The gaming handheld market continues to evolve with Lenovo's latest entry, the Legion Go S, unveiled at CES 2025. This new compact gaming device represents Lenovo's approach to creating a more accessible gaming handheld, offering both Windows 11 and SteamOS variants to cater to different user preferences.
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| A display of Lenovo Legion laptops, highlighting Lenovo's commitment to gaming technology and the launch of the new Legion Go S |
Hardware and Performance
The Legion Go S is powered by AMD's newly announced Ryzen Z2 Go processor, featuring four Zen3 CPU cores and 12 RDNA2 Graphics Cores. Initial testing with demanding games like Ratchet and Clank: A Rift Apart demonstrates promising performance, achieving 60 fps with FSR3 and Frame Gen enabled, albeit with some adjustments to graphics settings. The device comes equipped with 16GB LPDDR5X-6400 RAM and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD in its base configuration, with higher-tier models offering up to 32GB RAM and 1TB storage.
Design and Display
Unlike its predecessor, the Legion Go S adopts a unified design without detachable controllers, featuring an Xbox-style asymmetrical controller layout. The 8-inch FHD+ display boasts a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits peak brightness, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor gaming. The device maintains premium features like dual USB4 ports positioned at the top and includes innovative additions such as adjustable trigger depth switches.
Pricing and Availability
The Windows 11 version of the Legion Go S is set to launch on February 14th, 2025, with a starting price of USD $729.99. The SteamOS variant, scheduled for release in May 2025, will be more competitively priced at USD $499.99. Regional pricing varies, with Malaysia receiving the Windows version at MYR 3,299 in early February.
Market Positioning
The Legion Go S represents an interesting position in the gaming handheld market, particularly with its SteamOS version being the first non-Steam Deck device to run Valve's Proton-based operating system. While the Windows version's pricing has raised some eyebrows, being only USD $20 less than the original Legion Go with better specifications, the upcoming SteamOS variant's lower price point could make it a compelling alternative in the portable gaming space.