• Lenovo debuts new handheld gaming console in the form of the Legion Go S.
• As rumoured late last year, it runs SteamOS as its native operating system.
• The Legion Go S also has a smaller display (8″) than the original Go, along with supporting the Steam Store and Steam Library access.

Late last year we reported on some of Lenovo’s gaming plans, and in particular to release a version of its Legion Go handheld gaming console that supported Valve’s Steam OS. As it turns out, the reports were indeed correct and we have not had to wait long for the Legion Go S as it has been christened to see the light of day.

Lenovo revealed the new device amid a smorgasbord of enterprise, consumer, and gaming hardware announcements for CES 2025 this week. It also happens to be the world’s first officially licensed handheld powered by SteamOS.

As the S in the name would suggest, this latest offering is smaller than the Legion Go that Lenovo debuted last year. More specifically it features a smaller 8″ display, with a WUXGA 16:10 120Hz PureSight touch panel present. In terms of controls, the chassis sports fused TrueStrike controllers with adjustable trigger switches and hall-effect joysticks.

Other notable elements include a choice of either an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor or an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, although it’s unclear which regions will make the different silicon options available.

Added to this is up to 32GB of 7500Mhz LPDDR5X RAM, and a 3-cell 55.5Whr battery, along with the handheld device only tipping the scale at 730g. It supports WiFi 6e too, and has a pair of USB 4 ports on the top of the device, along with a microSD card reader.

In terms of SteamOS, it supports Remote Play to games to the device from a PC, as well as full Steam Store and Steam Library access.

While the primary application for this new device will be gaming, Lenovo has outlined that it has the potential to benefit young users in a number of ways.

“These innovations are designed with competitive gamers and gaming students in mind, providing the performance, adaptability, and versatility needed to excel both in the game and in academic fields like STEM. By combining cutting-edge hardware, gamer-focused AI-powered software, and new form factors, Lenovo Legion is empowering the next generation of gamers to push boundaries and achieve their goals,” noted Jun Ouyang, Lenovo’s SVP and GM of the Consumer Segment, Intelligent Devices Group, in a blog post.

Whether that is indeed the case remains to be seen, as is whether South Africa will gain access to the Legion Go S. Given that Valve’s Steam Deck is only sold locally as a grey import and has little in terms of after sales service, it may be worthwhile for a decent shipment to land in SA as it would give Lenovo a distinct advantage over other company’s that have launched Windows-powered handheld gaming consoles in recent months.

As for availability and pricing in other regions, the Legion Go S is going on sale in selected territories later this month, with an expected starting price of €629 (~R12 247).

You can read our review of the Legion Go from last year by clicking on the post embedded below.