Lenovo Legion Go S (Windows) vs Valve Steam Deck OLED
The Legion Go S ships in both SteamOS and Windows flavors on identical hardware, and reviewers were blunt that the Windows build wastes it — Notebookcheck called it a "Windows victim," measurably slower and less efficient than the same chassis on SteamOS. Against the Steam Deck OLED, the Windows Legion Go S offers a bigger 8-inch screen and Hall-effect sticks, but the Steam Deck OLED's mature SteamOS software and OLED panel make it the safer default unless you specifically need Windows.
Spec comparison
| Spec | Lenovo Legion Go S (Windows) | Valve Steam Deck OLED |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $600 | $549 |
| OS | Windows 11 | SteamOS |
| Screen size | 8" | 7.4" |
| Panel | IPS | OLED |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 90 Hz |
| Resolution | 1920 × 1200 | 1280 × 800 (16:10) |
| Weight | 738 g | 640 g |
| Battery | 55.5 Wh | 50 Wh |
| APU | Ryzen Z2 Go | Steam Deck OLED APU |
| Max TDP | 30 W | 15 W |
| Hall-effect sticks | Yes | No |
| Trackpads | No | 2× 32.5 mm haptic trackpads (improved fidelity) |
| Gyro | Yes | Yes |
Lenovo Legion Go S (Windows)
Pros
- Comfortable slimmer chassis with Hall-effect sticks and triggers
- Dual USB4 ports and microSD
- Good 8" 1920 × 1200 120 Hz display
Cons
- Windows noticeably hampers performance vs. the SteamOS variant
- Poor Windows suspend/resume and standby drain
- Modest Ryzen Z2 Go (4c / 8t) is the weakest APU in the family
Valve Steam Deck OLED
Pros
- Excellent 90 Hz HDR OLED (1000 nits HDR) with 110% P3
- Bigger 50 Wh battery and Wi-Fi 6E vs LCD
- Best-in-class SteamOS suspend/resume; twin haptic trackpads
Cons
- Same Zen 2 / RDNA 2 APU — no performance gain over LCD
- No VRR; 800p ceiling limits sharpness
- Potentiometer (non-Hall) sticks
Who should buy which
Buy the Legion Go S (Windows) only if you specifically need the Windows game/launcher ecosystem — the same hardware runs faster and more efficiently on SteamOS.
Buy the Steam Deck OLED for the more polished, more efficient handheld OS and a superior OLED screen.