Asus ROG Ally vs. Steam Deck: which to buy

If you’d like a handheld gaming PC, there are solely two official choices. In idea, the selection ought to be easy.

You would choose Valve’s Steam Deck, which established this complete {hardware} area of interest final spring, or its first official challenger, Asus’ ROG Ally, which is hitting shops this summer season. It’s a battle between the established business chief and the sleeker, extra highly effective, and barely costlier upstart.

The difficulty is, each the Steam Deck and Ally are wonderful handhelds. There’s no apparent winner. Making the selection is dependent upon what you want from these costly transportable PCs. The ROG Ally Z1 Excessive shall be obtainable on the market worldwide on June 13 for $699.99, and pre-orders ought to now be dwell.

After I reviewed the Steam Deck, I known as it “my favourite online game console.” A 12 months and alter later, I’m much more sure of that perception. I wager that I spent greater than half my time gaming final 12 months with it, whether or not on my sofa, within the airport, or on the cafe down the road. For all its greatness, nevertheless, the Steam Deck stays a primary draft. The machine is massive, the battery life is small, and a handful of its boldest design selections (it runs on Linux and has a console-like consumer interface) double as its largest hindrances (it doesn’t run Home windows out of the field, making every thing exterior of Steam a headache at finest and a nonstarter at worst).

a lake in the mountains in Forza Horizon 5 running on an Asus ROG Ally gaming handheld, lying on a blue-gray rug, photographed from above

Photograph: Chris Plante/Polygon

That is the place the Asus ROG Ally is available in. It’s a bizarro Steam Deck, usually excelling in what the Steam Deck can’t do, however battling what the Steam Deck can. At first, it comes with Home windows proper out of the field, like some funky-shaped gaming laptop computer. Something constructed for Home windows — principally 99% of software program — works right here. Wish to obtain video games from Xbox Recreation Go, the Epic Video games Retailer, GOG, or Itch.io? Go for it! Wish to make use of a long time’ price of emulation software program? That’s cool. Wish to plug a USB-C dongle into the gaming handheld, then join a monitor, mouse, and keyboard to be able to use it because the weirdest little work PC? You’re my type of weirdo — go forward and be your self!

And but, identical to with the Steam Deck, the alternatives that elevate the ROG Ally often chop it on the knees. The Ally isn’t like a gaming PC; it is a gaming PC. And Home windows 11 isn’t designed to be navigated on the non-public computing equal of a Nintendo Swap.

All of that is to say that neither the ROG Ally nor the Steam Deck is with out its flaws, and none of these flaws are deal-breakers. So one of the best ways to make a choose, in my humble opinion, is to give attention to the positives.

Which one does extra of what you need?


a rainy street scene in Forza Horizon 5 running on an Asus ROG Ally gaming handheld, lying on olive green fabric, in a close-up overhead photo of the right side of the device

Photograph: Chris Plante/Polygon

You should purchase the Asus ROG Ally if: you need the best possible — on paper

On paper, the Ally bests the Steam Deck in almost each means, although hardly ever by a considerable measure.

The Ally is lighter and extra highly effective. Asus slot in an AMD Ryzen Z1 processor, 16 GB RAM, and a 512 GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD. It has a intelligent thermal system that stored the {hardware} comparatively quiet after I threw demanding fashionable video games at it, just like the Resident Evil 4 remake. AMD’s graphics-boosting tech, Radeon Tremendous Decision (RSR) and FidelityFX Tremendous Decision (FSR), may be turned on from an overlay. It made a noticeable distinction in efficiency in demanding AAA video games like Forza Horizon 5.

The 1080p 120Hz show has a better decision and twice the refresh fee of the Steam Deck’s display. It’s price noting that the Ally makes use of an IPS panel quite than the superior OLED expertise in the latest Swap mannequin. Nevertheless it definitely seems brighter than another handheld, OLED Swap included. In my workplace, with the lights off, I felt like I used to be cradling an industrial-strength flashlight.

Ally house owners can even have the choice to funnel much more graphical energy by means of the machine by connecting an XG Cellular exterior GPU. I didn’t have the chance to do this for myself, however our sibling web site, The Verge, has written about Asus’ use of plug-in graphics playing cards previously. For folk who don’t need the majority of a gaming PC, however really feel constrained by the facility limitations of a transportable, it’s a promising (albeit dear) third possibility.

You should purchase the Asus ROG Ally if: you may have an enormous assortment of PC video games exterior of Steam

That is the rationale the Ally may have a everlasting spot on my desk for the foreseeable future. I’ve watched numerous YouTube tutorials on easy methods to play non-Steam video games on my Steam Deck. Reader, I’m a dullard, and the outcomes replicate that.

By comparability, the Ally makes PC gaming (not merely Steam gaming) a breeze. The whole lot simply works. If in case you have Commander: No Regret on EA’s Origin, Remaining Fantasy 7 Remake on the Epic Video games Retailer, and a few hundred video games you downloaded off itch.io by means of a Humble Bundle, then wow — we have now related gaming tastes! And like me, you should have no hassle sliding into every of them inside minutes of opening the Ally and connecting it to Wi-Fi.

Even with video games on Steam, there’s a case for the Ally’s superiority. The Steam Deck interprets video games designed for Home windows by means of Proton. Whereas it really works for many video games, it doesn’t work for each sport. With the Ally, any sport that runs on Home windows (and has minimal specs met by the Ally {hardware}) ought to work.

a close-up of the left grip of the Asus ROG Ally gaming handheld lying on olive green fabric

Photograph: Chris Plante/Polygon

You should purchase the Asus ROG Ally if: you need one thing a little bit extra transportable, otherwise you identical to the gamercore aesthetic

The Ally is lighter and smaller than the Steam Deck. This isn’t as noticeable within the arms — it’s not that a lot lighter — however it makes a higher distinction when tossing the gizmo in a bag. And it positively seems to be extra discreet in public locations.

I examined the Ally at a espresso store after which a brewery, and at each spots I felt like somebody enjoying a barely sharper-edged Swap. I didn’t get any confused seems to be. No one requested me concerning the {hardware}. The Ally blends in, particularly when you flip off the RGB lighting emanating from the joysticks. This contrasts with my expertise with the Steam Deck, which is so giant and ponderous that strangers on airplanes routinely take a look at me with eyes reserved for tax collectors and canine haters.

You should purchase the Asus ROG Ally if: you need the whole lot of tinkering freedom that comes with Home windows

That is decidedly not me, however describes a lot of my friends at Polygon, who love establishing their gaming {hardware} as a lot as (if no more than) truly enjoying video games. The Asus ROG Ally is a gaming PC by means of and thru, and whereas that reality is liable for my occasional complications, the liberty shall be a boon for individuals who wish to push the boundaries of what may be accomplished with transportable gaming {hardware}. All the mods and improvement instruments constructed for Home windows PCs ought to match comfortably on the Ally.

Is that this the identical type of tinkering afforded by Linux on the Steam Deck? It’s not, however I’ve to consider that anyone who loves Linux has already made up their thoughts.


the game library screen of the Asus ROG Ally gaming handheld, lying on gray fabric, photographed from above

Photograph: Chris Plante/Polygon

You should purchase the Steam Deck if: you desire a console-like expertise

Like I stated, the Ally is actually a handheld gaming console operating Home windows — which isn’t one thing Home windows was designed for. To resolve for the apparent navigation ache factors, the Ally comes with Armoury Crate SE put in, a consumer interface that’s meant to compete with Steam’s working system.

If Armoury Crate SE labored, you’ll have the ability to merely and reliably click on round its menus, choosing video games or streaming apps or no matter else you’d like with out ever having to fumble by means of the Home windows desktop utilizing a D-pad and a fussy touchscreen. Sadly, in my first few days with the Ally, this usually wasn’t the expertise. Navigating Armoury Crate SE (and thru it, the whole Ally machine) annoyed me, spoiling my time between video games.

Is studying Armoury Crate’s messy system not possible? After all not. Am I progressively getting comfy controlling Home windows with a touchscreen? Yeah, it’s solely been just a few days. However let me be clear: For those who’re switching from, say, the Swap to one thing just like the ROG Ally, you’ll uncover the true that means of the phrases that await all newcomers to the world of PC gaming: “trial and error.”

You should purchase the Steam Deck if: you instantly desire a useful neighborhood

The Steam Deck has a 12 months’s headstart on the Ally by way of consumer assist. At launch, getting emulators, the Epic Video games Retailer, and Xbox Recreation Go to run on the Steam Deck by means of Linux took me hours. Now, user-made instruments have turned these limitations into minor velocity bumps. The Steam Deck neighborhood reveals a real love for the {hardware}, the type that we usually see from homebrew, jailbreaking, and (unsurprisingly right here) Linux communities.

The Ally might have a good larger neighborhood, sooner quite than later, if Asus is ready to get the hand-held to retailers like Greatest Purchase and Amazon. This may very well be the primary mainstream PC handheld. However with the Swap nonetheless hovering and a brand new Zelda sport about to launch, how many individuals are there who wish to spend this a lot cash on a higher-end gaming handheld and haven’t purchased the Steam Deck already?

That’s a honest query. I actually don’t know.

You should purchase the Steam Deck if: comfy ergonomics are a premium

The Ally is a bit lighter than the Steam Deck, which seems like a optimistic! However the Steam Deck’s cumbersome handles higher recreate the texture of an Xbox controller. The Ally is akin to a barely extra comfy Swap, with mild curves on the back and front to present your arms some grip, although not sufficient for the hand-held to actually settle into your palms. The sleeker design additionally pushes the air flow to the highest, just like the Steam Deck, close to the amount and energy buttons. That is good, in that the recent air isn’t spit out the again and into your lap. However I discovered the warmth to be extra noticeable with the Ally. Although the air nonetheless does circulate away from the machine, it’s such as you’re projecting a small (and comparatively quiet) house heater into the world.

You should purchase the Steam Deck if: worth issues

Although the Ally is extra highly effective than the Steam Deck in some ways, it’s accordingly costlier. The Asus ROG Ally Z1 Excessive retails for $699.99. The Steam Deck is obtainable in three fashions starting from $399 to $649.


What to purchase: The Asus ROG Ally or the Steam Deck?

the Command Center of the Asus ROG Ally gaming handheld, in a close-up overhead photo of the left side of the device

Photograph: Chris Plante/Polygon

I figured that after the evaluation, I might inevitably return to the Steam Deck out of behavior. However for now, it’s tucked into my bedside desk. I’ve swapped my Octopath Traveler 2 playthrough, the Ally’s lighter construct and brighter display making this machine a perfect match for lengthy, late-night excursions of fantastical worlds.

For you, pricey reader: There’s no slam-dunk selection. However there’s no air ball, both. In actual fact, each handhelds are improbable. Whether or not I carry across the Steam Deck or the ROG Ally on the common, I’ll be pleased with my selection. And I feel you can be too. Having a long time of video video games on a tool I can preserve in my backpack and nonetheless have room for my laptop computer and water bottle — that looks like magic.

The Asus ROG Ally Z1 Excessive shall be launched June 13 for $699.99. This evaluation was carried out with a retail unit supplied by Asus. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These don’t affect editorial content material, although Vox Media might earn commissions for merchandise bought through affiliate hyperlinks. You could find further details about Polygon’s ethics coverage right here.

#Asus #ROG #Ally #Steam #Deck #purchase