Lenovo Legion Go S Review – The Handheld Gaming Upgrade South Africans Have Been Waiting For

Handheld gaming has exploded over the last few years, but until recently, South Africans didn’t have many options that were powerful, affordable, and easy to set up without endless tinkering. Lenovo clearly paid attention, because the new Lenovo Legion Go S arrives as the “sweet spot” handheld in their lineup — lighter, sleeker, and more user-friendly, without sacrificing the performance that PC gamers expect.

If you’ve been comparing handhelds like the original Legion Go, the Legion Go 2, the Steam Deck, or the ASUS ROG Ally, you’ve probably noticed one thing: they all do some things brilliantly… and other things not so much. The Legion Go S slots itself right in the middle, aiming to give gamers what they actually want — great performance, comfortable portability, and a user interface that feels familiar.

After spending proper hands-on time with the Lenovo Legion Go S Review, as well as previously using the original Legion Go and the competing ROG Ally units, here’s the full breakdown — and why this might be the handheld that finally gets it right for SA gamers.

What Makes the Lenovo Legion Go S Different? Lenovo Legion Go S Review

Lenovo took a lot of feedback from the original Legion Go and refined things. The most noticeable upgrades include:

✔ A more compact, lighter body

The Legion Go S feels noticeably easier to hold for long periods. The original Legion Go was powerful but bulky. The Go S fixes this — it’s closer in weight and feel to the ROG Ally, but with Lenovo’s signature ergonomics.

✔ Better thermals and quieter operation

One of the biggest complaints about earlier handheld PCs? Heat. The Go S runs surprisingly cool even during AAA titles, and the fan noise is far less intrusive than competitors.

✔ Solid performance for AAA and indie gaming

It's powered by the latest AMD Ryzen Z1/Z2-series APU (depending on configuration), which offers very similar performance to the ROG Ally but with Lenovo’s improved power-management profiles.

✔ A price that finally makes sense

Lenovo seems to have realised that if you want handhelds to sell in SA, you need to make the pricing accessible. The Legion Go S is positioned competitively but still feels premium.

Lenovo Legion Go S vs Other Legion Go Models

Lenovo now has three handhelds in their “Go” family, and each plays a different role. Here’s the comparison most South Africans are Googling:

1. Legion Go (Original)

• Biggest screen (huge 8.8-inch display)

• Detachable controllers / FPS Mode

• Heavier and bulkier

• Strong performance, but not the best thermals

• More of a “portable console” than a true handheld

Verdict: Great for living-room or tabletop play, but not amazing for long handheld sessions.

2. Legion Go 2 (Not available in SA yet)

• Improved thermals

• Better power efficiency

• More premium build

• Still on the larger side

Verdict: A refinement, but still not truly compact.

3. Legion Go S (New Lenovo Legion Go S Review)

• More compact and lighter

• Better balance in the hands

• Streamlined UI

• Performance that rivals the Ally

• More affordable

Verdict: The most travel-friendly Legion Go yet — the one most South African gamers will prefer.

Lenovo Legion Go S vs ASUS ROG Ally

For the last two years, the ROG Ally has been the Windows handheld to beat. But now that Lenovo has stepped up, the comparison looks very different.

Comfort & Ergonomics – Legion Go S Wins

The ROG Ally is good, but the Legion Go S simply feels better moulded to the hand. Longer gaming sessions feel more natural, and the weight distribution is excellent.

Performance – A Close Tie

Both units use AMD’s Z-series processors. In real gaming:

• Legion Go S maintains more stable thermals

• Ally occasionally boosts higher, but also runs hotter

• Battery life is almost identical

This one depends on your power profile and game library, but the difference is minimal.

Software – Ally Slightly Ahead

ASUS Armoury Crate SE is arguably the best Windows handheld software right now. Lenovo’s Legion Space is improving rapidly and is perfectly usable, but still catching up.

Reliability – Legion Go S Wins in 2025

ROG Ally owners worldwide have complained about SD-card failures (a known heat-related issue). Lenovo’s design avoids this problem entirely.

Screen Quality – Depends on Preference

Ally: brighterLegion Go S: larger colour space & better viewing comfort

For SA’s bright environments (especially outdoor use), the Ally has the slight advantage, but not enough to outweigh Lenovo’s comfort and reliability gains.

SteamOS vs Windows: Why Steam-Based Handhelds Are Often Better Than Windows Ones

A big question customers ask us at BuySave:

“Should I rather buy a Steam Deck instead of a Windows handheld?”

Here’s the honest truth — and the crux of the argument.

Why SteamOS (Steam Deck) Is Better for Pure Gaming

✔ More stable performance SteamOS is optimised specifically for handheld hardware. Games run smoother with fewer hiccups.

✔ Better battery life Windows handhelds constantly fight the OS to save power. SteamOS is built from the ground up for efficiency.

✔ No background Windows tasks draining resources Indexing, updates, antivirus scans—Windows never stops. SteamOS runs lightweight and game-focused.

✔ Proton compatibility is shockingly good Most Windows games run perfectly fine on Steam Deck thanks to Valve’s Proton layer. It's now far more reliable than people think.

✔ Lower system overhead = more FPS On identical hardware, SteamOS can deliver 10–20% more gaming performance.

✔ One unified interface No juggling between desktop mode, game mode, or multiple launchers. It just works.

Why Windows Handhelds (like Legion Go S & ROG Ally) Are Better for Flexibility

✔ Access to ALL your launchers Steam, Battle.net, Epic, EA, Ubisoft, Xbox Game Pass, emulators… every platform works natively.

✔ Better support for AAA titles that hate Proton Some anti-cheat games still work better on Windows.

✔ Use it like a mini-PC Great for productivity, browsing, streaming, emulation, and apps like Discord, OBS, etc.

✔ Plug it into a monitor and replace your laptop Windows handhelds are more like tiny gaming PCs. The Steam Deck is not.

So Which Is Better for South Africans: SteamOS or Windows?

It depends on your personality and gaming style.

Choose Steam Deck (SteamOS) if:

• You want gaming-first, zero hassle

• You want better battery life

• You don’t want to tweak settings

• You want stable performance without Windows issues

Choose Legion Go S / ROG Ally (Windows) if:

• You use multiple game stores

• You want a dual-purpose device (work + play)

• You do mods or emulation

• You want full app compatibility

• You prefer an open PC ecosystem

Steam is better for pure gaming,Windows is better for everything else.

Final Verdict: Should You Get the Lenovo Legion Go S?

After using the Legion Go S extensively, it genuinely feels like Lenovo finally nailed the formula:

• The comfort of the ROG Ally

• The performance improvements of the Legion Go 2

• The portability gamers wanted from day one

• The stability and cooling improvements missing from older handhelds

And importantly — it hits a price point in South Africa that makes sense, something that can’t always be said for competing brands.

The Legion Go S is not meant to be the giant, detachable-controller monster like the original Go. It’s not trying to be the lightest handheld on earth either. It’s simply aiming to be the device that:

✔ feels good

✔ plays well

✔ travels well

✔ and doesn’t frustrate you with overheating or awkward design

And honestly? It succeeds.

If you’re choosing between the Legion Go S, the older Legion Go models, the ASUS ROG handhelds, or even the Steam Deck, here’s my simple summary:

👉 For the best comfort + Windows flexibility:Lenovo Legion Go S (Steam OS)

👉 For the best performance + compact design:ROG Ally

👉 For pure gaming simplicity + battery life:Steam Deck (SteamOS)

Handheld Gaming Comparison:

Feature	Legion Go S (Windows)	Legion Go S – Steam Version (SteamOS)	Legion Go (Original)	Legion Go 2	ASUS ROG Ally	Steam Deck (SteamOS)
Operating System	Windows 11	SteamOS (Linux-based)	Windows 11	Windows 11	Windows 11	SteamOS
Performance	Excellent on AAA titles	Even smoother thanks to SteamOS optimisation	High but less efficient	High-mid	Excellent	Very good / more efficient
Battery Life	Good	Best in Legion lineup	Fair	Fair–good	Good	Best overall
Thermals	Cool & quiet	Coolest and most consistent	Warm	Improved	Can run hot	Very cool
Weight	Lightest Legion	Lightest Legion	Heaviest	Medium	Light	Medium
Screen	Bright 7–8" IPS	Same display but SteamOS UI	8.8" large display	8.8" refined	7" 120Hz bright	7"
Ergonomics	Excellent	Excellent	Bulky	Better	Great	Average
Game Store Support	Steam, Epic, Game Pass, EA, Ubisoft, Battle.net	Steam only by default (others via workaround)	All	All	All	Steam only by default
Ease of Use	Moderate (Windows tuning)	Best in class: plug & play	Moderate	Improved	Polished	Plug & play
Modding / Emulation	Excellent	Excellent & easier than Windows	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Good
Anti-Cheat Compatibility	Best (native Windows)	Limited (depends on Proton)	Best	Best	Best	Limited
Software Stability	Good	Exceptional — SteamOS is lightweight	Good	Good	Good	Excellent
Best For	Flexibility + Windows ecosystem	Pure gaming, best battery, zero hassle	Big-screen gaming	Hybrid use	Bright screen + performance	Gaming-first simplicity