In the ever-evolving landscape of handheld gaming PCs, Lenovo’s Legion Go S aimed to strike a balance between performance, portability, and price. Building upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, the Legion Go, this iteration seeks to refine the handheld gaming experience. But does it succeed in delivering a compelling package? Let’s delve into the details.
Lenovo Legion Go S
Design and Build: Ergonomics Meet Aesthetics
At first glance, the Legion Go S presents a more streamlined and ergonomic design compared to the original Legion Go.Gone are the detachable controllers, replaced by a unified body that feels more solid and cohesive. The device is slightly lighter, weighing in at approximately 1.63 pounds, making it more comfortable for extended gaming sessions.
The grips have been thoughtfully sculpted to fit naturally in the hands, and the button layout is intuitive, reducing the learning curve for new users. The inclusion of adjustable triggers is a notable enhancement, allowing gamers to customize the pull distance to their preference, akin to features found in high-end gaming controllers.
However, some users have noted that the texture of the device can be somewhat slippery, which might be a concern during intense gaming moments. Additionally, the absence of a carrying case, which was included with the original Legion Go, is a surprising omission that could impact portability.
Display: A Visual Feast with Minor Caveats
One of the standout features of the Legion Go S is its 8-inch WQXGA (1920 x 1200) LCD screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The display offers vibrant colors and sharp details, enhancing the visual experience across various game genres. The 120Hz refresh rate, coupled with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support, ensures smoother gameplay and reduces screen tearing, a boon for fast-paced titles.
Brightness levels are commendable, reaching up to 500 nits, making outdoor or brightly lit indoor gaming feasible.However, it’s worth noting that while the display delivers impressive visuals, it doesn’t quite match the contrast and color accuracy of OLED panels, especially in darker scenes. This means that while the Legion Go S offers a high-quality display, it may not provide the deep blacks and vibrant colors that OLED screens are known for.
Performance: Capable but…
When it comes to sheer horsepower, the Lenovo Legion Go S finds itself in an interesting position: not quite a powerhouse, but far from underwhelming. Tucked inside this sleek portable rig is the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go, a processor developed with handheld gaming devices in mind — a refined follow-up to the Z1 and Z1 Extreme chips that powered devices like the ASUS ROG Ally. Paired with a generous 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD, the Legion Go S certainly isn’t short on specs. On paper, this configuration looks impressive, even overkill for some handheld applications — but the real test lies in how it handles actual gameplay scenarios across a range of titles.
Great for Indie and Emulated Games, Good for eSports
Boot up lighter fare like Hades II, Stardew Valley, Dead Cells, or Hollow Knight, and the Legion Go S cruises effortlessly. Frame rates hover comfortably in the 90–120 fps range, especially when using the device’s Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support, which smooths out minor dips and provides a buttery experience even on the go. Retro game emulation is another strong suit here: platforms like Dolphin (GameCube/Wii), PCSX2 (PS2), and even Yuzu (Switch) run exceptionally well when settings are dialed in. It’s in these lightweight workloads where the Z2 Go really flexes its efficiency, drawing minimal power and generating very little heat, which translates to quieter fan performance and better battery longevity.
For competitive gamers focused on titles like Valorant, CS2, or Rocket League, performance is more than satisfactory. Frame rates remain stable above 60 fps at medium-to-high settings in most eSports scenarios. In fact, if your priority is performance per watt and snappy input responsiveness, the Legion Go S does a great job here — especially when docked with mouse and keyboard support enabled via Windows 11.
The AAA Struggle: Variable Performance with High Demands
But it’s when the Legion Go S tries to punch above its weight — specifically, in AAA gaming — that cracks begin to show. Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Alan Wake 2, and The Last of Us Part I are technically playable, but often require a fair bit of compromise. Expect to run most of these at 720p or even lower, with FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) set to Balanced or Performance modes, and graphics settings dialed down to medium or low.
Take Elden Ring, for instance: it’s certainly functional, but frame rate dips into the mid-30s are not uncommon during open-world traversal or boss fights, especially in graphically complex environments. Compared to the Steam Deck — which uses the custom AMD Aerith APU and leverages Valve’s SteamOS optimizations — the Legion Go S tends to lag slightly behind in frame consistency, despite boasting technically higher specs in some areas.
Thermal Management: Loud Fans, Warm Palms
Thermal performance is another mixed aspect of the Legion Go S experience. Lenovo has fitted the device with dual-fan cooling, copper heat pipes, and vent placement that generally works well in keeping the device from overheating. However, under sustained gaming loads, especially in titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 or Spider-Man Remastered, the fans ramp up quickly and audibly — often reaching sound levels around 45–50 decibels. It’s not jet engine-loud, but certainly noticeable in quiet environments.
Additionally, surface temperatures near the exhaust vents and rear of the device can creep up to the mid-40s Celsius, making extended handheld sessions a bit toasty — especially during summer months or in rooms without AC. Lenovo has included fan control profiles (Quiet, Balanced, and Performance) in their Legion Space software, but even the Quiet mode can’t fully mask the noise during heavy use.
SSD Speeds and RAM Utilization: A Pleasant Surprise
One area where the Legion Go S truly surprises is in storage and memory bandwidth. The 1TB SSD offers lightning-fast read/write speeds — around 5,000 MB/s sequential reads in CrystalDiskMark tests — which helps with load times and system responsiveness. Whether you’re launching a 100GB title like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III or installing updates, the experience feels snappy.
The 32GB of RAM, while arguably more than necessary for a device of this class, future-proofs the Legion Go S for years to come. It also provides headroom for multitasking and high-performance emulators like RPCS3 (PS3), which benefit from both high CPU threads and ample memory. If you like to stream gameplay, run background apps like Discord or Spotify, or mod your games extensively, this RAM ceiling will keep things humming along nicely.
Software Bottlenecks and the Windows 11 Effect
It’s important to note that raw hardware isn’t the only performance determinant — and here, Windows 11 proves both a gift and a curse. While it enables wide compatibility with PC games, game launchers, and peripherals, it lacks the gaming-focused optimizations that SteamOS or Linux-based systems bring to the table. The Legion Go S can feel bloated at times with background services, Windows updates, and UI elements that aren’t designed for handheld navigation.
Games launched via Steam or Xbox Game Pass PC often take longer to boot, and frame rates can be less stable compared to the same titles on a Steam Deck running Proton compatibility layers. This isn’t a hardware flaw so much as a reflection of how unrefined the Windows ecosystem still is for handhelds — a problem that’s more acute on Lenovo’s device because it’s not tightly integrated like Valve’s Deck.
Benchmarks Summary (1080p, Low-to-Medium Settings):
| Game | Average FPS | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring | 37 FPS | Frequent dips in intense areas |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 42 FPS | Playable with FSR on Performance |
| Hades II | 120 FPS | Locked at display refresh cap |
| Rocket League | 110 FPS | Smooth and responsive |
| Hogwarts Legacy | 34 FPS | Playable with tweaks, but choppy at times |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 38 FPS | Requires significant tuning |
| Spider-Man Remastered | 44 FPS | Stable with DLSS or FSR |
Final Thoughts on Performance
In conclusion, the Lenovo Legion Go S performs like a well-built mid-tier gaming laptop in a compact shell. It can absolutely handle your game library — but with varying levels of graphical fidelity, thermal noise, and manual tweaking. It shines with indie and emulated games, holds its own in competitive shooters, and just manages to stay afloat in AAA waters, though not without some compromises.
If you’re the kind of gamer who enjoys adjusting settings, using performance overlays, and doesn’t mind sacrificing resolution for playability, this device is more than capable. But if you expect console-like simplicity or demand 60 FPS ultra settings in the latest blockbuster titles, the Legion Go S may leave you underwhelmed — or at the very least, undercooled.
Battery Life: Adequate but Not Exceptional
Battery life is a critical factor for handheld gaming devices, and the Legion Go S houses a 55.5Wh battery. In practical terms, this translates to approximately 2.5 to 3 hours of gameplay on demanding titles, which is in line with many competitors in this space.
However, battery performance can vary significantly based on factors such as screen brightness, game intensity, and power settings. For less demanding games or when using the device for non-gaming tasks, users can expect longer battery life. Nonetheless, for those planning extended gaming sessions away from a power source, carrying a portable charger or having access to charging points is advisable.
Software: Windows 11 Integration – A Double-Edged Sword
The Legion Go S runs on Windows 11, providing users with access to a vast array of PC games and applications. This versatility is a significant advantage, allowing gamers to play titles from various platforms and services. However, this integration is not without its challenges.
Some users have reported that the Windows 11 experience on the Legion Go S can feel sluggish, with applications taking longer than expected to launch. Additionally, navigating the Windows interface on a handheld device can be less intuitive compared to systems designed specifically for gaming. The inclusion of Lenovo’s Legion Space launcher aims to streamline this experience by providing a centralized hub for games and settings, but it doesn’t entirely mitigate the inherent complexities of the Windows OS on a handheld platform.
Audio: Room for Improvement
Audio quality on the Legion Go S is serviceable but leaves room for improvement. The device features stereo speakers that deliver clear sound, but they lack the depth and spatial separation found in some competitors. This can result in a less immersive audio experience, particularly in games where directional sound cues are crucial. For an optimal audio experience, using high-quality headphones or external speakers is recommended.
Verdict: A Promising Contender with Notable Trade-offs
While the Lenovo Legion Go S doesn’t exactly rewrite the handheld gaming rulebook, it does sketch a compelling draft of what a versatile portable gaming PC should look like in 2025. It’s an evolution, not a revolution — and for many gamers, that might be enough.
