ASUS ROG Ally vs the Steam Deck: Which handheld gaming PC is right for you?

Packing an AMD Z1 Extreme chip, super quiet fans and an excellent 1080p display, the ASUS ROG Ally is the Steam Deck’s biggest rival yet. And thanks to a platform based on Windows instead of Linux, it has way better game compatibility too. So to see which handheld PC is right for you, we pitted both systems against each other to see which portable gaming machine reigns supreme.
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[@goldfingerhardcore]

I have both and I love both. Steam Deck has a much better software experience, but the better screen on ROG Ally always brings me back.

[@ryanrudy5723]

Which one is better for games like Diablo?

[@shugazi1]

@@ryanrudy5723Ally 100%

[@QuantumRads]

Anytime I hear about asus Armory, I avoid it. Its such a awfully designed software and is a mess to get rid of.

[@dksun]

​@QuantumRads why are you here?

[@X862go]

agreed!

[@petermarkstone5702]

8:10 "i can game while watching tv with my wife " xDDDDD best selling commercial in existence

[@wolkeris5824]

its 8:01 actually

[@SubhanRao-ps5tt]

@@wolkeris5824 🤓🤓

[@nopenope1244]

LOL I NEED THIS. I am sold

[@SmartFool24]

I have both and the Ally is what I carry in my bag now but I don’t plan on getting rid of my Deck and 9 times out of 10 I recommend the Deck. It’s just easier for most people.

[@iancharles9222]

I got rid of my steam deck. My eyes can’t accept anything lower than 60fps now. I blame the ally for this 😢

[@HoloTap]

can be easier sometimes, I wish all the games were verified.

[@emanuelcarmona9930]

I been comparing the 2. Seems like rog will be better in the long run. Software updates should rog a lot

[@X862go]

same !

[@bobdylan1968]

That's an objective lie. The ally is significantly more user friendly. It's fucking windows. Everyone knows how to use windows. Steam os is buggy, and has compatibility issues. And you need to do numerous work arounds for online games. Half the people install windows anyway. Which is another 100+ dollars, which makes the steam deck more expansive than the ally. The ally is superior across the board.

[@GArvelo]

Steam deck is a Console handheld and ROG Ally is a Windows handheld.

[@joeschmoe5009]

If youre only using steam, get the deck, for console like experience. If you want to use anything else, get the ally. Thats the way i view it, less hassle than hacking the deck, and newer hardware.

[@markman828]

Steam deck is also a Linux desktop

[@allenfrisch]

The Steam Deck is definitely easier to use as a console. But it's a VERY serviceable (though inferior to Windows IMHO) PC when it's in Desktop mode. The Ally is a vastly better experience if you play most of your games via Gamepass or game ecosystems other than Steam.

[@lithuanianballer3859]

steam deck is a linux handheld

[@cringeusername9705]

Why bother commenting if you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about?

[@rebekahbass8122]

I prefer the steam deck because it has the touchpads, the long battery life is nice too. It took some getting used to using Linux because I've always used windows, but it's pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

[@unkown34x33]

Agreed! It's super nice :) you can use windows on it tho. But I suggest the windeck . No joke.. it's a debloated version of Windows, that it runs super light, and comes with the drivers already. Steam os is great! But... They need to be able to run every program, for me to comeback. But yeah! Recommended:)

[@ukchub6633]

@@unkown34x33 wait you can change os on steamdeck to windows?

[@redsquarejay]

As for me, I generally play beamng, alien isolation, and halo so I think the ally is right for me. But if I don’t like it I’ll get the sd oled because I think it will hold up long term better

[@Swooth20]

Can't blame you

[@user-TheTrueGibly]

​@@ukchub6633Yes that was a selling point of the steam deck. You didnt need to use their os you can install windows and play on steamos or windows

[@thejoyghost17]

Personally i feel that if you already have a killer pc set up that has alot steam games get a deck. It turns your library completely portable and it's very seemless, a good alternative then buying a gaming laptop for portability imo.just to play while in the comfort of your living room or laying down in your bed. If you don't have a killer pc set up get an ally because it can potentially be a good alternative to a PC as well

[@Squappy69]

You can get steam on the ally can you not?

[@rednike641]

It's windows, I would assume so

[@seangx87]

Was going to get a steam deck at first then found out about the ROG Ally and been having great emulation experience as well as started my steam library with the past sale this week. I agree the battery life is sub par on the Ally.

[@awsome14619]

I went with the Steam Deck for the community mods and support. Emu deck was a breeze, themes were easy install, and every game I play has a guide on YT for max performance.

[@_jfs2000_]

​@@awsome14619How is the Steam Deck in terms of input latency? Especially compared to Windows?

[@awsome14619]

@jonathanfrederickschiller3032 0 input latency. I don't see why the operating system would affect input latency.

[@thestarvoice5978]

The ROG is 5x better than the steam deck when it’s plugged in but that kinda takes a big part of the portable handheld out. If you just home and playing I recommend the ROG but if you travel I recommend the Steam Deck.

[@Eleriam]

Why not just getting a large 20k/30k mAh power bank with the Ally?

[@BiswaranjanBehera50]

But how u play in bathroom using powerbank

[@heartofdawn2341]

What I want is a Steam Deck 2- refining the hardware (especially the fans), but keeping the same software and track pads.

[@Alexthelion93]

They have officially confirmed they are not looking into making a second deck anytime soon. They plan to continue supporting this one the best they can, which makes sense.

[@66kaisersoza]

Yeah. It has taken valve an age and huge effort to verify games for the deck. They aren't in a rush to create more work for themselves

[@marcsherard8471]

My deck might be an anomaly, but my fan is quiet like a mouse in church.

[@168original7]

@@66kaisersoza the verification stuff is a mess a lot of games like remnant 2 and spiderman miles morales shouldn't ve verified

[@slaygadethicide]

My fans aren’t very loud either… I got the second run of the decks. I tried to be first in line but it had already sold out so I was Q2

[@MrPnutt916]

Love them both but I keep leaning towards my Steam Deck. The Ally still feels like a work in progress, but it’s obvious that given more time it’s gonna get better and better….. just keep those updates coming Asus🤞🤞

[@EddiePReacts]

And the deck isn't? We still can't natively use gamepass, a lot of games dont support proton, and we still have anti cheat issues. But let's ignore that because?...

[@invalidsin5665]

@@EddiePReactsBro. Of course they never mention that part.

[@MichaelGGarry]

@@EddiePReacts You can always install windows on it to get rid of all those issues....

[@kylerclarke2689]

I just bought a deck and it very much feels like a work in progress. Half of my library is unsupported, linux anything is hell, the touchpads are weird, the haptics are confusing and crap, etc

[@gs8494]

After a lot of back and forth I went for the Steam Deck, basically it came down to battery life and what I saved I bought a dock , power bank, and a 1tb nvme drive. That said it wasn't an easy decision, the screen on the Ally side by side with the entry level Deck looks even more superior and it was that more than anything that made it a tough decision, maybe in the future I'll look at the Ally when it's been around the block like the Deck. Either way two superb devices. That screen though...

[@GadgetMan777]

I too went back and forth a lot but ultimately went with the Ally. To me, better performance, full Windows, eGPU capability were big important factors. But, what a time we're in where we have such great choices to appeal to everyone.

[@ukchub6633]

does Ally have dock like Switch?

[@GadgetMan777]

@ukchub6633 yeah, sorta. You can get a basic USB C hub or they also sell accessories, one being a full on eGPU dock

[@ukchub6633]

@@GadgetMan777 I see I have to pay extra for the dock omg dumb Asus. Thanks for the reply you the best x

[@GadgetMan777]

@ukchub6633 it doesn't even need a dock to just play on a TV tho

[@IR088Y]

I've already made my decision in the first 2 minutes. The steam deck comes with a case and even when getting the highest speced steam deck it's still cheaper than the other one!!

[@johnnydomol1048]

This is an extremely balanced, fair review of both devices. Best, most-informed comparison video I've seen.

[@md.habiburrahman2959]

This guy is constantly reviewed by sponsored (Steam Deck), we watch other reviews, but this guy is always paid by the sponsor, so never believe him.

[@ArchangelHornet]

I agree with OPs assessment.

[@meric12131415]

Agreed a sign of a veteran reviewer and complete unbiased review finally

[@RBsRealm]

Lol, this review is the most shallow and basic review I've ever seen.

[@jayart8751]

Can you play Madden on them? Do they have apps like Google Chrome or Internet? Like if I want to browse the Internet

[@vladstark2091]

Returned Ally and bought Deck, and its best decision i did. Ally is just mess, FreeSync doesnt work, TDP settings are broken, SD card you can only dream about, no cases, no parts for repair device, updates are just annoying (not starting, but those which block your display and asking about plug charger.. when you just dot wanna downloadit and cannot be closed.......).

[@XLR8oh]

Some of those things are fixed now lol

[@hairypancake4425]

As a previous Deck owner currently playing on Ally, Just save tons of headache and grab yourself a 64GB Deck and $70 2230 SSD. Update: I didn’t return my Ally although my SD card reader is fried at this point. Got myself a refurbished Deck, upgraded to 2TB and planning to get myself a DeckHD & whole shell replacement.

[@hairypancake4425]

And don't think about other window handhelds, they are same experience as Ally can offer with much bigger price tag. Looking at you AYA NEO & Aok. GPD is a bit better than Ally but still the price tag is too too big.

[@eros2144]

As an Ally owner and lover. Get the Ally. I absolutely love mine and have had zero issues since day 1 purchase. Can play Fortnite Overwatch and COD in Performance mode for 2.5 hours 80-120FPS! Very impressed and in love 😩❤️

[@hairypancake4425]

@@eros2144 let me know how much GPU usage your Ally is hitting in those games.

[@oo--7714]

Bro come on I wouldn’t recommen the average person try and upgrade the steam deck 64gb. I tried and I ended up stripping the screws. Painful experience wouldn’t recommend. The main issue with the 64gb steam deck is the shader cache I’ve got 50 mb left on my steam deck. 50 megabytes due to the shader crap.

[@hairypancake4425]

@@oo--7714 my man, it’s just popping out the back plate & metal part. I even pull out the fan and replace thermal paste. It’s still surprising no one has replaced the RAM yet.

[@visionofgrey]

How about the new OLED screen from the Steam Deck? Is it closer in comparison to the Ally?

[@WiseGuy3683]

It's great to see competition in the portable PC space. Prices are getting driven down due to healthy competition.

[@w.7474]

True. Back when Steam Deck was first released, it cost almost $2000 where I'm from. But now they're like $520 which is very relieving...

[@D_Rac_Onis]

​​@@w.7474They're not relieving if you don't pay in dollars.

[@w.7474]

@@D_Rac_Onis Lmao true but still it's much more affordable

[@D_Rac_Onis]

@@w.7474 I'm saved because I live in Sweden. However my Indian friend suffered a lot because it's not even available there. Importing that thing is crazy.

[@NeonEonsHp]

I got a base steam deck and a 512gb ssd for $420. I also mostly play casual singleplayer games. The ally not having trackpads is a major issue for me.

[@JimblobYork]

I ordered a steam deck yesterday. I just think it’s more polished overall from everything I’ve read and from what all my gaming buddies have said who have tried both.

[@cav-_-9857]

I bought the deck OLED 2 weeks ago and honestly it's so much better if you mainly play steam games. Even "Playable" games like Assassin's creed origins and Mirrors edge catalyst played perfectly at 40fps lock with 3+ hours of battery (after some proton setting in steam itself) I tried the Ally and I barely got 2 hours, even locked to 40fps. Silent mode is useless for the Ally, no game I tried actually plays well on that mode, while the steam deck can play RocketLeague on a 10 Watt TDP, 90fps lmao.

[@henry1667]

Yeah ASUS just admitted their SD CARD reader running into thermal issues. I got 1 sd card fried after a long session. Returned mine after 2 weeks, dont need the stress from Win 11 too .

[@RushFan84]

My experience too! Fried my 512GB Sandisk. I don't think it was thermal issues. Mine was run on custom curves and never exceeded 75'C. Something is wrong for sure...it's just a pile of crap right now.

[@henry1667]

@@RushFan84 Its bcos if you open it up, the hot air is blowing directly where the sd card is. Design flaw !

[@RushFan84]

@@henry1667 Agreed that is a potential cause. I think there is more at play.

[@4xgameenthusiast501]

I'm happy I got a Deck about nine months ago and am not tempted to get an Ally. From what I've read it seems the Deck will remain a more polished device, even when Asus catch up with updates. I don't play that many big AAA games and the extra battery life the Deck has is more important to me than the Ally's performance edge. Also, I'm no Microsoft hater, but I believe they could do with some more competition, so happy to do a bit to support Linux by buying a Deck. I might even install Steam OS 3.x on my spare laptop when it is made officially available for laptops/desktops.

[@TheRedSully]

I have deck too love it but it's been having a lot of issues lately running even AA new games. Remnant from the ashes 2 is running like garbage on it and looks like garbage. I also really want to use nexus mods and suck for fallout skyrim etc. I think long term the ally is going to last where the steam deck has maybe a year before it just cant play any new games. also I know the deck will never be able to run starfield which really sucks

[@Unknown-kf3ef]

@@TheRedSully thats a fair point if valve releases steam os for other handhelds such as ally then the ally would performe way better

[@TheRedSully]

@@Unknown-kf3ef I think the ally needed a few more months of cooking. To be fair the steam deck wasn’t good when it was released either but I don’t see ASUS supporting it like valve supports their system.

[@Unknown-kf3ef]

@@TheRedSully that's the only thing if the smart they will keep supporting it and updating it then year or so down the line release a new one it'll have buyers since people would see they actually care and polished out the ally issues and also made the next ine better if they don't keep up the support the they will lose buyers bc if u don't have good support and customer service it's no point in having a product

[@TackerTacker]

7:20 that is incorrect, it is not emulation, it is translation. ...and yes that is a big difference. Emulation is very costly in terms of performance. While I don't know the exact performance costs of Proton compared to native, it's negligible in comparison to emulation.

[@cringeusername9705]

Proton run better than windows in many games.

[@Johnlmooring]

I think the Steam Deck slightly more user friendly, but I slightly prefer the Ally. The biggest problem with the Ally is Windows. Sometimes it randomly forgets I’m using the controller and defaults to the touch screen. In all these years it’s crazy that windows hasn’t built a completely new version of windows optimized for gaming machines only.

[@gangwu4541]

Totally agree with you here!

[@ronaldvang6994]

But they did! It is called X-Box. Microsoft is a commercial company and they are not going to give that Windows version to Asus.

[@irradiatedice98]

​@@ronaldvang6994yeah unless microsoft make their own handheld gaming pc they wouldnt make the software for it

[@aslamdriver007]

After watching your video, I decided to cancel my order for the Rog Ally and place one for the Steam Deck instead. Your insights really helped me make the best choice. Thanks a lot!

[@smcnichols82]

ROG is my pick but I hope they both continue to update. It's nice to have options

[@maddasher8471]

ROG can't beat steam in terms of software support.

[@unkown34x33]

3th option... Steam deck with 1tb SSD plus windeck (debloated windows 11) absolutely killer! Oh and steam deck tools. I'm using the deck for... Everything I do.

[@Gravity616]

Where can I find this option online?

[@OfTheVoid]

Would windeck be difficult to install and use for a fairly novice PC user?

[@shattia]

What about the sd cards melting on the Ally? Forgot to mention it?

[@nickgehr5853]

Sounds like a you problem tbh

[@shattia]

@@nickgehr5853 my ally doesn’t have it but it’s a well know issue acknowledged by Asus as well. I put a 2tb SSD in my Ally because the sd reader is unreliable

[@Matty8787]

@@nickgehr5853 Except it's a known issue not getting fixed until the next refresh or Ally 2

[@caleblong2918]

I am a newbie when it comes to these handheld systems and have been having pure hell trying to decide which direction to go, especially considering the price tags on these setups. I have a few questions, first off do you have to pay for each game you add to these devices or are their emulators that have a majority of the games for free? I don't have high speed internet access at home but still have the ability to use high speed on occasion when I stay at hotels or go to families house that have high speed service. I live in the woods and just dont have the ability to get high speed unfortunately, but having said that I really want a handheld system that is capable of running the majority of older systems (such as n64, ps2, Xbox 360, dream cast, 3ds, and even some of the newer game systems if possible RELIABLY without bugs and lagging etc) and preferably for free through emulators if that's possible. I'm dying to play the new Stanfield game but unfortunately i dont own a newer xbox and am having a hard time justifying buying a new xbox for that one game, so i figured maybe itd be possible to play on a high tier handheld like these. Like i said im pretty much clueless when it comes to these emulators so id be forever grateful and appreciative for any advice that might point me in the right direction for what I need, also I'd appreciate any information on which specific emulators I'd need to download in order to get the best gaming experience and how to go about getting them onto whichever device i end up purchasing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for the awesome video! I've been seriously considering the steam deck but I'm not sure if there may be better options for someone in my particular situation and needs when it comes to what seems like a billion options out there when it comes to these handheld pc's/systems. Any help deciding would mean alot to this emulator newbie! New sub here! You earned it!

[@FenixPhire2]

I'm looking into getting my wife one of the two. She's not a hardcore gamer, and mainly plays Harvest Moon/Animal crossing style games. Chill, Cozy games and doesn't need much to be happy. I also like being able to dock both and be a "portable" desktop, but I'm unsure which I'll end up going with. Her current switch just doesn't have the same versatility when it comes to being able to play PC games, but she loves to be able to be on the chilling in bed on handheld, or on tv with me in the living room on my PC. lol.

[@TheRedSully]

I'd go with the $400 steam deck for her. doesnt sound like she needs much and you can buy her an SD card. maybe the 256GB steam deck

[@razorbackroar]

neither a cheap emulation handheld.

[@samanthavalerin7558]

What did you get???? I think me and your wife are twins

[@FenixPhire2]

@@samanthavalerin7558 Nothing yet since theres been so many other releases of handheld PC's lol. OLED Steam Deck coming soon too so good thing I didn't order anything!

[@BookWorm_GamerBabe438]

@@FenixPhire2did you ever make a decision? I’m more into cozy games and I want to mod. So I’m just like your wife!😂

[@buk3628]

Review should have more emphasis on easy integration of PC Gamepass on Asus Rog Ally. At only 12$ monthly being able to play Starfield, Forza Motorsport, etc with cross save cross progression easily is a huge advantage over the steam deck

[@lorddoma6637]

Yeah, I can't believe he didn't mention that.

[@PsychologicalShake46]

with these systems its safe to say PC gaming is becoming more accesible to the users than before, man I love to see those, I'll definitely be buying both after studies offcourse :D till them I'm going with my PSVITA.

[@PsychologicalShake46]

yeah totally mate, plus it got emulators, ps one thing i miss on Vita is the lack of Anno series title that I crave the most.@@hamborger8546

[@milo_andrs]

I got both but use the Ally more. The reason is the ability to play online games.

[@jonnythorman706]

Why cant you do that on the deck you mean? Just install windows and play whatever you want, i did that early 🙂. Dont get me wrong i love linux and have used it for a long time on my pc, but in the end win is moore bug free and a lot moore user friendly, and on the deck i have had 0 issues..you still get steam big picture mode on windows.

[@salcolonsc]

There was a recent update to Steam. They added Proton EasyAntiCheat. A lot of games that weren't playable online are now. It was developed between Epic and Valve. Some of the games are: 7 Days to Die, Albion, Halo MCC, New World, Battlefield 2042, Both Dragonball titles, Star Wars Squadrons Dying Light Bad Blood, Friday the 13th, Gears of War 5, Apex Legends, Predator Hunting Grounds, RUST, Vermintide II, SCUMM, Dead Before Daylight, Sniper Contracts, Ghost Recon Wildlands, Division 2, Warhammer Eternal Crusade, Watchdogs 2 and Smite to name a few.

[@jonnythorman706]

@@salcolonsc thats really good, i play a lot of mw2 though. But i am excited to see how it all plays out.

[@skotters]

As cool as the Ally is, my heart's desire to unhitch from Windows is so strong that the Deck is my go-to.

[@Splackavellie85]

I own both. While I use my Ally way more than my Steam Deck, the Steam Deck is the better handheld console. I use my Ally more like an small Surface Pro that’s also great for gaming, while the Steam Deck is exclusively used for gaming. Both are among the best devices I’ve purchased in the past few years.

[@marcoherrera5075]

Cam you play pirated games on the deck?

[@KakkoiSan]

Ally has a nasty issue, which is sd card failure from the device's heat. Yeah I guess I will be waiting for the next handheld.

[@Cakebattered]

The SD Reader issue us a design flaw. That said, It's not a deal breaker for me. most flagship smartphones done even have an SD card reader. I can do without

[@66kaisersoza]

​@@Cakebatteredan sd card reader is more essential for a gaming device than a phone

[@lfsky]

Ally is a POS, do not buy it

[@GammaFn.]

@@66kaisersoza Not as necessary as it was a year ago. 2TB 2230 m.2 is pretty widely available now.

[@66kaisersoza]

@@GammaFn. Yeah but you'll be paying around £200 for that. Not to mention, I'd take a guess that most people don't want to take apart their expensive devices to install an nvme. An SD card is far more convenient

[@84jesterx]

If you want a pure windows-like experience, I think the ASUS Rog might be your best option if you are relying it to be more of a PC. Plug up to dock, do work, then game. It should work well there. But if gaming is the immediate go to, just stick with the Deck due to budgetary reasons. Steam Sales aplenty with so many Verified titles from this year to 2 decades ago, along with third party (or first party if you desire) peripherals made for the Deck. But! It's great to have options, and that's what makes PC gaming great in the first place.

[@switchunboxing]

What’s the difference between just using the steam launcher or whatever on the asus ally? Keep in mind I know very little about steam and never used it or gamed on pc

[@lorddrifter7296]

Theres no dif. U can runs steam games on the rog alomg wit gamepass and xbox stuff

[@Balistick51]

The optimization of the Steam OS with the Deck is on a whole another level. Better hardware and a little better display is not enough to take down the SD as the king of handhelds. Not to mention the future support of all these other handhelds is gonna drop really really fast compared to the SD.

[@Persivahl]

This comparison review is REALLY helpful and informative. The reviewer REALLY knows what he's talking about and has put significant time and effort to test both devices, and it shows. Having said that, I'm REALLY leaning more into the Steamdeck

[@enzogentile2891]

If only would exist a version of windows lighter and tailored for handheld.... Definetly the Ally is the best option hardware wise, but the software limitation are abit of a tradeoff.

[@Hellodude-el1sp]

The ally has a slient mode too which is suitable for low-demanding games, and makes the and llyids completely slient. Wouldn't recommend this mode for high demanding games tho as the frame rates drop to about 15 for games like cyberpunk 2077

[@piplup10203854]

I went for the Steam Deck as the native software support is a huge factor for me. Having very little startup to getting into my games are so much easier, I actually really like the software management menus as well how easy it is to transfer games between the micro sd card and the deck. For me it's also a lot easier to use and hold and play. My niece and I enjoy playing games together she can lay against me and play Tetris or Puyo Puyo and then if we want to play Mario party or Mario kart I can just put the deck on the dock and hand her a controller and that's it. Super super easy.

[@sahilsharma88]

Valve seem to be moving towards their own eco-system with their own hardware and OS and then have additional accessories etc. I’m really tempted to get one.

[@piplup10203854]

@@sahilsharma88 I like that idea actually, a focused eco around the steam deck platform I think would genuinely do pretty well. I still love my Steam Deck, so it is definitely something I look forward to another version or what comes next.

[@vitalijmartynenko1097]

@@sahilsharma88get yourself one you want regret one of the best things ever made

[@Inscydeus]

The Steam Deck might not be as powerful, but I feel that it is better focused on the things that are important for handheld gaming. If all I needed was power, I have a desktop PC with an R9 7950X3D and an RTX 4090 in it, the Ally is still not cutting it in that regard and all it's "advantages" over the Deck are not worth what it sacrifices to get them.

[@RyanM-gc4og]

Held one at bestbuy, sticks felt better than expected, back humps were not. Like a switch with an attempt at grips that aren’t very comfy, small, and don’t seem to sit strategically. Almost would have been better to not have them.

[@taylornicty1170]

I see some people on the internet complaining about Windows on a handheld but I think having Windows on a handheld is amazing because you can do more than gaming like run Photoshop or any Adobe app, and edit videos, I tested it and you can even run Maya, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, finish your homework 😂 and more.

[@GadgetMan777]

Ally for me. Better performance is #1 for PC gaming as the Deck is already showing struggles to play new games, if at all. Full Windows and eGPU for future proofing were also important to me. Plus, you can run Steam in Big Picture which is basically Steam Deck software so best of both worlds. Deck wins in battery life and price for sure tho, but has too many compromises otherwise for me.

[@XLR8oh]

Valid

[@oo--7714]

Wouldn’t recommend the steam deck at least the cheapest 64gb option. The biggest issue is the shader cache, it takes up too much storage on the device. And if you try to disable it you will get massive stutters in games like apex legends. Trying to replace it also isn’t user friendly, the strips at the back of the device are extremely easy to strip I tried upgrading my storage but ended up stripping the screws.

[@oo--7714]

Like seriously I’m on 50 mb left. It isn’t great to be honest and valve knows this is a problem but hasn’t fixed it.

[@cringeusername9705]

Just use symlink or upgrade the ssd.

[@oo--7714]

@cringeusername9705 I tried upgrading the ssd I ended up stripping the crews

[@c-tothefourth4879]

Cheapest Steam Deck is the only logical one to buy

[@Havanu81]

Luckily 2230 nvmes have become quite cheap in the last couple of months, a Kioxia 512gb is only 55€ right now with VAT 21% included. Installing it is supereasy as well.

[@michaelkerner3072]

I picked Steam Deck, because I couldn't find the ROG Ally anywhere. Also, I am a bit more satisfied with the gameplay experience.

[@WittyProfileName]

The thing that still separates the Steam Deck has to be the track pads. I literally can't go without them.

[@Kawaii.kaws2009]

You guys can you help so I originally bought a steam deck but I got to the middle of the process of modding it to add windows but it became too hard and eventually worked but I couldn’t switch between steam and windows and all the games where running slow . Is it easier to play and set up on this or the steam deck ???and should I buy this one ?

[@craigjoe8691]

Have both devices and use the Steam Deck 4 out of 5 times. The trackpads and useable microSD slot make all the difference.

[@mcwaller123]

If you use the Deck lots more still, what was the point of getting the Ally?

[@craigjoe8691]

@@mcwaller123 I use it to play Escape from Tarkov and a few other games that won't work on the Steam Deck due to their anticheat.

[@davidgottschall1398]

@@craigjoe8691just dualboot windows on steam deck

[@cheeseystorm]

But the rog ally has a micro sd?

[@slaygadethicide]

@@cheeseystormapparently they’re known for burning up and destroying the SD cards in their slot

[@audioslaverockband]

Which one is better for emulation?

[@afiqnoorhisham]

From the review I think Ally are more easier to access install & download old classic games. Deck you gotta download the launcher the game you wanted and switch compatibility mode manually & repeat back when you want install game you wanted like reviewer said which is tedious. I have Deck but considering to buy ROG & if its turn out better gonna sell my Deck. Sorry for my bad English.

[@milky7515]

How long would the battery last in the car playing sekiro

[@bullwinkle2719]

Whats notable for the steam deck, one can make minor os changes to get about 20% more performance out of it

[@Loquacious_Jackson]

How so?

[@Yashieyama]

The deciding factor depends on this one question, i have palworld on gamepass and i want to transfer my saved data onto steam, can i do that on both handheld pc? Also which one runs better with no risk of palworld crashing? That is all i need to know to decide

[@maximuslongrod6361]

You make a good comparison video bud... excellent attention to covering things we might not even think of

[@levimanaig3641]

is it possible to connect a mouse and keyboard to the asus ally?

[@blade8424]

Does the ROG Ally come in black? And how does movie and TV watching and anime streaming do well on it? Can I play Kingdom Hearts on it and Fallout 4 with mods? and Skyrim Special Edition too? And does the ROG have Bluetooth support for Bluetooth headphones? Thanks. Especially if your watching TV or playing online games or shooters etc.

[@lorddoma6637]

Yes

[@itsdeonlol]

The Steam Deck is good enough for me.

[@bryanAsousa]

I really want the Ally but im afraid of Asus quality control issues.

[@Yusei255]

Workaround to the low battery life on the ROG ally, is to use a powerbank for that extra charge when needed.

[@Supergrover1969]

Fair and balance review, for the most part, and appreciated... I notice you did not touch however, on the controversy surrounding the apparent hardware design flaws of the Ally.. specifically the SD Card slot itself becoming faulty due to overheating, occasionally even destroying the expensive SD cards... as well as the recent decision by Asus to simply boost the fan curves to try to mitigate this. I was one of the early adopters of the Ally who was burned (heh) by this fault.. and felt I had to return the device, sadly, as I did love the Ally, software glitches and early adopter problems included... The fatal flaw in the hardware design was a deal breaker for me.

[@novanatakit323]

I was wondering about this too but couldn't we just replace the 512gb SSD with a 2TB SSD? I've seen videos of people doing that. For my personal use, I don't think I would need an SD card since the 2TB is more than enough for me.

[@abvoltbolt]

Im glad I went with the steamdeck, because in all honesty the rog ally isnt worth the higher pricetag, especially if Im running games on windows 11 which is full of bloatware and non-optional features I cant disable. Whereas with the steamdeck you have decky loader for any extra things it doesnt have out of the box, as well as a linux operating system which I find makes it easy to dualboot for anything that cant run natively on the deck.

[@draigen6876]

So what i gathered is, Rog Ally is better for short term performance while the steam deck is more long term. A good powerbank for the Rog ally i got from eBay is gonna be needed then

[@xorrior4438]

Steam Deck all the way! It will continue to get better optimization and support.

[@TheRedSully]

yes but it wont be able to run anything new because of what's inside of it. I think its got a year at most before it cant play AA or AAA games anymore. apparently remnant from the ashes 2 an AA game runs like garbage on it. def no starfield and who knows about phantom liberty. I have the deck. Love it but might be switching over

[@johnny3tears623]

Hes right thats why the asus rog ally is gonna be more powerful to play new games asus always puts new powerful hardware

[@TheRedSully]

I bought one recently. modded the hell out of fallout 4 and im loving it. might be selling my SD if starfield runs good on the ally@@johnny3tears623

[@murder00redrum]

​@@TheRedSullythis is why most people who own these also own powerful desktops for more serious gaming.

[@TheRedSully]

I agree somewhat. I believe this is more of an entry point for console gamers. I've never owned a PC I love the portability of this, I look at these as ps4 pro's. you shouldn't need a $1500 gaming pc to play more serious gaming. it's ridiculous and childish and tbh makes me think you're bad with money if you own a computer that costs that much that also isn't meant for work or a business lol @@murder00redrum

[@GamingMan247]

I’ve been wanting to get a emulation handheld and thought the Odin 2 would be a good machine but now I also want to play old games like cod and halo and thought the steam deck would be good but I see certain games aren’t supported. Is there a handheld that can play all these games?

[@marnusrileycollins1780]

also have to compare steam deck has a year and few months on the ally still fresh not alot of updates?

[@syliagray]

I was initially planning on finally getting a Nintendo Switch as late as this year, but then I thought my money would be better invested in getting a Steam Deck instead because if I went for the Switch, I would also have to get some games for it but I already have a ton of games on Steam for my PC. So I changed plans to get a Steam Deck instead. And then a friend told me about the Ally and I was even more impressed by the Ally's specs which made Steam Deck look dated. I eventually got the Ally on its launch day. It's not perfect because Windows is not optimized for portable gaming console form factor as the guy in the video said, but it would have been a more tolerable experience if it came with dedicated trackpads like the Steam Deck. However, the games look gorgeous on it. I've been playing the 2012 Tomb Raider reboot, Skyrim: Special Edition, and Halo: MCC on my Ally, the graphics were so gorgeous that I felt like I was getting eye-gasms 😆 so I have no regrets about getting an Ally instead of the Steam Deck. However, I do hope the Asus continues to provide the same level of support for the Ally that Valve does for the Steam Deck to patch up some bugs and improve software performance. And I hope that Microsoft releases a Windows 11 that is optimized for portable gaming PCs.

[@thenikhilray99]

I recently bought a used Switch lite for $150 and it's the best ever purchase I ever made 😂 games are really fun and it's really convenient to just click a button and start playing. I already have a PC with 3080ti for mainstream gaming.

[@itsAphelion.]

How's rog battery life for streaming games and emulators? Like steam link, ps play and gba nds 3ds

[@TheMindfulEdge1]

What game is being played at 4:27?

[@SirJamesIGamerfuzion]

Battery life is always a easy fix and that is a proper battery pack that supports high recharge yes it’s a extra charge but great to have with any device

[@NeonPixels81]

People complaining that it's "difficult" to install non-Steam games on the *Steam Deck* are really missing the point. Valve never advertised the Steam Deck as anything other than a portal to your Steam games, but they included the *option* to install non-Steam games if you don't mind jumping through hoops. Meanwhile Asus saddled the Ally with Windows 11 whether you want to use it or not. I don't think the complexity of installing something like Heroic Launcher should count against the Steam Deck since that's a "nice to have" and not the device's main function.

[@jayart8751]

Can you play Madden on them? Do they have internet explorer or google chrome or something? To browse the Internet

[@xKoRi__]

Will there also be a sale for the steamdeck at Black Friday or upcoming Xmas??

[@WiseGuy3683]

Not sure if you saw, but the OLED Steam Deck has been announced for a Nov 15 release date and the LCD Steam Deck had a major price drop.

[@the_coolest_dude_on_youtube]

How does the Ally do against the Steam Deck while it's running Steam in Big Picture mode?

[@gangwu4541]

I use both everyday, I feel it’s getting similar. Ally can use Steam’s suspended function too. So not too big a difference here if you only play steam games. But steam deck is overall much more streamlined since the steam OS is designed for it.

[@ravenzero7222]

Yeah I take the ally power house over the steam , the power cost is worth it cuz the ally is basically PC so you can do light work on the go as well gaming

[@wolfandspice]

If we're talking about people on a budget, then the cheapest Steam Deck with a micro sd or replace the internal drive with an ssd will be a lot cheaper to get just as much or more storage. Also they do have plans for official dual-boot support in the future, but for now it still is a pain if you want Windows on the Deck. That will be a big plus when it's finally available.

[@alluringming]

Im not really into handheld pc gaming as i prefer play my consoles games on playstation and switch i have. If i had to choose between the two i might lean towards the steamdeck as i have few friends who have it and is bit user friendly much like a console.

[@bingo-n4e]

are this two handheld consoles supported in australia?

[@julianp.2840]

It's not quiet anymore lol. You have to mention the SD Card Failures. Its a hardware/design issue. Love mine - but people need to understand you may not be able to use your SD card (or have to RMA it).

[@betomacias9515]

is it worse now in turbo than the steamdeck? and in a 20w mode? what is noisier? and about the sd card failures... seem that will not fail if not feeded while used in turbo or using less performance... what do you think?

[@julianp.2840]

@@betomacias9515 They are pretty similar in noise in my opinion. The Ally can be quieter but I have my fans cranked up to run cooler and avoid thermal throttle. And to hopefully save the SD Drive since it died on my first one. Not currently using an SD card on my replacement unit.

[@betomacias9515]

@@julianp.2840 Thanks Julian! Have you used intensively in dock mode 30w for more than 30 minutes in the previous unit? I know that is not fair for us as they didnt mention those issues from the beginning but ok if we accept do you think that could be safe to use in 22 wats if configured and with these high fan profiles? thanks in advance i think i will buy but i feel worried with this matter

[@reMARKable_1]

I have onexplayer 2, I prefer the big screen. I get eye strain playing on the little screens for hours. I have the Rog Ally for my son and it has bad battery life and the screen is very small. But games run amazingly on it.

[@johnny3tears623]

You know if you want big screen you can put it on the tv thats what is good about it compared to the steam deck built in hdmi

[@reMARKable_1]

@@johnny3tears623 that’s true.

[@gangwu4541]

I have both. Steam deck for almost a year, Ally for a month now. I like both of them. But I have to admit I have been playing on my Ally more and more. But I do agree that steam deck is still a smoother experience in most games I’d like to play. But the performance is definitely favourable to Ally. Battery life is better on the deck, too. For me, I haven’t got any issue so far on my Ally. But i do hope Asus keep up with more updates and useful upgrades to the unit in the near future. Like maybe a larger battery to replace the current one. More ram, and better overall optimization. In the mean time, I will make sure I’m playing the he’ll out of both devices😊

[@TheRedSully]

it's killing me that the deck is apparently running remnant from the ashes 2 like hot garbage even though its verified I don't think the steam deck will run starfield since it cant even run jedi survivor too well and the cyberpunk dlc has got me worried since the specs for the game have been updated. I really see the deck maybe lasting a year before it cant play any new AA or AAA games. also would be kinda cool to play COD while sitting on my couch and I dont feel like dual booting lol Also MODS

[@Genethagenius]

I wonder if the ROG Ally is as easy to open up and modify as the Steam Deck?

[@YTdude562]

Can I use elgato on this? Since it's a 7 inch screen. What the highest resolution record size be.

[@jackob0111]

I was having a hard time if i should get the ally or steam deck. Because i do like the ally windows and i dont wanna only be exclusive to steam stuff

[@KuroKumo96]

I’m really leaning towards the deck for its simple console experience and affordability, but there i things I’d like to do with a handheld computer that would just be shore to do on the deck like modding certain games that don’t have a steam workshop. I might pick up both if I have money to throw but I like the asus being more compact and familiar to use with windows

[@animecorner9853]

Is legion go or rog ally perfoms better than my acer predator helios 300 gtx 1060 6b , i7-8750h 16gb?

[@Nooptema]

Returned my Ally less than a week after purchase. My sd card got fried, volume down button only registeres like ever other click, and the right trigger for whatever was dead out of the box. Aside from that it didn't really perform that much better than the Steam Deck. Only thing I really appreciated over the Deck was the screen which admittedly was gorgeous. However, that wasn't enough for me to consider replacing my deck. Don't get me wrong. Asus is headed in the right direction, and without the issues I listed with my device, it's awesome; but they aren't there yet. I hope they come out with a refresh or something in the future. For now, I'm sticking with my dual booted Deck.

[@user-TheTrueGibly]

Every ally fanboy that was replying to literally every single comment in this comment section dead silent for some reason 😅

[@invalidsin5665]

@@user-TheTrueGiblyDead silent? None of that happened to me. But go ahead, speak on my behalf some more...

[@lucianowod]

@@user-TheTrueGibly I have neither but the Steam Deck literally runs every game at 25 fps. If the Ally fries SD Cards that sucks but atleast you can get more than 25 fps on games.

[@Jaxv3r]

The Steam deck the layer they used is not an emulator it's a translation layer, also the name WINE actually means WINE Is Not an Emulator

[@64bitmodels66]

Weirdest acronym. what does WINE in Wine is not emulator stand for then?

[@Jaxv3r]

@@64bitmodels66 that's the acronym "WINE IS NOT an EMULATOR

[@MatrixSJD]

Same goes for Linux, which stands for Linux Is Not Unix

[@henrytuttle]

I bought the entry model steam deck long ago. Love it. But they recently had a sale on rog ally z1x. And the open boxes went on sale too. Open box good for $352. The one I got was perfect. I use it mostly as a home theater/streamer/emulation box on my tv. Eliminates the battery issue. And it's great for low AAA gaming and emulation gaming up to PS3/Xbox 360.

[@SEYMOURTHEGREAT]

Iam looking at both but which one is best for 1, emulation specifically 32X for knuckles Chaotix and multiple sonic games & 2, playing fan games i.e Sonic p06, triple trouble 32bit etc

[@anixqwss]

should I buy the rog ally z1 extreme or a steam deck oled?

[@OfficialJesseUSA]

I have heard reports that the ROG Alley keeps running hot I am looking to buy a handheld but doing serious research to decide on which product to buy

[@evgaming9390]

Steam Deck is the easy pick. Price, buttons, and software experience of gaming. You talk about the no fan sound on Ally, but you don't show a video listening to it but you do for the steam deck. If you are going to compare then actually compare it.

[@JoshuaStevenson-vz9dt]

He definitely likes the steam deck better.

[@evgaming9390]

@@JoshuaStevenson-vz9dt That's besides the point. It's like complaining about framerate of one but not showing the other.

[@JoshuaStevenson-vz9dt]

@@evgaming9390 I understand what you mean though

[@wildhunter5920]

Can the Asus use mouse and keyboard hookups? I’m wondering cause I’m debating on buying steam deck or the Asus but idk can someone help me?

[@BaDik_Jacob]

Any of these handhelds allow play store mobile games?

[@claudiorasf]

The one thing I like most on Steam Deck are the trackpads. These are really helpful when using OS (Linux/Windows) and shooter games, like CS, Doom, The House of the Dead, etc. I prefer using it over the analog stick.

[@zombiekiller3212]

If it can play l4d2 steam version i would be ok with either but which one plays it better

[@kellykilpatrick8983]

Steam deck all the way! I have one coming in the mail along with the steam dock, going to buy a 20 000 power core and 512 sd. Also need to add windows to the steam deck so I can run warzone. Small prices to pay for a reliant user friendly device also steam has been around for a while and their customer service is unlike no other 🎉

[@Jokerxeno1]

COPE😂😂😂😂

[@craigwoodgate7120]

I currently have a steam deck and the Lenovo legion go I was going to get the ally but I wanted a bigger screen

[@adventurousloner]

I'm loving the handheld Renaissance. But, when the handheld can be modded then, we're really in the future.