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Let’s get down to business as we consider the ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck.
So, exactly how worried should Valve be about the ROG Ally? The Steam Deck was released in February 2022 to critical acclaim, and now they’re releasing an OLED edition. In the past year, the Steam Deck has stayed on top against rivals including the Razer Edge and the upcoming Aya Neo Air Plus. Its success has earned it a loyal fan base thanks to its great gaming performance for an accessible price. Perhaps glaringly obvious, it’s well integrated with Steam itself, making it the natural choice for many gamers looking for a handheld gaming PC. There are even rumours of Steam Deck 2 on the horizon, adding a little more spice to the pot.
The ASUS ROG Ally released very recently, and already people are ditching their Steam Decks for the Ally – but why? Which handheld gaming PC should you go for? We’ve broken down each product, focusing on specs, features and design. By the end you’ll have a complete overview so you can pick between the two.
So, let’s jump to it – here is everything we know about the differences and similarities between ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck. Full Steam Ahead!
ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck – Specs comparison
| Specs | ASUS ROG Ally | Steam Deck |
| Display size | 7in | 7in |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080p | 1280 x 800p |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 60Hz |
| Operating system | Windows 11 | Steam OS 3.0 |
| Storage | 256, 512GB PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5 | 16GB LPDDR5 |
| CPU | Zen 4 RDNA3 4nm APU | AMD APU Zen 2 |
| Battery | 40Wh with 65W charging | 40Wh with 45W charging |
The ROG Ally benefits from AMD’s Z1 Series processors including Zen 4 CPU cores and RDNA 3 GPU cores, enabling up to 8.6 TFLOPs. The Steam Deck in comparison is slightly weaker in terms of hardware. While it matches the Ally’s 16GB of LPDDR5 and similarly includes a Micro SD card slot for storage expansion, the Steam Deck only gives you four Zen 2 cores and eight RDNA 2 cores, offering just 1.6 TFLOPs of theoretical performance.
ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck – performance
However, the general consensus puts ROG Ally on top in terms of performance. According to Digital Trends, the ROG Ally is over 50% faster than the Steam Deck, and can also scale higher too. You can run the Ally’s APU between 7W and 30W, while the Steam Deck only operates between 5W and 15W.
From what we’ve seen, the ROG Ally consistently manages to maintain higher frame rates against the Steam Deck in some of today’s most demanding titles too.
ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck – display
You’ll notice that both share a 7in display, though the Ally boasts an impressive 500 nits of brightness and 120Hz refresh rate. In comparison, the Steam Deck boasts a peak brightness of around 400 nits according to Steam Deck, with a 60hz refresh rate.
Though both peak brightness values might be inflated, it still looks like the ASUS ROG Ally may have the edge. It’s also worth adding the upcoming handheld device lucks out with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, compared to the Steam Deck that hits 1280 x 800.
The most important difference in the display we’re interested in is the refresh rate. A 120Hz refresh rate will make your games appear smoother, especially when playing at a higher FPS.
ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck – dimensions and weight
A major point of difference between the two gaming PCs is their dimensions and weight.
These differences shouldn’t be overlooked if you’re deciding between the two. Your experience gaming on the go can be significantly influenced by how comfortable and heavy the device is. The Steam Deck comes in at a bigger size and weight of 298 x 117 x 50.5mm and 669g. The ROG Ally meanwhile is a few millimeters smaller at 280 x 113 x 39mm, and weighs around 608g.
Though the Steam Deck is still comfortable to play with, the lighter ASUS ROG Ally will be the preferable choice for comfort.
ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck – Price
While the ASUS ROG Ally seems so far very competitive against the Steam Deck, it might be losing out on price. This is because Valve can subsidize the cost of the Steam Deck with the sale of games on its system. Therefore, it can justify a smaller cost like other handheld gaming PCs do. Steam Decks also now have the advantage during the sales period. The arrival of the OLED Steam Deck is great news for Black Friday Steam Deck sales since it’s a console that doesn’t usually get big discounts.
At launch, the ROG Ally will have a starting cost of £699/$699 USD, depending on how much storage you’re getting. The Steam Deck meanwhile starts from £469/$499 USD for the 64GB model.
You can take a look at the storage options here:
Valve Steam Deck 1TB Handheld Gaming Console Bundle
Valve Steam Deck 512GB Handheld Console
Steam Deck 512GB
Which one should you go for?
Judging by what we know, the ROG Ally will likely offer the supreme gaming performance. The combination of its RDNA 3 CPU, lighter weight and superior refresh rate make it a serious competitor.
The Steam Deck meanwhile continues to be a quality handheld gaming PC, and is a sound choice for those who don’t fancy shelling out a potentially premium price for a brand new device.
Frequently asked questions
Will the ASUS ROG Ally be worth it?
If you’re looking for a top tier handheld gaming PC and don’t mind a higher price, then the ROG Ally will probably be worth it thanks to its powerful display and processor.
