After recent leaks about an upcoming budget-friendly Lenovo Legion Go model, specifically the Lenovo Legion Go S, we now have our first look at the design renders.
Back in October, Lenovo registered three new handheld devices, leading to speculation about their potential specs and features. From there we got to see a Windows 11 BIOS update leak, where we first learned more about the ‘Lenovo Legion Go S 8ARP1,’ said to be the most affordable of the three upcoming models. Now, thanks to renders shared by Windows Central, we have a clear idea of what this lite version – denoted by the S suffix – will look like.
What we know about the Lenovo Legion Go S so far
Before we get to the design changes for the Lenovo Legion Go S, it’s worth revisiting that this budget-friendly model will cut down on hardware compared to other models in the lineup. Leaks have already given us information about the APU housed inside the Legion Go S, which will use the upcoming AMD Z2 platform, notably its Z2G “Rembrandt” config. The Z2G APU could feature RDNA 2.0 with the AMD Radeon 680M iGPU, along with 8 cores, and will be based on the Zen 3+ architecture.
This will make it less powerful than the Z1 Extreme we have now in devices like the Lenovo Legion Go or ASUS ROG Ally, which features the Radeon 780M iGPU. However, since Lenovo is targeting the budget market with this, there is going to be a lot more than just slower hardware.
| Model / expected models | APU | CPU | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legion Go 8APU1 (current model) | Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Phoenix) | Zen 4, 8 cores | Radeon 780M (RDNA 3), 12 CU |
| Legion Go S 8ARP1 | Ryzen Z2G (Rembrandt) | Zen 3+, 8 cores | Radeon 680M (RDNA 2), 12 CU |
| Legion Go 8AHP2 | Ryzen Z2 (Hawk Point) | Zen 4, 8 cores | Radeon 780M (RDNA 3), 12 CU |
| Legion Go 8ASP2 | Ryzen Z2 Extreme (Strix Point) | Zen5/c, 8 cores | Radeon 890M (RDNA 3.5), 16 CU |
The Lenovo Legion Go S will feature a design similar to the ASUS ROG Ally
Indeed, Lenovo is going to remove some design elements to make this device much more affordable. This information is confirmed by the renders provided by Windows Central, which are attached below.
Firstly, the main highlight is that the Lenovo Legion Go S will cut down on many of the unique design features of the Lenovo Legion Go, such as the detachable sticks (assumedly the controllers), kickstand, and extra back buttons. This is key information, as it makes the device look a lot like the ASUS ROG Ally. You also get a white colorway, much like the ROG Ally. The upgraded ROG Ally X also opted for a black colorway so both brands will have matching tiers. But personally, white always looks more premium.
Regardless, the screen size is another important aspect – the 8ARP1 codename would suggest an 8″ screen, so it could still be a little larger than the ROG Ally’s 7-inch. We would have expected a smaller screen on the Go S to help cut costs, but we’d happily be proven wrong.
Additionally, we see the large honeycomb-style reverse vent, which we’re used to seeing in predecessor models. USB-C ports will remain on the S variant, but they will now be positioned on top of the device. The menu and view buttons will also shift toward the top of the device, rather than being placed off to the left. So with all this in mind, can we finally get an idea of how affordable this lite version could be?
Expected pricing for the Lenovo Legion Go S
Gathering what we have from previous and recent leaks, the APU will be the main highlight for cutting costs on this model. Since the Legion Go S also ditches all the bells and whistles of the Legion Go, which contributes to its high cost, this could be another factor for a lower MSRP.
At full price, the current Legion Go costs $699.99 (512GB) or $749.99 (1TB) – it is on sale at the minute though. Anyway, with all the hardware and design changes considered, we hope to see the Lenovo Legion Go S within the $400-450 region. This would also make sense, as the goal is to make these devices affordable, and charging anywhere close to the Legion Go’s price would likely result in poor sales. However, closer to $500 is perhaps more realistic.
We are excited to hear more about this device and whether the rest of the lineup will also go through these design changes, along with AMD’s new lineup of Z-series mobile processors at CES in January 2025, which, as usual, will be taking place in Las Vegas.
