The Lenovo Legion Go S is a balance of compromises, offering an affordable entry-level price, stellar audio, good ergonomics, and a great display, but with subpar gaming performance compared to its competitors.

Still, the Go S is built far better than the original Legion Go, whose flat-faced controllers felt awkward in my hands. The new portable has some of the best-sculpted grips I’ve felt on a handheld, though their smooth texture can feel a little slippery. I’d have gone with more aggressive stippling to help me hold its 1.61-pound weight.

I've been using the Lenovo Legion Go S (with Windows), and I hate to say it, but Lenovo has a real dud on its hands.

The Lenovo Legion Go S is an extraordinarily comfortable handheld that seems poised to best compete against the cheaper Steam Deck OLED.

The Lenovo Legion Go S is an incredibly ergonomic handheld gaming PC that feels great in your hands, but Windows makes the whole experience feel awkward.

It’s been easy to close myself off to other handheld gaming PCs since I have the $649 Steam Deck OLED. After all, the OS is easy to use, it has a great screen, and most importantly, many games run well on it.