Until now, Valve’s Linux operating system SteamOS could primarily run on the Steam Deck. As part of CES, Valve has now announced that SteamOS can also be licensed for handheld PCs from independent manufacturers. Lenovo announced the first of these “powered by SteamOS” devices with the Legion Go S.
Advertisement
“We’ve designed SteamOS to deliver a seamless, gaming-optimized user experience while maintaining access to the power and flexibility of a PC.” Valve writes in the news entryAccording to Valve, the licensed version of SteamOS is the same version that runs on the Steam Deck itself. Valve has been preparing for the wide availability of SteamOS for several months. Over the summer, Valve added support for the ROG Ally button to the operating system.
“The team continues to work on adding support for more handheld devices on SteamOS,” Valve designer Lawrence Yang said at the time. told The VergeHowever, they are not yet ready to officially introduce the Linux-based SteamOS developed for the Steam Deck for the competition handheld. In December, the first images of the now-announced Legion Go S finally leaked online. Users also discovered a “Powered by SteamOS” sticker in Valve documentation for third-party handhelds.
SteamOS is open source
SteamOS is originally open source, but includes proprietary drivers. Chinese manufacturer Ayaneo has already introduced a handheld with a SteamOS fork, which, however, was developed without Valve’s official blessing. Handheld PCs from most manufacturers use Windows as the operating system and, if in doubt, develop their own interface that acts as a control center for display settings and starting games.
Lenovo’s Legion Go S can be ordered with SteamOS or Windows.
(Image: Lenovo)
The Legion Go S is also hitting the market in a Windows version: it will be available from January, while the SteamOS version is due to hit the market in May. When it comes to hardware, users can choose between different configurations. You can choose between AMD’s new Z2 chip and the Ryzen Z1 Extreme. There are also variants with LC and OLED displays. Lenovo has not published exact pricing details for its handheld. The entry level price should be 630 euros.
Heise Median is the Official Media Partner of CES 2025.
(There)
