The Legion Go S SteamOS is completing the Steam Deck's mission to make handheld PC gaming genuinely convenient

It feels like we might be at a bit of a turning point for handheld gaming PCs in a way we've not seen since the launch of the Steam Deck. That's thanks to the Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS, which we've just listed as the absolute best handheld gaming PC on the market right now.

Back in 2022, the Steam Deck brought us an affordable and convenient handheld, in no small part thanks to SteamOS. The market was flooded by Windows handhelds, and while some of these are great, they often felt like placeholders for a future where we can access our PC game libraries on handhelds without having to battle Windows to do so.

Well, that future is now (old man), as the Legion Go S SteamOS brings our first taste of Valve's operating system to a non-Valve handheld with some serious hardware, and it's executed well enough that I gave it a score of 91% in my Legion Go S SteamOS review.

Admittedly, if you don't stick to the (large list of) compatible games and platforms, you might have to battle this OS, perhaps even more than you have to battle Windows. But for most games it's perfect.

It's not just SteamOS that makes this handheld the best, either. It's got a nice big screen, a very ergonomic shape that makes it comfy to use, Hall effect joysticks, and a gorgeous colour scheme. It's the real deal, basically.

That's why this version of the Legion Go S sits on top of our best handheld list. And it's perhaps no coincidence that the Steam Deck—another SteamOS handheld—sits below it as the best budget option. Having the lightweight OS on there really allows for maximising performance while keeping costs low.

Of course, there are still plenty of options if you prefer the compatibility that Windows offers, with the MSI Claw 8 AI+ sitting pretty in the top spot on that front. Intel's Lunar Lake chip works wonders for that one, both in terms of performance and efficiency.

The quick list

The best handheld gaming PCs