I can't get my head around Lenovo Legion Go S prices in the UK right now, as while I was originally turned off by its price and specs mismatch, it's now cheaper than Valve's entry-level Steam Deck.
No, really, you can grab the Windows 11 Lenovo Legion Go S with 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD for £329.99 at Amazon. That's £20 less than the Steam Deck LCD with 256GB storage, and both best gaming handheld contenders achieve similar frame rates thanks to their choice of AMD Ryzen chipsets. If you're in the US, you can still grab a chunk off the beefy 32GB / 1TB model since it's down to $499.99 at Best Buy, but that admittedly feels like a more ordinary price cut.
At this point, you'll be looking for any catches or caveats that can help explain the Lenovo Legion Go S situation in the UK. The handheld was originally available for around £500 before shedding £100 at the start of July. However, it just dropped so low that I'd actually recommend it over my beloved Steam Deck OLED and the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally, especially since the latter boasts nearly the same specs.
Okay, please put down your digital pitchforks, at least until I take to the stand and explain why you should buy the Lenovo Legion Go S over the ROG Xbox Ally in the UK. The suggestion might sound like blasphemous prejudice against the upcoming Asus and Microsoft collab, but in reality, I'm really just telling you to buy nearly the same device for potentially half the price.
The core similarity between the White Asus ROG Xbox Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go S is their chipsets. Both handhelds are using variants of the new-gen AMD Ryzen Z2, namely the "Z2 Go" and "Z2 A". These APUs aren't actually identical since Lenovo's custom chip uses a newer hybrid Zen 3+ setup while the latter sticks with Zen 2.
That ties into aspects like efficiency and power management, but both chipsets are rocking 4 cores and 16 threads. You're getting RDNA 2 GPU abilities regardless, and the Legion Go's version is packing 12 graphics cores versus 8 with the Xbox Ally. Default TDP is quite different, too, since the Asus handheld wields a 15W TDP while Lenovo's portable is punching higher with 28W.
If anything, the on-paper specs suggest the Lenovo Legion Go S will edge slightly ahead of the ROG Xbox Ally. You're looking at the same 16GB RAM setup, too, so even memory shouldn't make a difference here. That begs the question, why wouldn't you spend under £350 on a handheld that's slightly better than one that could cost double?
Well, I reckon it'll all boil down to form factor. The only real thing separating the ROG Xbox Ally from the original Asus ROG Ally is its new back grips, as they take cues from a conventional controller. This is something that players really seem to dig, and it's one of the main points of praise for the PlayStation Portal.
That's not to say the Legion Go S isn't comfortable to hold, and it upsets my hands far less than the OG Lenovo Legion Go. But, since the Xbox handheld is an attempt to lure console players to the portable PC scene, I'd be surprised if it doesn't set a new bar for gamepad ergonomics.
Software could also play a big role in the ROG Xbox Ally's success, especially if its optimized version of Windows 11 ends up semi-exclusive. Microsoft says all gaming handhelds with the operating system will get the new version, but there's every chance that it will take a while to happen. Effectively, that'll mean that Legion Go S owners will still have to wrestle with an OS largely designed for desktops.
The TL;DR here is this: if you're looking for an affordable handheld gaming PC that's cheaper than the Steam Deck and technically similar to the ROG Xbox Ally, grab the Lenovo Legion Go S. Its price in the UK is exactly where I wanted it to be at launch, and even the more expensive model in the US feels like pretty good value compared to rumored ROG Xbox Ally prices.
If you'd rather go all out on the flagship Xbox ROG Ally X, that's a different conversation entirely, as that Ryzen Z2 Extreme handheld should be on par with the MSI Claw 8 AI+. Yes, having two devices with wildly different specs is confusing, and I feel bad for console players who are craving a straight talking portable option.
Already rocking Valve's handheld? Take a peek at the best Steam Deck dock and best Steam Deck accessories for essential add-ons. Alternatively, you'll want to swing by the best retro consoles for modern ways to play the classics.
