AMD Ryzen Z2 Go Compared to Z1 Extreme: Lenovo Legion Go & ASUS ROG Ally X Show 10% Performance Difference

The upcoming Lenovo Legion Go S handheld, powered by the Ryzen Z2 Go processor, has been tested to show approximately a 10% performance deficit compared to the ROG Ally X across various power settings in three popular gaming titles.

Performance Breakdown: Ryzen Z2 Go vs. Competitors

As Lenovo ventures into the budget gaming handheld market with the Legion Go S, it’s important to note that while it won’t outperform the Legion Go 2, it also falls short of more advanced options like the ROG Ally X. The Legion Go S is equipped with a processor that leverages the Zen 4 architecture, placing it in a competitive yet modest segment of the handheld gaming landscape.

In contrast, the Ryzen Z2 Extreme, slated for the Legion Go 2, will utilize the more advanced Zen 5 architecture. This raises expectations for that device, setting the Legion Go S a notch below the latest handhelds that employ Zen 5 technology, such as the OneXFly F1 Pro. Recent comparisons emphasize these performance gaps, revealing the strengths and limitations of Lenovo’s new budget offering.

Comparative Analysis with ROG Ally X

A YouTube review by Fps Vn highlights the differences between the Legion Go S and the ROG Ally X just ahead of the Legion Go S’s imminent release. The ROG Ally X is powered by the more capable Z1 Extreme chip, which is also based on Zen 4 architecture. It boasts 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Ryzen Z2 Go offers only 4 cores and 8 threads (2 Zen 4 cores + 2 Zen 4c cores). Despite its fewer cores and a boost clock of 4.3 GHz compared to the Z1 Extreme’s 5.1 GHz, the Z2 Go remains competitively close in performance.

Frame Rate Comparisons Across Titles

When evaluating game performance, the Legion Go S holds its ground in several titles:

Black Myth: Wukong
36 fps vs 40 fps at 15W
30 fps vs 32 fps at 20W
60 fps vs 64 fps at 30W
Cyberpunk 2077
Approximately 50 fps vs 54 fps at 15W
45 fps vs 47 fps at 20W
61 fps vs 66 fps at 30W
Ghost of Tsushima
62 fps vs 66 fps at 15W
48 fps vs 52 fps at 20W
62 fps vs 66 fps at 30W

These figures indicate a performance gap of around 9-10%, which is quite impressive for a device targeting budget-conscious gamers. The estimated pricing for the Legion Go S is set at $599 for the Windows version and $499 for the Steam OS configuration, significantly undercutting the ROG Ally X, which debuted at $799. This positioning offers gamers an attractive price-to-performance ratio, making the Legion Go S a compelling choice in the current market.