Use the Legion Go S thermal modes correctly on Windows or SteamOS, and keep a selected TDP separate from measured game performance.
Published September 26, 2026Updated September 26, 2026
Category
Performance
Difficulty
Beginner
Reading time
4 min
Published
September 26, 2026
HandheldAtlas guide
Complete walkthrough
This guide applies to Lenovo Legion Go S 8ARP1 models. It does not apply to the original Legion Go or Legion Go Gen 2, whose controls and supported ranges may differ.
The four thermal modes
Lenovo documents the same four thermal modes for the Windows and SteamOS editions of Legion Go S:
Performance — 30 W. Lenovo recommends it while plugged in when maximum performance matters and higher fan noise is acceptable.
Balance — 15 W. Intended for battery use and mixed workloads.
Quiet — 10 W. Prioritizes lower power use and quieter operation.
Custom — 5–40 W. Lets you select a TDP limit for a specific use case.
These values describe selected thermal limits. They do not prove sustained package power, average FPS or battery life in any game.
Windows: Legion Space and OS power mode are separate
To change the thermal mode on Windows, open the Performance section in Legion Space or press Legion L + Y. For Custom mode, use the slider in Legion Space to select a value from 5 to 40 W.
Windows also exposes a separate OS power mode under Settings → System → Power & battery, and Lenovo mirrors it in Legion Space. Its choices are Best performance, Balanced and Best power efficiency. This Windows policy is not the same control as the 30/15/10 W thermal-mode selector. Record both when documenting a test.
SteamOS: use Quick Access
On the SteamOS edition, press Quick Access Key + Y to cycle through the thermal modes. To set a custom value, open the Performance section of the Quick Access Menu, enable TDP Limit and choose the value.
SteamOS does not use the Windows OS power-mode path above. When sharing settings, identify the operating system instead of saying only “Performance mode.”
A reproducible comparison
Before comparing modes:
1Record the exact Legion Go S processor variant and operating system.
2Keep the game resolution, graphics preset, upscaling, frame generation and frame cap unchanged.
3Keep the same power source. A plugged-in 30 W run should not be compared directly with a battery run.
4Use the same repeatable route or built-in benchmark.
5Capture a measured average and frametime evidence where possible; do not treat one overlay reading as an average.
6Note the selected thermal mode and, on Windows, the separate OS power mode.
7Watch temperatures and fan behavior, then return to a lower-power mode if the extra performance is not useful.
What this guide does not claim
This is an official-control reference, not a tested game preset. It does not promise a particular frame rate, battery runtime or sustained power draw. A HandheldAtlas preset or benchmark still needs evidence for the exact device, game, resolution, graphics settings, upscaling and frame-generation state.
Sources and scope
Sources checked September 26, 2026:
Lenovo — Legion Go S 8ARP1 Windows user guide
https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/pubs/legion_go_s_8arp1/user_guide/en/go_s_win.html
Lenovo — Legion Go S 8ARP1 SteamOS user guide
https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/pubs/legion_go_s_8arp1/user_guide/en/go_s_steam.html
The cover is Lenovo's official Legion Go S SteamOS product illustration. It is not performance evidence.
