In the current situation, choosing the Windows 11 version for the Legion Go S is a what only a fool would do.
Let’s sum it up:
- Worse performance across the board
- Worse power consumption
- More expensive
The Windows 11 version only makes sense if there are games with anti-cheat that you don’t want to miss on. There are some notable exceptions like GTA 5 Online and APEX Legends where SteamOS support was removed recently. And there’s Fortnite, outside of Steam, that remains unplayable on SteamOS. There’s probably a few more too, but those are the important ones that come to mind. If such titles don’t matter for your gaming patterns, the SteamOS of the Legion Go S version is the obvious choice.
After [seeing the benchmarks], you must be wondering if Lenovo actually bothers with the Windows version at all! Truth is, it’s worse than that. You can’t even find a mention of the SteamOS version of the Lenovo Legion Go S on Lenovo’s website. I am so NOT kidding. There is “View Models” button, but there are no other models apart from the Windows 11 Home version.
I checked a few country sites for Lenovo, and it’s inconsistent as hell for a Global company. France only has the Windows version, Japan doesn’t even list the Legion Go S model (still stuck at the previous Switch like model), and finally I could find the SteamOS version on Lenovo’s site in Indonesia!
So, guys, I don’t want to kill your enthusiasm, but this sounds very much like We are just pretending to release a SteamOS version but in fact we advertise the Windows model everywhere instead. Since I am familiar with large companies, I guess the story was like that. Someone in Business Development managed to secure a deal with Valve, the CEO must have said OK, does not cost much anyway. And then the BD guy went fishing in each territory, asking for the Marketing leaders who wanted to launch that SKU, and turns out most region heads were not interested in hearing about SteamOS. This is probably why you end up with said SKU only listed in some small regions and not the main ones. It’s probably a pilot, at most. I was not in the room, so I don’t really know, but it does sound and smell like this kind of situation.
Well, in the US, if you are actively looking for it, you can find it on Best Buy, at least…
In short, you have SteamOS delivering all the goods, but there’s no appetite on the manufacturer’s side to do anything about it. Sad. Note that Lenovo is the only manufacturer with an official support stated for SteamOS on the Legion Go S. Valve is offering support for additional handhelds (the original Legion Go, and the ROG Ally) but that’s considered experimental and not official at the moment (see their recovery image page).
I refuse to buy a handheld that is not SteamOS. Like Nintendo, they can basically just brick your device, and online functionality requires a monthly subscription.
Also, we know Microsoft will eventually do something to mess this all up.
With SteamOS, we can fork and change it and have access to our entire Steam libraries. I have had Steam my whole life and only played PC. Why would I even bother with anything else?
Even if they change absolutely nothing, Windows on a handheld is an infuriating experience, which is saying a lot, because the desktop version isn’t very good either.
What? No they can’t, stop spreading bullshit. If that was the case it would be much, much harder to install a different OS. I can tell you from experience though that it’s no harder than any other x86 PC.
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/s/bWeU0OaKIv
Yes, I am aware of Nintendo’s hubris. However, that Does Not prove that Microsoft is capable of doing the same. In fact, I think if they could it would be a Pretty Fluffing Big Deal that would be talked about a lot more. However your comment is the first I’ve ever seen mention of the possibility of Microsoft doing it, so I’d really love to see a source.
It does remain to be seen whether the ROG Xbox Ally devices will have a locked down bootloader, but I still very much doubt it.
It’s difficult to prove anything like that. From independent research we know that Intel, and likely AMD too with their counterpart, can remotely control your PC via IME. But they’ve never done that yet or have done so very secretly, because then a lot more people would know and that would be problematic.
Personally I think it’s reasonable to suspect that Microsoft has full capability to severely cripple your system at any given time. Maybe not ‘brick’ as that may be impossible without proprietary hardware inside the machine. However, even a simple Windows installation can mess up your UEFI. Given that, do you think that all those millions of fully secret lines of code cannot render you unable to use your PC, even if just temporarily?
AMD’s counterpart PSP doesn’t seem capable of what you’re suggesting. As for Intel, well, they don’t have the same comfortable lead anymore so I strongly doubt they’re going to try anything like that, making it a moot point.
I never said that, so I don’t know what you’re arguing against. Of course they can remotely disable an install of Windows. But being able to brick a device, rendering it a mere paperweight forevermore? That is what I am saying is not possible, and I’m fairly sure I’m right about that.
As for the UEFI shenanigans, well that’s a feature of UEFI, not a bug. However there is a level of trust you’re supposed to be able to have in your OS not to mess with it, and is just a sign of Microsoft’s arrogance that they do.
Ok
They’re talking about handheld PCs. They are nothing more than oddly shaped laptops, they can’t be remotely bricked.
Ok