Review of the Lenovo Legion Go S: What’s Missing?

In recent years, there’s been a flurry of activity in the handheld gaming PC world, especially after the Valve Steam Deck hit the scene. This sparked the creation of some remarkable alternatives, including devices like the Asus ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go. Continuing this trend, Lenovo has just unleashed the Legion Go S, powered by AMD’s latest Z2 Go processor built on the Zen 3+ architecture. This new iteration marks a distinct evolution in design, steering away from its predecessor.

One of the first things you’d notice about the Legion Go S is its departure from the Nintendo Switch style of detachable controllers. Instead, it now adopts an all-in-one design, echoing the look of the ROG Ally and Valve Steam Deck. The screen has also been adjusted, reducing from 8.8 inches to a more compact 8 inches.

Despite these changes, the Legion Go S remains quite hefty, even after shedding the detachable controller design. It’s also worth noting that a few features have been scaled back from the earlier model, so potential buyers should weigh these considerations carefully before choosing the Legion Go S as their portable gaming companion.

Design and Comfort of the Lenovo Legion Go S

The Legion Go S and its predecessor, the Legion Go, may share underlying goals, but their differences are notable. Unlike the mix of matte grey aluminum and plastic used in the original, the Legion Go S goes entirely plastic. It sports a white molded plastic chassis contrasted by black buttons and triggers. Although it lacks the premium feel of its forerunner, it maintains a sturdy construction.

The more rounded design is a relief to the hands, especially during prolonged gaming sessions. After testing both the Legion Go S and the original Legion Go side by side, the former was less tiring to use, making long playtimes feel more comfortable.

Interestingly, Lenovo chose to omit the built-in kickstand from the Legion Go S. The previous model’s kickstand allowed for a more console-like setup when the controllers were detached, emulating the Nintendo Switch approach. With controllers now integrated, Lenovo likely deemed a kickstand unnecessary.

Another change is the display. The original’s 8.8-inch, 2560 x 1600 screen has been reduced to an 8-inch, 1920 x 1200 panel. Personally, this shift, with a lower resolution and size, isn’t bothersome since gaming at 2560 x 1600 stretches the usability limits, especially with the Z1 Extreme and Z2 Go processors.

In terms of size, the Legion Go S measures 11.77 x 5.02 x 0.89 inches and weighs 1.61 pounds. For context, the rival Asus ROG Ally measures 11.04 x 4.38 x 0.84 inches and weighs 1.34 pounds, while the Steam Deck dimensions are 11.73 x 4.6 x 1.93 inches, weighing in at 1.47 pounds.

The Legion Go S features controls reminiscent of an Xbox controller, sporting ABXY buttons on the right, offset joysticks, a D-pad below the left joystick, and a small touchpad beneath the right joystick. Four programmable buttons are located just above the display for quick settings and menu access, along with buttons dedicated to specific functions like Legion Space. Top buttons include standard LB/LT and RB/RT, and there are two more customizable buttons on the back. You can adjust the trigger travel using the dials on the back of the unit. Connectivity options include two USB 4 ports, a headphone jack, volume controls, and a power button. The microSD reader is located on the bottom.

Lenovo Legion Go S Specifications

• CPU: AMD Ryzen Z2 Go (Zen 3, quad-core/8-thread, boost up to 4.3 GHz, 6 nm)
• Graphics: AMD Radeon 680M (integrated), RDNA 2 with 12 compute units
• Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X-6400MHz
• Storage: 1TB SSD M.2 2242 PCIe Gen 4
• Display: 8-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS touchscreen, 120 Hz
• Networking: Mediatek MT7922 Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
• Ports: 2x USB 4.0, microSD slot, and a 3.5mm jack
• Battery: 55.5 WHr
• Power Adapter: 65W
• Operating System: Windows 11 Home
• Dimensions and Weight: 11.77 x 5.02 x 0.89 inches; 1.61 pounds
• Price: $729.99

Gaming and Graphics on the Lenovo Legion Go S

The Legion Go S is built around AMD’s new Z2 Go processor. Compared to its high-powered predecessor, the Z1 Extreme, this is a step back in performance. The Z2 Go features four cores and eight threads, with a clock speed that adjusts from 3 GHz up to 4.3 GHz. In contrast, the Z1 Extreme offers eight cores handling up to 16 threads. Both run with a similar 12-core GPU setup.

The device features four performance modes: Performance, Efficiency, Custom 1, and Custom 2. On battery, I used the default Performance settings, and plugged in, I tweaked Custom 1 to max out at 40 watts.

In general, the Legion Go S is about 10% quicker when flying solo on battery, yet 10% to 20% slower when plugged in, compared to the Legion Go with a 40-watt TDP setting.

Testing the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark at medium settings and DX12, the Legion Go S pulled slightly ahead by about 10% at both 800p and 1200p over the previous model when used on battery. However, once plugged in, it lagged behind by 25%. Nonetheless, its unplugged performance was quite comparable to the Steam Deck.

In demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077, the Legion Go S held its ground when unplugged but fell significantly short when up against the Legion Go and the ROG Ally while on AC power. In Forza Horizon 5, the Legion Go S hit 56 fps at 800p on AC, but it couldn’t match the 75 fps of the Legion Go or the 72 fps of the ROG Ally.

Even as the Legion Go S struggled with maintaining higher frame rates in graphically intense scenarios, it fared quite well with others like Red Dead Redemption 2, holding over 30 fps at 1200p, with performance improving at lower resolutions.

Windows 11 on the Lenovo Legion Go S

Right out of the box, the Legion Go S is equipped with Windows 11, with the display set to 200% scaling at its native resolution. While this makes the interface touch-friendly, it also clutters the taskbar with large icons, limiting visible active apps.

Several software quirks arise during usage. For instance, the on-screen keyboard stubbornly disappears in a text-entry field, and there’s a noticeable lack of smoothness when maneuvering the touchpad during gaming. Lenovo also preconfigures touchpad vibration, which can become quite jarring, although you can tweak or mute it via the Legion Space app.

A noticeable trade-off is the absence of a kickstand, which restricts its dual utility as a mini-PC without additional accessories.

Legion Space on the Lenovo Legion Go S

Legion Space is Lenovo’s hub for all things gaming, settings, and controller customization on the device. You can access it via the dedicated Legion Space button. From managing your Lenovo account, browsing game stores, launching installed games, and accessing system settings, everything is centralized here.

The app’s Settings section prominently displays the device’s current operating stats, including CPU and GPU usage, fan speed, and system memory. You can readily switch performance profiles, adjust display settings, and tweak controller setups from here.

A convenient overlay through the Options button further allows quick access to frequently used settings, ensuring you can make adjustments during games without stopping entirely.

Display on the Legion Go S

The updated Legion Go S features a smaller, lower resolution screen compared to its predecessor. While shifting from 8.8 inches and a higher resolution may seem like a downgrade, the crispness on the 8-inch 800p display is quite favorable for most games.

IPS panel technology ensures decent visuals, albeit not on par with an OLED screen’s contrast, yet sufficient for the gaming experience. I found the display impressively bright even at 50%, making it sustainable for lengthy play without hitting higher brightness levels unless plugged in.

Despite the technical downgrade, the package still boasts a respectable 84.8% DCI-P3 color coverage, and while trailing the Legion Go and Steam Deck OLED in this aspect, it does surpass the ROG Ally.

Battery Life on the Lenovo Legion Go S

In terms of battery longevity, the Legion Go S lasts about an hour and 42 minutes on strenuous tasks, a slight dip compared to the Legion Go. When gaming, however, real-world usage offers around an hour and 45 minutes before needing a charge, and the power-saving profile can extend this to a little beyond two hours.

Audio on the Lenovo Legion Go S

The Legion Go S delivers decent audio quality for its size. While I mainly immerse myself in driving games, the sound effects of engines and collisions are reproduced well, making the experience all the more engaging. However, headphones remain my preferred method for audio to completely immerse myself in gaming.

Upgradeability of the Legion Go S

Getting inside the Legion Go S for an upgrade isn’t overly complex but requires careful handling to avoid damaging the pieces. The process entails removing several screws and panels to access the M.2 slot, offering flexibility in SSD choices given it supports larger 2280 SSDs.

Heat on the Lenovo Legion Go S

Thanks to some smart design choices, the Lenovo Go S manages heat efficiently, remaining relatively comfortable to handle while gaming. The device’s fan setup is effective, only becoming noticeable during intense usage but isn’t overly disruptive.

Lenovo Legion Go S Configurations

The Legion Go S is available for $729.99, including an 8-inch IPS screen, 32GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Notably, Lenovo plans to release a more affordable $499 variant, which will feature 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD while using SteamOS.

The Lenovo Go S comes with a standard one-year warranty from the manufacturer.

Bottom Line

In its current form, recommending the Lenovo Legion Go S is a challenge. While it edges ahead slightly in battery mode, it’s slower when maxed out on power compared to the Legion Go. Losing the versatility of detachable controllers and a kickstand while compromising with a smaller, slower display seems an unfair trade-off, especially considering price. With only a minor $20 difference from the Legion Go, potential buyers might find better value elsewhere, or perhaps wait for the forthcoming $499 SteamOS version.