Valve's SteamOS Expands to New Territories

Lenovo Legion Go S: The First Third-Party SteamOS Handheld

Lenovo's upcoming Legion Go S gaming handheld marks a significant milestone: it's the first non-Valve device to ship with SteamOS. This collaboration expands SteamOS beyond the Steam Deck, offering consumers a new choice in handheld PC gaming.

The Legion Go S, launching in May 2025 for $499, will feature Valve's optimized Linux-based SteamOS, promising a smoother, console-like experience compared to Windows-based competitors like the Asus ROG Ally X and MSI Claw 8 AI+. This advantage stems from SteamOS's inherent suitability for portable devices, unlike Windows, which often requires more optimization for handheld use. Valve has been actively pursuing third-party SteamOS implementations for some time, and the Legion Go S represents the culmination of these efforts.

Revealed at CES 2025 alongside the higher-spec Legion Go 2, the Legion Go S boasts a lighter, more compact design while maintaining comparable performance to its predecessor. The $499 price point includes 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

Lenovo Legion Go S Specifications:

SteamOS Version:

• Operating System: Valve's SteamOS (Linux-based)
• Launch Date: May 2025
• Price: $499 (16GB RAM / 512GB storage)

Windows Version:

• Operating System: Windows 11
• Launch Date: January 2025
• Price: $599 (16GB RAM / 1TB storage), $729 (32GB RAM / 1TB storage)

Valve guarantees feature parity between the SteamOS Legion Go S and the Steam Deck, ensuring identical software updates (excluding hardware-specific adjustments). A Windows 11 version of the Legion Go S will also be available, offering a more familiar operating system at a higher price point. While currently exclusive to the Legion Go S, Lenovo's success with the SteamOS version could influence future SteamOS adoption by other manufacturers. Furthermore, Valve plans a public SteamOS beta in the coming months for users of other handheld gaming PCs. Currently, Lenovo holds the exclusive license for a Valve-approved SteamOS handheld.