Handheld gaming devices like the ASUS ROG Ally and MSI Claw are convenient for many users who want to take gaming on the go. However, compared to the Steam Deck, they can suffer from being somewhat clunky due to Windows not being completely suited to the form factor. For fans of the Lenovo Legion Go, this is about to change, and some regions will get to benefit a little bit earlier than expected.

Back in March, we discovered that versions of the Legion Go S handheld with SteamOS pre-installed would be available to buy from May 25. However, some areas of the world will be able to get hold of them a little earlier, according to an official post made on the Lenovo forums.

The post was made by ‘Doctor Eldritch', a Lenovo community manager for the ‘EMEA' region, which covers Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. According to this post, the Legion Go S with SteamOS will be available from May 15. From what we’ve seen from retailers in the US, such as Best Buy, the SteamOS version will stick to a May 25 launch following a recent price hike, presumably due to tariffs in the region.

• Lenovo – Legion Go S 8″ SteamOS 120Hz Gaming Handheld – AMD Ryzen Z2 Go
• Lenovo – Legion Go S 8″ SteamOS 120Hz Gaming Handheld – AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme

Legion Go S with SteamOS unboxing

A video on YouTube also demonstrated what users could expect from the Legion Go S with SteamOS when it begins to be shipped out to customers.

Those who already own an earlier version of the Legion Go are hopeful that when this version of the Lenovo Legion Go S is released, users will be able to use its SteamOS recovery image to flash the original Legion Go and convert it into a functioning SteamOS device.

While there are several current workarounds, such as Bazzite, they do tend to come with drawbacks and can be tricky to correctly install. Using the SteamOS recovery image designed specifically for the Legion Go handheld should eliminate several common problems. However, we’ll have to wait and see how support matches up.

As user u/TheIllustratedLife points out on Reddit: “Gaming handhelds tend to have bespoke buttons, and each device has its own quirks. Supporting a device is essentially saying, ‘We’ve tested this and have polished all the rough edges we found.' Unsupported hardware will probably work to some degree, but if something falls short, it’s not Valve’s responsibility to fix it.”

So far, only the EMEA region has been confirmed as getting SteamOS early, so customers in the rest of the world might just have to be patient.

About the Author

Rebecca Hills-Duty

Writing and journalism experience at VRFocus, UploadVR, The Escapist, HTC, PC Gamer, Tech Radar+ and Dexerto. Can sometimes be found playing with retro tech.