Steam Deck vs Asus ROG Ally: Which One Is Better For You?

image credit - news.seagm.com When Valve released the Steam Deck in the summer of 2021, the idea of a handheld game PC wasn't new, but it was the first time we saw it done by a well-known company and for a price that made sense. The Valve handheld came out in 2022 and was a huge hit (for a handheld system), but now it has a big competitor in the Asus ROG Ally.

	Steam Deck	Asus ROG
Brand	Valve	Asus
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)
Weight	1.48 pounds (669 grams)	1.34 pounds (608 grams)
RAM	Custom AMD Zen 2-based processor (4 cores, 8 threads, up to 3.5GHz)	Up to AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (8 cores, 16 threads)
Storage	Up to 512GB M.2 2230 SSD	Up to 512GB SSD
Display	7-inch IPS, 1280x800 touchscreen, optional scratch-resistant glass coating	7-inch IPS, 1920x1080, 120Hz refresh rate, touch
Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
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)
Output	Up to 8K@60Hz, 4K@120Hz	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	1x USB-C, 1x ROG Xg Mobile interface, 3.5mm headphone jack

Steam Deck vs. Asus Rog: Pros And Cons  Steam Deck - The Steam Deck, which is Valve's first portable gaming PC, is one of the coolest handheld gaming devices on the market. SteamOS lets you play a huge number of games on the Steam Deck.

	Steam Deck	Asus Rog
Pros	SteamOS is better suited for touchscreen and controller interaction.	With Windows 11, you can play more games and use more systems.
	A game's smooth operation can be verified by the Deck Verified program.	With AMD Ryzen Z1 line processors, work gets done faster.
	Less expensive	A sharper screen and a faster update rate
Cons	Leaving the Steam library requires some modifications.	Windows 11 isn't set up to work well on small computers.
	The base model's storage is slower.	No compatibility testing program.
	Possibly overly large

Steam Deck vs. Asus Rog: Controls and design

The first thing to compare between these two gadgets is how they look and how they work. In terms of style, it's important to note that the Asus ROG Ally is not as wide at its thickest point as the Steam Deck, but the two devices are about the same size. The ROG Ally is about 80 grams lighter, making it easier to carry around. The keys are the main reason why one is bigger than the other. The Steam Deck has two small touchpads on either side of the screen. Some games can use these instead of analog sticks for more accurate aiming and control. Since they take up a lot of room, they help make the Steam Deck bigger. Both gadgets have controls that are mostly the same as those on an Xbox. There are two analog sticks, directional buttons (D-pad), the ABXY button array, and two shoulder triggers and two shoulder buttons. Around the back, the Steam Deck has an extra pair of customization buttons, making four total. The Asus ROG Ally only has two. Both devices also have view and menu buttons like on an Xbox and two more buttons for navigating the user interface or getting to certain features. Also read - How to install Windows 10 or Windows 11 on the Steam Deck?

Steam Deck vs. Asus Rog: Display

The display is another important part of a handheld game, and Asus wins again, at least when it comes to quality. Both devices have 7-inch IPS touch screens, but the Steam Deck's screen has a 16:10 aspect ratio while the ROG Ally's is 16:9. Most high-end computers have taller aspect ratios like 16:10, but most gaming laptops still use 16:9, so you might want to go with that. The technical changes, on the other hand, are much bigger. The Asus ROG Ally has a screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 and a frame rate of 120Hz, which makes things on the screen look much smoother. The Steam Deck's screen only has a resolution of 1200x800 and a refresh rate of 60Hz, making it less amazing. Also, the Asus ROG Ally can reach up to 500 nits of light, while the Steam Deck can only reach 400 nits. All of this makes the Asus ROG Ally sound much better, but it brings us back to the question of how long it will last on a single charge. A crisper screen with a faster refresh rate will probably use more power, so you'll need to charge it more often. You can switch to a lower speed rate, but if you want to get the most out of this screen, you'll want to think about battery life. [caption id="attachment_188644" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] image credit - tomsguide.com[/caption]

Steam Deck vs. Asus Rog: Software And Game Library

When comparing gaming devices, game libraries are important. PC gaming handhelds complicate that, but buying a PC doesn't. First, you can play all Steam titles, one of the largest PC gaming digital libraries. It's limited to Steam out of the box and requires some tweaking to run Windows 11. However, SteamOS offers many emulators, so you'll have fun if that's what you want. With some tweaking, it can access Epic Games Store and Xbox Game Pass since it runs on Linux. The Asus ROG Ally comes with Windows 11, so you may use Steam and any other Windows PC gaming platform. Xbox, Epic Games Store, and other platforms with exclusive games. Technically, the Asus ROG Ally offers more games. The Deck Verified program, which checks whether a game meets a universal standard or is playable, is a major feature of the Steam Deck and Steam as a platform. Deck Verified makes it easy to verify that every PC game can run on these little devices before you buy. Asus has no certification process. Therefore running games may be riskier and more likely to cause issues. Also read - A Hands-On Preview of the ASUS ROG Ally Handheld Gaming PC

Steam Deck vs. Asus Rog: Price and Storage

The base model, which has only 64GB of eMMC storage, starts at $399. The next model costs $529 and comes with a 256GB SSD for storage. The top model costs $649 and comes with a 512GB SSD. Both of the more expensive types have carrying cases. On the other hand, the Asus ROG Ally came out on June 13 and is only sold in the U.S. at Best Buy. The $700 launch option comes with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor and 512GB of SSD storage. Later this year, for $600, a lower-end model with a standard Ryzen Z1 chip and 256GB of storage will go on sale.

Steam Deck vs. Asus Rog: Final Conclusion

In this comparison of Steam Deck vs Asus ROG Ally, both devices feature Xbox-like controls, but the Steam Deck's touchpads make it bulkier. In terms of display, the ROG Ally excels with a crisper screen and faster refresh rate. While the Steam Deck supports Steam titles, the ROG Ally's Windows 11 compatibility allows access to a wider game library. The price varies, with the Steam Deck offering different storage options, while the ROG Ally has a higher-end model and a more affordable variant.