Legion Go S: Valve releases SteamOS for other handhelds
Valve's Steam Deck operating system SteamOS can now also run on handhelds from independent manufacturers. The Legion Go S from Lenovo makes the start.
(Image: Lenovo)
Until now, Valve's Linux operating system SteamOS has primarily run on the Steam Deck. At CES, Valve has now announced that SteamOS can also be licensed for handheld PCs from independent manufacturers. Lenovo has announced the first of these “Powered by SteamOS” devices with the Legion Go S.
“We developed SteamOS to provide a seamless user experience optimized for gaming while maintaining access to the power and flexibility of a PC,” Valve writes in a news entry. According to Valve, the licensed version of SteamOS is the same version that runs on the Steam Deck itself. Valve has been preparing the wider availability of SteamOS for months. In the summer, for example, Valve added support for the ROG Ally buttons in the operating system.
“The team is continuing to work on adding support for more handhelds on SteamOS,” Valve designer Lawrence Yang told The Verge at the time. However, they are not yet ready to officially offer the Linux-based SteamOS developed for the Steam Deck for handhelds from the competition. In December, the first images of the now announced Legion Go S were finally leaked online. Users also discovered a “Powered by SteamOS” sticker for handhelds from third-party manufacturers in the Valve documentation.
SteamOS is open source
SteamOS is basically open source, but contains proprietary drivers. The Chinese manufacturer Ayaneo has already presented a handheld with a SteamOS fork, although this was developed without Valve's official blessing. Most manufacturers' handheld PCs use Windows as their operating system and, in case of doubt, develop their own interface, which serves as a control center for performance settings and game launch.
(Image:Â Lenovo)
The Legion Go S will also be launched in a Windows version: it will be available from January, while the SteamOS version is due to be launched in May. In terms of hardware, users can choose between different configurations. For example, they can decide between AMD's new Z2 chip and the Ryzen Z1 Extreme. There are also variants with LC and OLED displays. Lenovo has not published precise price breakdowns for its handhelds. The entry-level price is said to be 630 euros.
Heise Medien is the official media partner of CES 2025.
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