Valve is expanding its reach in the handheld gaming market by allowing third-party devices to license SteamOS, beginning with Lenovo’s newly announced Legion Go S. The move marks the first time SteamOS, the operating system behind Valve’s popular Steam Deck, will be available on non-Valve hardware. Lenovo revealed the Legion Go S during CES 2025, offering gamers a streamlined way to access their Steam libraries on a different handheld.
The Legion Go S is a slimmer, lighter version of Lenovo’s 2023 Legion Go, yet it boasts notable improvements under the hood. The device will ship with SteamOS pre-installed, providing a smooth, intuitive interface tailored for handheld gaming. Valve also confirmed via The Verge that a beta version of SteamOS will soon be available for other handheld PCs, allowing gamers to download and test the OS on compatible devices.
Launching in May 2025 for US$499.99, the Legion Go S positions itself as a powerful competitor to other handheld PCs like the Asus ROG Ally. Its base model features an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme CPU, an 8-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200, and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz with VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) support. Additional features include two USB4 Type-C ports (up to 65 W charging speed), a headphone jack, a microSD card slot, and support for M.2 PCIe 2242 or 2280-size SSDs.
Lenovo’s design philosophy appears to borrow from the Steam Deck, incorporating fan-favourite elements while introducing its own innovations. For example, the Go S offers adjustable trigger sensitivity, programmable back paddles, and a fingerprint sensor for added security. However, it lacks touchpads, opting for an Xbox-style button layout instead.
For those seeking even higher performance, Lenovo offers a US$599.99 version of the Legion Go S, which includes the exclusive AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD. A Windows 11 version is also available, priced at US$729.99, with configurations offering up to 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage.
With SteamOS now accessible on third-party devices, Valve’s strategy to expand its ecosystem appears to be gaining momentum. The Legion Go S represents a significant step forward in bringing Steam’s massive game library to more players without the need for a dedicated Steam Deck. This collaboration between Valve and Lenovo could pave the way for even more innovations in the handheld gaming space.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Sylus from Love and Deepspace.
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