Lenovo ’s Legion Go S was one of theworst - keep secrets for CES 2025 , but now we do n’t need to dissemble any longer , as we ’ve not only seen it in the figure , but we’vehad enough timeto give it our full attention , and it ’s good . Really good , in some ways . But there are some impuissance that entail this 2025 handheld is still competing with the aging , but still - splendid , Steam Deck OLED . Can the Legion Go S ’ higher resolution showing , advance biotechnology , and more - modern graphics cores make it the dear steal ?

Here ’s how the Legion Go S and Steam Deck OLED compare .

Cost is king

Although pricing is of import for just about every technical product , portable play systemsare particularly bear on by it . They ’re designed as a more low-priced , more portable gaming solution for on - the - go play than laptops and desktop , offer a console - similar experience for gentle gaming wherever you are . Flagship devices like theROG Ally Xand first - generation Legion Go might impress , but they derive in much more expensive than the Steam Deck when they debuted . That ’s not the case with the Legion Go S.

The introduction - floor mannikin starts at $ 500 , which comes with the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chipping and runs SteamOS , but it wo n’t be set in motion until May . That Mary Leontyne Price undercuts the Steam Deck OLED by $ 50 . It ’s still more expensive than the older LCD model , though .

There ’s also the Windows 11 configurations to consider . That ’s the model we test in our review , and it was arguably our least - favorite aspect — it also costs $ 100 more . The first of all the Legion Go S model made usable are this least attractive offer : the eminent - end $ 730 Z1 Extreme model , run Windows 11 . In May , there will be an debut - tier offer with the same eyeglasses as the SteamOS model , but it will be $ 30 extra at $ 530 .

The last wrinkle to moot is that , reportedly , there isno Z2 - found Steam Deck 2currently in the work to vie with the spare functioning in the Legion Go S.

Spec comparison

Spec table never tell the whole tarradiddle , but they ’re a good means to get down one . We have a full specification rag for the Legion Go S , from its CPU to its battery size , free weight , and larboard configuration . Here ’s how it heap up against the Steam Deck OLED .

AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme : 8 Zen 4 cores/16 threads , up to 5.1GHz

The Legion Go S it the newer equipment , so it ’s no surprise to see it come in with more telling specification , but they are quite striking in a few example . The C.P.U. alternative are perhaps the most stark , with the high - end Z1 extreme looking for particularly overpowered compared to the one-time Zen 2 base CPU cores in the Steam Deck . The Z2 Go couple the core numbers of the Steam Deck , while upgrade them to Zen 3 , with an improved clock speed .

Importantly , though , it does n’t weigh whether you find fault the Z2 Go or the Z1 Extreme , they each have the same 12 core RDNA 3 GPU onboard , so it should deliver comparable graphical performance , even if the Z1 Extreme will be the more subject CPU .

The Legion Go S comes with double the memory of the Steam Deck , which should open up support for more demanding game in the future , as well as make it a more adequate to gimmick for multitasking if you want to run background streaming apps , or similar .

The new Legion Go covert is bigger and brighter than the Steam Deck ’s , with a higher refresh rate . It ’s LCD , though , so as much as it might look excellent , even in brightly unhorse rooms , it wo n’t have the plentiful depth of contrast and color of the Steam Deck ’s OLED control board .

weighting wise , there is n’t much between the two devices , although the Legion Go S is considerably fragile , giving it a sleeker visibility . Batteries are around the same size , although the gamy solving display and more subject hardware in the Legion Go S could impact battery life .

Design

The Legion Go S ditches the detachable control of the originalLegion Go(which is being saved for the Legion Go 2 ) for an integrated design that our own Jacob Roach tell makes it “ significantly more comfy in the men , with a small overall dead body that ’s nonetheless throng an 8 - column inch screen . ”

Indeed , in his prolonged review , he felt that the Legion Go S is the most comfortable gaming handheld . “ It ’s even better than the Steam Deck OLED , ” Jacob say . “ Valve is the only company that has been able-bodied to ace the biotechnology of this case of course factor , and shocking as it may sound , the Lenovo Legion Go S pushes things further . ”

Meanwhile , take note that the Legion Go S is a bit thinner than the Steam Deck OLED , but it ’s slightly heavier .

The Legion Go S will come with your choice of Windows or SteamOS , depend on your preference . Jacob was not a sports fan of the Windows translation , so it ’s in all probability good to drive for SteamOS if you ’re buying the Legion . The prominent touchpad design on the Steam Deck is more functional , but the miniature touchpad on the Legion Go S is perfectly usable for quick swipe and even some preciseness control .

The Steam Deck ’s OLED control panel is rich and more vibrant than the LCD on the Legion Go S , but it looks very crisp at 1080p and at 120Hz and is buttery fluid at higher frame rate . There ’s an argument to be made that that add together lucidness and reactivity could give the Legion Go S a flimsy reward in free-enterprise secret plan , but there wo n’t be a lot in it when you factor out in organic light-emitting diode ’s faster pixel answer time .

The trigger on the Legion Go S were a big rise for Jacob . They allow you customize the profoundness of the gun trigger , including a rapid fire way that lets you reduce actuation aloofness dramatically for more of a button - feel .

Performance

We have n’t tested the Z1 Extreme simulation of the Legion Go 2 S , so we ca n’t corroborate how fast that fashion model is , but the Ryzen Z2 Go mannikin is n’t half bad . It ’s newer graphics cores avail push carrying out up at 1080p , and at 720P FPS is even high . However , this only really makes it private-enterprise with the Steam Deck OLED , and indeed , with the lean Steam OS ( versus Windows on our exam version of the Legion Go S ) , the old Valve system of rules often pulled onwards in our testing .

Newer is usually better, but not always

The Steam Deck might be go up its three - yr anniversary , but Valve has made it clearit ’s not ready to replace it just yet . With such an aging piece of hardware , it ’s no surprise to see newer alternatives from large names like Lenovo easily offering more operation at a comparable price . It also has a bigger , faster , and brighter exhibit — even if it ca n’t quite bid the contrast and vibrant coloring of OLED .

But it is more comfortable , and you may play at heavy flesh rate at higher resolutions . emphatically get the SteamOS variant if you ’re buying it , though , we really did n’t enjoy the Windows handheld experience .

However , Steam Deck OLED is more readily available as of February 2025 , and its bombardment lifetime is better .

This one is a real flip up depend on what matters for you . bombardment life and good pricing correctly now ? The Steam Deck OLED is the honest option . salutary biotechnology and display engineering in a more - modern design , go with the Legion Go S.