SteamOS Is Officially Launching on a System That\'s Not By Valve

Summary

• Lenovo recently revealed that its upcoming Legion Go S gaming handheld will ship with Valve's SteamOS operating system.
• Valve has been working to expand SteamOS to third-party devices for quite some time, and the Lenovo Legion Go S is the very first implementation of the same.
• The SteamOS-powered Lenovo Legion Go S will cost $499 and launch in May 2025.

Lenovo's newly announced Legion Go S marks a significant milestone as the first third-party handheld gaming PC to feature Valve's SteamOS operating system. Previously exclusive to the Steam Deck, SteamOS is now expanding to devices from other manufacturers, starting with the Lenovo Legion Go S.

The Steam Deck has always distinguished itself in the competitive handheld gaming market, which includes powerful contenders like the Asus ROG Ally X and MSI Claw 8 AI+. While other devices rely on Windows, which isn't fully optimized for portable gaming, the Steam Deck's Linux-based SteamOS offers a smoother, more console-like experience. This unique advantage of SteamOS has been a key differentiator, and Valve has been working diligently to bring this operating system to third-party devices. That effort has now culminated in the Legion Go S.

Recent leaks suggested that an upcoming variant of the Lenovo Legion Go S would ship with SteamOS pre-installed, and these claims were confirmed at CES 2025. Lenovo unveiled two new Legion Go handhelds: the Legion Go 2, a direct successor to the original Legion Go, and the Legion Go S, which offers similar performance in a lighter, more compact form factor. The Legion Go S introduces greater consumer choice by offering a version powered by SteamOS.

Lenovo Legion Go S Handheld Gaming PC Details

SteamOS Version

• Powered by Valve's Linux-based SteamOS operating system
• Launching in May 2025 at a price of $499
• Available in a single configuration with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage

Windows Version

• Equipped with Windows 11
• Launching earlier in January 2025
• Available in two configurations: $599 for 16GB RAM and 1TB storage, and $729 for 32GB RAM and 1TB storage

The SteamOS version of the Lenovo Legion Go S will be available for $499 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage starting in May 2025. Valve has confirmed that the SteamOS on the Legion Go S will have full feature parity with the Steam Deck, ensuring that all SteamOS devices receive the same software updates, with only hardware-specific adjustments. For those who prefer Windows, Lenovo will offer a Windows 11 version of the Legion Go S, which will launch in January 2025. This version starts at $599 for 16GB RAM and 1TB storage, and goes up to $729 for 32GB RAM and 1TB storage. As for the flagship Legion Go 2, Lenovo currently has no plans to include SteamOS, though this could change based on the demand for the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S.

Currently, Lenovo is the sole manufacturer collaborating with Valve for a licensed SteamOS device. However, Valve has announced that a public beta of SteamOS will soon be available for other handheld gaming devices, such as the Asus ROG Ally. This was confirmed in a Steam blog post released alongside the Lenovo Legion Go S announcement, indicating that users of other handhelds will be able to experience SteamOS in the coming months.