Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) vs Steam Deck: Which is the better Steam gaming handheld?

The Steam Deck has held its ground as the only official SteamOS PC gaming handheld for several years, but now the Lenovo Legion Go S — Powered by SteamOS handheld has come in as another option. I was curious how these two differed, so I took the time to compare them in various categories.

In case you didn't know, a white Windows 11 version of the Legion Go S already launching in January, so the dark purple SteamOS configurations are follow-ups that release May 25, 2025.

Without further ado, let's discuss the pros and cons of both the Steam Deck and Legion Go S SteamOS.

Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Specs

*The price of the Legion Go S SteamOS has gone up, likely due to the US-China tariff situation.

Now that you've taken a gander at the Legion Go S (SteamOS) and Steam Deck's specs, let's dive in and talk about how these differences affect the playing experience.

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Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Price & value

The beloved Steam Deck LCD (2022), with its $399.00 starting price, and the Steam Deck OLED (2023), with its $549.00 starting price, are older devices that use less powerful internals. This means that they have lower starting prices than newer and more powerful handhelds.

Originally, when Lenovo revealed the Legion Go S SteamOS with Z2 Go chip, 16GB RAM, and 512GB, the company said it had a $499.99 starting MSRP. However, since then, the price of the handheld has gone up. Last I checked, the starting price was $599.99 at Best Buy.

There is also a more powerful Legion Go S SteamOS configuration that features a Z1 Extreme chip, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD. This device first appeared on the market with a $749.99 price point, but it is currently listed as $829.99 at Best Buy.

Just so you know, the Z1 Extreme is the same chip found in the original Legion Go, ROG Ally, and ROG Ally X gaming handhelds.

It's very likely that these price increases are due to the US-China tariff situation. That being the case, it's possible the prices of the SteamOS Legion Go S could still change.

TL;DR: PRICE WINNER: In terms of affordability, the Steam Deck LCD has a lower starting price than the Legion Go S (SteamOS).

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Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Performance

There are several factors that determine how well a gaming device performs. In terms of power, the Legion Go S and its new AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chip are likely stronger than the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED's older AMD Zen 2 processors. Meanwhile, we know for sure that the Legion Go S SteamOS's other Z1 Extreme chip option is stronger than the Steam Deck APU (accelerated processing unit).

Of course, having a more powerful CPU (central processing unit) tends to make games play more smoothly.

Performance also depends on other features and how well a system's components work together. Having more RAM and a larger SSD, for instance, can help the system run games more effectively.

As such, springing for the more expensive Steam Deck or Legion Go S configurations that offer more memory and storage might be in your best interest.

One other thing to note is that the Legion Go S SteamOS supports VRR (variable refresh rate) while the Steam Deck does not. So, this desirable feature should eliminate screen tearing and help games play more smoothly on Lenovo's handheld.

TL;DR: PERFORMANCE WINNER: The AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip in the more expensive Legion Go S is a far more powerful processor than the AMD Zen 2 processors found in Steam Deck. It's possible that the lesser Z2 Go chip in Legion Go S is also stronger than the Steam Deck APU. VRR support and a higher refresh rate should also make games play more smoothly on Legion Go S.

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Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Display

Obviously, the Steam Deck OLED has a 7.4-inch OLED touchscreen, which helps imagery come through more crisply than LCD screens even though it only offers up to 1280x800 resolution and 90Hz. Even so, the OLED display makes it so there is more color and true black for better contrast. All of this together produces more vibrancy and helps colors pop in darker scenes.

It's worth noting that the cheaper Steam Deck LCD has a smaller 7-inch display, the same 1280x800 resolution, but an even lower 60Hz refresh rate.

Meanwhile, the Legion Go S has an 8-inch LCD touchscreen that can reach up to a higher 1920x1200 resolution as well as up to a 120Hz refresh rate. So, this is better than what the smaller 7.4-inch Steam Deck OLED touchscreen offers in terms of motion clarity and crisp detail.

TL;DR: DISPLAY WINNER: It's a tie with tradeoffs. Comparing the displays on the Legion Go S vs the Steam Deck is a bit tricky since they both have tradeoffs. The Steam Deck OLED wins when it comes to color range and contrast, but the Legion Go S wins in terms of motion clarity and crisp detail.

Even so, having VRR support definitely makes the Legion Go S screen more appealing since this should smooth out game visuals better.

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Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Controls and ports

Both devices offer many of the same buttons and controls, but there are also some major differences.

Starting with similarities, both handhelds have a Steam button to quickly interact with SteamOS — Legion Go S's button is near the top left corner of the screen, while the Steam Deck's is in the bottom left corner.

Both handhelds also have a microSD card reader for easily expanding storage space.

Now, for the differences.

First off, the Legion Go S has a more traditional layout that includes offset joysticks, while the Steam Deck has its joysticks at the same height.

Valve did this to make room for the dual touchpads below the joysticks. Legion Go S also has a singular touchpad, but it is much smaller and only located below the right joystick.

Lenovo's singular touchpad works very well. Some people love using the touchpads on games while others do not, so the perk of having one or two touchpads is a matter of preference.

Additionally, the Legion Go S uses Hall Effect joysticks that won't drift, but the Steam Deck does not.

While both handhelds have bumpers and triggers, the Steam Deck has a total of four back buttons, while the Legion Go S only has two. That said, the Legion Go S also has back trigger switches, unlike the Steam Deck, to give players more control over how the triggers work.

As far as ports go, the Legion Go S has two USB4 type-C ports, while the Steam Deck only has a singular USB-C port.

This not only means that Lenovo's device has better port types, but it also means that the device can charge and use a plugged-in accessory at the same time, which is very helpful.

TL;DR: CONTROLS WINNER: There are a lot of tradeoffs here, but the Legion Go S has a more traditional, offset Hall Effect joystick design and customizable trigger switches. It also has two USB4 ports, while the Steam Deck only has a single USB-C port. All in all, Legion Go S offers better controls and ports.

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Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Software and games

Since Legion Go S and Steam Deck both run SteamOS, they both offer simplified interfaces that make it easy to access your Steam library of PC games. In that way, these handhelds feel more like gaming consoles than handheld PCs.

Since SteamOS is Linux-based, it is easy to customize these devices as long as you know how to do so.

For instance, installing and using Decky Loader allows you to access other game services outside of Steam, such as Epic Games, Battle.net, and more.

That all said, it's likely Legion Go S will be able to run and play more games than the Steam Deck due to it having more powerful internals. This is especially true of games that haven't been optimized for Steam Deck.

I've written several handheld game guides talking about how the Steam Deck isn't powerful enough to run more intensive games that the original Legion Go and ROG Ally can easily run (STALKER 2, for example). So, it's very likely Legion Go S will be able to run titles that the Steam Deck cannot.

TL;DR: SOFTWARE & GAMES WINNER: Despite the two handhelds running the same operating system, the Legion Go S likely can access and play games more smoothly thanks to its more powerful processors.

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Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Battery life

As I've previously said, we don't know all of the specs for the Legion Go S (SteamOS), including battery capacity. However, if it is the same as the Windows 11 version, then the Legion Go S (SteamOS) will have a 55.5 Whr battery, which is larger than the Steam Deck LCD's 40Whr battery or the Steam Deck OLED's 50Whr battery.

Still, this doesn't mean the Legion Go S will have a longer battery life.

How long a battery lasts before needing a recharge depends on a few different factors. Having a larger screen drains more battery, and having a processor that requires more power drains more battery.

As such, it's very possible that the Steam Deck lasts longer than the Legion Go S SteamOS, but we'll have to conduct testing to know for sure.

TL;DR: BATTERY LIFE WINNER: As of right now, this is unknown. The Legion Go S has a larger capacity battery, but it might require more power to run than the Steam Deck.

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Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Grip ergonomics and comfort

When it comes to grip and handheld comfort, the actual shape, balance, and weight of a gaming device are important.

The Steam Deck is undoubtedly a very boxy and clunky handheld compared to the more ergonomic design of the Legion Go S. Having fewer back buttons also means that players can get a better grip on the Legion Go S than on the Steam Deck.

In terms of dimensions, the two devices are relatively similar in size when it comes to height and length, but not thickness.

Lenovo's handheld measures 11.77-inches long, 5.02-inches tall, and 0.88-inches thick, while the Steam Deck measures 11.7inches long, 4.6-inches tall, and a meatier 1.9-inches thick.

However, the Legion Go S SteamOS weighs more at 1.62 pounds, while the Steam Deck LCD weighs 1.47 pounds and the Steam Deck OLED weighs 1.41 pounds.

Still, if the Legion Go S's internals are balanced well, then those more ergonomic grips will likely feel better in your hands than the Steam Deck.

TL;DR: COMFORT WINNER: While many people love the bulky Steam Deck, there's no denying that the Legion Go S has a far more ergonomic shape, which likely makes it easier to hold, even if it might weigh more.

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Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Accessories

Since the Steam Deck was the first PC gaming handheld to really go mainstream, it has a massive audience. This has led to there being dozens and dozens of third-party accessories for it, along with the official Valve peripherals.

The Steam Deck only has one USB-C, though. This means you can really only connect one device at a time, which is why docking stations with USB-C connections are so helpful.

Now, the Legion Go S (SteamOS) doesn't release until May 2025, so there aren't a ton of gaming accessories for it. If it sells well, we'll likely see more third-party offerings come to market down the road.

TL;DR: ACCESSORIES WINNER: The Steam Deck is by far the best-selling PC gaming handheld, and so there are plenty of third-party accessories out there for it. Meanwhile, the Legion Go S is new, so there aren't a ton of peripherals just yet.

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Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Comparison chart

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Legion Go S vs Steam Deck: Which should I buy?

There are a lot of factors to consider when determining which handheld is the best. Based on specs, one device might conclusively be better than the other, however, that doesn't mean it is the best fit for you.

In that way, both the Legion Go S (SteamOS) and the Steam Deck are fantastic gaming devices that meet different needs.

In terms of power and performance, the Legion Go S (especially the Z1 Extreme configuration) is the more powerful SteamOS device since it has a newer processor, supports VRR, and has a nicer screen to go with it. Additionally, it has a more ergonomic design than the Steam Deck.

Meanwhile, the Steam Deck remains the king when it comes to handheld affordability.

It might not be the most powerful or ergonomic device out there, but you don't have to spend as much to get your hands on one.

Plus, there are so many third-party docking stations, cases, screen protectors, and other Steam Deck accessories out there that you don't have to pay more for the official options if you don't want to.

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