Review of the Lenovo Legion Go S: Lacking Substance?

In recent years, the handheld gaming PC scene has been buzzing with activity, especially since Valve launched the Steam Deck. The introduction of devices like the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo’s Legion Go has further spiced up the competition. Now, Lenovo is back with the Legion Go S, powered by AMD’s latest Z2 Go processor built on the Zen 3+ architecture. This iteration brings a notable design shift from its predecessor.

Right off the bat, you’ll see that Lenovo has ditched the detachable controller design reminiscent of the Nintendo Switch. Instead, the Legion Go S sports an all-in-one unit, aligning it more closely with the aesthetic of the ROG Ally and the Steam Deck. The screen is a bit more compact too, down to 8 inches from the previous 8.8 inches.

Despite losing the detachable controllers, the Legion Go S remains quite hefty and thick. If you’re considering it as your primary handheld gaming device, keep in mind some of the drawbacks compared to the earlier model.

### Designed for Comfort: Lenovo Legion Go S

While both the Legion Go S and its predecessor aim to enhance your gaming experience, they come with distinct design philosophies. The original Legion Go blended matte grey aluminum with plastic, but the Legion Go S is fully encased in white plastic, accented only by black detailing on the buttons and triggers. While this extensive use of plastic might make it feel less luxurious, it’s still a robust build overall.

In terms of handling, the new curvier design is noticeably more comfortable, especially after prolonged gaming sessions, where the previous angular design would leave your hands feeling a bit strained.

An immediately apparent change is the absence of a built-in kickstand, which was a staple in the original Legion Go. This alteration is likely due to the shift to a single-body design where controllers aren’t meant to detach anymore.

The display sees a downgrade in the Legion Go S—in both size and resolution. The screen shrinks, and the resolution drops from 2560 x 1600 to a more modest 1920 x 1200. This change makes sense if you find running higher resolutions on integrated GPUs like the Z1 Extreme or Z2 Go a struggle. The device itself is somewhat bulky, measuring 11.77 x 5.02 x 0.89 inches and weighing 1.61 pounds, which might be a consideration for how portable you need your gaming gear to be.

### Control and Features

The control layout of the Legion Go S borrows heavily from the Xbox, featuring ABXY buttons, offset joysticks, a D-pad, and a handy touchpad. Additional programmable buttons allow for personalization, making it adaptable to your gaming style. Unfortunately, the integrated control design omits the possibility of a kickstand this time.

For connectivity, you’ve got two USB 4 ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, volume control, and power buttons on the top, along with a microSD reader for additional storage.

### Inside the Legion Go S

This device runs on AMD’s new Z2 Go processor, a shift down from the more powerful Z1 Extreme found in its predecessor. With its Zen 3+ architecture, the unit packs four cores and eight threads, trading off some processing power compared to the higher-end Zen 4 architecture and its eight-core setup. This swap also affects the integrated graphics, with the Legion Go S featuring a Radeon 680M GPU instead of the beefier 780M.

There’s flexibility in game performance with four pre-set profiles you can toggle through to balance battery life with processing power. Linked to Windows 11 settings, these profiles impact whether you’re going for efficiency or pushing for high-tier gaming performance while plugged in.

### Real-World Gaming

When gaming, I tested titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Cyberpunk 2077. The Legion Go S holds its own, offering decent performance on battery power compared to its predecessor, though it lags behind when plugged in and aiming for maximum capacity. It keeps up well against the Steam Deck on battery.

### Windows 11 Experience

Navigating Windows 11 on a reduced display takes some adjustment. The touchscreen interaction feels intuitive, yet there are glitches with the on-screen keyboard that can frustrate. The touchpad provided acts as an alternative but isn’t optimal for gaming. Also, expect some vibration feedback from the touchpad, a feature best disabled if you prefer more silence.

Legion Space is Lenovo’s integrated software offering a treasure trove of customization features for the Legion Go S. From modifying settings to launching games, it’s a central hub to personalize your device experience. Accessibility through dedicated buttons makes it handy for in-game adjustments.

### Display and Battery

Without a doubt, the display is smaller and less detailed compared to its forerunner but remains quite serviceable. While it shines brightest with action-rich visuals at moderate resolution settings, it pales compared to OLED alternatives when it comes to brightness and color vividness.

Battery life is expectedly variable—lasting around an hour and a half during gaming-intensive sessions, stabilizing slightly longer on power-saving modes. It’s comparable to other handheld gamers in its class, depending on how you set up your device.

### Sound and Expandability

The audio experience is remarkably robust for a handheld, but I still preferred using headphones to capitalize on immersive soundscapes in games. If you’re inclined to tweak the gear, accessing the interior isn’t too challenging, with opportunities primarily linked to storage expansion.

### Overall Verdict

Pricing wise, the current configuration at $729.99 doesn’t provide a compelling argument over its predecessor, considering the marginal price difference. The all-in-one unit undoubtedly has its positives in comfort but at the cost of the previous model’s versatility and display quality. If the price were to drop significantly, the Legion Go S might be a more enticing option, but as it stands, you might want to keep an eye out for when a more budget-friendly edition arrives next Spring.