Lenovo's Handheld Gaming Surprise

The gaming world was buzzing with anticipation for Lenovo's new handheld gaming PC, the Legion Go S. This device, running SteamOS, made its first appearance at CES 2025 with a price tag of $499. 99. This price point seemed to put it in direct competition with Valve's Steam Deck, especially since it was positioned between the Steam Deck's LCD model at $399 and the OLED model at $549. However, things took an unexpected turn when the Legion Go S became available for preorder at Best Buy. The price had increased to $549. 99, with a release date set for May 25th. This price hike was confirmed by Jeff Witt, a communications director at Lenovo. The initial price of $499. 99 had seemed just right for what the Legion Go S offered. It had some advantages over the Steam Deck, such as Hall effect joysticks, a larger 8-inch screen with a variable refresh rate, a comfortable design, and adjustable triggers. But the Ryzen Z2 Go chip inside didn't impress reviewers. In fact, the Windows-based models of the Go S that were tested performed worse than the Steam Deck.

The switch to SteamOS might fix some issues, especially the clunky experience of running Windows on a handheld device. But it's uncertain whether this change will boost the performance of the Ryzen Z2 Go chip. The gaming community is left wondering if the Legion Go S can truly compete with the Steam Deck, especially at its new, higher price point. The Legion Go S has a lot to prove, and gamers are eager to see if it can deliver on its promises.

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