We might have a new contender for the best handheld gaming PC, because Lenovo's just announced a SteamOS version of its mega Legion Go 2

A promotional image of Lenovo's Legion Go 2 handheld gaming PC, with Valve's SteamOS natively installed. — (Image credit: Lenovo)

Although affordability was a key factor in the success of Valve's Steam Deck, its greatest strength lies in the brilliance of its operating system, SteamOS. So far, only a few other handheld devices have also sported the Linux-based software, but now there's one more: Lenovo's Legion Go 2.

Launched at CES, this is actually Lenovo's second device to natively use SteamOS. The first was the superb Legion Go S, which just so happens to be the best handheld gaming PC you can buy right now. That said, the hardware inside is somewhat last-gen, and that's something the Legion Go 2 offers over the Go S.

The newer model sports an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, whereas the older device gets by with a Z1 Extreme. These are APUs—a single chip comprising a CPU and GPU—and while they both house eight processor cores (supporting 16 threads), the Z2 Extreme uses AMD's Zen 5 and 5c architectures (three of the former, five of the latter).

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The rest of the Legion Go 2 is standard fare for a high-end handheld: 32 GB of LPDDR5x-8000 and up to 2 TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage. Just as with the original Legion Go, the side controllers are detachable, so you can prop up the screen on a desk and play it console-style, and you can even mount the right controller in a base so it acts a bit like a gun in FPS games.

Basically, just think of it as being like the brilliant Legion Go S, only a little bit bigger but an awful lot more pokier. And now that you'll be able to pick one up with SteamOS installed, you'll be able to happily tell Microsoft to get rekt as you play your favourite games in bedtime comfort. Assuming, of course, that the ramopocalpyse doesn't price it into oblivion.

In Lenovo's store, you can buy the Legion Go 2 with a standard Ryzen Z2 processor (which is just a rebadged Z1 Extreme) and 16 GB of slower LPDDR5x, but it'll set you back an absurd $1,100. At the time of writing, Z2 Extreme versions aren't in stock, though they are in Lenovo's UK store (where they cost £1,100).

The combination of the Lenovo Legion Go 2's hardware and Valve's SteamOS might be a portable PC gamer's idea of heaven, but if prices continue to rise (and they probably will), those pearly gates might be shut for everyone.

Best handheld PC 2026

1. Best overall:
Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS

2. Best budget:
Steam Deck

3. Best Windows:
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X

4. Best big screen:
Lenovo Legion Go

5. Best compact:
Ayaneo Flip DS

👉Check out our full handheld gaming PC guide👈

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Nick, gaming, and computers all first met in the early 1980s. After leaving university, he became a physics and IT teacher and started writing about tech in the late 1990s. That resulted in him working with MadOnion to write the help files for 3DMark and PCMark. After a short stint working at Beyond3D.com, Nick joined Futuremark (MadOnion rebranded) full-time, as editor-in-chief for its PC gaming section, YouGamers. After the site shutdown, he became an engineering and computing lecturer for many years, but missed the writing bug. Cue four years at TechSpot.com covering everything and anything to do with tech and PCs. He freely admits to being far too obsessed with GPUs and open-world grindy RPGs, but who isn't these days?

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