Legion Go S's leaked renders show the gaming handheld having a streamlined design

Lenovo’s gaming handheld lineup is set to expand with a new, more affordable option. Following the release of the Lenovo Legion Go (read our review here) which debuted late last year, offering good portable gaming performance with AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, there are now rumours swirling of a cheaper version. 

According to leaks from Windows Central, the renders above of the new cheaper version dubbed the Legion Go S, show what could be Lenovo’s answer for budget-conscious gamers looking for a more affordable entry into the handheld gaming PC market. 

Further reports from VideoCardz suggest that the new device will feature a Ryzen Z2G APU, which is based on the older Rembrandt architecture. While the Z2G's Zen 3+ cores and RDNA2 GPU aren't as powerful as the Z1 Extreme’s Zen 4 cores and RDNA3 graphics, they will likely still offer competitive performance for a handheld gaming device, especially at a lower price. The Legion Go S will also likely come with 16GB of RAM, and its graphical performance should be more than sufficient for most gaming titles, with a Radeon 680M GPU providing solid performance.

The most noticeable difference between the Legion Go S and the original Legion Go is its design. The device adopts a white colour scheme, similar to the ASUS ROG Ally, and ditches some of the features found in the higher-end Legion Go. Gone are the detachable controller grips, the kickstand, and the extra back buttons, all of which made the original model more versatile. In their place, the Legion Go S has fixed grips and a more streamlined design, reminiscent of the ASUS ROG Ally in terms of both aesthetics and functionality.

The renderings also suggest that Lenovo has made several changes to the controls as well. Instead of the original four-way D-pad, the Legion Go S will feature a circular D-pad, and it replaces the touchpad with a Trackpoint-style nub, similar to what Lenovo uses in its ThinkPad laptops. The device retains the two USB-C ports, but both are located on the top, as opposed to the bottom on the original Legion Go. RGB lights remain a part of the design, adding a bit of flair to the more affordable option. In terms of display, the Legion Go S is expected to keep the 8-inch screen from the original model, though it's possible the screen quality or resolution could be scaled down to help lower the price. 

While the design changes are surely to cut costs, they do come with trade-offs in terms of flexibility and features. The removal of the detachable controllers, which allowed for a more customizable experience similar to the Nintendo Switch, and the absence of a kickstand, which could be rather useful for tabletop gaming, will likely disappoint some users. However, for those seeking a solid, budget-friendly handheld with strong gaming performance, the Legion Go S may still present a compelling option.

If Lenovo can keep the price low, the Legion Go S may become a serious competitor to other handhelds like the ROG Ally X and the Steam Deck, which are the frontrunners in the handheld PC space. As for now, we’ll have to wait till more details of the Legion Go S surface. The full details, including official pricing and availability, will likely be revealed at CES 2025, where the company will showcase their latest advancements in the handheld PC gaming space.



Source: VideoCardz via Windows Central

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