SteamOS is slowly becoming a Windows alternative for handheld gaming devices. After turning on Steam Deck Along with SteamOS, its own operating system, Valve is now partnering with third-party manufacturers to release gaming handhelds with SteamOS support.
Tuesday, Lenovo unveiling Legion Go SA CES 2025. Unlike its predecessor, the Legion Go, this gaming handheld has a more traditional form-factor with a large, 8-inch display flanked by controllers on each side of the screen. Gone is the detachable controller and kickstand on the back of the device.
But the most interesting part of the device is that it comes in multiple configurations. Customers can decide between two AMD chipsets: Newly announced Budget processors Ryzen Z2 Go, and Ryzen Z1 Extreme which Lenovo is already using for Legion Go. For Asus using Z1 Extreme ROG Ally X.
Similarly, customers can decide whether they want to buy the Legion Go S with SteamOS pre-installed or Windows 11. While SteamOS is a much better experience for a gaming handheld with a better interface, it's a better one out-of-the-box. experience, and better support for sleep/wake, some customers may prefer Windows if they download games through Xbox Game Pass or their favorite multiplayer games rely only on Windows-anti-cheat software.
The Z2 Go version will be available for $599 with Windows 11, or $499 with SteamOS, while the Z1 Extreme version will cost $729. Lenovo is releasing the Z1 Extreme version in January, while the Z2 Go configuration will be available in May 2025. The entry-level device will come with 16GB of RAM, while $729 has 32GB of RAM.
In terms of specifications, the 8-inch display has a 16:10 aspect ratio and supports a resolution of up to 1920×1200 with a variable refresh rate of 120Hz. The Legion Go S comes with a 55Wh battery, two USB 4 ports and a microSD slot. The device weighs 730g (1.61 pounds) and comes with a very small touchpad for navigating the desktop interface.
Lenovo plans to update the original Legion Go and it even displayed An early prototype of the Legion Go 2 at CES 2025. The idea is that Legion Go S and Legion Go will be two separate products that will be updated each time.
While you might consider the Legion Go S a Steam Deck competitor, keep in mind that Valve collaborated with Lenovo to modify SteamOS for the new machine. Valve takes a cut of every Steam purchase, and the company feels that growing the Steam ecosystem is more important than becoming the next big console maker.