I’ve spent the last couple of weeks with the Lenovo Legion Go S and I’ve tested a fair share of handhelds, but this one hits a sweet spot between performance, portability, and thoughtful design. It’s the kind of device that makes you wonder, do I even need to lug around a full gaming laptop anymore? Check out some of my gameplays in the video below!
First Impressions: Sleek and Comfortable
At just 730g, the Legion Go S feels light. The Glacier White finish gives it a clean, modern vibe, and I appreciated the comfortable grip during longer sessions. The rounded edges and well-balanced design make it easy to hold, even when I was deep into a two-hour Stardew Valley farming binge.
Display That Pops
The first thing that stood out to me? The 8-inch WUXGA display. This screen is sharp, vivid, and surprisingly bright at 500 nits. Whether I was in a high-octane shootout in Halo Infinite or soaking in the cosy pixel art of Stardew Valley, everything looked beautiful. The 120Hz refresh rate was especially noticeable in Marvel Rivals. Movements felt smooth and responsive, which made my matches all the more intense.
Performance That Delivers
Under the hood, the Legion Go S runs on AMD’s new Ryzen Z2 Go processor paired with RDNA 3 graphics. I tested this device with three very different games: Halo Infinite, Marvel Rivals, and Stardew Valley, and it handled each one impressively well.
Marvel Rivals ran at stable frame rates even during chaotic team fights, and I could keep the visuals cranked up thanks to the Performance Mode. Halo Infinite, a more demanding title, required a few tweaks (like lowering resolution and refresh rate), but still played beautifully for a handheld. As expected, Stardew Valley barely made the system break a sweat – smooth, quiet, and addictively playable on the go. The thermal modes were easy to toggle with shortcut keys, and I liked being able to jump from Balanced to Performance with a couple of taps.
Battery life is solid for what this device is in Performance Mode with Halo, more if I scaled things back. And when I did need to charge, the Super Rapid Charge worked like a charm, 70% in half an hour is no joke.
Continuing its legacy of handheld innovation, it boasts the relentless Legion ColdFront tech. With an enormous fan and bigger heat sinks, it crushes heat waves, ensuring legendary performance. Stay cool and unstoppable, as cutting-edge 3D fans whisk heat away.
I’ve had my fair share of stick drift nightmares, so the inclusion of Hall Effect joysticks was a big win for me. They’re smooth, responsive, and precise. No weird dead zones here. I also liked how I could adjust the trigger switches to suit different games. The Legion Go S lets you tailor the experience to your play style.
Audio is handled by dual front-facing speakers, and they’re surprisingly decent. It is clear enough to hear dialogue and game cues without headphones, though I still preferred my own earbuds for more immersive sound.
Final Verdict
The Lenovo Legion Go S honestly surprised me. It’s powerful, flexible, and feels like it was built by people who game. However, the fans do get a little noisy mid-game.
If you’re looking for a handheld that’s small in size but big on performance, the Legion Go S is worth a look. Find out more here.
