Using Steam OS as a Desktop: My Experience with the Legion Go S as a Work PC

I gotta say, it’s kind of wild that I’m diving into Linux for the first time. Like, where have I been? Anyway, I’ve been pretty much stuck in the Windows and Mac worlds forever. I mean, I started with IBM PC-DOS as a kid, dabbled in Windows from 3.11 to whatever is new now (except Windows ME—dodged that one), and I’ve been a Mac fan since 2009. Leopard, if you wanna know specifics.

But here’s the deal: I got this Legion Go S handheld gaming PC from Lenovo. They loaned it to me, so I thought, “Why not mess around with Linux?” Never tried it but figured it’s time. Let’s see if this thing can handle me writing a review for an Asus ROG Strix G16 gaming laptop. No clue why I decided this, just did.

So, Linux. What a world, right? I ended up in the KDE Plasma environment on this Legion Go S, which mainly does SteamOS because, duh, gaming. But hold that power button for four seconds, and boom, you’re in KDE. Not even kidding.

Alright, got my Legion Go S. Needed it for simple stuff like browsing, word processing, and moving files around. Only two USB-C ports though—stay tuned for how that went. KDE Plasma’s cool; didn’t need a mouse or keyboard technically, but trust me, you want them.

First snag? Logitech keyboard and mouse. Went cheap at Target, but hey, it works. Only issue? USB-A for those, and Legion’s got USB-C. Luckily, adapters are my life, so crisis averted. Mouse, keyboard, good to go. KDE feels weirdly familiar if you’re a Windows buff like me. I mean, who knew, right?

Moving on. Booted up, got online, and first thing was attacking the browser issue. I went with Microsoft Edge. Yeah, I’m one of those people. I know everyone loves Chrome, but I’m hooked on Edge ’cause all my stuff’s synced. But man, that install was slow. Like, pull-your-hair-out slow.

Finally got it working, logged in, and thank goodness for Microsoft Authenticator. All set with bookmarks, passwords, you name it.

The screen situation, though. I mean, the built-in display is okay, but my eyes aren’t what they used to be. Enter the Espresso Displays 15 Pro—a real fancy portable monitor. Plugged it in, the Legion couldn’t quite power it. Yikes. Needed a power adapter and an extra USB-C. Got it going, and the screen shone like 4K glory. Charging the Legion at the same time, too, which is cool.

Then came the party trick: time to write my laptop review. Used Microsoft Word Online, just like on my usual setups. But when I added a FLIR C2 camera to check laptop heat levels, things got cramped. Had to switch ports between the camera and keyboard, working off that tiny display. Ugh.

Biggest hiccup? Trying the touchpad on KDE. Instant reboot. Twice. A lesson learned, folks.

So, unplug, transfer files, replug—that’s been my life. Grabbed pics off Google Photos, edited using GIMP (solid, but miss my Pixelmator Pro), and… that’s about it!

Honestly, wasn’t expecting much from this Linux adventure. But aside from touchpad drama, it turned out okay. KDE Plasma stepped up for my random experiment, handling all sorts of attached devices and online stuff.

Doing stuff on the Legion Go S’s tiny screen isn’t ideal. Wouldn’t suggest making a habit of it, but hey, throw in a USB-C dock if you’re serious. It’d save some headaches—for real.

In the end, this device isn’t built for heavy scrivening, but tweak your hopes, and it’ll do the job just fine.