Head-to-head · Best Handheld Gaming PCs

Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS) vs MSI Claw 8

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

MSI Claw 8 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.2 vs 4.3). The gap is mostly about Handheld buyers who want the biggest screen and battery and can live with desktop Windows. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #5 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs

Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS)

4.2

4 sources1 derived$849.99as of Jul 31

The Lenovo Legion Go S gets pitched as the better Steam Deck, and its AMD Z1 Extreme chipset, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB 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 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

$849.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #4 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs

MSI Claw 8

4.3

2 sources$1,079as of Jul 1

The Claw 8 AI+ is MSI's second attempt and a much better one, built on Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V with Arc 140V graphics. HotHardware measured consistent gains over the first Claw and strong endurance from the 80Wh battery. The 8-inch 120Hz IPS panel is the biggest screen in this group. There is no OLED option at this price.

Strengths

— Strong APU performance with Intel Core Ultra 7 258V and Arc 140V graphics
— Large, smooth 8-inch 120Hz display with VRR support
— Comfortable and ergonomic design with scalloped grips and balanced weight

Watch-outs

— No OLED panel despite the price
— Full Windows 11 brings desktop clutter and software rough edges to a handheld
— Gyro aim is poorly tuned out of the box and needs hand-built sensitivity profiles

$1,079 · Check Price on Amazon Full 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

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.

MSI Claw 8

Bigger screen and more battery than the ROG Ally X, and at matched wattage roughly the same frame rates with better performance per watt. The Steam Deck OLED is cheaper, smaller and runs SteamOS rather than Windows 11, which for a lot of buyers settles the argument on its own. This is the option for people who want the large panel.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Lenovo Legion Go S (Z2 Go, SteamOS)	MSI Claw 8
Processor	AMD Z1 Extreme	Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
Display	8in WUXGA (1900 x 1200)	8in IPS (19201200 / 120Hz)
Memory	32GB	32GB LPDDR5X-8533
Storage	1TB M.2 SSD	Kioxia BG6 1TB
Battery	~55.5Wh	80WHr
Graphics	AMD Ryzen Z2 Go	Intel Arc 140V
Refresh Rate	120Hz	120Hz

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