Head-to-head · Best Handheld Gaming PCs

Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS) vs Valve Steam Deck OLED

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Valve Steam Deck OLED comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.2 vs 4.4). The gap is mostly about SteamOS users prioritizing battery life — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #6 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs

Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS)

4.2

$730as of Jul 6

The Lenovo Legion Go S is praised as a superior Steam Deck alternative, delivering strong performance for portable AAA gaming with its AMD Z1 Extreme chipset, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD. PCMag's Zackery Cuevas called it a 'better Steam Deck' that surpasses expectations, while digitalchumps reviewer Will Silberman noted its ability to run demanding titles like The Last of Us Part II smoothly. However, reviewers criticized the loud fan noise and the limitation that prevents background game updates during sleep mode. This handheld is ideal for gamers seeking SteamOS compatibility and high performance, but may not suit users prioritizing quiet operation or battery efficiency.

Strengths

— Runs graphically intensive games smoothly with consistent framerates
— Features an 8in WUXGA LCD touchscreen with 120Hz refresh rate and VRR
— Powered by AMD Z1 Extreme chipset with 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD for high performance

Watch-outs

— Fan runs loudly even during light usage
— Game installation and updates cannot be done while device is in sleep mode

$730 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs

Valve Steam Deck OLED

4.4

$924.98as of Jul 6

The Valve Steam Deck OLED represents a significant visual upgrade over its predecessor, with an OLED display that delivers vibrant HDR images and 1,000 nits peak brightness. Reviewers noted that the OLED screen alone makes the device feel notably better, with excellent color reproduction and 90Hz refresh rate. The device also features improved battery life, quieter fans, and Wi-Fi 6E support. While the AMD APU hardware shows its age with some newer games, the Steam Deck remains capable of delivering immersive gaming experiences with titles like Diablo 4 and God of War Ragnarök. This is a solid upgrade for users seeking better display quality and performance improvements.

Strengths

— OLED display delivers vibrant HDR image with 1,000 nits peak brightness and 110% P3 color gamut
— Improved battery life with 50Whr battery and 6nm AMD APU for better efficiency
— Quieter fans compared to original Steam Deck model

Watch-outs

— AMD APU hardware shows age with some recent big-budget games
— Still uses sub-1080p resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels which may seem like a downgrade

$924.98 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS)

The Lenovo Legion Go S outperforms the Steam Deck OLED and Valve Steam Deck OLED in terms of hardware specs, featuring a Z1 Extreme chipset and 32GB RAM, making it superior for graphically intensive games. Unlike the ASUS ROG Ally X, it avoids the Xbox UI but suffers from loud fan noise and lacks the OLED screen quality of the Valve model.

Valve Steam Deck OLED

The Valve Steam Deck OLED improves upon the original Steam Deck OLED with better battery life and quieter fans, but lags behind the MSI Claw 8 in terms of hardware performance and battery capacity. It also doesn't match the Lenovo Legion Go S's Z1 Extreme chipset or the ASUS ROG Ally X's Xbox UI integration.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS)	Valve Steam Deck OLED
Processor	AMD Z1 Extreme	Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz
Display	8in WUXGA (1900 x 1200)	7.4" OLED, 1280 x 800
Memory	32GB	16 GB LPDDR5
Storage	1TB M.2 SSD	1TB NVMe SSD
Graphics	AMD Ryzen Z2 Go	8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.6GHz
Refresh Rate	120Hz	Up to 90Hz
Battery	~55.5Wh	50Whr battery

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