Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS runs twice as long as with Windows

Lenovo, in collaboration with Valve, has released an updated version of the Legion Go S portable console running SteamOS. Technoblogger Dave2D compared the performance of the portable console with the Windows version and found that the new product significantly wins in autonomy and speed - despite identical hardware.

The previous Windows-based Legion Go S model, released in February of this year, received a rather lukewarm reception due to its high price, short battery life, and mediocre performance. However, thanks to direct cooperation with Valve, the new SteamOS version radically improves the situation, particularly in terms of battery life.

Despite the identical 55Wh battery in both versions, the SteamOS console lasts twice as long as the Windows version, and is about on par with the Steam Deck Oled. This is because Linux doesn't have as many background tasks and telemetry that Windows constantly runs, draining the battery.

Legion Go S on SteamOS shows better performance: games launch 5-15% faster thanks to Linux optimizations and the efficiency of the Proton compatibility layer. The console works stably in sleep mode and quickly resumes, like a Steam Deck. At night, the device is almost not discharged (only 1-2%), which allows you to continue playing even after several days. This is an important advantage over most Windows devices.

This is the first third-party device to run SteamOS out of the box. The operating system update significantly changes the impression of the gadget, which was criticized at the beginning of the year.