Two Serious Handhelds, One Real Decision
The handheld PC market has moved fast enough that buying decisions that seemed simple a year ago now require serious homework. Asus ROG Ally X and the Lenovo Legion Go S sit at the top of that pile – both targeting players who want desktop-quality gaming in a portable form factor, both running Windows 11, and both powered by AMD hardware. But the similarities stop there quickly, and the differences matter depending on what kind of player you are.
The ROG Ally X launched as Asus’s refined follow-up to the original Ally, fixing the battery complaints and storage limitations that frustrated early adopters. Lenovo came at the market from a different angle with the Legion Go S, building a device that prioritizes ergonomics and display size over pure compactness. On paper, both devices compete for the same wallet. In practice, they serve slightly different gaming philosophies.
Hardware Specs and Processing Power
The ROG Ally X runs on the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, a chip that combines an 8-core CPU with RDNA 3 integrated graphics. Asus pushed the TDP ceiling to 30W in performance mode, which gives the device real headroom when playing demanding titles. The RAM sits at 24GB LPDDR5X, a meaningful bump over the original Ally’s 16GB, and internal storage starts at 1TB NVMe. That combination handles games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring at 1080p with frame rate targets that don’t feel like compromises.
The Legion Go S ships with AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Go chip in its base configuration, though Lenovo also offers a variant with the more powerful Ryzen Z1 Extreme at a higher price point. The Z2 Go is a less powerful processor built for efficiency rather than peak performance – it keeps temperatures and battery drain lower but shows up clearly in GPU-intensive workloads. The Go S has an 8-inch display compared to the Ally X’s 7-inch screen, which sounds like a straightforward win until you factor in the extra weight and how long you actually hold this device during a two-hour session.
Gaming Performance in Practice
Running the ROG Ally X through demanding titles tells a consistent story. At 1080p with medium-to-high settings, games like Forza Horizon 5 and God of War hit 45-60fps ranges that feel genuinely smooth for handheld play. The device handles the load without immediate thermal throttling, and Asus’s Armoury Crate software lets you toggle between Silent, Performance, and Turbo modes depending on whether you’re on battery or plugged in. That granular control is something experienced PC players appreciate immediately.
The Legion Go S with the Z2 Go chip tells a different story at those same settings. Frame rates drop noticeably in GPU-heavy scenes, and the device is better suited to less demanding titles or lower resolution targets. Running games at 800p with FSR upscaling brings things into a more comfortable range, but that’s still a visible step down from what the Ally X delivers natively. The Z1 Extreme variant of the Legion Go S closes that gap considerably, but it also narrows the price difference between the two devices.
Battery life is where Lenovo fights back effectively. The Legion Go S runs notably longer on a charge than the ROG Ally X in matched conditions, particularly with lighter game loads. Asus addressed battery capacity with the Ally X upgrade to 80Wh (up from the original’s 40Wh), which was a necessary fix, but the Legion Go S still edges ahead in endurance testing across mixed-use sessions. For players who travel or commute and can’t guarantee access to a power outlet, that margin is worth weighing seriously.
Thermal management differs between the two as well. The ROG Ally X runs warm under sustained load, which is physics more than a design failure – pushing 30W through a small chassis produces heat. The fans are audible in Turbo mode, hitting a volume level that becomes noticeable in quiet rooms. The Legion Go S runs cooler by default due to its lower TDP ceiling on the base chip, which also means quieter fans during typical gaming sessions. Neither device is whisper-quiet under pressure, but the difference is real in extended play.
Build Quality and Controls
Asus builds the ROG Ally X with a premium feel that justifies its price positioning. The chassis is tight, the buttons have satisfying travel, and the analog sticks sit in a traditional PlayStation-style layout that most players adapt to quickly. The micro SD card slot complaint from the original Ally – which had thermal issues – has been redesigned, and the overall fit and finish reads as a device that went through proper engineering iteration. Holding it for extended sessions feels natural for players with average-to-larger hands.
The Legion Go S takes a wider grip approach, and the larger 8-inch display creates a device that some players will love and others will find bulky. The controls themselves are solid and Lenovo included a detachable right controller on the larger Legion Go model (not the Go S, which keeps a fixed layout). Ergonomics here depend almost entirely on hand size and gaming posture – the Go S is noticeably heavier and wider, which helps with grip but accelerates fatigue on longer sessions.
Software, Ecosystem, and Price
Both devices run full Windows 11, which means access to Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox Game Pass, and every other PC launcher without restriction. Asus ships Armoury Crate as its overlay software for managing TDP, fan curves, and display settings – it works reliably and covers what most players need. Lenovo’s Legion Space launcher serves a similar function and has improved since launch, though it still feels slightly less polished than Asus’s implementation.
Price is where the decision often lands. The ROG Ally X carries a higher MSRP than the base Legion Go S with the Z2 Go chip, which creates an obvious entry point for budget-conscious buyers. But comparing the base Go S to the Ally X isn’t a clean comparison – you’re trading raw performance for lower cost. The Legion Go S with the Z1 Extreme chip closes the performance gap but also closes the price gap, making the Ally X’s additional features and build quality harder to dismiss.
If raw gaming performance at the handheld price tier is the priority, the ROG Ally X is the cleaner choice – the Z1 Extreme chip, the refined build, and the mature software ecosystem give it an edge that shows up in actual gaming sessions rather than spec sheets. The Legion Go S makes the most sense for players who want a larger display, prioritize battery life, or are coming in at the lower price point and understand the performance trade-off involved. Neither device is the wrong answer, but the ROG Ally X asks you to spend more and delivers more, while the base Legion Go S asks you to adjust your settings expectations before you open the box.
