Lenovo Legion Go S: SteamOS Arrives on a Third-Party Handheld

Lenovo's upcoming Legion Go S gaming handheld will be the first non-Valve device to launch with Valve's SteamOS pre-installed. This marks a significant expansion for SteamOS, previously exclusive to the Steam Deck.

The Lenovo Legion Go S, priced at $499, will debut in May 2025 with a 16GB RAM/512GB storage configuration. This SteamOS version offers a smooth, console-like experience, a key advantage over Windows-based competitors like the Asus ROG Ally X and MSI Claw 8 AI+, which can struggle with portable optimization. Valve has been actively pursuing third-party SteamOS adoption for years, and the Legion Go S represents the culmination of those efforts.

Revealed at CES 2025 alongside the higher-spec Legion Go 2, the Legion Go S offers a more compact and lighter design while maintaining comparable performance to its predecessor. The dual-OS approach—SteamOS and Windows 11—provides consumers with greater choice. The Windows 11 version, launching in January 2025, will offer configurations starting at $599 (16GB RAM/1TB storage) and reaching $729 (32GB RAM/1TB storage). While the Legion Go 2 currently lacks SteamOS support, future plans may change depending on the Legion Go S's market reception.

Valve assures full feature parity between the Steam Deck and the Legion Go S's SteamOS version, ensuring identical software updates (excluding hardware-specific adjustments). Lenovo's partnership is currently unique, but Valve's announcement of a public SteamOS beta for other handhelds in the coming months opens the door for wider adoption.