On May 12, 2025, Valve announced SteamOS Compatibility ratings, extending its Deck Verified system to SteamOS devices beyond Steam Deck. The ratings were designed to give players game-compatibility guidance for third-party SteamOS hardware, beginning with the Lenovo Legion Go S Powered by SteamOS.
What are SteamOS Compatibility ratings?
Valve described the ratings as an expansion of Deck Verified for devices running SteamOS other than Steam Deck. In its May 12, 2025 Steamworks announcement, Valve wrote: “With the Legion Go S – Powered by SteamOS shipping soon, we are expanding Deck Verified and introducing SteamOS Compatibility ratings.”
The practical change is that Valve’s compatibility guidance could apply to games on third-party SteamOS hardware, rather than being framed only around Steam Deck. Valve said that when a title is tested for Steam Deck Compatibility, a SteamOS Compatibility rating would be generated at the same time.
How are the ratings generated?
Valve’s announcement describes a paired process: testing a title for Steam Deck Compatibility also generates a SteamOS Compatibility rating. That is the stated relationship between the two ratings; the announcement does not say a rating guarantees identical performance or a flawless experience on every SteamOS device.
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#1 Best Overall
- 1TB NVMe SSD
- 1280 x 800 HDR OLED display with premium anti-glare etched glass, 7.4" Diagonal display size up to 90Hz refresh rate
- Wi-Fi 6E
- 50Whr battery; 3-12 hours of gameplay (content-dependent)
- Carrying case with removable liner
For players, the rating is guidance to consult alongside the exact device and its software support. It should not be read as a promise that all hardware running SteamOS behaves the same way.
Why was Legion Go S the launch example?
The announcement centered on the Lenovo Legion Go S Powered by SteamOS, which Lenovo described as the first officially licensed handheld powered by SteamOS. Lenovo’s January 7, 2025 product release identifies it as a distinct SteamOS variant and describes access to the Steam Store and Library, cloud saves, and Remote Play from a PC. The Legion Go S family has an 8-inch display, though hardware configurations can vary by edition.
Rank #2
- International (UK) Version
- 7.4” diagonal, HDR OLED, 1280 x 800 x RGB, up to 90Hz Refresh rate, High performance touch, <0.1 ms Response time, 1,000 nits peak brightness (HDR), 600 nits (SDR)
- SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
- 512GB NVMe SSD, 16GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels), microSD UHS-I supports SD, SDXC and SDHC
- 6 nm AMD APU, CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32
Be careful to distinguish the Powered by SteamOS model from the Windows-based Legion Go S variant: the announcement concerned SteamOS devices and did not make the Windows model a SteamOS device.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changed after the May 2025 announcement?
Valve’s May 12 statement said the Legion Go S was the only other officially supported SteamOS device at that time, while anticipating support would expand. That was a dated description of the situation, not a current exhaustive list.
Rank #3
- Operating System: SteamOS 3.0
On May 22, 2025, Valve’s SteamOS 3.7.8 stable notes documented added official support for Legion Go S and improved support for other AMD-powered handhelds, including ASUS ROG Ally and the original Lenovo Legion Go. Those are different claims: “improved support” for the named handhelds does not establish that they had the same official-support status as Legion Go S. A related May 23 client update mentioned a SteamOS Compatible library tab on Legion Go S.
Valve’s SteamOS support page, viewed October 8, 2026, lists Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and Legion Go S among devices officially “Powered by SteamOS,” and describes improved compatibility with other AMD-powered PCs in SteamOS 3.8. The page’s wording does not establish that every AMD PC is officially supported, and device support information can change.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Valve is entering the gaming console marketplace with the new Steam Deck, a console geared towards PC gamers. The Steam Deck can be docked to a monitor, and used as a PC, or docked to a TV.
- Players can play a huge variety of games at any time with the comfort of a console and the freedom of a PC. Not anti-glare screen.
- Like the name suggests, the Steam Deck will include upgraded 1TB storage, and will include a carrying case. A micro SD slot will also enable expanded storage.
- Valve partnered with AMD to create a specialized APU optimized for handheld gaming, and Valve says the chip will deliver performance to run AAA gaming titles.
- The Steam Deck is outfitted with a 7-inch touchscreen, and two trackpads under the control sticks that allow gamers to operate games never designed outside of mouse and keyboard capabilities.
What should players check before relying on a rating?
- Check the rating for the game and the exact device or device variant you plan to use.
- Confirm whether the device is officially supported or is described only as having improved compatibility; those terms are not interchangeable.
- Remember that a compatibility rating is guidance, not a guarantee of identical performance across different hardware.
- Recheck Valve’s current support information because SteamOS releases and supported-device listings evolve.
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