The Lenovo Legion Go S ($729) isnt here to replace theLenovo Legion Go.
Instead, it serves as a smaller and easier-to-use option.
This handheld ditches the Legion Gos detachable controllers in favor of a unibody design.
The analog sticks and face buttons are also plenty responsive.
Whether you opt for native resolution or lower, your games will look fantastic.
Youll need to tweak prefs in every game you play to get halfway decent results.
The Lenovo Legion Go S isnt a terrible handheld design-wise.
Find out why in my full review.
It also runs quietly and has an easy-to-navigate launcher.
It simply feels good to hold.
The responsive analog sticks have an asymmetrical design similar to an Xbox controller.
The Hall effect sticks move smoothly out of the box and dont require you to break them in.
The face buttons are just as satisfying to press.
Conversely, a longer travel distance is best for racers likeDirt 5.
The trigger locks beside each trigger are easy to glide up or down and lock into place.
The two programmable back buttons are placed right where your middle fingers rest, making them intuitive to use.
Unlike the Legion Go, the Legion Go S has rounded textured grips that make it easier to hold.
Lastly, the Legion Go S has a small touchpad located underneath the right analog stick.
The hellish landscapes ofDoom Eternaland neon-drenched streets ofCyberpunk 2077come to life in glorious detail on this machine.
I have no complaints on the visual front.
Our lab tests back up my anecdotal experience.
The displays on theAsus ROG Ally XandMSI Claw 8 AI+can get brighter but not by much.
Still, the screen on Lenovos handheld holds its own against the competition.
The only time I ever heard them was when the system was downloading games or installing updates.
Even then, the fans produced a whisper at most.
This is one of the quietest handhelds Ive reviewed.
The Legion Go S also doesnt get very hot.
Considering how your fingers dont naturally rest anywhere near this spot, this isnt an issue.
The system achieved this temperature when running games, which is pretty astonishing.
This is one cool system.
Decent battery life
I have mixed feelings about the Legion Go S battery life.
Legion Go launcher
The built-in Legion Space game launcher is as intuitive to use as ever.
Youre also able to purchase games from their respective storefronts right from Legion Space.
The quick controls button beside the displays right-hand side gives you access to these same features.
Lenovo Legion Go S review: The downs
The Lenovo Legion Go S has many admirable features.
Unfortunately, its faults are both expected and disappointing.
But even knowing that, I was still disappointed by the Legion Go S overall gaming performance.
Cyberpunk 2077s benchmark results are pretty appalling but the game didnt exactly do better on the other systems.
Once again, the handheld fell behind its competitors.
To put it bluntly: Windows 11 sucks for gaming handhelds.
Though Legion Space works perfectly with controller inputs, thats not the same with most programs.
Why does the Legion Go S cost so much?
Its likely because of the 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage.
