The main difference between the Legion Go S and the Steam Deck is size.
The Legion Go S measures 299 x 127 x 23 mm and weighs 727 g; the Steam Deck measures 298 x 117 x 49 mm and weighs 674 g.
Other differences
- The Legion Go S has a 8.0 inch screen against 7.0 inches on the Steam Deck.
- The Steam Deck carries a 5,200 mAh battery, the Legion Go S 55 mAh.
- The Legion Go S runs on the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go, the Steam Deck on the AMD Aerith.
Which is better
Which fits in a pocket better?
Legion Go SThe Legion Go S (299 x 127 x 23 mm, 727 g). The Steam Deck is 298 x 117 x 49 mm, 674 g. Neither fits a jeans pocket; think jacket pocket or bag.
Which is better for PS2 games, the Legion Go S or the Steam Deck?
TieAbout the same: 100 and 100 out of 100.
Which costs less?
Steam DeckThe Steam Deck, at about $399 at launch against $499. Prices today vary by store and the used market.
Which is better for GBA games?
Steam DeckThe Steam Deck. GBA games fill 94% of the Steam Deck's screen at 5x with even pixels, against 82% of the Legion Go S's screen at 7x.
Which has the bigger battery?
Steam DeckThe Steam Deck, at 5,200 mAh against 55 mAh. That is capacity only: the chips differ, and the heavier the system you play, the faster either one drains.
Side by side
| Legion Go S | Steam Deck | |
|---|---|---|
| Launch price | $499 | $399 |
| Released | Feb 2025 | Feb 2022 |
| Plays well up to | Wii U | Wii U |
| Shape | Horizontal | Horizontal |
| Software | Windows or Linux | Windows or Linux |
| Chip | AMD Ryzen Z2 Go | AMD Aerith |
| Memory | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Screen | 8.0 inch IPS 16:10 | 7.0 inch LCD 16:10 |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1280 x 800 |
| Battery | 55 mAh | 5,200 mAh |
| Weight | 727 g | 674 g |
| Size | 299 x 127 x 23 mm | 298 x 117 x 49 mm |
| Analog sticks | Double, asymmetrical | Double, symmetrical |
| Hall effect sticks | Yes | ? |
| L2 and R2 | Yes, stacked | Yes, stacked |
| Analog triggers | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Video out | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone jack | Yes | Yes |
Green marks the better value where one is clearly better. Prices are launch prices.
Emulation
- Legion Go SSteam Deck
- Game Boy
- NES
- Genesis
- GBA
- SNES
- PS1
- DS
- N64
- Dreamcast
- PSP
- Saturn
- GameCube
- 3DS
- Wii
- PS2
- Switch
- Wii U
- PS3
100 means the system runs at full speed with no known issues.
Full details
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More comparisons
Why this pair: buyers weigh these two against each other. 40 comments by 36 different people compare them in community discussions, and 8 post titles name both. Specs, emulation scores and launch prices from the retrocatalog.com handheld database.