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Head-to-head · Best Handheld Gaming PCs

GPD Win 3 vs Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS)

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

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The short answer

Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS) comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.2 vs 4.0). The gap is mostly about Performance-focused SteamOS gamers — read the strengths below before deciding.

GPD Win 3
Ranked #6 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs
GPD Win 3
2 sourcesall derived

The GPD Win 3 is a Windows PC the size of a handheld: a 5.5-inch 720p touchscreen that slides up to reveal a keyboard, running Intel's 11th gen Tiger Lake-U processor with Iris Xe graphics. Reviewers described a Switch-like design with an integrated controller that switches between gamepad and mouse modes. Performance is solid for something this small, but users reported poor controller button feedback and accidental key presses while sliding the screen. Portable gaming and productivity tasks fit it; long typing sessions don't.

Strengths
  • — 5.5-inch 720p touchscreen with sliding keyboard design
  • — Intel Tiger Lake-U processor (i5-1135G7 or i7-1165G7) with integrated Iris Xe graphics
  • — 16 GB LPDDR4X RAM running at 4,266 MHz for improved gaming performance
Watch-outs
  • — Controller buttons have weak feedback compared to Sony DualShock or Nintendo Switch
  • — Display sliding mechanism occasionally registers unintended key presses during use
Full review →
Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS)
Higher ratedRanked #4 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs
Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS)
4 sources1 derived

The Lenovo Legion Go S gets pitched as the better Steam Deck, and its AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chip, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD back that up on portable AAA gaming. PCMag's Zackery Cuevas called it a 'better Steam Deck' that surpasses expectations, and digitalchumps reviewer Will Silberman watched it run demanding titles like The Last of Us Part II smoothly. Reviewers criticized the loud fan noise and the limitation that blocks background game updates during sleep mode. Gamers who want SteamOS compatibility and high performance should look; anyone who values quiet operation or battery efficiency shouldn't.

Strengths
  • — Runs graphically intensive games smoothly with consistent framerates
  • — Features an 8in WUXGA LCD touchscreen with 120Hz refresh rate and VRR
  • — Powered by AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chip with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD
Watch-outs
  • — Fan runs loudly even during light usage
  • — Game installation and updates cannot be done while device is in sleep mode
Buy at bestbuy.comFull review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

GPD Win 3

The GPD Win 3 offers a unique sliding keyboard design and Windows compatibility, unlike the Steam Deck OLED or Valve Steam Deck OLED which are Linux-based. However, it lacks the performance of the MSI Claw 8 and Lenovo Legion Go S, and its controller feedback is inferior to the ASUS ROG Ally X's button layout.

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 Ryzen Z2 Go chip, 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.

Specs side-by-side

SpecGPD Win 3Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS)
ProcessorIntel Core i5-1135G7 or i7-1165G7AMD Ryzen Z2 Go
Display5.5-inch 1280 x 7208in WUXGA (1920 x 1200)
Memory16 GB LPDDR4X16GB LPDDR5X
Storage1 TB NVMe SSD512GB M.2 SSD
Battery44 Wh~55.5Wh
GraphicsIntel Iris Xe Graphics G7Integrated AMD Radeon Graphics
Refresh Rate60 Hz120Hz
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