When you think about portable gaming systems, one that runs Windows might not be your first thought. The Lenovo Legion Go S offers choices. It’s a fun option for gaming on the go, and if you need to stay connected but don’t need a full-sized PC, this handheld gives laptop vibes.
Annoyances
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Not great battery life
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Large and heavy
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Spendy
Key Features and Findings
In 2005, when the PlayStation Portable was released, I was there for it, and even wrote a book about it. Portable gaming was the next big thing. Only Sony was a little ahead of its time. Today, portable gaming is a thing, so when I was offered the chance to try out the Lenovo Legion Go S, I wanted to see what it was all about. Here’s what I found.
- Setup. Setup was about what you would expect from anything with a Windows operation. The actual process of setting up the device was easy enough, but the Windows updates and associated connections took some time. Plan to spend at least 45 minutes to an hour getting the device ready to use. If you opt for the PC gaming pass trial, that could add a few minutes, too.
- Design. The Lenovo Legion Go S is bold and beautiful, and big. I wasn’t prepared for the device to be so… hefty. According to Lenovo, it weighs 1.61 lbs, but it feels heavier to me, and it’s definitely not made for small hands. This is an adult gaming system, and it’s built for an adult. That said, the controls are pretty well placed, even for my hands. I was able to reach the joy sticks and all the buttons without much difficulty. However, due to the weight, I spent a lot of time with it sitting in my lap, rather than trying to hold it up.
- Display. The display on the Lenovo Legion Go S is beautiful. The 8-inch WUXGA display offers a 16:10 ratio with a 120 Hz refresh rate, which means gaming graphics are clear, and it can keep up with whatever intense, fast-moving game you’re playing. According to Lenovo, it also has 100 percent sRGB accuracy and 500 nits of brightness. I love the brightness, and the detail was pretty impressive.
- Gaming Experience. Gaming on the Legion Go S was what you would expect from a portable gaming system. I was able to play my go-to, Dragon’s Dogma, without any difficulty, and I didn’t have any issues with clarity on the 8-inch screen. The free trial of the Xbox PC Game Pass also gives you plenty of options for trying the device out, but if you want to subscribe to it, it’ll cost you about $12/mo, which is pretty affordable if gaming is your main reason for owning the device. The battery life was okay. You can get up to 8 hours off a single charge, but not if you’re playing demanding games. The more demanding the game is, the less battery life you’ll get. I never played more than a couple of hours at a time, but I did notice that after a couple of hours of light gaming with the most conservative battery settings, it dropped below 40 percent, so keep the power cord close. You’ll need it.
- Extras: The Legion Go’s special trick is that it’s Windows-based, which gives you access to everything you might have on a Windows-based laptop, including Office apps, the Microsoft Store, and the Microsoft Edge browser. You can download apps from the Microsoft Store, and even create and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations using Office apps. It’s handy if you want a small, portable computer with great gaming capabilities, though you can also find laptops that weigh about the same and have the same or better capabilities.
Lifewire / Jerri Ledford
Important Specs to Know
Viewable Screen
8 inches
Touchscreen
Yes
Processor
AMD Ryzen Z2 Go
Operating System
Windows 11
Graphics
Integrated AMD Radeon Graphics
Memory
32GB
Storage
1TB PCIe SSD Gen 4
Audio
Integrated 2x2W, With Dual Array Mic
Connectivity
2 USB4 Ports, MicroSD Card Reader
Weight
1.61 lb
The Bottom Line
For a portable gaming system, the Lenovo Legion Go S isn’t cheap. Priced at $760 it offers great gaming specs, and lots of options for non-gaming activities that go beyond streaming video and surfing social media.
Lifewire / Jerri Ledford
The battery life is an issue, though. When you think portable, you don’t usually want to be connected to a power cord, and if you plan to use this system for hard-core gaming for any length of time you’ll definitely need a power source.
So, it’s a mixed bag. If you think is light gaming, productivity, and other connected activities, this device is worth considering. If you’re looking for a hard-core portable gaming system, you might want to hold out for some battery improvements.
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