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Asus ROG Ally X
A powerful Windows gaming handheld
The ROG Ally X is an upgrade over the ROG Ally. It packs a bigger 80Wh battery, 24GB of RAM, and two USB-C ports. It’s arguably one of the best Windows-based gaming handhelds.
Pros- Impressive performance
- Excellent display with VRR
- Decent battery life
Cons- Windows is a mess on the small touchscreen
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Steam Deck
A well-rounded offering
The Steam Deck wasn’t the first gaming handheld, but it has single-handedly revived this market. It’s powered by a custom AMD APU using Zen 2 architecture and RDNA 2 graphics.
Pros- Excellent value
- Sleep and wake work great
- Steam OS works so much better on this form factor
Cons- Not all popular titles are available
The Asus ROG Ally X and the Steam Deck are two of the best gaming handhelds on the market. However, they are pretty different. The ROG Ally X, which is the newer of the two, packs a powerful processor, a bigger battery, and Windows 11. The Steam Deck has Steam OS, access to an expansive game library, and good build quality. But if you’re in the market for a gaming handheld today, which of these two makes more sense? Let’s find out.
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Price, availability, and specifications
The Steam Deck comes in three storage variants. The 64GB base model costs $349, whereas you’ll have to shell out $399 and $449 for the 256GB and 512GB models, respectively. However, only the 256GB model is easily available via the Valve website. The other two models are out of stock and unlikely to be restocked.
The ROG Ally X is significantly more expensive, with an $800 price tag for the 1TB variant and $900 for the 2TB variant. It can be purchased from the Asus eStore and Best Buy.
Here’s a look at the raw specifications of both gaming handhelds.
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Asus ROG Ally X Steam Deck Dimensions 280mm x 111mm x 24.7mm 298mm x 117mm x 49mm Brand Asus Valve Weight 678g 669g Chipset AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme Zen 2 AMD APU RAM 24GB 16GB Storage 1TB, 2TB 256GB Wireless Connectivity Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 5 Display 7-inch, 1920×1080, LCD, 120Hz 7-inch, 1280×800, LCD, 60Hz Graphics AMD RDNA 3 AMD RDNA 2 Ports 3.5mm audio jack, USB-Type C, USB-4, microSD card slot 3.5mm audio jack, USB Type-C, microSD card slot Battery 80Whr 40Whr
Read our review
The ROG Ally X is basically everything I wanted from a refresh of the gaming handheld
Enthusiasts assemble, this one’s for you
Read our review
Steam Deck review: 18 months in, this is the handheld for me
The Steam Deck made handheld gaming PCs affordable
Design and controls
Similarly sized with plenty of controls
The Steam Deck and the ROG Ally X have distinct designs, but are very similar in size. Featuring black plastic builds, the handhelds have different layouts for the buttons and controls, and the Ally is missing the touchpads you get with the Steam Deck. The Valve handheld is also slightly lighter, but thicker than the Ally X. The two feel good in terms of build quality and ergonomics, with plenty of space for air intake and exhaust. That said, you may find the Steam Deck a better handheld for longer gaming durations.
However, the Ally X has better IO options, which include a USB4 Type-C port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port with DP Alt mode, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card slot. The Steam Deck has a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port with DP Alt mode, a microSD card slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
There are also plenty of controls on both handhelds. The Ally X has ABXY buttons, a D-pad with eight positions, two joysticks, hall-effect triggers, shoulder buttons, and two assignable back buttons. You get ABXY buttons, a D-pad, two joysticks, shoulder buttons, analog riggers, two touchpads, and four assignable back buttons on the Steam Deck. The touchpads are particularly helpful when you need mouse-like input.
Display
The Ally X has a higher resolution and refresh rate
You get a 7-inch IPS touchscreen display on both gaming handhelds. However, while the Steam Deck has an unusual 1280×800 resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate and 400 nits peak brightness, the Ally X has a more standard 1920x1080p resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits peak brightness. So, you get a brighter, higher resolution, and faster refresh rate screen on the ROG Ally X. You also don’t have to deal with black bars in many games because of a non-standard resolution.
Additionally, the Ally X supports a variable refresh rate (VRR) to match the display refresh rate with the game’s frame rate. This reduces screen tearing and delivers a smoother and more immersive gaming experience.
Something to keep in mind is that Valve offers an OLED model of the Steam Deck in addition to the LCD model. The OLED model produces far better visuals because of its display technology and can also get brighter HDR. It has a slightly larger 7.4-inch size and a 90Hz refresh rate, too. However, this comparison only talks about the handheld’s LCD version.
Software
Steam OS for the win
The Ally X runs on Windows 11, and that’s a double-edged sword. While it opens access to all the PC games the handheld’s hardware can handle, Windows isn’t designed to run on a small touchscreen. So, navigating Windows on the Ally X can be a hassle. Fortunately, Asus includes its Armoury Crate SE app, which is supposed to help avoid Windows interface and does a good job of that. However, now and then, you’ll have to deal with Windows directly.
Software is one area where the Steam Deck shines. It runs on Linux-based Steam OS with a Proton-compatibility layer to access PC games. The Steam OS UI is designed to work with the controller and touchscreen, so navigation doesn’t feel like a hassle. Unfortunately, not every Windows game will work on it, but you still get support for over 10,000 games. If you already use Steam, your library is easily accessible, and the compatible games are marked for easy identification.
One significant advantage of Steam OS is the seamless suspend/resume support that you can use mid-gameplay. You can’t do the same on Ally X, and installing a Linux-based alternative OS, such as Bazzite, to get this feature on the Ally X isn’t worth the trouble.
Performance and battery life
The Ally X has the advantage
While Steam Deck may have a better software experience than the Ally X, the latter delivers better performance with its Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor and RDNA 3 graphics. The Ally X TDP can range from 9 to 30W. However, you will need to employ the Turbo mode to get 25W or 30W TDP, and it can quickly eat through your battery. Performance mode offers a better balance of power and battery life.
The Steam Deck is limited from 4 to 15W TDP for its custom Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 graphics. As a result, the Ally X can push more fps and handle more intensive titles than the Steam Deck. However, the latter still holds its own most of the time and can bridge the gap as it has to push a lower resolution and refresh rate.
The battery life is also a strong point for the Ally X as it houses a big 80Whr battery with 100W fast charging support. In comparison, the Steam Deck has a 40Whr battery with 45W fast charging support. While the Steam Deck is quite power efficient, the sheer size of the Ally X battery gives the Asus handheld an edge. That said, the lower power consumption of the Deck can help offer it a better backup in certain situations, particularly with less-demanding titles.
In any case, your battery experience will depend significantly on how demanding the game is, at which resolution you’re playing it, and whether high frame rates are in play.
In other highlights, the Steam Deck includes stereo speakers, Wi-Fi 5, and Bluetooth 5.0. The Ally X has a built-in fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2.
Which should you buy?
Budget is a significant consideration when choosing between the Ally X and the Steam Deck, given their price difference. If you are in the market for the best gaming handheld and are ready to shell out for it, the Ally X is an easy winner. It delivers solid performance and has an impressive battery life. Build quality, display, and IO options are also good. But, you’ll have to deal with Windows hassles.
Asus ROG Ally X
Superior performance and battery life
The ROG Ally X may not be perfect, but it delivers powerful performance and good battery life for a Windows gaming handheld.
However, if you are looking for better value, the Steam Deck is a solid alternative as its 256GB model, which is the only one available right now, is half the price of the Ally X. But you get a software better suited for the handheld form factor and decent performance. The display is also good, and you get access to an expansive game library. While the battery falls short of Ally X, it’s not bad by any stretch, given the price tag.
Steam Deck
Better value for money
Steam Deck is getting old, but it’s still a well-rounded gaming handheld that’s an excellent option for folks who don’t want to spend the big bucks.
