Lenovo Legion Go it's something of an SUV among gaming handhelds. It's big, powerful, comes with a ton of extra hardware like detachable controllers, and supports vertical mouse functionality, allowing it to adapt to any situation. All this versatility is great, but it does make the device quite bulky. But for CES 2025Lenovo is announcing a slightly more portable version called the Legion Go S, with support for not one, but two different OSes.
Before we get into the details, it's important to note that I only had the opportunity to test the Windows 11 model. However, for those who have ever wanted a Steam Deck with higher performance, Lenovo also offers a version with SteamOS pre-installed.
However, the characteristics of both options are almost identical. They're powered by either the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chip or the Lenovo Z1 Extreme APU found in the previous model, with up to 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 55.5Wh battery. You also get a microSD card slot for storage expansion, two USB 4 ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The main difference is their color (and release date, but more on that later), as the Windows 11 Legion Go S comes in white while the SteamOS model comes in black.
Compared to the original Legion Go, the S features a smaller but still larger 8-inch 120Hz (instead of 8.8-inch) OLED display with 1920 x 1200 resolution and VRR instead of a 2560 x 1600 144Hz panel , as in the original. It also doesn't have detachable controllers or a stand. The benefit of this is that the whole system feels much more durable, making it easier to throw it in your bag before your next trip. It's also noticeably lighter at 1.6 pounds compared to its big brother's 1.9 pounds.
Notably, you still get analog sticks with Hall sensors, which competitors like the expensive ASUS don't have. ROG Ally X. Lenovo has also switched to a new pivoting D-pad, although I'm not sure this qualifies as a real upgrade since I prefer classic D-pads. Another nice bonus for hobbyists is that the Go S has a shorter 2242 SSD module inside, although it can accommodate desktop-sized 2280 sticks.
I initially had the opportunity to check out the Windows 11 version, which performed quite well by lowering the resolution to 1920 x 1200, which seems more suitable for its components. Lenovo has also made some improvements to its Legion Space app, so it functions much better as a general game launcher and a place to tweak performance and settings. I also appreciate little details, like the fact that even though the Legion Go S is much smaller, it still has a touchpad on the front, which is a big help when you need to leave Legion Space and navigate Windows. I'd go so far as to say that despite its size, the Go S's pad is more responsive, as it feels more like a trackball than a tiny touchpad. And there's a little switch on the back that lets you adjust how far you can pull the shoulder buttons.
As for Legion Go S on SteamOS, I found it striking how similar it is to Steam Deck, despite not being made by Valve. The user interface is virtually identical, with the only differences being some subtle tweaks Lenovo has added to support things like the laptop's RGB lighting and a higher 30W TDP. In fact, the body of the SteamOS models looks more like a deep purple than pure black, which is a nice subtle touch. My biggest takeaway, however, is that Valve's OS is a bit more responsive than on the Steam Deck, which I attribute to the new Legion APU.
The slight catch is that the more expensive Legion Go S version running Windows 11 is expected to go on sale sometime later this month, starting at $730 with an AMD Z2 Go processor, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. built-in memory. Unfortunately, this means that anyone who wants one of the more affordable models with 16GB RAM or SteamOS will have to wait a little longer, as those options won't be available until May. On the other hand, the SteamOS-based Legion Go S will have a lower starting price of $499 compared to the equivalent Windows model, which will start at $599.