 pounds. Meanwhile, the original Legion Go was slightly bulkier at 11.76 x 5.16 x 1.60 with a weight of 1.88 pounds. For comparison, Asus’ ROG Ally sits at 11.04 x 4.38 x 0.84 inches and 1.34 pounds, with the classic Steam Deck measuring 11.73 x 4.6 x 1.93 inches and weighing 1.47 pounds.

The main control setup of the Legion Go S mirrors an Xbox controller, complete with ABXY buttons and offset joysticks. It includes a D-pad below the left joystick, a small touchpad under the right joystick, and four programmable buttons above the display. As for the usual controls, you’ve got the top-mounted LB/LT and RB/RT, along with two additional programmable buttons on the back.

### Lenovo Legion Go S Specifications

Under the hood, the Legion Go S is powered by the new AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor, featuring Zen 3+ architecture with four cores and eight threads, operating at speeds up to 4.3 GHz. Its AMD Radeon 680M integrated graphics support boosts performance, though not quite on par with the beefier Z1 Extreme’s prowess.

Various performance modes are available, including Performance, Efficiency, Custom 1, and Custom 2. While unplugged, I stuck with the default Performance mode, which aligns with the Windows 11 Performance profile. For a plugged-in experience, setting the TDP to a max of 40 watts offered more flexibility.

Broadly speaking, the Legion Go S edges out its predecessor by about 10 percent in battery mode performance, but it lags behind by 10 to 20 percent when connected to power and operating in high-performance scenarios.

### Gaming and Graphics on the Lenovo Legion Go S

When gaming on titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider (at Medium settings and DX12), the Legion Go S holds a steady 10 percent lead over its predecessor at 800p and 1200p when unplugged. Plugging in and hitting that high-performance mark, however, sees the Go S trail by around 25 percent.

Cyberpunk 2077’s benchmark (at the Steam Deck preset) reaffirms this pattern, maintaining stable performance on battery, but when paired against the ROG Ally and the first Legion Go, it trails behind while plugged in. It manages 35 fps at 800p and a paltry 18 fps at 1200p.

For shooters like Borderlands 3, the gap narrows somewhat, though the Legion Go still outpaces the Go S, reaching 60 fps at 800p while the Go S caps at 50 fps under the same conditions.

### Windows 11 on the Lenovo Legion Go S

This device arrives with Windows 11 pre-installed, featuring substantial scaling for easier touchscreen navigation. A few issues arise, as I encountered persistent woes with the on-screen keyboard sometimes failing to present itself when needed. In other cases, using the touchpad for precise movements felt off, often overshooting its target—a notable issue that didn’t extend to non-gaming applications.

Feedback from Lenovo’s Space app on the touchpad produced unwanted vibrations, creating a distraction that was thankfully adjustable.

### Legion Space on the Lenovo Legion Go S

Contained within the Legion Space app is a central hub for managing settings, launching games, and retooling controllers. The app presents tabs for account management and storefront access, a library tab for easy game launching, and comprehensive settings for system performance, display preferences, and controller configurations.

### Display on the Legion Go S

The display sports a smaller and lower-resolution screen than its predecessor, but most won’t notice much difference in gaming quality. The IPS panel, although dwarfed compared to the Steam Deck OLED, still offers a commendable 120 Hz refresh rate. At 50 percent brightness—my go-to setting when unplugged—games were vivid, particularly the bright and realistic car models in racing games like Forza Horizon 5.

### Battery Life on the Lenovo Legion Go S

Battery life varies with settings like resolution and power mode. On the PCMark 10 benchmark, it lasted an hour and 42 minutes, a step down from its predecessor. Gaming on Performance mode can deplete juice rather swiftly—Burnout Paradise Remastered, for instance, drained the battery down to 40 percent within an hour.

### Audio on the Lenovo Legion Go S

Sound performance is suitable for its class, capturing the swooshing sound spectrum of automotive games well, far from high-fidelity audio but functional. Accessories like headphones remain the best option for a more immersive experience.

### Upgradeability of the Legion Go S

Opening the Go S takes some careful dismantling, with access to the M.2 slot for storage expansion a clear advantage over some competitors. Gamers have plenty of wiggle room to upgrade with available 2242 or 2280 SSDs, a welcomed option for future-proofing devices.

### Heat on the Lenovo Legion Go S

Thanks to smart intake and exhaust design, the Go S stayed manageable to the touch. Audible but not unpleasant fan noise is well-balanced with the in-game soundscape.

### Lenovo Legion Go S Configurations

Priced at $729 with a 1TB SSD and 32GB RAM, this configuration is currently the sole option. Lenovo plans a more budget-friendly $499 model that will run SteamOS, featuring half the RAM and SSD storage.

### Bottom Line

Right now, it’s tricky to fully endorse the Legion Go S over its rivals. Battery-optimized performance makes it comparable to the original Legion Go, but the power-hungry mode sees its advantages lessen considerably. The inability to detach controllers or use a kickstand reduces versatility, and its lesser display capabilities don’t hold up against competition.

Additionally, the pricing structure feels off. With a mere $20 difference from the superior Legion Go, waiting for the forthcoming SteamOS version might afford a more reasonable price-tag, setting this option apart as a better deal altogether.