The portable gaming PC market remains split between Windows 11 and Valve's SteamOS, and if you prefer the latter software, Lenovo unveiled a new Legion Go portable at CES 2026. It has the same operating system as the Steam Deck, but with a more powerful Ryzen processor and a larger 8.8-inch OLED screen.
The new SteamOS-powered Legion Go (8.8-inch, 2-inch) feels almost identical to a Windows-based computer. Legion Go 2 it was released September 2025. Despite the fact that Lenovo said pre-orders for this model “significantly exceeded expectations”, and by December it was listed as “no longer available” on Lenovo's website. Lenovo didn't mention whether the Windows version is returning, but there is now a new variant built for Valve's SteamOS, the same operating system used in Steam deck And Legion Go S.
This model features the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chipset “all the way down” to the base model. presumably I have a regular Ryzen Z2, but Lenovo has not confirmed this information. It has an 8.8-inch OLED screen with a 1920×1200 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, and 144Hz refresh rate—slightly larger than the 7.4-inch display on the Steam Deck OLED display. You also get Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, dual 2W speakers, a 74Wh battery, and a USB Type-C port with 65W charging.
Lenovo will sell the laptop with up to 32GB of RAM and a 2TB PCIe SSD, but it's unclear what specs the base model will have. There's also a microSD card reader that allows you to add up to 2TB of additional storage.
The company's press release states: “SteamOS offers a console-like experience designed for gamepad control, optimized for quick and easy entry into games, with features such as quick pause/resume for easy entry and exit. SteamOS is designed for plug-and-play gaming, with full access to a user's Steam library, seamless cloud saves, centralized notifications, Steam chat, and built-in game recording. The full Steam Store is available for full access to the latest games.”
It's true that SteamOS runs better on laptops than Windows. majority of that time. Windows has battery life issues and the interface is still not optimized enough for the portable form factor, but the software's compatibility with SteamOS isn't perfect. Games with aggressive anti-cheat systems, for example Battlefield 6, Fortnite, Destiny 2And recent Call of Duty titles don't work at all on SteamOS. Valve's operating system has far fewer compromises than Windows 11 on portable devices, but it's something to keep in mind.
SteamOS-based Legion Go (8.8-inch, 2-inch) will be available in June 2026 with a starting price of $1,200. That's $100 more than the now-discontinued Windows model. Follow the news Lenovo online store. and third party retailers.
Source: Lenovo
