ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck -- Deep Dive Comparison

The ASUS ROG Ally seems to be the first real competitor to the Valve Steam Deck, so let's have a talk about the two, and some of the reasons you may prefer one over the other.
ASUS ROG Ally: rog.asus.com/gaming-handhelds...
Steam Deck: www.steamdeck.com/
My ASUS ROG Ally review: • ASUS ROG Ally In-Depth...
Steam Deck case: amzn.to/44W4Unj
ETA Prime's comparison: • ROG Ally VS Steam Deck...
The Phawx's channel: / @thephawx
Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
01:37 size
03:25 screen
07:35 audio
08:41 controls
13:37 I/O and ports
15:28 software
18:14 stability
20:38 battery
23:15 performance
25:54 dockability
28:58 cooling
33:08 catalog
34:41 price
36:33 availability
37:16 repairability
35:50 longevity
39:40 trustworthiness
41:00 summary and conclusion
If you want to support the channel, please consider Patreon: / retrogamecorps
Find me on Discord! / discord
Theme song written by Jim Gray of Our Ghosts:
ourghosts.bandcamp.com/track/...
Note that this description may contain affiliate links. By clicking on an affiliate link and buying something, I may earn a small commission of the sale at no extra cost to you. You can read more about that here: retrogamecorps.com/about/
This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only.
#ROGally #SteamDeck #ASUS #Valve

[@RetroGameCorps]

Note that in the price section, I said there was a $500 difference between the $650 Steam Deck and the $700 ROG Ally. Just in case you needed me to clarify, I meant to say $50 and not $500. This channel is really going downhill!

[@emerald_grenade3788]

if only it was 500 difference.

[@somerandomhuman8405]

Just 50 dollars and you get so much more can't wait thanks for the comparison

[@awdrifter3394]

On paper, the ROG Ally is so much more powerful (and I use Win10 on my Steam Deck anyways), but the performance gains are not enough to make me want to upgrade. Maybe I'll wait 1 more generation.

[@MrValgard]

And if u take 400$ steamdeck and 50$ 512gb SSD that u install yourself there is even more pros towards point made in this vid(playstyle)

[@Herr.Mitternacht]

Cheapest SD in EU is 419€ but Ally 699€. Too expensive, not worth the upgrade.

[@SPISheste]

What I love about my Deck is, I feel like I’m back in the early Android days again and just tinkering with customization!

[@Jdubkilla]

My deck is bigger than yours!

[@kingtutan3414]

​@@Jdubkilla😂😂😂

[@Rakumei672]

Docking the steam deck is not bad at all if youre using FSR scaling in the deck settings. You can upscale 720p render to 1080p or even 1440p with no perceivable performance impact and play with the sharpness slider a bit and it looks amazing.

[@phillnichols5970]

I've been given a deck for Father's day/ Birthday and was happy but had kinda changed what i wanted to the Ally when i found out about it. Thank you this was a very helpful to the point video and I'm now very happy with what i have. Now I just have to figure out how to make my deck do what i want! 😅

[@Handheld_TECH]

In Europe: Steam Deck 512GB Comparison: Price difference US: +50$ ✅ Price difference EU: +120€🤯 (130$) Of course the price-performance ratio is still good but €799 is €799. SD 512GB 679€ vs ROG Ally 799€

[@karandras2854]

EU price hike is what makes many products not value friendly, somewhat related to Vat and USD/EUR ratio, keeps me away from many products.

[@mashallah4231]

@@karandras2854 Oh Yes :/

[@theMeshtar]

​@@karandras2854 us Europeans have it bad for all of the merch 😢

[@biglevian]

Tbh I don't think the 512 gb sd is worth it if you ever upgraded a PC. You can just buy the base model and upgrade the ssd for like 50 bucks, so in that price performance figure the steam deck gets a lot better in value. Also soon is summer sale and if it drops another 50 bucks I probably will buy one. The ally is nice, but performance on low tdp isn't a game changer, the higher resolution and frame rate are nice to haves, but not essential for me.

[@theMeshtar]

@@biglevian exactly!

[@christianmejia1364]

This was a great comparison!! You covered everything I would consider. Thanks!! Hope others find it insightful as well.

[@brunodemoura]

Fantastic Comparison ! Congratulations. You did a perfect job!

[@irandis]

Dominican starting on Gaming here. I am crazy to start playing Elder Ring. - Recently purchased my Steam Deck. 🙌🏾

[@coinsagE46m3]

This was a great and informative video; thank you for taking the time to make it. I was one of the first to get a Steam Deck during the first wave of shipments. Love the device and have invested in many accessories like Valve's SD Dock and DBrand's Killswitch skin/case. Was wondering if I should sell it and get an Ally; your video has helped me decide to stick with the Deck at least for now.

[@SomeDudeDan]

The Ally is perfect for emulating newer games, I’m still using both devices, but I pick up the Ally more frequently now. Mainly, because the awesome PS3 and Switch emulator performance. I do hope that Valve is going to release a newer, more powerful Steam Deck later.

[@sushant079]

freaking love your intro man....gives me good old days vibe!

[@centhron89]

As a Norwegian I'm so happy that the Asus ROG Ally actually releases here! I've wanted a Steam Deck for so long, but they don't sell then here... I've already pre-ordered a Ally!

[@cian.horgan]

Oh shit, did they comment on why not? I assumed EEA would be the same as us in the EU. They even included the UK. Is there an option to do mail forwarding from DK or SE? In Ireland we have a cheap option like that for the UK

[@bossedup957]

You need some friends in the states man

[@kptnix]

Same

[@REXae86]

Asus is scumy

[@zainmushtaq4347]

Getting one from Sweden was a really long and cumbersome process, but I finally got my Deck in the end 😇 I got the cheapest model (64GB) for $415 + shipping costs, which came up at about 4500kr ($420). I also bought a 512GB microSD card for 500kr ($50), making the total come at *5000kr,* or ~ *$470*. This just exceeded the upper limit of my affordability budget. As a comparison, the Z1 Extreme ROG Ally costs *9000kr* here in Norway *($840),* yielding a difference of 4000kr ($375 -- the price of another Deck), and there's no way I can afford that! So, to me, the Steam Deck is still the the more realistically obtainable and affordable product. But it's great that you have the budget to pre-order the Ally, and I agree, having it avaialble for purchase _domestically_ was such great news 😇👍

[@MrTheheirarchy]

One note on the great on deck, is that those are certified by valve as meeting their internal metrics. I have played quite a few games that are technically unsupported and they worked excellently on deck. Super happy with my deck, based on reviews I’m happy I bought the low end steam deck and upgraded storage. Suits all my needs so far from AAA to emulation.

[@buhshmuh]

The bad part is games that are on the verified list but don't work perfectly out the box, like missing cutscenes in samurai shodown story mode and others.

[@MrTheheirarchy]

@@buhshmuh it’s definitely an imperfect process for their validation. They can only review a few minutes, and check whatever boxes are on their list….

[@kevinmitchell766]

​@@buhshmuh Have you tried proton experimental?

[@Invid72]

@@buhshmuh Look up Proton-GE to fix your missing cutscene videos. Usually caused by video codecs that Valve is legally prevented from supplying in base Proton but Proton-GE is community maintained.

[@jondoh9414]

Summary: Size - Negligible difference Screen - ROG wins Audio - Neglibible difference Controls - Steam Deck wins I/O and Ports - ROG wins Software - Stability - Steam Deck wins (for now) Battery - Steam Deck wins Performance - ROG wins Dockability - ROG wins Cooling - Both are cool Catalog - ROG wins Price - It depends Availability - Repairability - Steam Deck wins Trustworthiness - Steam Deck wins Summary - Steam Deck for Retro games, comfort, battery, reliability, trustworthiness. ROG for better display, performance, catalog, versatility ROG has some advantages for being windows based and better specs at a marginally higher price. Steam Deck is more usable though bc of battery life being less of a hassle.

[@Thomas-sj2bd]

Fire for the summary

[@lollipoprei830]

gonna stick with the steam deck for now, but in the future i might look into getting a second device that is more powerful.

[@SimplyTooFresh]

If steamdeck wins for battery then I'll definitely hold off on ROG and wait for the next better device. Some AAA titles don't even get 2hrs on steam deck lmao

[@lollipoprei830]

@@SimplyTooFresh im mostly using moonlight with my chromecast, because I feel like emulation wise the steam deck can handle games but it isnt exactly stutter free. but i feel like the steam deck runs everything else fine.

[@comsheperd]

Wow, what a Video! I cant remember the last time i wachted a 40+ min video and didnt skip any part. Thank you for this awesome video!!

[@NorbertRoche]

Very good video Russ! Ordered the Steam Deck! Watching your videos while waiting for it! 😂👍👌

[@michaeliovani4487]

Meh, Steam Deck owner here. Preordered the Ally minutes after they opened preorders. I want full speed Switch, PS3 emulation and more games running at 60fps with higher graphical settings with a much lower fan DB level. Plus, I won’t have to deal with a million versions of proton anymore, wine tricks, installing dependencies etc. I love my deck, but they’re not updating the hardware for years so, yea for me worth it.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Curious if you plan to keep the Steam Deck once the Ally arrives, and if so, are you going to play different games on each device?

[@michaeliovani4487]

@@RetroGameCorpsI will probably sell it, providing the ally once in my hands is everything I expect it to be. At least I’ll be able to return it to my local Best Buy if it sucks which is like 15 minutes from my house. If that’s the case I’ll keep my SD.

[@_The_Captain]

I bought a steam deck to play games like dead cells, terraria, do some basic emulation, and replay older titles like fallout 3, metro or Wolfenstein which look and play great on the deck, and can run for hours on end without having to constantly plug in which defeats the purpose of portable gaming to me. So the ergonomics, support, reliability and power of the SD keeps me content for now. Would a better screen or more power be nice? Sure but everything comes at a cost especially in battery life. However, a slightly smaller bodied, Oled screen, larger battery Steam deck 2 would have me absolutely throwing my money at valve!

[@Dan_Vice]

Always very detailed quality videos. Thanks.

[@sickly_b]

Brilliantly vid as usual - so thorough 👌

[@danielshalem1]

I bought a steam deck for my birthday a week ago. And I am still AMAZED by the steam deck. After the rog ally came out, all of the reviews made the steam deck look like a weak device that runs games at very low quality or frame rate. I didn't have any way to check the steam deck before I bought it so I was a bit scared that i will be disapointed and felt like I won't be able to run AAA games on it. AND BOY WAS I WRONG. all of the ally comparison reviews just do not make any justice for the steam deck. I tried miles morales, tales of arise and SF6 on it, and all of them run so well on the deck it is crazy. And without one second spent on opening the setting menu. Oh and the screen is so much better than it seems in the reviews. Could not recommend it more.

[@tjveith]

Excellent video, thanks. For me, I am staying with the steam deck since I mostly use it only for emulation. I really don't think I need a rog ally for that purpose. Enudeck works fine for me. I will probably purchase a rog ally eventually, but only when it goes down in price or on sale.

[@A1trizzy]

Dude once u dive deep and u unlock the full potential of the deck, it's freakin amazing.. u can emulate off of anything, this is a pc in ur hands.. dual boot windows.. thank me later 👍💯

[@sullypwz7864]

Horrible statement, many emulators arent compartible with steam deck while ally is, and steamfeck cant play many games like gow3 while ally can

[@Moes_Prep_and_Tech]

I wes Waiting for a Video Like this. Thank You

[@Tsunami1982]

Great video and comparison. Thanks for that!

[@exia989]

I feel like Valve put a lot more thought into their product than Asus did... Valve went above and beyond to design something that was user repairable, and had extensive control options, and came in at an incredible price. Asus just kind of saw what other companies were doing, like AyaNeo, and just threw something out at a slightly more aggressive price point which is not necessarily a bad thing. But as anyone who has used asus motherboards in the past can probably agree with, they seem to fall on their face when it comes to software. Not to mention their current reputation with their motherboards has me questioning the years of loyalty i've shown the company when it comes time for PC upgrades.

[@Bodonism]

typical salty steam deck owner.. just because u regret ur steam deck, doesnt mean you have to try hard to praise steam deck and disprove rog ally just to justify ur steam deck purchase lmao

[@gouravburnpur]

He regret buying steam deck🤣

[@aichismurfmaster6217]

Cry about it

[@ericwilliams8647]

​@@Bodonism what is he crying about, kids you like you need to grow up

[@itsquiwi8780]

​@@ericwilliams8647he is crying about his steam deck being ass now wym can u not read?

[@AltoBo123]

13:50 i might need to 3d print a cap for the USB/GPU connector on the Rog Ally. I dont like it all open like that ._. bread crumbs and sh!t

[@SaulsieBerries]

Excellent and extremely thorough video! Deciding to stick with my Steam Deck after your valid points. Gained a sub!

[@guillermogomez1921]

Thanks! Very good material :)

[@19Burgandy]

If money isn't a issue i would get the Ally. The docking features is supreme

[@mitchell10394]

Honestly, I tried both in store and the steam deck felt much better quality wise. It ended up making me get the deck. Waiting to see how the legion go feels

[@ImperiusRex74]

To my knowledge, you've been the only reviewer that brought up repairs and trustworthiness. That's why I hold your channel above the others. For the average consumer who isn't able to purchase every handheld unit, it's important for those with a platform to be as honest with us as possible. Most of the other reviewers aren't taking any of those things into account before hyping up the Ally over the Deck, which is very misleading to the viewer. To many of us, reliability and support is more important than the absolute highest FPS. ASUS's incredibly shady practices has completely turned me off to the Ally. Can't imagine gambling on a $700 dollar device from a company who treats the consumer with such low regards. At least with the Deck I have the peace of mind of consistent updates, support and the option of replacing/repairing parts. Thanks for the review.

[@AlexanderArtsvuni]

thanks for you reviews, great quality content

[@sherryreese3576]

This video rocks, keeps me at the edge of my seat and is on point. 10/10 will watch the whole thing.

[@jacobnobles8453]

When the intro hits, my one year old starts dancing.

[@jouldalk]

Hey 😊 Will the recent addition of vulkan support in Citra allow older/weaker handhelds like the retroid pocket 3 to play 3ds games at a reasonable level? Thanks

[@memaimu]

Thank you for the comparison, 3DGameMan.

[@Vicioussama]

A few months, but Gamers Nexus has a pretty good technical break down of ROG Ally with their new upgrades for their tools. Pretty cool possible addition to reference to put in description :)

[@BrianJones-wk8cx]

The most brilliant, comprehensive, and even-handed assessment of these two devices on the internet, bar none. I’m so happy that you spent some time talking about the trustworthiness issues, and appreciate your candor around your own perspective and acknowledging that others may have differing needs. While I’m sticking to my Steam Deck as well, I wish nothing but the best to my Asus Ally brothers and sisters! Happy Gaming to us all! And also-I’m beginning to realize that your secret sauce is simply your diligence, your objectivity, and your willingness to always go the extra mile. Nowhere else on KZbin is there a content creator that makes such extensive videos that are worth watching start to finish, every single time. So glad to be fan and to have watched from the early days to your continued rise. Excellent work, as always!

[@RetroGameCorps]

Thanks so much, Brian!

[@doomedthunder6638]

I hate to say it but Valve is an American company that specializes in software. It makes me feel a little better knowing that their headquarters isn’t in another country. Asus is a Taiwanese brand that mass produces a lot of hardware without any regard for quality or costumer support. I messaged steam yesterday, just to see their response time and they got back to me right away. Let’s see Asus can do that.

[@gasparmxm]

I think the same, that's why I bought a steam deck despite not having support in my country (Mexico) but Asus Ally has official support and you could preorder officially in Amazon and some other stores. But still, I had a terrible terrible experience with an expensive Asus motherboard like 5 years ago, Valve has shown me that they are a high quality software developer.

[@VanBurenPhilips]

Excellent video!

[@blackreddevil19]

This video came out quick . Can't complain.

[@enemyuav8809]

I was set on buying the Ally….the idea of “more power” was enough for me…then I got to try them both….steam deck OS felt soooo much better and smoother….Windows just felt weird…laggy, hard to explain….the touch pads are also perfect…got my Steam Deck about a week ago

[@Badalight]

"Great on deck" is not the best measurement for how many games will play on Steam Deck vs. the ROG Ally. That's because a huge portion of the game that are listed as "playable" rather than "great on deck" only have that distinction because of small text size - which would also be an issue on the ROG Ally. Sure there are some games that will have other problems, but it certainly isn't half like this video implies.

[@azku]

Even games that are tagged as non playable (or something, can’t remember) play well on Steam Deck like WWE 2k23.

[@filipjovanovic8138]

I have 150 games in my library and I have yet to run into a game that I can’t play on my Deck. Granted, I only play singleplayer games so anti-cheat isn’t an issue for me

[@logangagnier8937]

and i would imagine that any game with anti cheat like valorant or cod mw2 could be bypassed by just installing windows as a secondary OS right? so that would mean that compatibility isn’t really an issue, just takes more work. looking into both of these as a substitute for a gaming pc so pls lmk lol :)

[@0525ohhwell]

@@logangagnier8937 Recently, running windows on the Steam Deck has gotten a heck of a lot more convenient due to new versions of Steam Deck Tools. I am 100% windows on it now and haven't looked back.

[@HearMeLearn]

@@azku can confirm. arkham asylum says unplayable but with a small tweak it works flawlessly so "great on deck" vastly undersells how many games work

[@FeL1sLeo]

Thanks for that usefull review. Bravo...

[@michaelpichardo8185]

Needed this ty !

[@yulintan]

Thanks for this detailled comparison. What about installing steam OS or a linux distrib like batocera on the ROG Ally ? Is it possible and does it make the battery last longer on less demanding games ?

[@RetroGameCorps]

Right now the bootloader is locked on Windows so I'm still working on it. This likely won't be an issue with the retail units, but the review devices are locked down. ETA Prime is also working on it, and he's way smarter than me with this stuff, so hopefully we'll have more info soon.

[@FuzeFyreGreenFerret]

having no trackpacks on the Ally is a deal breaker for me. Im sorry, but the trackpads are SUPER useful on older games that only use mouse support.

[@rairulyle8706]

And the trackpad does help with aiming too! Pair with gyro *chef kiss*

[@xBonafidexProdigy]

That’s cool personally I would rather all my games play that %25-%50 better, instead of just one type of input but I hear ya

[@amit_patel654]

​@@xBonafidexProdigyfair enough. It all depends on what you intend to play. Personally, I could never give up StarCraft 2 in handheld. Those trackpads are a must for that game.

[@mr_take_a_seat4547]

Another Great Video!!

[@darealestwon]

Great informative review

[@electoblaze]

Hands down the best comparison video. Exactly what I was looking for. I especially like your comments on the ergonomics and buttons. I’m a steam deck user (and ps5 user) and no matter how you look at it, steam deck feels better to hold then the ally. But I still preordered the ally because I really want to use windows right out of the box. (Don’t feel like dual booting windows on my deck.)

[@samgoff5289]

Thank you for everything you do in the handheld/retro community!

[@DanicaDaystar]

@RetroGameCorps Hi, man, love your work. Are you aware that @KZbin seems to put commercials right in the middle of your sound test comparisons on some of your videos? Ticked me off at least 3 times that I noticed, it was completely disruptive to the actual test. Thank you for your service.

[@RappleJackson]

This is really minor, bet I love every time you post a long video and say "grab a drink and your favorite snack." It just feels so cozy!

[@shaflic]

As a 20 years long Windows gamer I jumped on the Ally right when it got out (Had no handheld yet). With the improved power+screen+windows compatibility it looked to be easy win over SD. Boy did I get misled by just looking at specs on paper. I got really annoyed about how the Windows experience is on the Ally. You basicAlly need a keyboard/mouse to do stuff in Windows if you value your sanity. Also buggy janky apps by Asus that felt more like bloatware. Switching inputs bugged out a lot like shown in video. Also the ergonomics and feel of the controls were quite a bit worse then I expected. When I docked and played a game I kept getting thrown back into Windows urging me to download some Windows Store app for my controller. That was it for me. Returned it. Maybe try again in a year or two when they improved the software or simply get SD2 at that point. My experience actually got a lot better when I loaded up Steam which went Bigpicture mode and gave me kind of a SD experience. The day after I returned the Ally the SD got into sale. Awaiting delivery today :) .

[@cderry]

It’s been 6 months. How do you like your Steam Deck?

[@shaflic]

@@cderry My experience with the Steam Deck was really good. Played Diablo 4 on it and some Switch emulation. But sold it since I came to the conclusion handheld isn't my thing.

[@MattWiles]

I was so close to ordering the Ally. I don’t have a Deck either. But, I feel that there’s something higher quality about Valve as a company. Steam OS, the updates etc. I do want the powerful handheld and do want to play Xbox games but still think I’ll wait for the next Deck sale.

[@gambaownsus]

steam deck 2 is the way to go but they said they wont improve it for many many years. Steam deck will eventually be absolete. I am waiting on Rog Ally 2 or 1 with better update.

[@MattWiles]

@@gambaownsus I think it might be years away though 😞 I’ve got that itch now.

[@logangagnier8937]

@@dubonstin8676 could also just boot into windows on the steam deck, it requires more work since it isn’t the natively installed operating system, but it’s absolutely an option for games with anti cheat

[@jesusbarrera6916]

@@gambaownsus that's a bad use of obsolete, out of date would be more fitting

[@urboijash3955]

@@gambaownsus nah, it won't be obsolete. The ROG proves that, with its jankiness and terrible battery, it shows windows hand helds arent ready yet either. The deck will serve me nicely as a companion to my ps5 and xbox until the deck 2 drops in end of 24 early 25 (hopefully)

[@wrathtard1428]

I found two separate ifixit pages for Rog ally. They aren't parts. It's a request page for help on how to fix it and another page for getting help with the ally. These aren't guaranteed but it does seem to point the direction of the Ally being the parable on ifixit

[@northnorthsouth1]

Great video👍 I just want to use either one to set up HDMI and play it from my tv

[@Anfield_the_place_to_be]

Where i live in Norway Valve refuse to sell their hardware. So if I'm going to buy a steamdeck on a used marked here (even if it's new) we're talking early ps5 scalping price! About 1000$ without any warrenty. So 900$ wich the Asus rog ally cost in Norway i'm "happy" to buy. Sucks its so expensive compared to usa, but thats life. I at least gets a 5 year waranty wich is standard in Norway.I wanted a handheld pc for years now, and the rog ally seems like a good place to start😊

[@ActionGamerAaron]

If the Ally has any lasting power then I'd like to get one to install SteamOS on. I doubt it will though. I don't see RoG taking this as serious as Valve long term.

[@ThiagoLc06]

Asus want to everyone who bought ally to go fuck themselves, valve will just optimize SD more and more in the long run, just wait and see who will be laughing at last, I know for sure we will see some asus fanboys crying bc they device just stopped working and it is all soldered on the motherboard without any help of asus

[@lucianowod]

really great video! Go Ally!

[@williambrucker-fg3wd]

Russ, I love the skin for your Steam Deck. Do you have the link for it, I’d like to purchase it myself.

[@A1trizzy]

I got my steam deck in like 3 days from the site.. Im loyal to valve they have a community with endless customer service and tips even beta tests. Its well worth it. Plus the steam UI and track pads are the deal breaker for me..

[@shelbymarchant2753]

I just ordered mine yesterday😛😛😛 waiting like shit

[@jessica49arrow]

U mean *lack of I think 😂

[@A1trizzy]

​@jessica49arrow haha noooo..

[@GeraltOfTheRivia]

I'm happy with my steam deck. Upgraded to 1tb dual boot. On steam os, i got my steam games and emulator games (mostly switch games). On windows, i got my other non-steam games with steam deck tools installed. Now, i rarely play on my pc and my switch is forever collecting dust.

[@relax12002]

I'm from Australia cannot get steam deck so going for Asus Ally comes out in July over here in Australia thanks for great video 😅

[@mrburns366]

trackpads are a MUST HAVE.

[@danielkirk5660]

Windows on SD is really good and its really not that hard to dual boot the SD with steam os and W11. This is why the SD wins for me because of the trackpads that are not on the ROG Ally, they make using windows (and linux for that matter) much more user friendly. I bought the SD base model for £315 when it was on sale and immediately swapped out the 64gb emmc ssd for a 512gb ssd for £50 totalling £365. In the UK, the 512gb model costs £569 so I saved £204 doing it this way.

[@COMMANDandConquer199]

Yup, I picked up a 512gb sd card for a windows boot so that I can play my gamepass/gog games on the go, while the internal nvme is used for my steam games and emulation. I feel like it's the best of both worlds.

[@Dracossaint]

Another nice thing about steamdecks track pads is you can literally make a function wheel. Set a Few buttons and Slide your around on the touchpad to Do x this or that function with a corresponding overlay that'll show over it. It really shines in mmos or RTS games

[@Dracossaint]

Regarding the power usage with steam deck versus the Ally. I'm not sure if the ally can get much better with games that are less demanding. It has to power a lot more cores than the steam deck does. Twice the amount of cores actually, the cores need a minimum amount of power delivered to them in order to function, It would probably take something like disabling SMT or etc to get closer to the steamdeck. Which I'm not sure you can even do in Windows and might require changing in the BIOS. Overall the 7840u is just more power hungry by its very nature

[@minisithunknown5568]

@@Dracossaint You are right. If you play lower setting game the Steam Deck double the Ally. I watched a whole video of someone testing it on multiple games; both high end and low end games.

[@TheTyisawesome]

That Asus button sound!! Uggh I want to say that's intentional cause it sounds so satisfying

[@chriskrojs3756]

In the battery section at around 23mins, what’s the app that is used on the ally to get total system power? What other apps can be used for total System power for windows?

[@centauri0]

I've read some really frightening reviews on the Ally. It sounds way to buggy and very hard to use compared to the Steam Deck. I'm glad you talked a little bit about it.

[@panamike6178]

Thanks for the heads up, not buying that piece of shit device when there's much better hand held out there called the Steam Deck!

[@tomselleck5560]

I’m gay

[@gondalasatvarsh5892]

For me Steam Deck is always the kind because of software and community support for all the games

[@efratagung2440]

Bro you can do sleep/wake function on Windows too. But you need to turn off 'hibernate' feature first (I'm on dualboot WinDeck/SteamOS).

[@ilpastor]

Amazing analysis

[@prestoncram7507]

I love watching the details of this stuff and I don’t even plan to buy either of these 😂 No wonder this channel is growing so fast

[@charliesayno1115]

That’s because it is KZbin content for grownups 🙂

[@alfredellis8549]

Honestly, I'm probably in the minority here, but the $400 steam deck was already pushing my budget. If a similar handheld doesn't starr at 400 or less I'm not gonna be hype for it 🤷

[@pranze3484]

I don't think you are, no. I have a fairly good income, but still it's about risk/reward for me, I can afford to have a 400$ device stolen, or fail after 2/3 years, it will be painful but not the end of the world. A 800$ device would be really, really bitter for me.

[@rbatesmotel]

Agreed. For a handheld gaming device, $400 is pushing my limits. I did buy the low end Steam Deck and spend $60 to upgrade the SSD. However when you are talking $600-700 thats out of my range. I am still waiting for that $150 device with a nice 4"+ screen that can play Gen6 without any issues. for the RP4+

[@jev8196]

Peasant

[@A1trizzy]

U gonna die waiting dude

[@GraveUypo]

nope. in my country the ally cost twice as much as the deck. complete deal breaker. even if it was better in every aspect, there's no way i'm paying that much for a handheld video game.

[@PS3ClassicGamesHD]

For a final comparison you have to wait at least a year for software updates and optimizations.

[@AnimeFan-dl4qd]

29:35 that would be very interesting. Especially if the external GPU is capable to allow the Alley to get to 4K Resolution, Ray tracing etc.

[@AlaaSalem]

Ally (extreme edition) does support ray tracing without external gpu..

[@AnimeFan-dl4qd]

@@AlaaSalem I should have been more specific. Sure, the Ally support ray tracing, but how much power does it need for that? How much FPS do I have to give up or which graphic settings do I have to choose in order to still get a good performance?

[@masamasa1815]

A couple of things I think some fail to realize. First the steam deck launched a year ago and only within the last few months did it become freely available to the public. Second optimization is almost as important as the hardware itself. A device with great specs and poor support will never reach it's full potential. The ease of use the steam deck has created within PC gaming makes it really approachable to a lot of people for the very first time. The steam deck has really given people that switch like experience except with PC games. So where as the Asus ROG is a PC with controlles attached to it the steam deck is a game system that happens to be a PC. The steam deck doesn't really need to be the most powerful device out there so long as steam keeps optimizing it and updating it, I think we will be using the current steam deck for years to come, maybe we will see a pro version at some point. But the fact is the steam deck is still new and valve hasn't even come close to making enough to move on from the current version. The steam deck has steam and so long as steam keeps optimizing games to run well on the deck and so long as they keep improving the software the steam deck is really the winner here. With the steam deck you can tinker if you want or you can very easily jump right into a game without knowing basically anything about Linux. The Asus ROG is a PC, it's going to take tinkering and some knowledge to get things going. Unfortunately this is going to make that device not as approachable for many people who aren't looking for a PC but a game system.

[@A1trizzy]

That's what happened for me.. I wanted to game on pc but felt it was a whole new lane I have to learn.. steam deck made it easy for me

[@LPhooligan]

been looking at specs and reviews allday , with the summer sale split between the 2 but your right about the steam deck being easier to work on so many options for cases, switches , and has steam behind so support will be there, and if next version is better im sure some will come up with a way to upgrade the screen to a 120hz, so far theyve been able to upgrade the storage to 3 tb

[@Metroidam11]

Crazy how Steam Deck is well over a year into its launch and is still making tough competition for its competitors.

[@ofensatul]

what competition ? literally every handheld released in the last 6 months blow the steamdeck out of the water , the only reason why it's compared it's because it is the first handheld this gen released :)

[@lucasg5167]

​@@ofensatulthere's something called price and battery life. On low tdp the rog ally still cant beat It. But you look like the type of person that doesn't even buy the product, just becomes a cheerleader online lol

[@SpacedogD]

The software of everything released pales in comparison. Steam deck's software, stability and community support is really something

[@juleswinnfield1246]

@@ofensatul i don’t think so. They all have good things but the overall package is not as compelling as is the steam deck.

[@KaliKavala]

Great video. Thanks for your time and efford

[@guitarskooter]

Excellent and fair comparison. I feel that so many people are bandwagoning on either side big time so far, and spitting false information. Nice to have an unbiased actual comparison. Both devices are great machines and both have specific people they are better for. Not everyone needs trackpads or needs insane battery life. Not everyone plays 30 year old 2d console games. Some people value the power more. Some value the compatibility more. Some value Steam's ability to work well and no Windows. Nothing wrong with that. More options is better for everyone.

[@rometherevenant8749]

Both are amazing handhelds. Im definetly gonna order one before or maybe on christmas. It will keep the steam deck me and my wife share company or we take turns but either way itll be a nice addition to our handheld collection.

[@KarlRock]

Thanks. These thorough reviews are very helpful. The Ally is 🔥 I’ll probably hold off until a SteamDeck 2 or Ally 2. I’ve never got any first gen products. I’m happy with my Switch currently… but always wished to have a Windows handheld.

[@shuttzi9878]

I would actually buy it now (unless u wanna wait 2-3 yrs), the ROG Allt at least, combining it with game pass is a match made in heaven

[@zeronim1965]

"I’ve never got any first gen products." "happy with my Switch currently" Ok...

[@Teilzeit02]

​@@zeronim1965 Switch has many gens like the 2019 or the OLED version but yeah sure mate

[@zeronim1965]

@@Teilzeit02 lol they all represented one console - Switch, got same chip, same power... It's like to make new revision, but sell it as a new console :\ (well N-company like to do something like that) Or we can say that Ally is just a new gen of portable PCs, there Asus collected everything from all to their pPC. Main problem not "first gen" but that it's still a PC, not a console... Asus dont give a s if a game wont be playable on device, of we'll be optimizing games for Ally, they just jumped on hypetrain, while Valve is doing all work as a locomotive... Store, optimization, contacts with devs.

[@hgh1727]

Steam Deck will probably go on sale during steam summer sale. It would be a great price point

[@Truekingg]

You can change the resolution while docked with the steam deck also, youre not stuck to 720p... i didnt hear you mention it.

[@rrnn9412]

It's perfect thanks

[@jajabinx35]

As a steam deck user, I think I'm gonna sit this one out. I don't really play aaa games on it (which I have my pc for). Having said that, it will very interesting in the next couple of years. For me, battery life improvements will attract me the most.

[@Oniontrololol]

+1 I have my pc for AAA games

[@Kidusrox]

100% agree

[@creaturecore13]

Then why buy a steam deck over something like an odin? Better portability and size.

[@Kidusrox]

@@creaturecore13 to play pc games

[@kiri374]

@@creaturecore13 price for me :) got the 64gb version and upgraded the ssd

[@JoSaLoFoPoT]

There's one minor point I might make pertaining to the Software section; it's mentioned that the Windows desktop experience on the Ally is difficult to navigate without an external keyboard and mouse. I feel that the Steam Deck handles this very well with its trackpads, allowing a reasonable facsimile to a mouse and keyboard. Admittedly the built in solution is a little clunky, but does still work, especially regarding mouse control as the haptic feedback really helps to impart the cursor's momentum.

[@matthewgray5574]

Ally owner here. I have had zero issues navigating windows. I’ve actually come to enjoy it with the touch screen aspect. I just use the joystick to move my cursor and it’s worked great.

[@NewtGQ]

thanks for letting me add facsimile to my vocabulary lol

[@j03man44]

Just losing the windows ghosts makes me glad I've gone with steamdeck. Though there has been a bit of a learning curve in learning linux desktop.

[@sirpugstudios]

bro is the rizzler 11:29

[@MrSujano]

WOW, I did not expect you to stick with the Steam Deck! Awesome video as always

[@Drivenby]

RGC as you may know stands for "subscribe to Mr.Sujano!"

[@stealfromwork]

I was set on getting an Ally over a Deck until this comparison. The additional horsepower is great but I don’t think I have as much faith in ASUS as I do in Valve to properly support the device over time, and for what I want to use it for, I think the Deck will be fine.

[@hb-robo]

Remember too, if you still feel the FOMO just wait a little while and an even newer toy will be out taking everyone’s attention

[@shuttzi9878]

Idk bro Id much rather choose a more powerfull machine, especially the one as flexible as the Ally Steam Deck is great for older games, Indie games and Emulating older consoles but for something like YUZU or CEMU the Ally is just plain better Also Game Pass ❤️

[@rustyshakelford1466]

In terms of outright performance 7840u with faster ram will beat the X1 extreme in the ally, and an H skew sometime in the next few months will probably beat that as well. And yeah don't trust asus to do more than give you a simple launcher and an ok tuning panel. Still, the ally is a lot of performance for "just" $700, considering comparable systems will probably all be $1k+ unless they come in barebones form. This chip really needs more than a 40wh battery though, it's more suited to a laptop where you can throw in a 75+wh battery and more cooling to push the TDP more consistently.

[@theMeshtar]

Hey Russ, here's an offtopic - who does your beard? Looks slick.

[@nonametito2599]

Interesting video.

[@disappointedidealist1989]

Most people don't mention this: streaming to the steam deck from my pc is the best Steam Link experience I've ever had when it is in docked mode.

[@iamdinosaur4245]

Well, I think you have sold me. Let me check if I understand you correctly: if I have a TV and a computer in 2 different rooms, I can stream my games on my TV?

[@armyofninjas9055]

Why not just put a pc on a tv? Better in every way.

[@AnarickTheDevil]

Reminder that Asus was putting their graphics cards on ebay for well above msrp during the crypto craze not to long ago.

[@Pradatoru]

There is a point you didn't go over for people like me 😅 You talked about it still charging while being docked but what about if it's handheld and charging ? 🤔 Interested in the ROG one

[@jamescooper7878]

bought the Steamdeck 64gb and got a 1TB ssd, are planing to swap the ssd when i get the the deck.

[@FunFreakeyy]

Great and fair comparison video! The only thing I envy the Ally for in theory is the eGPU. In practice it's way too expensive anyways, but this should be the standard in future for mobile devices. Regarding the screens, videoglasses should be the most important addition to buy for any mobile device in the future, so I'm fine with any screen because I can expand it with glasses. And for trustworthyness, most people don't care at all about how bad companies are, but for me ASUS is a big red flag and it's great that you mentioned it.

[@whwhywhywhywhywhywhy]

Video glasses are what?

[@FunFreakeyy]

@@whwhywhywhywhywhywhy Things like the nreal air seems like the best accessory regarding these mobile gaming/entertainment devices. And if you have one you can still use them even if you upgrade, because after all it's only a display, so it seems like a good investment.

[@bipbop3121]

With glasses, resolution and refresh rate become even more important, which could to things to the higher performance chip?

[@little_fluffy_clouds]

No point buying a handheld and then tethering it to an eGPU anyway, defeats the whole purpose of getting a handheld device

[@FunFreakeyy]

@@little_fluffy_clouds I use the steamdeck docked a lot because it is as good as my old pc at 10% of power consumption, so it would be nice if I can save the money of parts I already have (CPU, RAM) and expand it with upgrades that are most important for gaming, which is the GPU. The same goes for people that use laptops as their main device, which often has comparable CPU performance of a PC but not GPU performance. And if you think about brands like GPD or Ayaneo which devices cost over 1k$ this would be even nicer money wise. From a technical standpoint we already have this option with Thunderbolt, it only must be integrated.

[@bob23301]

90 mins battery life, and that is only on mid level games settings........they could have doubled that with ease by going with 60fps and a 720p screen as 1080p and 120 rps is wasted on such a screen that small.....and no touch pads means all your mouse required pc games are dead at the starting gate....this needed more optimisations and trimming.

[@jeremiahdomer4657]

Valve has also been consistently updating the steam deck since launch. It seems like every month at least I get a new update and the device has only gotten better. Very happy with my purchase thus far.

[@patrocn35car]

just like Asus, the ROG ally performance and support has been amazing and even improving everyday

[@jeremiahdomer4657]

@@patrocn35car that’s great to hear. I want everyone to be enjoying there purchase

[@darkdagon6]

I kind of like when machines sounds like machines