The Lenovo Legion Go S is the next iteration in the Legion Go series of handheld PCs from the manufacturer. Working to improve the Legion Go formula, the Go S features notable hardware changes, such as the Ryzen Z2 Go processor, double the RAM, a larger 1TB internal M.2 SSD and a greater battery capacity of 55.5 watt-hours. The new Go S also features a substantial redesign, bringing it more in line with other handhelds, such as the ROG Ally X. With so many changes in this latest iteration of the Legion Go, there is much to unpack with the Lenovo Legion Go S.
At first glance, several design elements have been significantly refreshed. Gone are the detachable TrueStrike controllers, a signature feature of the original Legion Go. In their place is a single unit that incorporates the controllers into the base. While some of the innovations seem to have been stripped away, I find this new controller grip system much more comfortable and sturdy. The Legion Go S feels better to hold and is closer to a traditional controller.
While I praised the Legion Go for its detachable controller design, after more than a year of testing handheld PCs, I have to say I’ve never detached the controllers to play anything outside of initial testing. Much like the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons, it’s an interesting idea that never really found a practical, real-world application for portable gaming.
This new controller design does mean, however, that some of the extra buttons built into the TrueStrike controllers are not present in the new Legion Go S. Gone are all but two programmable buttons on the underside of each controller, and the wraparound bumper on the right controller of the original Legion Go has been replaced with a traditional bumper system. After some testing, I’ve come to enjoy the more straightforward and traditional design of the Legion Go S. It feels more natural to use and is in line with standard Xbox controller designs.
Another notable design change is the removal of the kickstand, which was a crucial part of the TrueStrike controller design. While the kickstand was necessary to properly support the detachable controller mode, since that feature is no longer present, the kickstand serves no purpose. With its removal, however, comes a new cooling system that can fully leverage the backplane for additional cooling intake.
Port options, while similar to those of the original Legion Go, have all been shifted to the top of the unit, except for the microSD card slot. While this cleans up the overall look of the Legion Go S, I prefer having one USB-C port on the bottom of the unit for charging. After testing the Legion Go S for the past month, I’ve found that the charging cable continually brushes against my hand while playing unless I am positioned directly across from the outlet. It’s a minor critique but worth noting.
“After some testing, I’ve come to enjoy the more straightforward and traditional design of the Legion Go S.”
Another significant design change is the built-in trackpad, which, while present on the new Legion Go S, is significantly smaller than its predecessor. This actually benefits the Legion Go S, as the new touchpad is smaller than my thumb but provides the same level of control precision as the larger touchpad without taking up as much surface space. The result is a sleeker, more compact form factor that looks and feels much better to use.
The external design feels more compact, comfortable and comparable to other major handheld PCs on the market. The grips feel much more natural to hold, for instance, and the overall size has been reduced to 0.89 inches (H) x 5.02 inches (W) x 11.77 inches (L). Interestingly, the combination of reduced height and width makes it feel more like a true handheld PC and less like a portable PC. This is further reinforced by a weight reduction of about 30 ounces (Legion Go S: 1.61 pounds; Legion Go: 1.88 pounds). In almost every way, the Legion Go S is a more compact unit.
This does, of course, come at a small cost, which is most noticeable in the display. One of the best features of the original Legion Go was its beautiful 8.8-inch, 144Hz QHD display. While the Legion Go S still offers an impressive eight-inch display, it has been replaced with a WUXGA 120Hz screen. While still beautiful, it lacks some of the original screen’s grandeur.
Looking under the hood, Lenovo has made some interesting design decisions regarding component updates. The most notable is the inclusion of the new AMD Ryzen Z2 Go. This marks a significant departure from the Legion Go’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme and has been met with some controversy.
While the Ryzen Z2 Go is the newer processor, it is built on the older Zen 3 architecture, whereas the Ryzen Z1 Extreme is based on Zen 4. Another key difference is that the Z2 Go has a smaller core count and lower boost speed. Digital Trends has an in-depth article comparing the two, and while the Ryzen Z2 Go manages to run most titles, it tends to lag behind the Ryzen Z1 Extreme.
Lenovo has attempted to compensate for this by doubling the RAM in the Legion Go S from 16GB to 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM. However, the company opted for 32GB of LPDDR5x at 6400MHz, which is slower than the 16GB of LPDDR5x at 7500MHz found in the Legion Go. While doubling the RAM helps boost overall performance, particularly for multitasking, why not opt for faster RAM to better support the processor?
“Older titles, such as DOOM Eternal, provided a more favourable playing experience, easily maintaining 50 to 60 FPS at low settings.”
In testing, I found Digital Trends’ conclusions to be accurate. While I could get most modern titles to run on the Legion Go S—except for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle—playability was mixed. The newest titles, such as Avowed, while playable, required scaling settings to medium and low to maintain above 30 frames per second. This was also true for Starfield, which could maintain consistently smooth frames (an average of 35 to 40 FPS) but required significantly lowered settings. Other, less resource-intensive titles, such as the excellent Deep Rock Galactic Survivor, ran smoothly even at higher settings.
Older titles, such as DOOM Eternal, provided a more favourable playing experience, easily maintaining 50 to 60 FPS at low settings. I was able to offset some of these performance limitations by adjusting system settings and enabling performance mode at the cost of battery life, which proved helpful for the overall gaming experience.
One area where I noted an improvement in Lenovo’s Legion Go ecosystem is driver and software support. In my review of the original Legion Go, I observed issues with drivers and optimization for various titles, something I hoped Lenovo would address. I can confidently say many of those issues have been resolved, and most games I tested worked without issue or much system configuration. This is a welcome improvement and gives me hope for the Legion Go brand moving forward.
Battery life has seen a slight improvement over the Legion Go. As with its predecessor, battery longevity depends entirely on the titles being played. On average, I was able to get about three hours and 12 minutes to four hours when playing with a reduced display refresh rate and in power-saving mode. Switching to performance mode substantially impacted battery life, reducing gameplay time to just over two and a half hours on average (again, depending on the titles played).
If there is one area I would like to see refined in the next iteration, it would be the battery. Thankfully, Super Rapid Charge is back and works as it did with the Legion Go. I also appreciate the larger battery without additional weight in the Legion Go S.
The only other quick note I wanted to make is related to accessories. While the original Legion Go was priced at $749.99 and came with a carry case, the new Legion Go S does not. Despite a slight price difference—the Legion Go S is currently $729.99—it seems odd to release this latest iteration without a case, especially given the premium price point. It would have been nice to see it included.
So, who is this for? If you value a compact form factor and prefer the feel of an Xbox controller grip, the Legion Go S could make sense. However, if you already own a Legion Go, there isn’t enough here to warrant upgrading. While the Legion Go S offers comparable performance to other handhelds in its price range, it doesn’t offer anything that helps it stand out.
The Legion Go S is an intriguing addition to the Legion Go series. Lenovo has made some interesting choices that leave me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I love most of the design changes, from the single-unit, built-in controllers to the more compact form factor. I also appreciate the doubling of both RAM and SSD. The improved game compatibility is also a welcome change. However, overall performance doesn’t feel like an upgrade so much as a side step. This, coupled with the lack of a carry case, a smaller display and a high price point, makes it feel less like an improvement and more like a redesign.
