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Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED: which is the better gaming handheld?

If you’re trying to decide between the Asus ROG Ally X and the Steam Deck OLED, our guide has all you need to know about the two handhelds.

Custom image for 'Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED: which is the better gaming handheld?' article showing the two handhelds on a blue background

Of all the big debates in the handheld gaming space, few are as competitive as the Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED battle. This pair of portable PCs are two of the most powerful and popular on the market, so we thought we’d put together a guide directly comparing them, including the software, performance, and design on offer from each. Hopefully, that should make it a little easier for you to decide which is best for you.

For more of our buying advice, be sure to check out our list of the best gaming phones while you’re here, with top-tier options from the likes of Samsung, Apple, RedMagic, and more. Or, if you’re looking for something with a nostalgia factor, we’ve also got a list of the best retro handhelds, including a few budget options that can get you gaming on the go for much less than either the Steam Deck OLED or Asus ROG Ally X.

Why you can trust our advice ✔ At Pocket Tactics, our experts spend days testing games, phones, tech, and services. We always share honest opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.

Price and availability

In terms of pricing, the cheapest Steam Deck OLED is much more affordable than the cheapest Asus ROG Ally X. The 1TB Steam Deck OLED is available for $649 via Valve’s storefront, while the same-size Asus ROG Ally X is $799.99. Then there’s the 512GB Steam Deck OLED at $549. The only caveat is that the Asus ROG Ally X is more likely to go on sale via third-party retailers such as Amazon and Walmart, while we’ve still not seen Valve officially discount either of the Steam Deck OLED models.

It’s worth mentioning here that the Steam Deck OLED also comes with a handy carry case, whereas Asus expects you to pick up your own accessories for the ROG Ally X. I’m not sure if I’m spoiled by the fact I bought a Steam Deck OLED first and now expect a complimentary carry case, but it works in Valve’s favor that the ROG Ally X doesn’t seem to offer as much value here as the Steam Deck OLED.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED

Performance and specs

Here are the Asus ROG Ally X and Steam Deck OLED’s specs:

Asus ROG Ally X Steam Deck OLED
CPU AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme AMD Zen 2 (6nm)
RAM 24GB LPDDR5x 16GB LPDDR5
Storage 1TB 512GB / 1TB
Battery 50WHr 80Whr
Display 7-inch 120Hz FHD LCD (1920 x 1080 pixels) 7.4 inch 90Hz HDR OLED (1280 x 800 pixels)
Weight 640g 678g
Size 28.0 x 11.1 x 3.69 cm 29.8 x 11.7 x 4.9cm
Colors Black Black, White (Limited Edition)

Even from a cursory glance at the Steam Deck OLED and the Asus ROG Ally X’s spec sheets, it’s pretty clear that the Asus has more performance power. For starters, the ROG Ally X has 24GB of RAM, while the Steam Deck OLED lags behind with 16GB. This makes for quicker load times on the Asus console. Load times aren’t particularly slow on the Steam Deck, at least not compared to the likes of the Nintendo Switch, but the ROG Ally X is just a bit snappier.

Custom image for 'Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED: which is the better gaming handheld?' article showing the Steam Deck OLED's performance settings

Moving on to the processors and the ROG Ally X wins out again. The Asus’ AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme CPU offers consistently higher frame rates and a 10-15% performance boost on the Steam Deck OLED’s custom Zen 2 processor. The Steam Deck isn’t awful, not by a long stretch, but at the time of writing, the ROG Ally X is the most powerful handheld on the market, also beating the likes of the Lenovo Legion Go and the Ayn Odin 2.

The ROG Ally X also comes with four performance mode options – Silent, Performance, Turbo, and Turbo+ – which you can select at the push of a button. This saves a lot of time compared to the Steam Deck OLED, which forces you to manually alter individual settings when trying to balance performance and battery life. I can’t tell you how long I’ve spent altering settings on my OLED, and it’s often more effort than it’s worth.

Winner: Asus ROG Ally X

Battery life

Considering the Asus ROG Ally X has an 80WHr battery and the Steam Deck OLED has a 50WHr battery, you’d think the winner here would be pretty obvious. However, it’s a bit more complicated than that. There’s very little to split the two handhelds in terms of battery life, and it often comes down to your choice of performance settings. If there’s one thing for certain, the Asus ROG Ally X offers much more reliable battery life than the original Ally.

In our testing, we found that the Asus ROG Ally X tends to beat out the Steam Deck OLED’s battery life with matched settings, averaging about an extra hour of battery life in demanding games, such as Baldur’s Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, or two to three hours when running less power-hungry games. However, if you boost the ROG Ally X up to its maximum performance settings or opt for Turbo mode, it runs out of juice a little quicker than the Steam Deck OLED.

Winner: Asus ROG Ally X

Display

While both the Steam Deck OLED and Asus ROG Ally X have fantastic displays for gaming, the former’s OLED screen takes the cake when up against the latter’s IPS LCD. OLED displays offer more vivid colors and deeper blacks, and the Steam Deck OLED is capable of double the peak brightness of the Asus, going all the way up to 1,000 nits. If that wasn’t enough, the anti-glare display tech of the Steam Deck OLED also makes for a better traveling companion, as the screen is more discernable in direct sunlight or under bright indoor lighting.

Custom image for 'Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED: which is the better gaming handheld?' article showing the Asus ROG Ally X running Another Crab's Treasure

Admittedly, the ROG Ally X’s 120Hz refresh rate is higher than the Steam Deck OLED’s 90Hz, but the gulf between the two is hardly noticeable, especially if you’re gaming at anything less than 60fps. The ASUS handheld also has a higher 1080p resolution compared to the Steam Deck OLED’s 800p, but again, the difference between the two isn’t nearly as obvious as the Steam Deck’s brighter display and more accurate colors.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED

Design

Design is one of the more subjective parts of this guide, as it all depends on your preferences. I’m a fan of big chunky handhelds, so for me, the Steam Deck OLED wins out, but the sleeker and more compact Asus ROG Ally X might suit you better if you’ve got smaller hands. Funnily enough, the 640g Steam Deck is actually a bit lighter than the smaller 678g ROG Ally X, but the gap of 38g isn’t all that noticeable when holding both. Whichever you opt for, we recommend picking up one of the multipurpose options from our list of the best Steam Deck docks.

Outside of the Steam Deck OLED’s wider build, the designs of both consoles have a lot in common, such as their smooth joysticks, responsive triggers, and tactile buttons. They’re also similarly matched in terms of ergonomics, though I find the Steam Deck OLED’s handgrips slightly more comfortable during long gaming sessions.

Custom image for 'Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED: which is the better gaming handheld?' article showing the half side profile of the Asus ROG Ally X

One of the few glaring design differences between the handhelds is that the Steam Deck OLED has trackpads, while the Asus ROG Ally X does not. I use the trackpads so rarely that this isn’t a dealbreaker, but if you’re a big fan of point-and-click games or those that feel clunky using a controller such as Rimworld and RollerCoaster Tycoon, that might make the Steam Deck a more attractive proposition.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED

Software

While the ROG Ally X might beat out the Steam Deck OLED’s performance, when it comes to software, things are a lot different. The Steam Deck has a much more streamlined software experience, predominantly due to the fact that the Asus handheld relies on the ever-janky Windows 11. The ROG Ally X is better than it once was thanks to recent updates to Armory Crate SE, the console’s game launcher, but it’s no SteamOS, which makes both playing and downloading Steam games a piece of cake.

The only thing the ROG Ally X has on the Steam Deck in this department is that it requires much more tinkering to download and play all of your Epic and Battle.net games on the Valve console, and you can only stream Xbox Game Pass games. Still, navigating Windows 11 without trackpads is so frustrating that I’d rather go through the effort of installing new launchers in the Deck’s desktop mode than deal with the incessant pop-ups and random bugs of the Windows handheld.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED

Verdict

When it comes to the Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED debate, it all depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re all about pure performance and a sleeker form factor, and don’t mind the higher price point, the Ally X is likely to suit you better. On the other hand, if you prefer user-friendly software and a chunky unit, the Steam Deck OLED is the way to go. That’s the long and short of it.

Custom image for 'Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED: which is the better gaming handheld?' article showing the Steam Deck OLED running a third-person game with performance stats on display

It’s also important to take your gaming library and preferences into account. If you’ve got a massive back catalog of Steam games, go for the Steam Deck. If, instead, you’re an Xbox Game Pass and Epic Games user, the Asus ROG Ally X is the more sensible option. After all, you’re spending over $500 no matter which console you opt for, so you want to make sure you can play all your favorite games when the handheld arrives with you.

Ultimately, the thing to remember is that both of these gaming handhelds are fantastic, and you’re unlikely to regret your decision whichever way you go. Plus, we’re not expecting a Steam Deck 2 or successor to the Asus ROG Ally X anytime soon, so there’s no major concern you might be picking up something that’s going to feel outdated in less than a year.

There you have it, our Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED guide. For more great gaming tech, be sure to check out our picks for the best gaming tablets and the best budget gaming phones, with options to suit all needs and budgets. Or, if you want to check out an even wider selection of handhelds, see our list of the best Steam Deck alternatives.