Lenovo Legion Go S Review: Premium Design Meets Windows 11 Struggles

Lenovo's Legion Go S emerges as the latest contender in the portable gaming PC market, offering a premium and ergonomic design complemented by powerful hardware choices. However, its adoption of Windows 11 as the operating system exposes various software challenges, resulting in a mixed reception among gamers and tech reviewers.

Background: The Rise of Handheld Gaming PCs

The handheld gaming PC market has seen rapid innovation with devices like Valve's Steam Deck and ASUS's ROG Ally raising the bar for gaming on the go. Lenovo's Legion Go S aims to compete by providing larger screen real estate and a flexible hardware configuration, including AMD's custom Z2 Go chip, targeting serious gamers who want a portable Windows experience. It is available in both SteamOS and Windows 11 versions, with the former focusing on a console-like simplicity and the latter on full PC flexibility.

Premium Build and Ergonomic Design

Consumer feedback to the original Legion Go focused on criticism of its blocky chassis and button placement. The Legion Go S addresses these with a more rounded chassis, textured and thicker grips for palm comfort, and an overall ergonomic design that suits extended gaming sessions. Highlights include:

  • Hall Effect joysticks: Use of non-contact sensor technology eliminates stick drift issues common in analog controls.
  • Integrated touchpad: A precision touchpad under the right stick enhances navigation in Windows or SteamOS, uncommon in this device class.
  • Adjustable triggers: Allow fine-tuning inputs particularly useful in racing and shooting games.
  • Dual USB4 ports: Supporting simultaneous charging and connection of accessories or docks significantly boosts usability.

This design approach makes the Legion Go S comfortable and flexible, appealing to users blending gaming and productivity tasks.

Display Quality

The Legion Go S sports an 8-inch, 16:10 LCD touchscreen with WQXGA resolution (1920 x 1200), supporting up to 120Hz refresh rate and variable refresh rate (VRR). While Lenovo claims 97% DCI-P3 color coverage, measurements show a slightly lower 78%, which remains excellent for handheld gaming. The larger display favors immersive visuals and multitasking compared to competitors like the ROG Ally's 7-inch screen.

Hardware and Performance

At the heart of the Legion Go S lies AMD's custom Z2 Go processor. Despite marketing claims of superior power efficiency, benchmarking and real-world tests indicate that ASUS’s ROG Ally, which uses the AMD Z1 Extreme chip, generally outperforms it, especially under sustained gaming loads. Both chips bring Zen4 CPU cores and RDNA3 graphics, but the Z1 Extreme shows better optimized performance.

The Legion Go S offers up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, doubling the memory and storage options available on the base ROG Ally, providing better future-proofing for multitasking and large game libraries.

Battery Life

Battery endurance remains a key challenge for Windows-based handhelds. The Legion Go S is equipped with a 55.5 Whr battery, which can provide around 90 minutes of intensive gaming—approximately 30 minutes longer than the ROG Ally's 40 Whr battery. However, under maximum load conditions (high TDP, full brightness, high refresh rates), all devices in this category require power management strategies such as reducing settings or staying tethered to charging solutions.

Software Experience and Challenges with Windows 11

Lenovo offers the Legion Go S in SteamOS and Windows 11 editions, each with distinct trade-offs:

  • SteamOS: Based on Linux, it delivers a streamlined, console-like experience with immediate Steam library access and fewer setup issues, appealing to casual users and newcomers.
  • Windows 11: Provides full PC functionality and compatibility with various game launchers and third-party software. However, Windows 11 on a handheld device introduces notable inconveniences including frequent driver issues, system updates, clunky UI on small touch screens, and compatibility challenges with some gaming software. Users need to manage background processes, pop-ups, and occasional troubleshooting.

Lenovo’s proprietary software, Legion Space, attempts to smooth these rough edges by offering control over game performance, temperature, and RGB lighting. However, it is not as mature or customizable as ASUS’s Armoury Crate, which offers additional features such as VRAM adjustments directly within the software.

Ecosystem and Accessories

While ASUS’s ROG Ally enjoys a broader and mature accessories ecosystem with cases, docks, and peripherals readily available, Lenovo’s Legion Go accessories are growing but remain less accessible and sometimes pricier due to limited distribution. This difference could impact user experience for those looking to expand or customize their handheld setups.

Implications and Market Impact

The Legion Go S reflects the current crossroads of handheld PC gaming—a marriage of high-end hardware and evolving software that is not yet seamless. It underscores the following trends and challenges:

  • The tension between delivering premium portable gaming experiences and managing Windows 11’s complexity on small form factors.
  • The importance of chip architecture and ecosystem maturity for sustained gaming performance.
  • Market readiness for Linux-based gaming OS solutions as potentially more optimal for handhelds.
  • The ongoing trade-offs in battery life, performance, and ergonomics among competing devices.

Conclusion

Lenovo’s Legion Go S stands out for its ergonomic design, superior display size, and expanded hardware options, but stumbles due to Windows 11 software struggles and middling performance of the custom Z2 Go chip. For gamers prioritizing raw performance and a well-supported ecosystem, ASUS’s ROG Ally remains a formidable rival. Meanwhile, users valuing system flexibility and a more PC-like experience may appreciate Lenovo’s approach despite the software compromises.

As the handheld gaming PC market evolves, both hardware innovation and optimized software ecosystems will be critical for winning consumer favor.