Legion Go S vs. ROG Ally X: Ryzen Z2 Go lags 10% behind Ryzen Z1 Extreme

AMD has just rolled out its latest offering, the Ryzen Z2 Go APU, sparking plenty of curiosity about its performance relative to the earlier Ryzen Z1 series. Fortunately, our thirst for details was quenched by Fps VN, who released FPS test results for the Lenovo Legion Go S and the Asus ROG Ally X across a trio of games, tested under varied power settings.

Lenovo’s new release, the Legion Go S, is powered by the Ryzen Z2 Go APU, which has half the number of cores found in the Z1 Extreme. This chip is built on the Zen 3+ architecture rather than Zen 4, and it offers lower base (3.0 GHz versus 3.3 GHz) and boost (4.3 GHz versus 5.1 GHz) clock speeds. Despite these specs, Lenovo opted for the Ryzen Z2 Go for its most recent handheld gaming devices, leaving us eager to see how it stands up against AMD’s previous powerhouse, the Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip.

Before we delve into performance statistics, let’s quickly compare the broader specs of both devices. Unveiled at CES 2025, the Lenovo Legion Go S is driven by an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor coupled with 16GB of LPDDR5X-6400 memory. It boasts a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD for storage, alongside an eight-inch, 120 Hz, 1920×1200 IPS display. Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Ally X, which hit the market in mid-2024, features the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip paired with 24GB of LPDDR5 memory. It comes equipped with a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD and a seven-inch, 120 Hz, 1920×1080 IPS screen.

### Game Performance

| Game Title (Settings) | Lenovo Legion Go S (Average FPS) | Asus ROG Ally X (Average FPS) |
|———————–|———————————-|——————————|
| Black Myth Wukong (720p Medium 15W) | 36 | 40 |
| Black Myth Wukong (1080p Low FSR 20W) | 30 | 32 |
| Black Myth Wukong (1080p Low FSR 30W) | 60 | 64 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (720p Medium 15W) | 50 | 54 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p Low FSR 20W) | 45 | 47 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p Medium FSR 30W) | 61 | 66 |
| Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut (720p Medium 15W) | 62 | 66 |
| Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut (1080p Medium FSR 20W) | 48 | 52 |
| Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut (1080p Medium FSR 30W) | 62 | 66 |

Looking at the data, the Z1 Extreme inside the Asus ROG Ally X typically edges out the Z2 Go within the Lenovo Legion Go S, as anticipated given its double core count and higher clock speeds. Adding to its advantage is twice the L3 cache and a newer 780M integrated GPU compared to the Z2 Go’s 680M.

However, across these games, the differences are modest, averaging only about 4 FPS higher on the ROG Ally X compared to the Legion Go S. Based on these benchmarks, the Ryzen Z2 Go shows around 10 percent reduced performance compared to the Ryzen Z1 Extreme.

We thought there’d be a more pronounced gap considering the Ally X’s extra 8GB of memory and slightly smaller, lower resolution screen, which would mean fewer pixels to handle. Yet, it seems like AMD and Lenovo have fine-tuned the Z2 Go to deliver solid performance despite the usual power constraints of handheld gaming devices.

When it comes to pricing, the Asus ROG Ally X costs $799, while the Lenovo Legion Go comes with a slightly lower price tag of $729. Ultimately, the Z1 Extreme-powered Ally X does provide superior performance in numbers. However, the decision might tip in favor of the Legion Go for gamers attracted to its larger display and more budget-friendly pricing, especially since most users aren’t likely to notice the slight 4 FPS difference.

And there you have it—a dive into the latest from Lenovo and AMD, dissecting the specs, performance, and what might influence gamers’ choices in a bustling handheld market.