Steam Deck outperforms Windows-based handheld gaming devices in latest performance benchmark analysis
In the rapidly evolving world of portable gaming, the Lenovo Legion Go S has emerged as a standout contender, particularly when equipped with SteamOS. A recent comparison between the SteamOS and Windows 11 versions of the Lenovo Legion Go S has revealed a significant performance boost in favour of the former.
The Lenovo Legion Go S, powered by the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and SteamOS, nearly doubles the performance of the Steam Deck in benchmarks such as 3DMark Time Spy and Fire Strike. This translates to much higher frame rates in demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 – 61 fps at 800p on SteamOS compared to 28 fps on the Steam Deck with the same settings [1].
When the same hardware (Ryzen Z1 Extreme) is compared on SteamOS versus the Lenovo Legion Go S running Windows 11 with a less powerful Ryzen Z2 Go, SteamOS consistently outperforms Windows 11 by 4 to 15 fps depending on the game and resolution. This is due to SteamOS being a lightweight OS with fewer background processes, freeing up CPU and RAM resources [2].
Real-world gaming examples also show this gap. Doom: The Dark Ages runs at around 25 fps at 1200p on SteamOS with medium settings, whereas the Windows 11 Legion Go S variant with Ryzen Z2 Go achieves only 15 fps at the same settings. Even with frame generation enabled, Windows 11 performance remains significantly lower [3].
Perhaps most impressively, SteamOS delivers this superior performance even on battery power, matching AC power performance, while the Windows 11 version runs on a maxed-out power profile (40W on AC), yet still lags behind [2].
It's worth noting that part of the performance gap also comes from hardware differences – the SteamOS Legion Go S unit reviewed runs the Ryzen Z1 Extreme and 32GB RAM, while the Windows 11 version tested runs the weaker Ryzen Z2 Go and 16GB RAM. However, the OS overhead difference itself is substantial enough to impact performance notably [2][3].
In contrast, other companies' portable devices running on Windows 11 have not been able to provide a better gaming experience compared to the Steam Deck, despite better components [4]. As a result, the SteamOS version of the Lenovo Legion Go S is recommended over the Windows version.
Meanwhile, Microsoft and Asus are developing a potential threat to the Lenovo Legion Go S and the Steam Deck's dominance in the portable console market with the ROG Xbox Ally X, aiming for an Xbox-like experience with Steam Deck-level performance [5].
The Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) features an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor, an 8-inch 120 Hz refresh rate display, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a MicroSD slot for up to an additional 2TB. Despite its impressive specifications, the Steam Deck, released in 2022, continues to surprise with its performance in running video games [6].
As the portable gaming market continues to evolve, companies looking to compete with the Steam Deck have two options: allow the optional installation of SteamOS or develop a better alternative [7]. The upcoming Steam Deck 2 could potentially challenge the ROG Xbox Ally X's position in the market. Other examples of such consoles include the Asus ROG Ally and MSI Claw [8].
[1] https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html [2] https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-legion-7-gaming-laptop-review,64136.html [3] https://www.gamespot.com/articles/steam-deck-vs-lenovo-legion-go-s-which-handheld-pc-wins/1100-6502197/ [4] https://www.pcgamer.com/steam-deck-vs-lenovo-legion-go-s-which-handheld-pc-wins/ [5] https://www.pcgamer.com/asus-rog-ally-x-is-a-potential-steam-deck-killer/ [6] https://www.pcgamer.com/steam-deck-review-valves-handheld-gaming-pc-is-a-game-changer/ [7] https://www.pcgamer.com/steam-deck-vs-lenovo-legion-go-s-which-handheld-pc-wins/ [8] https://www.pcgamer.com/asus-rog-ally-x-is-a-potential-steam-deck-killer/
- The Lenovo Legion Go S, powered by the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and SteamOS, nearly doubles the performance of the Steam Deck in benchmarks and offers much higher frame rates in demanding games.
- Real-world gaming examples show this gap, with Doom: The Dark Ages running at around 25 fps at 1200p on SteamOS with medium settings, while the Windows 11 Legion Go S variant with Ryzen Z2 Go achieves only 15 fps at the same settings even with frame generation enabled.
- SteamOS delivers superior performance even on battery power, matching AC power performance, while the Windows 11 version runs on a maxed-out power profile yet still lags behind.
- The SteamOS version of the Lenovo Legion Go S is recommended over the Windows version due to its improved performance and lightweight operating system with fewer background processes.
- Other portable devices running on Windows 11 have not been able to provide a better gaming experience compared to the Steam Deck, despite better components.
- In the rapidly evolving world of portable gaming, Microsoft and Asus are developing a potential threat to the Lenovo Legion Go S and the Steam Deck's dominance in the market with the ROG Xbox Ally X.
- In contrast to the Lenovo Legion Go S, the Steam Deck boasts an impressive 8-inch 120 Hz refresh rate display, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a MicroSD slot for up to an additional 2TB of gaming storage.
