which is the better gaming handheld?

Of all the large debates within the handheld gaming area, few are as aggressive because the Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED battle. This pair of moveable PCs are two of essentially the most highly effective and in style in the marketplace, so we thought we’d put collectively a information straight evaluating them, together with the software program, efficiency, and design on provide from every. Hopefully, that ought to make it slightly simpler so that you can resolve which is greatest for you.

For extra of our purchasing recommendation, you’ll want to try our listing of one of the best gaming telephones when you’re right here, with top-tier choices from the likes of Samsung, Apple, RedMagic, and extra. Or, in the event you’re on the lookout for one thing with a nostalgia issue, we’ve additionally acquired a listing of one of the best retro handhelds, together with just a few finances choices that may get you gaming on the go for a lot lower than both the Steam Deck OLED or Asus ROG Ally X.

Value and availability

By way of pricing, the most cost effective Steam Deck OLED is far more reasonably priced than the most cost effective Asus ROG Ally X. The 1TB Steam Deck OLED is on the market for $649 by way of Valve’s storefront, whereas the same-size Asus ROG Ally X is $799.99. Then there’s the 512GB Steam Deck OLED at $549. The one caveat is that the Asus ROG Ally X is extra more likely to go on sale by way of third-party retailers similar to Amazon and Walmart, whereas we’ve nonetheless not seen Valve formally low cost both of the Steam Deck OLED fashions.

It’s price mentioning right here that the Steam Deck OLED additionally comes with a useful carry case, whereas Asus expects you to choose up your personal equipment for the ROG Ally X. I’m undecided if I’m spoiled by the very fact I purchased a Steam Deck OLED first and now anticipate a complimentary carry case, nevertheless it works in Valve’s favor that the ROG Ally X doesn’t appear to supply as a lot worth right here because the Steam Deck OLED.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED

Efficiency and specs

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

Even from a cursory look on the Steam Deck OLED and the Asus ROG Ally X’s spec sheets, it’s fairly clear that the Asus has extra efficiency energy. For starters, the ROG Ally X has 24GB of RAM, whereas the Steam Deck OLED lags behind with 16GB. This makes for faster load instances on the Asus console. Load instances aren’t significantly gradual on the Steam Deck, at the least not in comparison with the likes of the Nintendo Swap, however the ROG Ally X is only a bit snappier.

Shifting on to the processors and the ROG Ally X wins out once more. The Asus’ AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive CPU gives constantly greater body charges and a 10-15% efficiency increase on the Steam Deck OLED’s customized Zen 2 processor. The Steam Deck isn’t terrible, not by an extended stretch, however on the time of writing, the ROG Ally X is essentially the most highly effective handheld in the marketplace, additionally beating the likes of the Lenovo Legion Go and the Ayn Odin 2.

The ROG Ally X additionally comes with 4 efficiency mode choices – Silent, Efficiency, Turbo, and Turbo+ – which you’ll be able to choose on the push of a button. This protects loads of time in comparison with the Steam Deck OLED, which forces you to manually alter particular person settings when making an attempt to steadiness efficiency and battery life. I can’t inform you how lengthy I’ve spent altering settings on my OLED, and it’s usually extra effort than it’s price.

Winner: Asus ROG Ally X

Battery life

Contemplating the Asus ROG Ally X has an 80WHr battery and the Steam Deck OLED has a 50WHr battery, you’d suppose the winner right here can be fairly apparent. Nonetheless, it’s a bit extra difficult than that. There’s little or no to separate the 2 handhelds when it comes to battery life, and it usually comes right down to your alternative of efficiency settings. If there’s one factor for sure, the Asus ROG Ally X gives far more dependable battery life than the unique Ally.

In our testing, we discovered that the Asus ROG Ally X tends to beat out the Steam Deck OLED’s battery life with matched settings, averaging about an additional hour of battery life in demanding video games, similar to Baldur’s Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, or two to a few hours when working much less power-hungry video games. Nonetheless, in the event you increase the ROG Ally X as much as its most efficiency settings or go for Turbo mode, it runs out of juice slightly faster than the Steam Deck OLED.

Winner: Asus ROG Ally X

Show

Whereas each the Steam Deck OLED and Asus ROG Ally X have improbable shows for gaming, the previous’s OLED display takes the cake when up towards the latter’s IPS LCD. OLED shows provide extra vivid colours and deeper blacks, and the Steam Deck OLED is able to double the height brightness of the Asus, going all the best way as much as 1,000 nits. If that wasn’t sufficient, the anti-glare show tech of the Steam Deck OLED additionally makes for a greater touring companion, because the display is extra discernable in direct daylight or underneath vivid indoor lighting.

Admittedly, the ROG Ally X’s 120Hz refresh price is greater than the Steam Deck OLED’s 90Hz, however the gulf between the 2 is hardly noticeable, particularly in the event you’re gaming at something lower than 60fps. The ASUS handheld additionally has a better 1080p decision in comparison with the Steam Deck OLED’s 800p, however once more, the distinction between the 2 isn’t almost as apparent because the Steam Deck’s brighter show and extra correct colours.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED

Design

Design is likely one of the extra subjective components of this information, because it all will depend on your preferences. I’m a fan of huge chunky handhelds, so for me, the Steam Deck OLED wins out, however the sleeker and extra compact Asus ROG Ally X would possibly go well with you higher in the event you’ve acquired smaller palms. Funnily sufficient, the 640g Steam Deck is definitely a bit lighter than the smaller 678g ROG Ally X, however the hole of 38g isn’t all that noticeable when holding each. Whichever you go for, we suggest choosing up one of many multipurpose choices from our listing of one of the best Steam Deck docks.

Outdoors of the Steam Deck OLED’s wider construct, the designs of each consoles have quite a bit in frequent, similar to their easy joysticks, responsive triggers, and tactile buttons. They’re additionally equally matched when it comes to ergonomics, although I discover the Steam Deck OLED’s handgrips barely extra comfy throughout lengthy gaming periods.

One of many few obvious design variations between the handhelds is that the Steam Deck OLED has trackpads, whereas the Asus ROG Ally X doesn’t. I exploit the trackpads so not often that this isn’t a dealbreaker, however in the event you’re an enormous fan of point-and-click video games or people who really feel clunky utilizing a controller similar to Rimworld and RollerCoaster Tycoon, which may make the Steam Deck a extra engaging proposition.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED

Software program

Whereas the ROG Ally X would possibly beat out the Steam Deck OLED’s efficiency, with regards to software program, issues are quite a bit completely different. The Steam Deck has a way more streamlined software program expertise, predominantly because of the truth that the Asus handheld depends on the ever-janky Home windows 11. The ROG Ally X is healthier than it as soon as was because of current updates to Armory Crate SE, the console’s sport launcher, nevertheless it’s no SteamOS, which makes each enjoying and downloading Steam video games a bit of cake.

The one factor the ROG Ally X has on the Steam Deck on this division is that it requires far more tinkering to obtain and play all your Epic and Battle.internet video games on the Valve console, and you may solely stream Xbox Sport Cross video games. Nonetheless, navigating Home windows 11 with out trackpads is so irritating that I’d reasonably undergo the hassle of putting in new launchers within the Deck’s desktop mode than cope with the incessant pop-ups and random bugs of the Home windows handheld.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED

Verdict

Relating to the Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED debate, all of it will depend on what you’re on the lookout for. For those who’re all about pure efficiency and a sleeker type issue, and don’t thoughts the upper value level, the Ally X is more likely to go well with you higher. Then again, in the event you favor user-friendly software program and a chunky unit, the Steam Deck OLED is the best way to go. That’s the lengthy and wanting it.

It’s additionally vital to take your gaming library and preferences under consideration. For those who’ve acquired an enormous again catalog of Steam video games, go for the Steam Deck. If, as an alternative, you’re an Xbox Sport Cross and Epic Video games person, the Asus ROG Ally X is the extra smart choice. In any case, you’re spending over $500 regardless of which console you go for, so that you need to be sure you can play all of your favourite video games when the hand-held arrives with you.

Finally, the factor to recollect is that each of those gaming handhelds are improbable, and also you’re unlikely to remorse your resolution whichever method you go. Plus, we’re not anticipating a Steam Deck 2 or successor to the Asus ROG Ally X anytime quickly, so there’s no main concern you may be choosing up one thing that’s going to really feel outdated in lower than a 12 months.

There you’ve got it, our Asus ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED information. For extra nice gaming tech, you’ll want to try our picks for one of the best gaming tablets and one of the best finances gaming telephones, with choices to go well with all wants and budgets. Or, if you wish to try an excellent wider choice of handhelds, see our listing of one of the best Steam Deck options.