Asus ROG Ally vs. Steam Deck: which to buy

If you want a handheld gaming PC, there are only two legitimate choices. In theory, the choice should be easy.

You can opt for Valve’s Steam Deck, which established this entire hardware niche last spring, or Asus’ ROG Ally, the first legitimate challenger to hit store shelves this summer. This is a battle between established industry leaders and more sophisticated, stronger and slightly more expensive start-ups.

The problem is that both Steam Deck and Ally are great handhelds. There are no clear winners. Which one you choose depends on what you want out of these expensive portable PCs. The ROG Ally Z1 Extreme will be available worldwide on June 13th for $699.99 and is available for pre-order now.

When I reviewed the Steam Deck, I called it my “favorite video game console.” Now, a year later and things have changed, I’m even more convinced of that conviction. I think I spent more than half of my time gaming last year, whether it was on the couch, at the airport, or in a street cafe. But despite its greatness, the Steam Deck is still in early drafts. The device is big, has short battery life, and some of its most drastic design choices (running on Linux and having a console-like user interface) are also its biggest obstacles (as it is cannot run Windows). Anything other than Steam is at best a headache, at worst it’s unbootable).

This is where the Asus ROG Ally comes into play. It’s a weird Steam deck that often excels at what Steam decks can’t do, but struggles with what Steam decks can do. First and foremost, like any funky looking gaming laptop, it comes with Windows right out of the box. Anything built for Windows basically runs 99% of the software here. Want to download games from Xbox Game Pass, Epic Games Store, GOG, or Itch.io? Go for it! Want to leverage decades of emulation software? Cool. Would you like to plug a USB-C dongle into your gaming handheld, hook up a monitor, mouse and keyboard and use it as your weirdest little work PC? You’re kind of a weirdo to me – come on you Be yourself!

Still, just like the Steam deck, the options that elevate ROG Ally occasionally beat it down.allies are not like Gaming PC.that teeth gaming pc. Also, Windows 11 was not designed to run on a personal computing equivalent to the Nintendo Switch.

All of this means that neither the ROG Ally nor the Steam Deck is without flaws, and none of those flaws are deal breakers. So, in my humble opinion, the best way to make choices is to focus on the good.

Which one achieves more of what you want?

Photo: Chris Plante/Polygon

You should buy an Asus ROG Ally if: You want the absolute best on paper

In theory, Allies outperforms the Steam deck in almost every respect, but by very few practical measures.

Ally is lighter and more powerful. Asus is powered by an AMD Ryzen Z1 processor, 16 GB RAM, and a 512 GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD. It has a clever thermal system that keeps the hardware running relatively quiet when playing the latest and most demanding games. resident evil 4 remake. AMD’s graphics acceleration technologies Radeon Super Resolution (RSR) and FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) can be turned on from the overlay. I noticed a noticeable difference in performance with demanding AAA games such as: Forza Horizon 5.

The 1080p 120Hz display gives Steam Deck a higher screen resolution and doubles the refresh rate. It’s worth noting that Ally uses an IPS panel rather than the superior OLED technology of the latest Switch models. But it certainly looks brighter than other handhelds that include OLED switches. In a dimly lit office, it felt like holding a powerful industrial flashlight.

Ally owners also have the option to focus even more graphics power through their device by connecting XG Mobile’s external GPU. I haven’t had a chance to try this myself, but on our brother site, The Verge writes about using ASUS plug-in graphics cards In the past. For those who don’t want a bulky gaming PC but feel constrained by the power limitations of a portable PC, this is a promising (albeit expensive) third option.

You should buy Asus ROG Ally if: You have a huge collection of PC games outside of Steam

This is why Allies will be a permanent fixture on my desk in the near future. I’ve seen countless YouTube tutorials on how to play non-Steam games with Steam decks. Dear readers, I am insensitive and the results reflect that.

By comparison, Ally makes PC gaming (not just Steam gaming) a breeze. Everything works fine.if you have Commander: I have no regrets In EA Origin, final fantasy 7 remake Looking at the hundreds of games we’ve downloaded from itch.io on the Epic Games Store and through Humble Bundle, wow, we have similar gaming tastes! And, like me, he can easily slip into each one within minutes of opening Ally and connecting to Wi-Fi.

Even with games on Steam, there are cases where Ally is better. Steam decks translate games designed for Windows through Proton. Works for most games, but not all games. Any game that runs on Windows (and any game with the minimum specs that the Ally hardware meets) should work with Ally.

Photo: Chris Plante/Polygon

You should buy the Asus ROG Ally if: You want something a little more portable, or just gamer core aesthetic

Ally is lighter and smaller than Steam Deck.This is not very noticeable in hand – it’s not or It’s much lighter, but having the Gizmo in your bag makes a big difference. And it’s definitely more discreet in public.

I tested the Ally in a coffee shop and then a brewery, and both times it felt like someone playing a slightly edgy Switch. He didn’t even look confused. No one asked me about hardware. Ally blends in, especially when you turn off her RGB lights emanating from the joystick. This contrasts with my experience with the Steam deck. The steam deck is so large and bulky that strangers on planes routinely look at me only with the eyes of tax collectors and dog haters.

You should buy Asus ROG Ally if: You want all the free modding Windows has to offer

This is clearly not me, but it represents many of my colleagues at Polygon who love setting up gaming hardware as much (or more) than actually playing games. The Asus ROG Ally is a gaming PC through and through, which gives me occasional headaches, but its freedom is a boon for those looking to push the boundaries of what portable gaming hardware can do. I guess. All his mods and development tools built for Windows PCs should fit Ally comfortably.

Is this the same kind of modding offered by Linux on Steam decks? No, but I have to believe that anyone who loves Linux has already made up their minds.

Photo: Chris Plante/Polygon

You should buy the Steam Deck if: You want a console-like experience

As I said earlier, Ally is literally a handheld gaming machine running Windows. Windows wasn’t designed for that. To solve the obvious navigational issues, Ally installed Armory Crate SE, a user interface intended to compete with Steam’s operating system.

With the Armory Crate SE in action, you can easily and reliably click through menus and select games, streaming apps, and whatever else you want without having to navigate through your Windows desktop using a D-pad or a cumbersome touchscreen. prize. Unfortunately, during my first few days with Arai, I didn’t have this kind of experience. The frustration of navigating the Armory Crate SE (and the entire Ally device through it) ruined the time between games.

Is Armory Crate’s nasty system impossible to learn? Of course not. Are you getting used to controlling Windows with your touchscreen? Yes, it’s only been a few days. But let’s be clear, if you switch from Switch to ROG Ally, for example, you’re going to learn the true meaning of the word “trial and error” that awaits all newcomers to the world of PC gaming.

You should buy the Steam Deck if: You need a helpful community quickly

Steam Deck has a one year lead over Ally in terms of user support. At launch, it took hours to get the emulator, Epic Games Store, and Xbox Game Pass to run on Steam decks via Linux. Now, user-created tools have turned these barriers into small velocity steps. The Steam Deck community shows true love for their hardware. This is common in homebrew, jailbreaking, and (obviously) the Linux community.

If Asus can offer handhelds to retailers like Best Buy and Amazon, Ally will sooner or later have an even larger community. This could be the first mainstream handheld PC. But with Switch prices still skyrocketing and new Zelda games about to launch, there’s a lot of people who want to spend this much money on a high-end handheld and haven’t bought a Steam deck yet. How many people do you have?

That’s a sincere question. I really don’t understand.

You should buy a Steam Deck if: Comfortable ergonomics are important

Ally is a little lighter than the Steam Deck, which seems like a good thing. However, the Steam deck’s bulky handle better replicates the feel of the Xbox controller. The Ally resembles a slightly more comfortable Switch, with gentle curves on the front and back that give your hand some grip, but not enough for the handheld to really settle in the palm of your hand. A sleeker design pushes the vents to the top near the volume and power buttons, similar to the Steam Deck. This is great in that hot air is not exhaled onto your back or knees. However, I found Ally to have more pronounced heat. Air still flows out of the device, but it’s like projecting a small (and relatively quiet) space heater into the world.

If price matters, you should buy the Steam Deck.

The Ally is in many ways more powerful than the Steam Deck, but it is correspondingly more expensive. The Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme retails for $699.99. The Steam Deck is available in three models ranging from $399 to $649.

What to buy: Asus ROG Ally or Steam Deck?

Photo: Chris Plante/Polygon

After the review, I figured I’d get used to it and inevitably go back to the Steam decks. But for now it’s tucked into my bedside table.replaced mine Octopath Traveler 2 Playthrough, Ally’s lightweight construction and bright screen make this device perfect for long late-night tours through fantastical worlds.

Dear Reader: There is no perfect choice. But there are no airballs either. In fact, both handhelds are great. Whether I carry the Steam Deck or the ROG Ally on a regular basis, I’m happy with my choice. And I think you will too. It’s like magic to have decades of video games in your backpack and still have space for your laptop and water bottle.

The Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme will be available on June 13th for $699.99. This review was conducted using a retail unit provided by ASUS. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not affect editorial content, but Vox Media may earn a commission on products purchased via affiliate links.discoverable Additional information on Polygon’s Ethics Policy can be found here.