Valve’s Steam Deck has certainly made a splash in the world of handheld gaming PCs, largely thanks to the user-friendly SteamOS it runs on. It’s no surprise that others are looking to tap into this success, and Valve seems more than eager to lend a hand.
At CES 2025, Lenovo unveiled its latest handheld gaming PC, the Legion Go S, which proudly operates on Valve’s renowned system. This device comes with SteamOS pre-installed and boasts features like an 8-inch screen with variable refresh rate (VRR), Hall effect joysticks, adjustable trigger switches, and several other enticing elements you won’t find on any Steam Deck model.
Pricing for the Legion Go S starts at $499.99, with a launch set for May. This puts it on a competitive footing with the likes of the Asus ROG Ally and other high-performance handhelds. At its core, you’ll find an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme CPU paired with a 1,920 x 1,200 LCD display, capable of supporting a 120 Hz refresh rate with VRR, which beautifully syncs the screen’s refresh rate with the gaming frame rate to prevent screen tearing. The device includes a microSD card slot, two USB4 Type-C ports (supporting up to 65 W charging), a headphone jack, and it can accommodate additional storage via M.2 PCIe 2242 or 2280-size SSDs.
For those willing to spend a bit more, a $599.99 variant of the Legion Go S will also be available. This model, also running SteamOS, features Lenovo’s exclusive new AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD, according to the company’s press release.
Rather than veering too far from the Steam Deck’s successful formula, Lenovo has opted to take a page from Valve’s book with the Legion Go S. They’ve incorporated some familiar elements while adding appealing hardware upgrades sure to captivate gamers. Notably, there’s only one set of programmable back paddles on the grips, but the trigger throw can be customized for either a full pull or a quick click like a mouse. While there are no touchpads, Lenovo has gone for an Xbox-style layout with their sticks, D-pad, and buttons. Plus, they’ve included a fingerprint sensor right below the right analog stick for added security.
For those preferring Windows 11, Lenovo also offers a solution. A Windows version of the Legion Go S is set to hit the market this month. This $729.99 configuration will come first, equipped with the speedy AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD, followed by a $599.99 model in May, featuring the Z2 Go, 16 GB of RAM, and the same 1 TB of storage.
