A year ago, Lenovo made a quiet but essential move. It became the first company besides Valve to announce a handheld PC running SteamOS instead of Windows. The result was the Legion Go S with SteamOS. It wasn’t a Steam Deck killer. The price was high, and the battery life was only okay. But it proved something mattered: SteamOS made powerful handheld hardware feel faster, simpler, and more console-like.
Now Lenovo is doing it again, this time at the top of its lineup.
At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Lenovo announced it will bring SteamOS to the [Legion Go 2](https://amzn.to/4aIrRzP), its flagship handheld with detachable Switch-style controllers and the most advanced screen ever put in a handheld PC. The SteamOS version goes on sale in June, starting at $1,199. Hardware specs remain unchanged from the Windows model.
That’s a steep price. And it’s a long wait.
Lenovo already launched the Windows version of the Legion Go 2 at the end of October. By the time the SteamOS model ships, the device will be seven or eight months old. That’s a much longer gap than last time. The Legion Go S only gave Windows a three-month head start.
Timing matters more now, too. By early summer, we may see handhelds built around Intel’s upcoming Panther Lake chips. Even today, Intel’s Lunar Lake has shown better performance in some games than the Legion Go 2’s AMD Z2 Extreme.
On paper, that puts Lenovo at a disadvantage.
But specs aren’t the whole story.
Switching from Windows to SteamOS can deliver a real performance bump on the same hardware. Less overhead, faster resume, fewer background tasks. Games load quicker. Controls just work. You press the power button, and you’re playing.
That matters even more on a premium device like the Legion Go 2, where Lenovo’s ambitions go far beyond raw frame rates.
This is the only handheld on the market with a variable refresh rate OLED display. Games look stunning. Blacks are deep. Motion is smooth. It’s also one of the few handhelds that truly doubles as a tablet, thanks to a sturdy integrated kickstand and well-shaped detachable wireless controllers that are comfortable even when used separately on a tray table.
Then there’s the odd but clever trick: one controller includes a built-in FPS mouse. Snap on the puck, slide it across a table, and you’ve got mouse control without carrying extra gear. It’s weird. It’s niche. And it works better than you’d expect.
They once called the original Legion Go “the Swiss Army knife of handhelds,” and the Legion Go 2 earns that title all over again.
It’s not perfect. It’s heavy. The extra mouse buttons under your fingers can feel awkward when gripping the system. Extended sessions can be tiring. But there’s no denying how much it can do, or how many different ways you can use it.
If you’re curious, you don’t even have to wait for Lenovo. You can already install Bazzite on a Legion Go 2 for a near-SteamOS experience. Detachable controllers work. RGB lighting works. It’s a solid preview of what Lenovo is officially shipping in June.
Lenovo isn’t abandoning Windows, either. The Legion Go 2 is being prepared for Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox Full Screen Experience on Windows 11. You can force-install it today, but Lenovo says the official rollout should arrive this spring. That could make the Windows version feel far more console-like than it does now.
Between SteamOS and a more gaming-focused Windows mode, Lenovo is clearly hedging its bets.
The Legion Go 2 with SteamOS won’t be for everyone. The price alone ensures that. And by the time it ships, faster chips may already be on the horizon.
But Lenovo isn’t chasing the cheapest or smallest handheld. It’s building the most flexible one. A handheld. A tablet. A mini desktop. A couch console. A travel gaming rig.
SteamOS doesn’t magically fix weight, cost, or battery limits. What it does is let this ambitious hardware feel more focused and more fun. For a device this complex, that may be the most important upgrade of all.
Now Lenovo is doing it again, this time at the top of its lineup.
At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Lenovo announced it will bring SteamOS to the [Legion Go 2](https://amzn.to/4aIrRzP), its flagship handheld with detachable Switch-style controllers and the most advanced screen ever put in a handheld PC. The SteamOS version goes on sale in June, starting at $1,199. Hardware specs remain unchanged from the Windows model.
That’s a steep price. And it’s a long wait.
Late to the party, again
Lenovo already launched the Windows version of the Legion Go 2 at the end of October. By the time the SteamOS model ships, the device will be seven or eight months old. That’s a much longer gap than last time. The Legion Go S only gave Windows a three-month head start.
Timing matters more now, too. By early summer, we may see handhelds built around Intel’s upcoming Panther Lake chips. Even today, Intel’s Lunar Lake has shown better performance in some games than the Legion Go 2’s AMD Z2 Extreme.
On paper, that puts Lenovo at a disadvantage.
But specs aren’t the whole story.
SteamOS still pulls its weight
Switching from Windows to SteamOS can deliver a real performance bump on the same hardware. Less overhead, faster resume, fewer background tasks. Games load quicker. Controls just work. You press the power button, and you’re playing.
That matters even more on a premium device like the Legion Go 2, where Lenovo’s ambitions go far beyond raw frame rates.
This is the only handheld on the market with a variable refresh rate OLED display. Games look stunning. Blacks are deep. Motion is smooth. It’s also one of the few handhelds that truly doubles as a tablet, thanks to a sturdy integrated kickstand and well-shaped detachable wireless controllers that are comfortable even when used separately on a tray table.
Then there’s the odd but clever trick: one controller includes a built-in FPS mouse. Snap on the puck, slide it across a table, and you’ve got mouse control without carrying extra gear. It’s weird. It’s niche. And it works better than you’d expect.
Still the Swiss Army knife
They once called the original Legion Go “the Swiss Army knife of handhelds,” and the Legion Go 2 earns that title all over again.
It’s not perfect. It’s heavy. The extra mouse buttons under your fingers can feel awkward when gripping the system. Extended sessions can be tiring. But there’s no denying how much it can do, or how many different ways you can use it.
If you’re curious, you don’t even have to wait for Lenovo. You can already install Bazzite on a Legion Go 2 for a near-SteamOS experience. Detachable controllers work. RGB lighting works. It’s a solid preview of what Lenovo is officially shipping in June.
Windows still has a role
Lenovo isn’t abandoning Windows, either. The Legion Go 2 is being prepared for Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox Full Screen Experience on Windows 11. You can force-install it today, but Lenovo says the official rollout should arrive this spring. That could make the Windows version feel far more console-like than it does now.
Between SteamOS and a more gaming-focused Windows mode, Lenovo is clearly hedging its bets.
A bold, expensive statement
The Legion Go 2 with SteamOS won’t be for everyone. The price alone ensures that. And by the time it ships, faster chips may already be on the horizon.
But Lenovo isn’t chasing the cheapest or smallest handheld. It’s building the most flexible one. A handheld. A tablet. A mini desktop. A couch console. A travel gaming rig.
SteamOS doesn’t magically fix weight, cost, or battery limits. What it does is let this ambitious hardware feel more focused and more fun. For a device this complex, that may be the most important upgrade of all.