A few months ago, we tested the first Lenovo Legion Go S, Lenovo’s flagship PC gaming handheld revision. While it was notable as the first gaming handheld to use AMD's Ryzen Z2 processors (the baseline Z2 Go), it was too expensive, and the speed gains were too minimal to heartily recommend. That was then, this is now. Lenovo's latest Legion Go S ($599 as tested) is, hands down, the definitive version of the Legion Go (at least until the Legion Go 2 arrives).
What happened? The chip's the same. The difference might just be the OS: The older Legion ran on Windows, while the new one is a Steam machine.
Teaming up with Steam Deck maker Valve, Lenovo has created the first partner device to use Steam's operating system. From an improved user experience to boosted performance across the board, the Legion Go S with SteamOS is an all-around upgrade. It’s not only the best version of the Legion Go, it’s a better version of a Steam Deck, too. Thanks in large part to that OS, the new Legion Go S is one of the best gaming handhelds available, earning our Editors' Choice award.
Is anything different about this new version of the Lenovo Legion Go S, aside from the operating system? Nothing besides a button logo change and a new dark-purple colorway ("Nebula Nocturne"). The Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) looks exactly like the Windows 11 model released a few months ago. It shares the Windows model's measurements of 0.8 by 11.7 by 5 inches (HWD) and weight of 1.61 pounds. The face buttons, the two Hall Effect control sticks, and the adaptive triggers are still exactly where you remember them. You'll also find the dual USB-C ports at the top of the console, the SD card slot at the bottom, and the touchpad tucked under the right control stick—just like before. The only tweak worth mentioning is that the Legion Space button now has a Steam logo.
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But if it ain't broke, why fix it? Ultimately, you get a more powerful console that's just as comfortable. A fine anti-slip texture wraps around the console's grips, and I can easily access the buttons on the back of the system. Be aware, though, that this new Lenovo is still one of the heaviest handheld consoles compared with its competition, only beaten by the MSI Claw 8 AI+ at 1.75 pounds and the original Legion Go’s 1.88 pounds.
The gorgeous 8-inch IPS screen returns with a 1,920-by-1,200-pixel resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio, and a 120Hz refresh rate. The 10-point IPS touch screen reaches up to 500 nits of brightness and supports variable refresh rates (VRR). While the screen compares surprisingly well with the Steam Deck OLED, the Steam Deck supports HDR in addition to the superior OLED panel, which the Legion Go S does not.
Turning the Go S around, you’ll see the handheld's generously perforated backplate, which pulls in air and releases it through the top vents. Like the previous model, its high-performance mode can reach up to 40 watts of power draw. Two forward-facing 2-watt speakers sit at the bottom corners in front of the machine, but the Go S includes a headphone jack for those who prefer a deeper listening experience.
The device's internals are virtually the same, too. Lenovo has two versions of its Steam-powered handhelds. This review focuses on the Z2 Go version, which includes 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. (Of course, Lenovo still sells the Windows model with identical specs.) Then Lenovo has a SteamOS version powered by the Z1 Extreme chip; this one bumps the RAM to 32GB and includes a 1TB SSD. The prices are, let's say, contrasting. The Z2 Go version of the Go S, the one we're looking at here, will run you $599. The Windows version of this model carries a $729-to-$759 asking price, while the Z1 Extreme Go-based Legion Go S with SteamOS will cost $829.
From a user-experience standpoint, the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S is far superior. While I don’t have major qualms about Windows 11, Microsoft did not build the OS with this type of device in mind, so simple actions like opening and downloading files require users to navigate menus with the touch screen or tiny touchpad, neither of which is ideal. Yes, you can connect a keyboard and mouse via Bluetooth for more straightforward navigation, but the lack of a kickstand will send you searching for something sturdy enough to prop up the device.
However, you'll still find positives to having Windows on your device. For instance, you’ll have access to storefronts like Xbox, Epic Games Store, GOG, and others as easily as you would on a laptop. You can do this on SteamOS, too, but it requires a few extra steps.
The Legion Go S with SteamOS includes all the features that the Steam Deck does, including its accessible linux backend. So customizable start-ups, UIs, and other plug-ins available for Steam Deck are accessible here. Aside from that, SteamOS is just built from the ground up for this exact purpose: gaming. It loads faster than Windows, the interface is clean and easy to read, and it's incredibly easy to start playing. That’s precisely what I want from a handheld like this. And, as you'll soon see, SteamOS brings another huge benefit: faster frame rates.
As mentioned at the top of this review, the Ryzen Z2 series is the latest iteration of AMD’s mobile-gaming processors. The previous version, the AMD Ryzen Z1, powered the Lenovo Legion Go, the Asus ROG Ally, and the Asus ROG Ally X. The Z2 is set to release in three variations: the top-end Z2 Extreme, the midrange Z2, and the baseline Z2 Go.
The Z2 Go is an entry-level processor, the least potent chip in this new generation, with only four cores and eight threads, versus the last generation's Z1 Extreme, which had eight cores and 16 threads. AMD's Z2 and Z2 Extreme aren't available at the time of this review.
The Steam Deck uses a custom AMD processor with Zen 3 architecture for the CPU and RDNA 2 architecture for its graphics. It also has the same number of cores and threads as the Z2 Go. If you're keeping score, note that AMD's Z2 series runs on its slightly better Zen 3+ CPU architecture and the same RDNA 2 graphics.
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Our list of compared systems for this review includes both Steam-powered versions of the Legion Go S as well as the Windows version. Finally, we've included the Steam Deck OLED ($649 as tested).
Our testing gauntlet is slightly different this time, as we can’t deploy our typical benchmark suite on SteamOS. In particular, SteamOS doesn't support our usual Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III or F1 2024 benchmarks. However, we've employed benchmark tools in games like Guardians of the Galaxy, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Cyberpunk 2077, which we've used to test all of these systems. Each console was tested in the device's performance mode while plugged directly into power, with the only differences being the resolution. (The Steam Deck screen is 800p while all three Legion Go S models are 1200p.)
Using the Steam Deck graphics preset, as shown in the chart below, the Steam Deck OLED averaged 32 frames per second (fps), while the Legion Go S (with Z2 Go and running Windows) pushed just 23fps in Cyberpunk. That’s a substantial falloff, considering the model's Z2 Go chip is similar in build to the Steam Deck’s custom AMD APU.
On the other hand, the Z2 Go-equipped Legion Go S with SteamOS did much better—and, again, the only difference between the two versions is the operating system. The Steam-based Go S averaged 39fps, a 69% increase from the Windows version of the same machine. (For comparison, the Z1 Extreme SteamOS machine came in with a 50fps, a staggering 121% increase over its weaker Windows counterpart). Those two devices' gains are smaller when compared with the Steam Deck, but still significant. The Steam-powered Z2 Go model saw a 21% performance increase over the Steam Deck, while the Z1 Extreme model netted a 59% performance advantage. Recall, of course, that the Steam Deck is running a nontrivially lower-res screen.
Of course, upping the settings to Ultra kneecapped performance across the board, and don’t even think about deploying any ray tracing. (The Windows model couldn't even run this level of the test.) These handheld machines just can’t handle it.
Moving to Guardians of the Galaxy, the 2021 action game is quite a looker and runs well on these handheld devices. Deploying the internal benchmark on low presets with the resolution set to 720p, we saw 52fps on the Steam Deck, 56fps on the Legion Go S with Z2 Go and SteamOS, and an impressive 77fps from the Legion Go S with Z1 Extreme with SteamOS. The game wouldn't even start up on the Windows handheld.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is getting old, but it’s still one of the best-looking games to date. It’s not Steam Deck verified, but the game is still playable on the system, as we see in our benchmarks. The Steam Deck pushed 44fps, while the Windows-based Legion Go S managed 36fps. On the other hand, the Steam-based Legion Go S saw a notable bump to 49fps using the same chip. Of course, the Z1 Extreme model led this chart again.
Remember that all four of these systems have lower performance ceilings than gaming laptops or desktops do. Current top-quality games are often incompatible with handheld consoles or require extremely low graphics settings to run. While I'm thoroughly impressed by what the Z1 Extreme and Z2 Go can do without Windows holding them back, neither chip is exactly future-proof.
From these benchmarks, we can conclude that the Windows partition seems to drag down gaming performance with its processing overhead. When free of Windows, the Legion Go S performs much better, even outpacing the Steam Deck at higher resolutions. However, the Z1 Extreme is the standout in our benchmarks. It shines on SteamOS, pulling well ahead of all three systems in direct comparisons.
Battery Life Test
Like the Windows edition, the Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS uses a 55.5Wh battery. That’s slightly larger than the Steam Deck OLED’s 50Wh, which promises roughly three to 12 hours of playtime on one charge. Lenovo doesn’t list an estimated per-charge battery endurance, but we can expect approximately similar longevity.
However, battery life depends on the game you’re playing. A graphically intensive game, like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Starfield, will likely draw more power than something simple like Vampire Survivors. While we can’t benchmark the handheld using the open-source Blender movie Tears of Steel that we use for testing laptops, we can at least apply some real-world testing and compare it with the devices on hand.
We set the system to 50% brightness at 100% volume, with Adaptive Brightness off, and deactivated all the Dim Display and Sleep options. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi were also disabled, too, and we set each system's power profile to Performance. I turned on Baldur’s Gate 3 and let the handheld sit until the battery drained. The Steam-based Legion Go S lasted 1 hour and 39 minutes until its Z2 Go chip tapped out.
This result is disappointing considering the Steam Deck OLED lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes under the same conditions. Naturally, the higher-resolution screen draws more power, and the Steam Deck's OLED panel likely doesn't shine as brightly as the Legion Go's IPS screen at 50%, relying more on its superior color coverage. The upside is that the device supports the Super Rapid Charge feature, which will net the system about 30% battery after 10 minutes, while 30 minutes should bring it up to around 70%. Lenovo says it takes about 80 minutes for a complete charge.
Final Thoughts
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS)
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
When we dove into the Legion Go S with SteamOS, we expected an improved user experience, knowing what Valve's interface is like on the Steam Deck. The lighter operating system proved a better match for the baseline Z2 Go chip. It not only performs better than the Windows-based Legion Go S, but this new model also edges out the Steam Deck, thanks to faster performance, a bigger and sharper 8-inch screen, and a more comfortable design. If you have the cash, Lenovo's Z1 Extreme model is the best-performing PC gaming handheld to date, at least until we see what the Z2 and Z2 Extreme are capable of. At its entry level, the Z2 Go-based Lenovo Legion Go S outperforms the similarly priced Steam Deck and vastly improves on its Windows-based predecessor, so we give it our Editors' Choice award.
