I tested Lenovo's new Windows handheld PC - now I'm wondering if I need any other device for travel

ZDNET's key takeaways

Lenovo's Legion Go S is currently on sale for $730 at Best BuyThis handheld supports AAA gaming thanks to its AMD processor and the front-facing speakers that envelop you in high-definition soundIt is, however, bogged down by a low battery life and an expensive price tag.

The Lenovo Legion Go S is the company's second attempt at handheld gaming, following 2023's Legion Go. It's not a direct upgrade to the original but rather an alternate version focusing more on portability. Although it isn't a true successor, this device does address some problems of the previous generation -- but not all of them. While the Go S provides a better experience, the new console is still plagued by many of the same issues.

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Lenovo made substantial design changes to its handheld. It is smaller than before, sporting an eight-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) touchscreen. The Legion Go, by comparison, has a nearly 9-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1600 pixels) display. Yes, the resolution is lower, but I still found the image quality on the Legion Go S quite good. The compact size also enables the console to weigh less, clocking in at 1.61 pounds. 

New year, new look

Another big design change is that the controllers are no longer detachable. Although they're affixed to the console, the unit doesn't feel bulky. Lenovo's new handheld is ergonomically sound. It has textured grips on the side to prevent slipping, hall-effect joysticks to maintain accuracy, and a large directional pad. On the back are a pair of switches that directly affect the travel distance for the triggers.

For example, a short-distance trigger can help with precise targeting in first-person shooters, while a long press is better for racing games. Audio output has also been improved. Instead of coming from tiny grills at the top, sound comes out of drivers on the front to completely envelop players.

You may notice a tiny square between the speaker and the joystick on the right. That's actually a touchpad, which makes navigating the internet quite smooth. Controlling a cursor with a joystick feels awkward. 

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Around the display are four buttons. The two at the top provide access to certain features, such as a quick menu for tweaking system settings. The other two are for in-game functions like a pause menu.

Gaming performance: It's good, but...

Under the hood is an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chipset, an integrated AMD Radeon graphics card, and 32GB of RAM. I initially tested it by running 50 tabs and several open apps simultaneously. The hardware ran really well; however, that load activated the cooling fan, turning a normally quiet handheld into a noisy turbine. 

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The Legion Go S  can handle a wide array of games, including AAA titles. I enjoyed the "Monster Hunter Wilds Beta" on the Legion Go S, albeit with the graphical settings toned all the way down. High-resolution graphics caused stuttering. Regardless of visual quality, I was impressed that I was able to play an unoptimized game without major issues. That 120Hz refresh rate from the display came in handy by smoothing animations.

As much as I enjoyed the Legion Go S, I need to be honest about its flaws. The battery doesn't last very long. During testing, the device lasted just under two hours on a single charge before tapping out. On the continuous battery test, it ran for about seven hours. I was disappointed to see the Legion Go's short lifespan transferred over. 

There were also some software problems. At first, they weren't too bad. For example, the startup screen would sometimes place the login box near the top of the display instead of in the center. However, things got worse over time: I couldn't play "Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth" due to an issue with the DirectX 12 API. 

To my understanding, there's some incompatibility between "Final Fantasy" and the AMD processor. I spent about an hour scouring old Reddit posts, trying to fix it. After a while, I gave up. I just wanted to play, not do any troubleshooting. I bet many of you feel the same way.

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Does this mean that the Legion Go S can't play certain games? Possibly, although I don't think it'll be a common problem. Every single game I tested except the one outlier ran just fine. 

ZDNET's buying advice

Pre-orders for the Lenovo Legion Go S are live at Best Buy. Prices start at $730. I recommend this handheld for people who want a lightweight console with rich audio output. If you prefer something with better performance and superior battery life, I suggest the MSI Claw 8 AI+. While gaming, the Claw 8 lasts twice as long as the Legion Go S  -- at 4.5 hours -- although it is more expensive.