Lenovo Legion Go S vs Legion Go: What's the difference?

I personally conducted our own Lenovo Legion Go review here at Windows Central shortly after the handheld was released in 2023.

It is a fantastic device, but as with most first iterations, it has room to improve. Now, Lenovo has revealed a newer and slightly smaller model in the form of the Legion Go S.

My colleague, Zachary Boddy, did our Legion Go S review. While not a next-gen device like the upcoming Legion Go 2; it has some improvements over the original handheld as well as some downgrades.

It's important to note that there are two versions of the Legion Go S. One is officially labeled the Legion Go S (8" , 1) and runs Windows 11 while the second one is referred to as Legion Go S — Powered by SteamOS (8" , 1) and runs SteamOS. That's quite a mouthful, so I'll mostly just refer to these handhelds as either the Windows 11 or SteamOS version of the Legion Go S.

Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Specs

Let's dive in and discuss the differences between the original Legion Go and the new Legion Go S devices.

*The prices of the Lenovo Legion Go S have gone up over the last few weeks, likely due to the US-China tariff situation.

As shown in the above table, there are some significant differences between the original Legion Go and the Legion Go S.

Now that you've been able to see the specs, let's discuss what these differences mean for you as a potential handheld owner.

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Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Price & value

The original Legion Go has a starting price of $699.99 at Best Buy, but if you go with the higher SSD, it has a $749.99 MSRP.

Things get a bit tricky with the new Legion Go S.

When Lenovo originally revealed the Legion Go S in January 2025, the company listed the SteamOS, Z2 Go model's starting configuration at a $499.99 MSRP. However, the price has since gone up by $100 at retailers, likely due to the US-China tariff situation.

Meanwhile, the Windows Legion Go S has a starting price of $729.99, but can go as high as $899.99 if you get the Z1 Extreme configuration.

From our own testing, we know that the Z2 Go chip isn't nearly as powerful as the Z1 Extreme. This being the case, we recommend going with a Z1 Extreme configuration if you do buy a Legion Go S. It won't struggle nearly as much when playing certain games.

That said, the base $699.99 Legion Go Z1 Extreme is not only cheaper than the $829.99 Legion Go S Z1 Extreme model, but is a better value than the Legion Go S Z1 Extreme since it also offers detachable controllers and a built-in kickstand.

The tradeoff is that the original Legion Go has less RAM and doesn't support VRR or native landscape like the Go S does. I'll dive into performance next.

TL;DR: PRICE WINNER: The Legion Go S Z2 Go technically has a lower starting point of $599.99. However, we recommend going with a Z1 Extreme model, and the original Legion Go has the least expensive Z1 Extreme option.

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Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Performance

As I previously said, the original Legion Go totes an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor that has proven to be a fantastic handheld APU.

However, the new Legion Go S (Windows 11) has the option of having either a Z1 Extreme or the new Z2 Go chip that is specific to the Legion Go.

AMD designed the Z2 Go processor as a chip that trades off power for battery consumption, but our own testing showed that this tradeoff wasn't worth it. Battery life still isn't great, and the Z2 Go can't run games as well as a Z1 Extreme.

So, if you actually want to play the latest demanding games, you're better served by getting a Z1 Extreme handheld.

In addition to the processor, memory and storage can help determine how well a gaming handheld performs. Typically, the more RAM you have, the better. That said, the Legion Go's 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD are plenty good enough to serve most people well.

TL;DR: PERFORMANCE WINNER: The original Legion Go, with its Z1 Extreme is well priced and more powerful than the cheapest Legion Go S Z2 Go configuration. Even though the newer device supports VRR and native landscape, the older device tends to run games more smoothly.

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Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Display

The display is somewhat of a tricky topic when comparing the Legion Go and Legion Go S since the winner, in this case, will mostly come down to a matter of preference.

Simply looking at the specs, you can easily see that the Legion Go's larger 8.8-inch IPS touchscreen with 2560 x 1600 resolution and 144Hz refresh rate has better specs than the Legion Go S's smaller 8-inch panel, with its lower 1920 x 1200 resolution and lower 120Hz refresh rate touchscreen.

However, the original Legion Go does not support VRR (variable refresh rate), while the new handheld does. In case you don't know, VRR helps games play more smoothly by eliminating (or significantly reducing) screen tearing and stuttering. That more than makes up for the Legion Go S's lower refresh rate.

As for screen size, it might not seem like a big difference, but an 8.8-inch panel will feel a lot larger than an 8-inch one when held in your hands. But bigger isn't always better unless you specifically want a handheld with a large display.

TL;DR: DISPLAY WINNER: The two devices have some tradeoffs. Legion Go S actually supports VRR, so that gives it an edge over Legion Go even if it has a smaller screen, lower refresh rate, and lower max resolution. Still, if you specifically want a big screen that can be put in tabletop mode, then the Legion Go will suit you better.

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Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Controls and play modes

One of the biggest differences between the Legion Go and Legion Go S is that the former has a built-in kickstand and detachable controllers, while the Legion Go S does not.

If you look at the front and back of the Legion Go S compared to the original Legion Go, you'll notice that some buttons and controls have been rearranged or removed entirely.

For example, I personally have a hard time reaching the Menu and View buttons on the Legion Go because of how large and bulky the controller is, but these same buttons are very easy to reach on the Legion Go S.

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It's also worth noting that there is a difference between the Windows 11 Legion Go S versus the SteamOS handheld. On the Windows 11 version, the top left button brings up Legion Space, but the Steam version has a Steam button instead.

Speaking of the front of the device, both the Legion Go S and Legion Go have ABXY buttons, two Hall Effect joysticks, a D-Pad, bumpers, triggers, Menu buttons, View buttons, and Legion R buttons.

But you'll notice that the D-Pad looks different, and the touchpad has been made a whole lot smaller on the Legion Go S. The smaller touchpad still works well, but might require a bit more swiping in some games.

There are only two buttons on the back of the new Legion Go S compared to four back buttons, two side buttons, and a mouse wheel on the back of the Legion Go.

This reduction is largely due to the Legion Go S not having detachable controllers and, thus, not needing FPS mode buttons (basically a mouse mode).

However, you will notice that the Legion Go S has something on the back that the Legion Go doesn't have — adjustable trigger switches, which can help give players better control during different types of games.

TL;DR: CONTROLS WINNER: Since it has a better layout and provides better trigger controls, the new Legion Go S wins this category.

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Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Software and games

The Windows 11 Legion Go S version and the original Legion Go (which also runs Windows 11) can access any gaming service or retailer that you would be able to access on a gaming laptop right out of the box.

For instance, you'll be able to use a web browser to access Steam, Epic Games, Battle.net, and more.

However, many people will be drawn to the SteamOS Legion Go S since this Linux-based operating system has a simplified interface, which makes the handheld feel more like a game console than a full-blown computer.

Just like with the Steam Deck, SteamOS literally ties to your Steam account, making it quick and easy to access your Steam library of games without having to navigate around the internet.

Anyone familiar with Linux can tell you that it is highly customizable, but it can take some time to get used to it.

If you're more comfortable with Windows 11 and want to do more than just play games on your handheld, then a Windows 11 operating system might be a better fit.

I'm not sure if Legion Space will be on the SteamOS Legion Go S handhelds, but it comes installed on the Windows configurations. This program is far more limited than the software that comes on ROG Ally, but it can still help you adjust system settings.

I do find it really weird that you have to go into the BIOS to adjust VRAM on Legion Go or Legion Go S, though.

TL;DR: SOFTWARE & GAMES WINNER: The Legion Go S wins this category since it offers more options to choose from, whether you want to access any gaming service out of the box with the Windows 11 version or else want a simplified but highly customizable SteamOS interface.

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Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Battery life

Based on battery information revealed by Lenovo, I had previously assumed that the Legion Go S would have better battery life than the original Legion Go handheld, but that's not the case.

Despite the original handheld having a 49.2 Whr battery and the Legion Go S's 55.5 Whr battery, the two devices actually tend to last around the same amount of time when playing intensive games — roughly 1.5 hours.

When playing less demanding titles or performing simple tasks, the devices can last between three and four hours.

Of course, it's also possible that having Windows 11 vs SteamOS could impact the device's battery life. But we'll have to wait until the Legion Go S (SteamOS) comes out so we can test these devices ourselves to know for sure.

TL;DR: BATTERY LIFE WINNER: We have a tie. Despite the Legion Go S having a larger battery capacity and a supposedly improved power consumption, it basically reached the same amount of battery life as the original Legion Go in our testing.

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Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Grip ergonomics and comfort

I have pretty average-sized hands, but when I first held the Legion Go, I immediately noticed that the boxy device and controllers were uncomfortably thick. Even my 6-foot-five husband, with his larger-than-average hands, found the handheld a bit too large to hold comfortably.

The original Legion Go measures 11.8 inches wide, 5.15 inches tall, 1.61 inches thick, and it weighs a hefty 1.88 pounds. Meanwhile, the new Legion Go S (Windows 11) is roughly the same height and width but notably lighter and thinner.

The new Legion Go S isn't nearly as boxy as its predecessor, which makes it far more comfortable to hold. It measures 11.77 inches wide, 5.02 inches tall, 0.88 inches thick, and weighs 1.63 pounds.

Lenovo did a good job of balancing the weight of the internals and making a casing that feels great in your hands.

On another note, I personally find it hard to get my thumb to reach the lower two buttons on the original Legion Go's left controller. However, these buttons have found new placement on the Legion Go S, which makes them easier to access and, thus, more comfortable to use.

TL;DR: COMFORT WINNER: Based on the slimmer casing, reduced weight, and more rounded design, the Legion Go S is definitely easier and more comfortable to hold.

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Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Accessories

The Legion Go comes with a hard shell carrying case and an FPS mode stand for the detachable right controller. Additionally, there are a few third-party docking stations, protective cases, skins, and other accessories on the market.

While not an accessory, the fact that it has a built-in kickstand with that larger screen means that it's very easy to pair a keyboard to the Windows 11 handheld and use it like a computer; you don't have to go buy a peripheral with a kickstand if that's a feature you want.

As for the Legion Go S, there might be some pairing differences between the SteamOS version and the Windows 11 version.

There aren't as many accessories specifically made for the Go S's shape and size. However, if the handheld sells well, more third-party options will likely become available over time.

TL;DR: ACCESSORIES WINNER: This win goes to the Legion Go. It comes with a carrying case, while the Go S does not. Additionally, simply by virtue of having been out on the market longer, there are more third-party accessories available for the older device. However, that could change with time.

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Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Comparison chart

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Legion Go S vs Legion Go: Which should I buy?

Alright, we've discussed all of the differences between the Legion Go and the Legion Go S variants, but which one should you actually buy?

In terms of features and performance, the Legion Go S Z1 Extreme configurations are better. These handhelds have much better control layouts, VRR, and far better grip design than the original device.

If you want a simple Steam-Deck-like experience, go with the SteamOS Legion Go S. But if you want a more traditional computer, grab a Windows model. Just do yourself a favor and avoid the Z2 Go options.

That said, the original Legion Go can still be a better value choice for most people, and it offers far more versatility.

It has a larger screen, higher resolution, higher refresh rate, detachable controllers, and a built-in kickstand. As such, it serves as a great computer for anyone who pairs a keyboard with it.

Plus, you can detach the controllers and use the handheld more like a tablet to stream shows if you want.

Consider what features you want most in your handheld, and if you just want a simple gaming device, then go for the Legion Go S. If you want more of an all-rounded gaming and entertainment device, consider the Legion Go.

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