The battle for dominance in the handheld gaming world is intensifying, with whispers that Lenovo is gearing up to introduce a budget-friendly competitor called the Legion Go S. Thanks to insights from WinFuture, it appears this device could be the first on the market to feature AMD’s brand-new Z2G APUs. Scheduled for release in 2025, the Legion Go S promises to pair this advanced tech with a 120 Hz 1080p display, a roomy 512GB SSD, and 16GB of RAM.
AMD’s Ryzen Z2G, which stands for Z2 Go, is reportedly constructed on the Rembrandt architecture. It boasts eight Zen 3+ CPU cores coupled with an RDNA 2 integrated graphics unit housing 12 Compute Units. While it may not pack the cutting-edge Ryzen AI 300 (Strix Point) APUs’ full suite of features—nor surpass the Phoenix—it offers a more economical production cost, which should translate to a friendlier price tag for consumers. Technically speaking, the Z2G draws parallels with AMD’s Ryzen 7 6800U, delivering a familiar 16MB of L3 cache—a staple for all AMD’s eight-core APUs—and a 4MB L2 cache. There might be a slight uptick in clock speeds from the current 4.7 GHz, but don’t bank on substantial performance upgrades.
In terms of hardware, expect 16GB of fixed LPDDR5 RAM and a swift PCIe 4.0 512GB SSD in the compact M.2 2242 form factor. Connectivity-wise, the Legion Go S will be decked out with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Its display is an 8-inch 1080p IPS screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate, which means missing out on the rich blacks and vibrant colors an OLED would provide. To put it in perspective, the OLED version of the Steam Deck starts at $549, but with a less speedy APU, which highlights the pros and cons of each option.
This device also brings a 55.5Wh battery to the table—larger than that of the original Legion Go—but its longevity may be curtailed by its older architecture. However, with the Vantage app, users can customize the charging threshold, allowing them to run the device on AC power alone to help preserve battery life.
However, there’s a catch: the Legion Go S will come with integrated controllers, limiting the ability to switch them out for custom third-party options. It’s unclear if the joysticks and triggers use Hall Effect sensors, which might be a turn-off for dedicated gamers. European retailers have hinted at an initial price point of $650. After subtracting VAT, this could mean a $500 price tag—just $50 less than the Legion Go, which touts a superior APU and display.
We anticipate getting a first look at the Lenovo Legion S next month at CES. AMD may also reveal its Z2 APU range at that time. Pricing remains tentative and could drop further upon the handheld’s official debut.
