SteamOS Expands Beyond Steam Deck: The Legion Go S Is the First Officially Licensed Third-Party Handheld Powered by Valve’s Open-Source Linux Distribution

(PR) (Valve) With Lenovo’s announcement at CES 2025 of the Lenovo Legion Go S, we are pleased to share that their “Powered by SteamOS” model is the first handheld officially licensed to ship with Valve’s SteamOS. We built this operating system to provide a seamless user experience optimized for gaming, while retaining access to the power and flexibility of a PC. SteamOS is the same operating system we run on Steam Deck, and the team is making updates to ensure it fully supports the Lenovo Legion Go S and provides the same seamless experience customers expect.

In addition, the same work that we are doing to support the Lenovo Legion Go S will improve compatibility with other handhelds. Ahead of Legion Go S shipping, we will be shipping a beta of SteamOS which should improve the experience on other handhelds, and users can download and test this themselves. And of course we’ll continue adding support and improving the experience with future releases.

Frequently-asked questions:

What is SteamOS?

SteamOS is an operating system built by Valve. It features a seamless user experience optimized for gaming, while retaining access to the power and flexibility of a PC, and plays tens of thousands of games on Steam. SteamOS currently officially ships on Steam Deck and will soon ship with certain Legion Go S models. Valve is working on SteamOS support for more devices in the future.

What are the key benefits of SteamOS?

SteamOS is optimized for gaming and provides a console-like experience that’s meant to be used with a controller. It offers features like quick suspend / resume to get you quickly in and out of games, and offers seamless system and game updates.

What is the user experience of SteamOS?

SteamOS puts the player directly into Steam, with access to the full Steam ecosystem – your Steam Library, Steam Cloud, Steam Chat, Steam Game Recording, and more. The user interface is optimized for controller use and it’s easy to install and play Steam games. Best of all, users don’t have to worry about driver updates and hardware tweaks – all of this is handled seamlessly through built in system updates.

Can this run every game on Steam?

SteamOS is Linux based, and the vast majority of the Steam library runs on SteamOS, thanks to the Proton compatibility layer Valve ships. This allows developers to ship games for Windows without worrying about porting to Linux, and games will seamlessly work on SteamOS. When a game doesn’t run well on SteamOS, we call it out with our Verified program so customers know what will and won’t work well.

Is this the same operating system that is on Steam Deck?

Yes, it’s the same operating system that Steam Deck runs.

Is a user locked into playing only Steam games?

No, if players wish to they can go to desktop mode and install other game launchers and software if they wish. 

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(PR) (Lenovo) Lenovo announced the latest additions to its Lenovo Legion ecosystem of gaming devices, accessories, and software today at CES 2025, delivering a deep bench of devices across a wide range of form-factors that give gamers of all levels powerful options to game their way in pursuit of ‘reaching their impossible’. These new devices include:

• The Lenovo Legion Go S (8”, 1) and Lenovo Legion Go S (8”, 1) – Powered by SteamOS, gaming handheld devices featuring an 8-inch screen with VRR support, a chassis sporting fused TrueStrike controllers with adjustable trigger switches and hall-effect joysticks, and the world’s first officially licensed handheld powered by SteamOS.
• The Lenovo Legion Go (8.8”, 2), a gaming handheld prototype device planned to feature a native landscape OLED display, up to double the RAM compared to previous generation, and a bigger battery.

“Lenovo’s vision for gaming has always been to deliver the most powerful and innovative technology, empowering gamers to play their way at their best. With groundbreaking devices like the Legion Go S, the world’s first officially licensed handheld powered by SteamOS, and our redesigned Legion Pro laptops featuring stunning OLED displays, we’re redefining what gaming experiences can be,” said Jun Ouyang, Lenovo’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Consumer Segment, Intelligent Devices Group. “These innovations are designed with competitive gamers and gaming students in mind, providing the performance, adaptability, and versatility needed to excel both in the game and in academic fields like STEM. By combining cutting-edge hardware, gamer-focused AI-powered software, and new form factors, Lenovo Legion is empowering the next generation of gamers to push boundaries and achieve their goals.”

Expanding the Lenovo Legion Go Family

The new Lenovo Legion Go S (8”, 1) Windows-based handheld is the choice for gamers who want to play their favorite games wherever they go. Featuring an 8” WUXGA 16:10 120Hz PureSight touch display, either the exclusive to Lenovo Legion Go AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor or AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, up to 32GB of 7500Mhz LPDDR5X RAM, and a 3-cell 55.5Whr battery, the Lenovo Legion Go S (8”, 1) is built to play PC games in a portable package at just 1.61lbs. (730g), ready to be whipped out on a plane, train, automobile or anywhere in between. Wi-Fi 6e support, a pair of USB 4 ports on the top, and a microSD card reader make it easy to connect a display and other peripherals, making the Lenovo Legion Go S (8”, 1) a modular device capable of handling home gaming duties when not on the road.

Available also is the world’s first officially licensed handheld powered by SteamOS—the Lenovo Legion Go S (8”, 1) – Powered by SteamOS. This new handheld combines the powerhouse features of the Lenovo Legion Go S (8”, 1) with the flexibility and console-like experience of SteamOS, Valve’s operating system that is optimized for gaming. Featuring cloud saves that mean a seamless transition between PC gaming and handheld, Remote Play that streams games to the device from a PC, full Steam Store and Steam Library access, the Lenovo Legion Go S (8”, 1) Powered by SteamOS is a big step forward in freedom of choice for gamers who are looking for an OS that is optimized for handheld gaming.

Lenovo Legion Go (8.8”, 2) Prototype Unveiled

The first generation of the Lenovo Legion Go, introduced at IFA 2023, set a new standard for handheld gaming, earning praise for its 8.8” display, detachable TrueStrike controllers, robust kickstand, and dual USB Type-C ports. This year, Lenovo is excited to unveil the prototype of the Lenovo Legion Go (8.8”, 2), showcasing the latest innovations inspired by feedback from Legion fans and sporting top-tier specs for competitive gamers who demand the most out of their handhelds. While final production details are still being refined, the prototype features up to the new AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor with RDNA 3.5 graphics and up to 32GB of 7500Mhz LPDDR5X RAM, as well as a native landscape 8.8” 16:10 144Hz 500nit OLED PureSight touch display with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support for stunning visuals and smooth gameplay.

The prototype also highlights ergonomic refinements, including rounded Lenovo Legion TrueStrike controllers with a circular D-pad for faster, more accurate inputs. With up to 2TB of SSD storage and a 74Whr battery, the Lenovo Legion Go (8.8”, 2) prototype showcases Lenovo’s vision for the future of handheld gaming, designed to deliver premium, immersive experiences in a compact and lightweight form factor for competitive gamers that need top-tier specs and no-compromise performance. Stay tuned as Lenovo prepares to bring this exciting innovation to life for gamers worldwide in 2025.

Specifications

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