It has been a few months since the launch of the Lenovo Legion Go 2, which shipped with Windows 11 as its operating system. Fans have been awaiting a SteamOS model – now confirmed for later this year, in June. If you’re not familiar, Lenovo has worked with Valve before to bring us a SteamOS variant of its more budget-oriented Legion Go S. Reviewers were impressed with the Linux-based machine, calling it “so much better than the Windows version”.

It’s no secret that SteamOS is more optimized for gaming than Windows, despite Microsoft’s recent efforts to close the gap with the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE), which debuted with the Xbox ROG Ally handhelds and was later made available to all Windows 11 devices. Windows still holds the crown for best compatibility, particularly with modern anti-cheats.

When does SteamOS come to the Legion Go 2?

Carrying the “Powered by SteamOS” label, the new Legion Go 2 variant will be available in June 2026. If you want a similar experience before then, your best option is to install an operating system such as Bazzite, which has long been a popular alternative to SteamOS – both for Windows handhelds and desktop gamers. According to the latest Steam survey, Bazzite makes up a total of 5.89% Linux users, while SteamOS covers a massive 26.32% due to the popularity of the Deck.

Much like the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S, the Legion Go 2 will also have a dedicated Steam button located on the left controller; both controllers are detachable like the Windows model. As such, hardware is the exact same, offering up to the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD plus microSD for storage with a 74Wh battery. The display is an 8.8″ OLED panel running 144Hz with VRR support, which goes to say that it’s a larger and more powerful alternative to Valve’s Steam Deck OLED, with added versatility thanks to the detachable controllers.

How much does the SteamOS Legion Go 2 cost?

The hardware is great, and the operating system promises a console-like experience, but the catch is the price. Legion Go 2 with SteamOS will retail starting at a whopping $1,199. This is a similar cost as the original Windows model, which started at $1,099.99 for the 16GB / 1TB SSD variant with a Ryzen Z2 (non-extreme) chip.

It goes without saying that Valve will still offer the best-value OLED handheld on the market, as the Steam Deck OLED currently retails for $549 and $649 for the 512GB and 1GB models, respectively. Valve’s built-in OLED display does miss out on some features, such as VRR, and it’s also limited to 90Hz.

Well-known video game journalist and executive producer/host of the annual Game Awards, Geoff Keighley, recently posted on X about the device (see above), helping spread the word for the OLED device.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.