According to Gizmodo, Lenovo is launching a revised version of its Legion Go 2 handheld gaming PC in June 2026 with a key change: it will run SteamOS instead of Windows 11. This new model will cost $1,200, which is $150 cheaper than the $1,350 Windows version from 2025. It retains the same top-end specs, including an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, 32GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of storage. The move follows tests showing Linux-based systems like SteamOS and the similar Bazzite OS can deliver between 2 to 10 more frames per second in games compared to Windows on the same hardware. Lenovo also announced new, cheaper gaming laptops for 2026, like a 15-inch Legion 5i starting at $1,550 with an RTX 5060 GPU and a high-end 16-inch Legion 7a with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 CPU that will cost around $2,000.
SteamOS is the real game-changer
Here’s the thing: the hardware in these handhelds has been plenty powerful for a while now. The real bottleneck, the thing that makes or breaks the experience, has been the software. Windows 11 on a 9-inch screen is, frankly, a pain. It’s not built for that. SteamOS, on the other hand, is. It’s a console-like interface designed from the ground up for gaming on the go. So this isn’t just a spec bump or a price cut—it’s Lenovo finally addressing the core usability issue that plagued the original Legion Go 2. The performance gains Gizmodo noted are just the cherry on top. Basically, they’re making the device you already wanted to love actually lovable.
Shifting the handheld battlefield
This move puts immediate pressure on Asus and its ROG Ally line. The Ally runs Windows, and while it has its own custom shell (the “FSE” or Full Screen Experience), it’s still Windows underneath. Lenovo is now offering a cleaner, more performant, and slightly cheaper alternative with arguably better hardware (that gorgeous OLED screen and detachable controllers). Valve’s Steam Deck, the OG SteamOS device, now faces a more direct, high-end competitor. It’s a win for Valve’s platform strategy, too. Every major hardware maker that adopts SteamOS strengthens the entire Steam Deck ecosystem. But who loses? Microsoft. Its grip on PC gaming hardware is loosening by the day, and this is another big chip falling away.
The broader Lenovo play
Look, the handheld announcement is savvy, but don’t miss the laptop news. A $1,550 Legion 5i with an OLED and an RTX 5060? That’s aggressive. They’re clearly trying to capture the mid-range market that’s been starved for good value. And that $2,000 Legion 7a with 64GB of RAM? That’s a beast aimed at power users and creators. It’s a classic one-two punch: use the flashy, innovative handheld to generate buzz and define the brand, while the bread-and-butter laptops do the heavy sales lifting. For professionals in manufacturing or field operations who need reliable, powerful computing in tough environments, this kind of hardware progression is key. When it comes to integrating such robust computing into industrial settings, companies often turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs, to ensure durability and performance meet specific operational demands.
What’s the catch?
So, is the SteamOS Legion Go 2 an instant buy? Maybe. But there are trade-offs. SteamOS is fantastic for your Steam library, but accessing games from the Xbox App or the Epic Games Store requires extra steps—it’s not the seamless “everything just works” of Windows. And Lenovo hasn’t said if there will be a cheaper model with a less powerful chip. At $1,200, it’s still a luxury item. The real question is whether the improved user experience is worth losing that Windows flexibility for you. For a pure gaming machine, the answer is probably yes. For a portable PC that also happens to play games? The calculation gets trickier. Either way, competition is heating up, and that’s always good for us.
