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  Steam Deck

  Dimensions

  11.7 x 4.6 x 1.9 inches (298 x 117 x 49mm)

  Brand

  Valve

  Weight

  1.48 pounds (669 grams)

  Chipset

  Custom AMD Zen 2-based processor (4 cores, 8 threads, up to 3.5GHz)

  RAM

  16GB LPDDR5 5600MHz

  Storage

  Up to 512GB M.2 2230 SSD

  Valve's first portable gaming PC, the Steam Deck, is one of the coolest handheld gaming consoles on the market, with a huge library of games available through SteamOS.

  Pros & Cons

  • SteamOS is more optimized for touch and controller use
  • Deck Verified program certifies games that run well
  • More affordable

  • Going outside of the Steam library requires fiddling
  • Base model has slower storage
  • Potentially too big

  $400 at Steam

• Asus ROG Ally

  Dimensions

  11.02 x 4.37 x 0.83-1.28 inches (280 x 111 x 21.2-32.4mm)

  Brand

  Asus

  Weight

  1.34 pounds (608 grams)

  Chipset

  Up to AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (8 cores, 16 threads)

  RAM

  16GB LPDDR5

  Storage

  Up to 512GB SSD

  The Asus ROG Ally is a handheld gaming PC running Windows 11, and a major rival to Valve's Steam Deck. It comes with AMD Ryzen Z1 processors and a sharp Full HD display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

  Pros & Cons

  • Windows 11 gives you access to a wider library of games and platforms
  • Faster performance with AMD Ryzen Z1 series processors
  • Sharper display with a higher refresh rate

  • Windows 11 isn't optimized for small screens
  • No compatibility verification program

  $700 at Best Buy

When Valve introduced the Steam Deck in the summer of 2021, the concept of a handheld gaming PC wasn't entirely new, but it was the first time we saw it done by a big-name company and for a price that actually made sense. Valve's handheld launched in 2022 and became massively popular (by handheld console standards), and now it finally has a big rival: the Asus ROG Ally.

On paper, things look pretty good for newcomer Asus, with the ROG Ally boasting much faster specs, a smoother display, and native Windows 11. But is that enough to win over the Steam Deck audience? Let's take a look at what each of these platforms has to offer.

Steam Deck vs Asus ROG Ally: Pricing and availability

First off, it's worth noting that the Steam Deck is only officially available through Valve's own storefront. Pricing starts at $399 for the base model with just 64GB of eMMC storage. Then, there's a $529 model that includes a 256GB SSD for storage, and the top-tier model goes for $649 with a 512GB SSD. Both of the more expensive models come with a carrying case.

Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Ally launched on June 13, and it's only available through Best Buy in the U.S. The launch model features an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and 512GB of SSD storage, which costs $700. A lower-end model with a standard Ryzen Z1 processor and 256GB of storage will launch later this year for $600.

• 	Steam Deck	Asus ROG Ally
  Dimensions	11.7 x 4.6 x 1.9 inches (298 x 117 x 49mm)	11.02 x 4.37 x 0.83-1.28 inches (280 x 111 x 21.2-32.4mm)
  Brand	Valve	Asus
  Weight	1.48 pounds (669 grams)	1.34 pounds (608 grams)
  Chipset	Custom AMD Zen 2-based processor (4 cores, 8 threads, up to 3.5GHz)	Up to AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (8 cores, 16 threads)
  RAM	16GB LPDDR5 5600MHz	16GB LPDDR5
  Storage	Up to 512GB M.2 2230 SSD	Up to 512GB SSD
  Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
  Display	7-inch IPS, 1280x800, 60Hz touchscreen, optional scratch resistant glass coating	7-inch IPS, 1920x1080, 120Hz refresh rate, touch
  Output resolution	Up to 4K 120Hz (DisplayPort 1.4)
  Graphics	AMD RDNA 2-based graphics, 8 CUs	AMD RDNA 3-based graphics, 4 or 12 CUs
  Ports	1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DP Alt Mode), 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD expansion	1x USB-C, 1x ROG Xg Mobile interface, 3.5mm headphone jack

Performance

The first thing you'll probably be thinking about when comparing two gaming devices is how they fare in terms of performance. On paper, it looks favorable for Asus here, as the company promised some big performance upgrades over Valve's handheld. Specifically, it said you can expect twice the performance when the Asus ROG Ally is running at 30W, though admittedly, that's a much higher wattage than the Steam Deck would run at, so battery life will take a big hit there.

Still, the numbers are very promising for the ROG Ally. It comes with either an AMD Ryzen Z1 or Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, and the latter has a total of 8 cores and 16 threads based on the shiny new Zen 4 architecture. Comparing that to the Steam Deck's 4 cores and 8 threads based on the older Zen 2 architecture, that's a big leap forward. Even the regular Ryzen Z1 has 6 cores and 12 threads.

The story is a bit more mixed in terms of graphics, though. The Asus ROG Ally does have the newer RDNA 3 graphics architecture, compared to Steam Deck's RDNA 2-based GPU. However, the AMD Ryzen Z1 has just four Compute Units (CU), while the Z1 Extreme has 12 CUs. Meanwhile, the Steam Deck has eight CUs, which would put it firmly between the Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme.

Based on our testing, performance on the Asus ROG Ally is well ahead of the Steam Deck, and it can even run some games, like Outer Wilds, that just wouldn't run on Valve's handheld. However, it will also depend on the game, as some titles are better optimized for the Steam Deck.

Performance on the Asus ROG Ally is well ahead of the Steam Deck, and it can even run some games, like Outer Wilds, that just wouldn't run on Valve's handheld.

Another big thing to mention is that the Asus ROG Ally supports external GPUs using the custom ROG Xg Mobile interface. This lets you hook up an external GPU, up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, to deliver much faster performance for gaming. Of course, it doesn't matter that much for playing in handheld mode, but if you want to connect to a large monitor, this gives you the ability to crank up graphics settings and enjoy a much higher-quality gaming experience.

Otherwise, both devices come with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 512GB of SSD storage. The Steam Deck does start with just 64GB of eMMC storage, though, which is part of the reason it's so much more affordable. Asus touts up to 8 hours of battery life, which is a similar claim to what Valve promises for the Steam Deck, but that will vary greatly depending on the games you play and the graphics settings you use. With the more powerful hardware and more demanding display, the Asus ROG Ally is bound to chew through its battery more quickly. However, it also charges much more quickly, so it's easier to get back in the game.

Game library and software

Another major factor to consider when comparing two gaming devices is their library of games. Typically, that's not a huge concern when buying a PC, but it gets a bit more complicated when you're talking about PC gaming handhelds.

First off, the Steam Deck gives you access to all games on Steam, one of the largest — if not the largest — PC gaming digital libraries. However, out of the box, it's locked to the Steam platform, and you need to do some fiddling to get Windows 11 on it. That being said, SteamOS also gives you access to a lot of emulators, so if that's what you're looking for, you'll still have a good time. And because it runs on a Linux-based OS, you can use it to get access to Epic Games Store and Xbox Game Pass (again, with some fiddling).

Since the Asus ROG Ally runs Windows 11 out of the box, you have access to not only Steam but any PC gaming platform that runs on Windows.

Since the Asus ROG Ally runs Windows 11 out of the box, you have access to not only Steam but any PC gaming platform that runs on Windows. That includes the Epic Games Store, Xbox, and many other platforms that have some exclusive games. Technically speaking, the Asus ROG Ally gives you access to a lot more games.

However, a major benefit of the Steam Deck and Steam as a platform is the Deck Verified program, which helps you check whether a game hits a certain universal standard or is, at the very least, playable. It's not easy to guarantee that every PC game can run on these small devices, but the Deck Verified program makes it easy to know that before you have to spend any money. Asus has no such certification process, so getting games to run may be more of a gamble, and you're more prone to run into problems.

Something else that's worth mentioning is that the Steam Deck runs SteamOS, a custom Linux-based operating system that's designed from the ground up for the Steam Deck. The UI is designed to work better with a small touchscreen, as well as with built-in controls. Windows 11, on the other hand, has been shown to be a bit of a mess for this kind of device. In our review of the Asus ROG Ally, we noted that it's mostly Windows that makes this a hard device to recommend. As Adam Conway put it, "Asus' Armoury Crate SE does a great job placing a usable layer on top of the operating system, but that's all it is: a layer. The second you leave it, it becomes quickly apparent that Windows is simply not up to the task". Windows 11 is not optimized for touch, and it's just not as frictionless of an experience compared to tailor-made platforms like SteamOS.

Display

Another big point of comparison for a handheld console is the display, and here, Asus pulls ahead once again, at least when it comes to quality. Both devices have a 7-inch IPS touch display, though the Steam Deck uses a 16:10 aspect ratio instead of the 16:9 format of the ROG Ally. Taller aspect ratios like 16:10 are more common for premium laptops, but for gaming, 16:9 is still far more common, so you might prefer to go with that.

The bigger differences, however, are in the technical aspects. The Asus ROG Ally touts a 1920x1080 resolution display, and it even comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, making things appear much smoother on the screen. By comparison, the Steam Deck's display has a lower 1200x800 resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate, so it's less impressive. Additionally, the Asus ROG Ally can hit up to 500 nits of brightness instead of the 400 on the Steam Deck.

This all makes the Asus ROG Ally sound much better, but it brings us back to the matter of battery life. A sharper display with a higher refresh rate is very likely to use more power, and that means you'll have to charge more often. Of course, you have the option to switch to a lower refresh rate, but if you want to make the most of this screen, battery life will be something to think about.

Design and controls

The final thing to compare between these two devices is the overall design and controls. On the design front, it's worth noting that the Asus ROG Ally is not as wide as the Steam Deck at its thickest point, but the devices are somewhat similar in size. There's a roughly 80-gram difference in weight, which makes the ROG Ally a bit more portable.

The biggest reason for the size difference has to do with the controls. The Steam Deck has a couple of small touchpads on both sides of the screen, which can be used for precise aiming and finer controls in certain games in place of the analog sticks. These take up quite a bit of space, so they help make the Steam Deck wider.

Otherwise, the two devices have similar controls, which are mostly similar to the Xbox layout. There are two analog sticks, directional buttons (D-pad), the ABXY button array, and a pair of shoulder triggers along with two shoulder buttons. Around the back, the Steam Deck has an extra pair of buttons, for a total of four, compared to two on the Asus ROG Ally for customization. Both devices also have the Xbox-style view and menu buttons, as well as two additional buttons for navigating the UI or accessing specific features.

It's also worth mentioning that the Steam Deck has a gyroscope, which can be used for more intuitive motion controls in some games, particularly shooters, making precise aiming a bit easier. The Asus ROG Ally also has a gyroscope sensor, but it doesn't seem to be usable just yet, as noted by The Verge. Presumably, it will be enabled at some point.

One thing to note, however, is that the build quality of the Asus ROG Ally isn't something you can be completely reliant on. During our review period, not only did we have some issues with our unit, but we found that to be a common problem with other users online. Asus isn't particularly known for excellent build quality, and that's visible here.

Steam Deck vs Asus ROG Ally: Which should you buy?

On paper, it's definitely looking like Asus has the edge in terms of hardware, with more powerful processors, a better display, and a more portable design, plus broader game compatibility thanks to running Windows 11. However, Windows 11 is also its downfall, so the win goes to the Steam Deck. It still offers fantastic performance for such a small device but with much better battery life. Having the purpose-built SteamOS also results in a far better user experience, and the Deck Verified program means games can more easily be optimized for this hardware. As a console, the Steam Deck comes out on top.

With that being said, if you want a handheld gaming PC, the Asus ROG Ally may be a bit better. Running Windows 11 means game compatibility is much broader, and the higher performance also helps you run more demanding games that may just not work on the Steam Deck at all. What's more, the ROG Ally has a noticeably nicer screen, and it's more portable thanks to the smaller overall design. If you have the money for it, and you want a more powerful machine, it's still worth considering.

If you're still looking for a device that lets you play games on the go, you may want to check out our list of the best Steam Deck alternatives. Of course, there's the Nintendo Switch, a personal favorite of mine, but there are a few more options for handheld gaming you may not have considered.