Lenovo Legion Go S is the closest we have to a Steam Deck 2
Have a look at the first handheld to use SteamOS that isn't the Steam Deck
Valve keeps telling us not to expect a Steam Deck 2 any time soon, but the Lenovo Go S could make a tidy substitute.
The Lenovo Go S will be the first non-Steam-Deck handheld to launch with SteamOS rather than Windows 11, providing similarly-greased ease of use as you get with the Deck.
This SteamOS version is due to arrive in May, although a Windows version of the handheld will touch down this very month, January 2025. According to The Verge, some final optimisations are holding up the non-Windows version’s release.
Lenovo is the first of Valve’s partners to announce a handheld gaming PC with SteamOS, although Valve has previously intimated it plans to work with multiple companies on such gadgets.
The good news is the Steam version of the Lenovo Go S will be cheaper than the Windows 11 one, at $499.
Its spec is a bit lower too, but we’re not getting too bad a deal: 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD and AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor in tow. UK pricing is still to be confirmed.
That CPU is the least powerful in a new trio just announced by AMD. But it will still be a good bit punchier for gaming all-round than the Steam Deck.
Other notable features include an 8-inch 120Hz screen with 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution — an LCD rather than an OLED — and stick drift free Hall effect analogue sticks.
Can’t wait for the SteamOS version? There’s a Windows variant for £649.99/$729.99 with a whopping 32GB RAM and 1TB storage coming this month.
Only the best will do? Go 2
Lenovo also gave us a look at its upcoming Legion Go 2 PC handheld during CES 2025. It’s going to have a huge 8.8-inch OLED screen with variable refresh rate, detachable controllers like its predecessor and a kickstand. And you can bet it'll cost more than the Legion Go S.
Perhaps surprising, it’s heading for a screen resolution reduction too, from 1440p in the first generation to 1200p in the Legion Go 2. Well, 1400p was kinda screen pixel overkill in the first place at this size.
What we’re most interested in, though, is how SteamOS feels on third-party handhelds like the Legion Go S given how much additions like community control profiles and approachable hardware controls add to the trusty Steam Deck experience. Tune back in come May for an update.