Steam Deck OLED vs ROG Ally X | To compromise or not to compromise, That is the question.

[@iTristendo]

I still prefer the Steam Deck OLED because: * Better sleep and resume functionality out of the box * More comfortable ergonomics * Native SteamOS Experience: The Steam Deck runs on SteamOS, which is optimized for gaming, offering features like Proton for running Windows games more efficiently. * Bigger community and support * Better customer service and warranty * OLED display is better vs LCD * More affordable * Valve continues to actively support and update the Steam Deck with new features and optimizations, ensuring longevity and improved user experience. * With a larger user base, there are more community mods and enhancements available for the Steam Deck, enriching the gaming experience.

[@hk6926]

I was saying the same thing just a week ago and then bought the ally x. Steam deck oled is up for sale .

[@crimsoncloud6352]

​@hk6926 lol right!? Oled cant even compare with the specs.. cant even play triple A games.. and no VRR lol

[@iTristendo]

@@crimsoncloud6352 I’m currently playing God of War: Ragnarok at 45 fps. Saying the Steam Deck OLED can’t play Triple A games at all is wild lol

[@crimsoncloud6352]

Crazy is that the only game it can play? Lol ​@@iTristendo

[@iTristendo]

@@crimsoncloud6352 I already disproved your first comment so any further responses from you that doesn't move the conversation is just you trolling. You're funny. lol I love the Steam Deck OLED you should try it and see the ton of AAA games it can play

[@Darkman03]

SteamOS is a pick up and play console, while the Ally X is a PC and comes with all the annoyances of PC Gaming. BPM helps, but still lacks things like: - enable/disable wifi & bluetooth, gotta use Windows settings or the Control Center overlay, which doesn't work with peripherals - can't adjust TDP in the Steam BPM Overlay, gotta use Windows settings or the Control Center overlay, which doesn't work with peripherals - Steam BPM doesn't control the display resolution, gotta use Windows settings or the Control Center overlay, which doesn't work with peripherals - Windows OSK is useless unless you have access to the touchscreen, it doesn't take controller inputs, so if you're docked to the TV and on the couch, better have a wireless keyboard connected - games will sometimes launch and not appear in the foreground - requiring switching the active window - you have 2 sets of controller input overlays (Armory Crate + Steam Input) - No proper Suspend mode without Nyrna / third party solutions - Can't disable the touchscreen easily on the Ally and the sticks are placed too close to the screen, resulting in frequently hitting the screen with a thumb and sending touch / mouse input through to the game - Armory Crate doesn't control game installation or updates, if you hop between a bunch of games this is obnoxious. Steam or Playnite solve this The Ally's Dolby Amos is amazing though... The Ally X is better in raw power and game support, but you'd be a clown if you bought a handheld to play those competitively. Several of my gripes go away if you exclusively play handheld or docked and set up like a PC. The deck is starting to get a bit long in the tooth, but it excels on Xbox 360 / PS3 titles and older, or newer indie titles. The only real struggle is Unreal Engine 5, which... eh, not really missing much since those games tend to be graphical showcases rather than gameplay and story quality. I've got both, but I absolutely despise playing games on a desktop PC because it's more complex than a console and I'm sick of computers by the end of the workday in IT. Consoles aren't portable (not even the Xbox Series S) so they're not an option. The Deck is perfect for picking up while out of the house, or on the couch while the kids watch more brain rot TV.

[@teespestquest]

Is the ally x that bad? I have been trying to decide for sooooo long which to get. I don't have time for sit down gaimng and I want to have something I can play either for an hour or 2 on an evening when chilling with my wife watching tv (rather than sitting in a different room) or take out to work in the van and play an hour or so when things are quiet. Also I like to play with my son on his ps5 and split screen is very frustrating so I want my own device. The reason I haven't just gone for the SD is that me and my son love to play fortnite together and from what I can gather the ally isn't restricted on games like the SD is. If the ally is as bad as some say I think it will frustrate me and spoil the experience. I don't want to make a £600-£800 pound mistake 😫

[@moarhaus7207]

@@teespestquest It's not. sure the ally x takes a little bit longer to set up initially, but yeah if you set up steam big picture mode to boot automatically on the ally x's load up it's better in just about every regard (unless you prefer OLED/800p over vrr/1080p)

[@ImIrviing]

​@@teespestquest Is not, Steam deck is for lazy people and Ally X is for real gamers. If you want compatibility with everything get an Ally x, if you want to play indie games get a steam deck. Easy as that

[@equinox9]

​@@teespestquestit's awesome bro I bought one about a month ago. I'm new to 'PC gaming' but if you're planning on buying one of these machines I'm assuming you're not a tech dummy. Yes, you may need to fiddle with settings, it's no Biggie you can Google recommended settings. It also comes with the benefit that it can potentially replace your laptop/desktop it has mine.

[@robertphillips4155]

@@teespestquest - that is a valid question and, yes it is a lot of €/$! If you are comfortable with windows and don’t mind spending a little more time adjusting the settings the Ally X is a solid gaming device. I came from the Nintendo switch where no adjustment is required so it put me off a little when I got the Ally X. But every time I play Ratchet and Clank on my PC and then pick up where I left off when on lunch break at work, it is just fun and makes me smile. If €/$150 - €/$200 is a huge deal to you, Steam Deck may be better for you. My youngest son is 35 now and we have a weekly online gaming appointment each week. With the Ally X I know that I’ll be able to be with him in an environment that he likes (gaming) no matter if I’m home or traveling or what game we are playing at the time. That’s priceless to me.

[@The1DXz]

I'm getting tired of every comment section under Ally videos where Steam Deck owners gotta come up and constantly compare how better it is for them and how shitty Asus is because they live in US. Not every country has shitty support. I had multiple Steam Decks. I've tinkered around. I did pretty much anything. It is a great device but I can't recommend it over Ally X. I had Lenovo Legion Go. I had all the different models of Ally and I still keep coming back that most of my time is spent on Ally X. It crushes PS3 emulation compared to Deck. It runs newer games at higher settings like it should. Windows is not an enemy if you know how to optimize it for best use case. Armoury crate keeps getting updated regularly. I can no longer justify going backwards to Steam Deck as I can pretty much do anything on Ally X and more. Yes. Steam Deck is more customizable, there is a bigger community and Valve is a better brand because they care more about their customers. Everyone knows that. Competition is healthy. We need more devices in order to advance this section of gaming even more. Ally X is expensive but it justifies it's price by taking advantage of all things Deck can't and won't do in the future.

[@smsmafia]

Thank you so much for this comment! I'm going to bring this comment up in my next video. This is exactly my sentiments.

[@The1DXz]

@@smsmafia I usually don't post comments but I couldn't agree more with what you said in the video. A lot of creators tend to overshadow Ally X for the price. It's all about the first impression and nothing else for most. There's so much you can do and everyone is only focusing on how to make it into Steam Deck or bash Windows at the same time.

[@horticultural261]

Totally agree, is the steam deck oled screen a big deal? Compare to the ally lcd screen

[@crimsoncloud6352]

The ally is already a better steam deck lol. Gotta love the fan boys that wish they had an ally but cheaped out and bought a steam deck. Sorry man.

[@crimsoncloud6352]

​@@horticultural261no it isnt The VRR more than makes up for the oled screen.

[@justjoshininjapan700]

It’s all about use case. I have both ally and steam deck but I play almost exclusively rpgs and single player games like GoW. Instant and reliable sleep function on the Steam Deck is a winner for me. That convenience of picking up instantly where I left off without loading to the desktop, launching the game etc etc allows me to game and be present for my family in an instant if they need something or want to chat.

[@JURO768KUJO]

Personally I could afford both but I already have a pc that ran run big games and I want the bigger screen, the track pads and the OLED screen. Plus if I want to play games that aren't supported on steam OS I'll just use the windows dual boot. + The warranty service of ASUS sucks so I'm choosing the safest choice for me but I'll have to agree that the ally x really is a beast

[@smsmafia]

Fair. Can't really argue with that too much seeing that you already have a bigger rig. I mainly wanted to do this for people who don't.

[@MicaelAzevedo]

Well they are two different things. If you mainly stay at home you should get a legion go. Bigger screen, higher resolution, 144hz. Steam deck is for the poor.

[@JURO768KUJO]

@@MicaelAzevedo saying "poor" just because you don't know the difference between a dumb and a wise choice is kinda crazy

[@MicaelAzevedo]

@@JURO768KUJO please read again my comment

[@crimsoncloud6352]

Steam deck 2? Asus says hold my beer.. rog ally 2

[@smidlee7747]

I still think these handhelds are best for playing older games ( also indy titles) and not the latest triple A titles. I have a gaming desktop for those but with older titles my desktop is overkill. The one thing Steam Deck has remind me of was just how much fun these older titles were. With the Deck I went back and played old games I never got around to play; Halo collection, the early Assassin Creed, etc and some I haven't played in decades like SW Knights of the Old Republic. Some older titles is where the track pads are very useful especially those with hotkeys with virtual menus. These older titles I don't need better hardware as the Deck already performs well. Indy titles like Steamworld Heists, Vampire Survivors and Deadcells are great to play on the go and looks better on a smaller screen. This is why I haven't bought the Rog Ally X even though the batteries can now last as long as Oled Deck. I'm not really looking forward to the Steam Deck 2 either as some of these current titles you need the brute force of more powerful hardware to get them to run descent on the PC. If I really want to play current triple A titles on a pc handheld I can just stream them off my desktop as over 90% of the time I'm playing my Deck at my home. It was the same way with the Switch.

[@schikey2076]

i agree with some of the points made here... ESPECIALLY with the mantra people saying that SteamOS is user friendly and convenient to use when in reality its really not. Same goes for Windows as well.. i had both devices Steam Deck OLED and ROG Ally X ... was planning to sell my Steam Deck OLED but the main reason why i still decide to keep it is because : 1.) SteamOS resume / sleep feature is such a god send.. and no Windows 11 hibernate is way less effective than SteamOS's resume / sleep feature. Heck even BazziteOS is not that good as well (if i put my Rog Ally X to sleep on BazziteOS for 3 hours, the device will stuck running itself at 17w when i resume it back up). It's also one of the reason i bring my Steam Deck OLED as my travel partner for long distances instead of Rog Ally X. 2.) Trackpads and the four back buttons.. some games work amazingly with those extra inputs.. (go ahead and try playing emulated Metroid Prime (PrimeHack), or Zelda WindWaker HD or Frostpunk 2 without these features on the Rog Ally X, you are not going to have a good time) I think the issue with Windows however is that, the OS isnt well suited for handheld PC controls where there's no dedicated mouse and keyboard to compensate with it, compared to SteamOS at the first glance..

[@smsmafia]

You make a lot of VERY valid points. I haven't gone all out on emulation just yet, so I can't speak to it too much. I've been playing PS3 emulation but that's still hit or miss. The sleep mode has it's moments for sure but personally I find that a unfair critique of it seeing that it does boot up REALLY fast. To your point of 3 hours. If you leave it alone for that long anyway what's the harm of just powering it down? I know the user experience as far as the desktop mode isn't perfect but I'd argue they've done it better than most. I never got the fascination with the Track pads. I've seen people always hate them when they have laptops. They always plug a mouse in on laptops but they're a god send with the steamdeck. You get literally the same functionality with the right stick I'm desktop mode on the Ally to the point where I'd argue you can be more precise with the sticks. People don't want to talk about this but the desktop mode on the steamdeck is awful on the handheld. The keyboard will cover things you're typing. Sometimes, it won't register when you touch into text prompts to sign into things.You'd have to constantly hit the hot keys "steam+x" to open and close they keyboard. It opens auyomatically when you tap a text feild on the Ally.. Some of that headache transfers to the regular OS too. They both have their moments for sure. I just believe you should have a device that can TANK seemingly everything. The 20 seconds maximum wait difference is worth it.

[@schikey2076]

@@smsmafia regarding the 3 hours comment, id give you a situation i was in that i noticed during my travels with my Rog Ally X experience using Bazzite OS .. i was waiting for my flight, but had to rushed out so i put it into sleep instead of waiting a few several seconds to shut it down.. once i got in my plane (3 hours prior) i opened it back up via resume, only to realize that my device was running only at 17w.. causing lag spikes on some of my games.. i had to restart it to fix it... so id say its just my use case for this. trackpads are way more precise for mouse controls in desktop mode than the sticks. That is an undeniable objective fact. However, I completely agree with you when it comes to keyboard when it comes to SteamOS desktop mode. It sometimes want to appear or doesn't want to appear when i click any kind of input field, you have to use the "steam + x" input to make it appear, unlike Windows which uses OSK (Window's own on screen keyboard software as an accessibility tool) which is set to appear on any kind of windows related apps (and it works consistently well unlike SteamOS). To add salt to the wound, the trackpads on the Steam Deck (in SteamOS desktop mode) only works if you are connected to Steam online if you dont your trackpad inputs are dead. (i dont know if they already fixed this issue, if they do, feel free to inform me on this) hilariously enough, i seem to run into multiple issues having Windows OSK popping out during game sessions however (when i am playing some games), compared to SteamOS... especially when there's a text box in game. still, selecting the letters on the virtual keyboards with the dual trackpads feels good tho.. it was hard at first, but i got used to it for a month.

[@Darkman03]

@@schikey2076 the Windows OSK also doesn't take controller input, so you need the Steam keyboard or a wireless mouse and keyboard anyway if using a peripheral controller

[@celtycelluloid]

I use windows hibernate since I got my Ally X. Left it on for days and forgot then when I turn it up still back to where I were before. It works perfectly.

[@schikey2076]

@@Darkman03 on the positive side of that.. thank god the distance between the joysticks and your screen on the Rog Ally X is not that huge compared to steam deck oled so you can just tap your fingers in the middle.... but boy, i actually started to enjoy using the dual trackpads for typing words on the virtual keyboard on my Steam Deck OLED ... so i guess both devices checks out in this issue.

[@GrampainBespokeDecorating]

First 50 seconds, best advice in any video right out the gate!

[@gamerboy437]

that rant about windows is crazzzy work lol, 15/10 video, subbed

[@jacobpino2756]

I can’t agree with you on steam big picture mode on the rog ally x, I mean it’s not the same, the steam deck can be put to sleep shut off and resume the rog ally can’t, and honestly we don’t want to install bazzite and all this other crap

[@smsmafia]

The experience is pretty much the same. Is it one to one? No. Is steam OS unique? Absolutely not.

[@justinsden]

I got a Steam Deck OLED a few months ago, and although it’s pretty cool, Im looking for a handheld with a little extra power, both in battery and performance. I hear the ROG Ally X IS that handheld, and I dont mind tinkering with Windows if need be. Im a PC Gamer. I had to do a LOT to set up the Steam Deck. 😂 Your review pretty much helped me. Funny commentary too. Keep up the good work 💯🔥

[@popunkid]

I have both the Ally X and Steam Deck OLED (and a Ally Z1X that I need to sell). OLED is better, but I love both.

[@JosephIrvin-pm4cr]

Performance wise ROG ally x kicks the crap out of steam deck honestly. It can do ray tracing and it has on-board graphics acceleration.

[@malcolmar]

Thanks for the video. The best gaming device is the one you have. I was able to get an LCD Steam Deck new at a discount more than a year ago. It has given me no problems. I already owned a huge Steam library and cost was an issue. Video games are not the only thing I have to pay for in life. I hope to one day get the ROG Ally X or something like it so I can easily have access to my GOG, Amazon Prime Games, and Epic games on the go. Between my Steam Deck, my Nintendo Switch OLED and my Analogue Pocket and my back log of games on all systems I am set for a while. Now it is just all about getting time off of work to actually play games. Enjoy those games and thanks for the video.

[@betablockrr]

The reason people test the Rog at 15W is to see the performance per watt difference. Being a handheld you want battery efficiency, which the steam deck does win. Being able to low to 2w is great for indie games. Also Steam OS is very different to big picture mode. It's different and more efficient code. Some features in big picture mode don't always work due to windows, windows is a poor RAM handler, hence why memory leak is killer on Windows and it's Game Optimization can bork a lot of big picture modes functions. Plus the booting right into steamOS is way more seamless that big picture. There is a huge latency when running windows in the background then big picture. Running 2 separate layers. Steam OS has 2 OS levels, it will boot into it's default game which is itself the OS and UI giving a higher degree of control. Then you can chose to reboot into desktop mode which is a conventional OS. Essentially SteamOS is a hybridOS having 2 separate instances that don't run side by side it's highly efficient. That being said, the steam deck desperately needs more powerful hardware and definitely more RAM

[@smsmafia]

All of this gets negated simply because the Ally X is powerful enough go do ALL OF THAT and keep better battery life. Steam OS is Steam Big Picture Mode. Full stop. Seriously. Nothing is going on in big picture mode that requires that many resources to begin with let alone cause issue for games. It's just a launcher. Idk why people keep dragging that it does a lot when it doesn't. Steam OS is not unique nor does it do anything that can't be done on windows AND THEN SOME because the deck hardware is so weak in comparison. The deck would bottle neck EVEN MORE than it's already doing if you were even to attempt to run half of the processes the X can do. Performance matters. Imagine having all those processes going on and still getting 100+ frames while the deck struggles to get even a consistent 50 with NOTHING going on but the game itself. Explain that.

[@avisalon4730]

Hey bro! This is the best steam deck review i have ever seen 😂

[@smsmafia]

Thank you! These have been really fun for me to make! I'm excited for my next one!

[@hk6926]

​@@smsmafiahe is being sarcastic champ 😂

[@HydeRvt]

Im a steam deck owner. You grilled the SD hard man😂😂 hilarious video. I agree currently its not worth getting one over the ally but I would also argue that is not worth getting either tbh. I recommend to just build a budget gaming pc and slowly upgrade it. Wait for the handheld pc market to mature because right now the devices will get outdated very fast by the next big thing. Valve is right for waiting untill it makes sense to release a steam deck 2.

[@tizzlefoshizzle3132]

How the hell have I missed this channel? You are great bro. Fully subbed. Keep up the awesome work 😊

[@smsmafia]

Thank you so much! This means a lot to me 😭 I just started doing reviews and the support is incredible

[@razznote7586]

PS5 is Linux, Switch is Linux, so Linux is the way to go. OLED screen is better. Overall I would choose Steamdeck. Ease of use and stability is king!

[@kttryhntr]

when ill buy ally x - the first thing ill do - delete windows and install steamOS on it, then it will be usable as a handheld and i think even great, but even then i dont know haw to play in 1/3 of my titles (strategy, mmo) without trackpads.

[@smsmafia]

You don't even have to install steam os to get the steamdeck experience on the Ally. Steam os is literally steam big picture mode. You spend more effort installing third-party system like bazzite than you would EVER just logging into windows normally. Getting really tired of windows on handheld getting a bad rep. It's not that difficult you're making it difficult on purpose at this point. It's just out right refusal.

[@martine8057]

Dude I like the energy! Keep it up 😂

[@smsmafia]

Thank you! Will do!!

[@barxco2662]

Hmmm I find interesting most of your points and I’m using it to decide for which to go (agreeing on siding with the ally so far) but there is one thing that needs to be clarified: SteamOS is an OS. Big picture is an app. This means, big picture depends on the resources windows (in this case) can give to it. I get your point, which is that at the end they look the same… but most likely people would feel it more fluid on the SteamOS

[@smsmafia]

That's the thing. The Ally is THAT much more powerful than the Steamdeck that even when it's more resource intensive it DOESN'T MATTER. Has more processes going on yet out lasts the steamdeck in battrry life, has more processes going on yet generates TRIPLE the frames. It's out performing the steamdeck by a LONG SHOT even with all the "extra" going on.

[@AV3rageView]

7:20 ssj3 theme 🤣🤣🤣

[@lordprime.12]

I have both and tbh, rog ally cost so much just for a small boost of fps(like 10-15). 1080p 120hz is overkill, I mean what triple AAA gonna even get close to that? And on a small screen too, you really not gonna notice that shit 😂. Even crazier, some games run way better on the steam OS than on the ally because it is literally optimized just for gaming.

[@smsmafia]

No way you own both of these and saying all this. The boosts are not small they're huge. Double what the steamdeck could ever do. 120hz is not overkill. That's what MODERN CONSOLES are doing themselves. If you're new to PC just say that lol

[@smsmafia]

Games on PC are not optimized to Linux it's optimized to windows. Bruh if you really got an Ally do some more research with your device so you can get the proper performance out of it.

[@lordprime.12]

@@smsmafia did you not read what I said? I said Steam OS in some instances run better than on the ally. Yes Steam OS is based on Linux duh and yes majority develop and optimized their game for windows but we’re strictly talking about Steam deck(steam OS) and Ally(Windows). I don’t think i know any games that could reach close to 120hz while 1080p on the ally, if you could tell me, please

[@lordprime.12]

I mean besides Fortnite and cod

[@smsmafia]

Rocket league reaches 120, Fornite reaches 110, MW3 reaches 100, Iromsight (a game I played in this video) reaches 200, halo infinite reaches 90-100. Does it reach 120 every time? No. But it's consistently over 70+ even more demanding titles. Steamdeck could never. Whatever game is optimized for the steamdeck will be out performed by the Ally cause the Ally can tank everything. It even out performs the steamdeck at MATCHING specs. It's benefiting from coming out 2 years after the steamdeck. It's cool and all but I do believe you're heavily misinformed.

[@thegreatwizard11]

Comparing performance with some numbers could be more meaningful…

[@user-nu4cs1pg7q]

I loved the trolling sound track hahah

[@verssus36]

No handheld is a junk-free experience. Steam OS simply works better with gamepad input and has a general purpouse which is playing games in contrast to Windows which is designed to be one-size-fit-all desktop experience. Both can deliver a fair share of tinkering (or junk :D) if you look for it. Best to look at what we wanna play and on which device it is gonna play best/what will work for us, what are the additional use case scenarios we wanna the handheld device to address. I'd feel wasted potential if I'd buy Ally X to play older titles tbh, so I went with Steam Deck OLED. You do you. Despite the device we are gonna be using, the ability to play regular games on the go is such a freeing experience - I'd advise any gamer to try it if it fits them ;)

[@KooliSkey]

Lmao the end caught me off guard shit was hilarious, can’t wait for my Rog ally x

[@KooliSkey]

Also while time here why i do I hear a hint of young gen z Jessie Lee Peterson

[@CJmckay]

Honestly, I would say that the Steam Deck OLED and the ROG Ally X are both equally as good in their own ways, but it really comes down to what kind of gamer you are. The reason why I'm leaning towards the Steam Deck is because the majorty of the games I mostly play are on steam, and not to mention that there are also plugins to that device's software which can allow you to play different kinds of games on different platforms, hell, there's even windows drivers for the Steam Deck if you really prefer Windows that badly (tho it will come at the cost of additional performace and battery power). And also, another reason why I believe that the SD is more my style is because I don't really play competitive games that have anti-cheat systems or brand new AAA titles which have very high performance expectations, the only games I have seen myself play is Warframe, Yugioh Master Duel, and some indie titles like Ultrakill, COTL, Starbound, Risk of Rain 2, Dave the Diver, and Terraria. So I would not say that I'm being gaslighted or anything, because there are workarounds over some of the cons of the SD, same thing goes with the ROG Ally X. But like I said, it really comes down to personal preference, and what kind of gamer you are. We are all entitled to make our own choices, but if you got the ROG Ally X and you see someone with the SD, please for the love of god, don't compare yourself to that person just because of the handheld PC you got, because that will just make you look like you're full of yourself.

[@crimsoncloud6352]

Too late lol. Jk but you can turn the ally to steam deck. And it will turn out better

[@CJmckay]

@crimsoncloud6352 I was about make another comment on this, because I did have a discussion with my brother who also owns the ROG Ally X, and I also have done some additional research on how to further enhance it, and I have came to the conclusion that the ROG Ally X is actually a better choice compared to the Steam Deck for a number of reasons. And not to mention that I am also allowing myself enough time to be able to afford it and not become broke once I have one.

[@SuperRed876]

"they're like gaming laptops if they used ozempic" lmao

[@adolfbilic8622]

I own a Rog Ally X, Steam Deck OLED and a Switch Lite and theyre all great in their own ways . Those saying Windows is difficult on a handheld arr talking rubbish . Asus have done a brilliant job with Armory Crate. Two button presses and you are in Steam Big picture mode or gamepass or wherever you want . After yhe initial setup its a very console like experience if you want it to be. Also tye acreen is beautiful on the Ally X - best LCD I have ever used. All three handhelds above are great though ...

[@Abizzy84]

That LCD screen in 2024 for $800 plus tax is an insult to people. Nah homie, the Steamdeck OLED is still King!...

[@horticultural261]

More battery more ram more powerful apu nah homie ally x is the king

[@devantegarbitt4359]

Honestly I feel the same way. Windows ain’t that bad on the Ally X. I do wish it had that sleep and resume function that the steam deck has.

[@robertphillips4155]

Great job on the video, clear and succinct. Good point about system start-up and Steam big picture mode. I am totally with you on everything. If you don’t know how to use Windows in 2024 you are at a disadvantage professionally. Between Mac, Linux, and Windows … Windows won the battle decades ago. (and I’m an Apple fanboy for sure). I converted from console to PC about 7 years ago and have never looked back. It is so much more accurate and faster. For those console platformer games I use a controller. It took time to get used to, but I got there. The ROG Ally X is a great addition to my gaming. Almost any game on my PC can be played on my Ally X (for some reason I can’t get Doom 3 to boot up and the error message disappears too quickly). I downloaded Epic Games app and have full access to play ALL of my games. I downloaded Steam and have full access to play ALL of my games. I can do any online gaming that a PC can do. I purchased a standard memory card, took out a few screws and upgraded my unit to 4TB. I play for 2.5hrs without having to plug in. I’ve had the Ally X about a month and am very happy with my purchase. I got a unit that had been returned to Best Buy, a store in the States, for the same price as the Steam deck OLED. Within a year I’m confident that something else will come out that is much faster etc but … this should last me for years.

[@smsmafia]

Thank you so much! This is exactly my feelings about the X too. I just wish people wouldn't downplay it's capabilites. Windows is not as jank as people think it is. I just believe people don't know what they're doing or are refusing to learn.

[@robertphillips4155]

@@smsmafia I also don’t get the sleep/resume comments. It works GREAT for me on my Ally X. I turn it off at any time during a game except when it’s saving (I have it set to hibernate) and I can come back an pick up right where I left off, no problems. I tested it recently and when I did that I lost 1% of battery power over 2 days … that’s nothing. Sure it takes 23 seconds to start back up but so what.

[@sloth6925]

i see you a man of real culture 1:45

[@smsmafia]

🤝 you a real one

[@ayoschmuck1177]

I was like what's with the action back there😭

[@NoahBershatsky]

Bazzite on the Ally X is the way to go. I game on Linux on the Ally X and my HTPC.

[@hk6926]

Haha love this video and 8 agree with everything you said .

[@holychardmassillon4614]

great vid bro 🔥🔥

[@DanB-vc7gu]

People who prefer the Steam Deck have the same argument “Yes you can play alot more popular games… But but the software is so easy to navigate!” Tiring argument. Most people can easily figure any operating software no matter how finicky it is in the year 2024

[@ATRAV408]

LOL nah iono about that, its a bubble of technically inclined people who can. I service and work in IT operations for commercial restaurants and buildings. There's a lot more people who can't open an email or connect a printer than you think.

[@DanB-vc7gu]

@@ATRAV408 well you have no business playing a gaming handheld (Steamdeck or Ally or anything else) if you can’t open an email. There’s the PlayStation, Xbox or switch available for those people.

[@lorenzothomas2612]

@@ATRAV408then that’s just stupidity lol Steam OS is for the idiots who can’t work windows. Like it’s literally 2024 who doesn’t know how to work windows in this day and age 😂

[@rudeoff]

Was not expecting to sit though a country bumpkin review of the steamdeck vs ally x tonight.

[@smsmafia]

Did you enjoy it? We got electronics in the south too I promise lol

[@michaelhunter3692]

I’ll take either of these over a ps5 pro anyday at least ur getting far more of ur money’s worth it’s up the person themselves how much use they want to make out of these and with the steam os officially coming to the rog ally x and other handhelds I think handheld pc gaming really truly become the best money investment

[@YOKIMY2000]

What the hell???? We are having pc handheld console wars now😂😂😂 I never thought I’d see the day…

[@smsmafia]

It's worse than console wars bro i kid you not. I never seen people hate/defend this hard before lol

[@hasbor]

​@@smsmafia Here you are, lamenting the console wars while flinging yourself into the fray like a drama queen! Hypocrisy much?

[@stevenbishop1782]

@@hasbor But he's right though and nothing indicated him into being a Hypocrite.

[@maskedartist2128]

I've got both decks and just got the go and I will say the deck is a good start but go where the power is

[@notthatjonathandavis7609]

I've owned a SD OLED for a while now, it's much better than the original SD. But I just recently picked up an Ally X, I will say the setup was a little irritating. But I agree with you on the Windows thing. I've used Windows my entire life, the only time I've ever been exposed to Linux is with the SD.

[@horticultural261]

What do you prefer

[@waktank4842]

Sunshine on main pc. Moonlight on steamdeck and i play everything that runs on X but better and can even run more dan X

[@smsmafia]

Cap

[@bariandymitri]

So both quality machines, for straight gaming a steam deck is good but if you want better quality and more utility the Ally is the smarter move. That's my takeaway at least

[@emtmcg]

I bet the next Ally will have an Oled. I am waiting for the next one to upgrade from the SD.

[@optimalbonkerz]

How shit the suspend game feature is on Windows handhelds is enough reason to get the steam deck over the ally X, I have a nice gaming pc though so I want a console experience with a handheld not a Windows experience with a hand held.

[@KidBuu-i2h]

You should do a guide to how you have your rog ally x set up.

[@smsmafia]

Will do!

[@gordonreinz9849]

Steam deck: have fun doing anything multiplayer online in popular games Rog ally x: actually can play most games online

[@jackykwan2580]

There is this one app lossless scaling that makes windows handheld worthwhile. You SHOULD try it once it works for everything even videos and emulators. Those 30 fps old games can be bumped to 60 or more depending on your taste and it doesnt work on linux

[@TakenGTs]

Thank you this made my mind up lol

[@williamgreeter1855]

I,d get the ally x but I heard from friends who have the ally x that windows on it is a real nightmare to deal with on the ally that’s why I,d probably lean towards steam deck because it’s less of a hassle I don’t like to deal with hassle

[@smsmafia]

It isn't bad at all. Idk why they're saying it's bad. You have similar problems with the steamdeck too because they're BOTH pc handhelds at the end. Don't be swayed against it opt for the performance with the X. You won't regret it. The problems with the X are nitpick at best that are blown out of proportion.

[@williamgreeter1855]

@@smsmafia thanks

[@demetriusyelverton7488]

I think the most important thing i learned is that Finland uses linux

[@smsmafia]

They're super Patriotic about it too. Need Americans to be like that with windows

[@airixxxx]

Everything we do runs on Linux, the internet runs on Linux, lol, this guy has no clue about tech.

[@str8poisintv131]

I have the deck and the Ally...As cool as the steam deck is I like the Ally a bit better games run a bit smoother. And I like being able to use windows.

[@trainedcyborg0985]

I want a steam deck because it seems so convenient, but I can’t play my gamepass games on it and I want ti play games I pay for. That aspect makes me want an ROG. I’m torn

[@Beanzer80]

Here the ally x is almost double the price of the deck.

[@smsmafia]

The Ally X has on 1 model. The 1TB version. Compare it to the steamdeck 1TB version it's only 100-200 difference. Not that much for what extras you gain.

[@Beanzer80]

Its 600 dollars more here than the highest steam deck model 1tb. The price jump to performance makes no sense. I live in australia. Sd is 1049 and releases next month, rog ally x is 1600.

[@smsmafia]

Holy shit that's expensive lol. You got it rough in general though man. 1000 for a deck wild but 1600 for the X insane.

[@wishforglory]

straight facts 😂😂😂

[@laylowfazo3624]

I have both and the ally X is far superior in performance and comfortable and the screen looks better ! The steam deck is cool tho ! Gave it to my gf 😂 definitely a nice starter ! All the things ppl say that makes the steam deck good ! Doesn’t really affects nothing ! It’s still very simple to use also stop all that yapping, ppl used to say battery now Ally x have a bigger battery ! Now it’s some else 😂

[@zomg346]

I had both and no legion i say either go for deck or lego.both ally are so uncomfortable to hold.i got bazzite on legion go and its so good

[@f-drive]

Steam Deck OLED is definitely better than regular Steam Deck, but with the price I think you'll be better buying an Ally X. Just save a bit more. If you're really budget conscious but still want a handheld PC, well, maybe just get a regular Steam Deck lol

[@fireninja9072]

1:46 -1:53 is my favorite part of the video

[@smsmafia]

Mines too 🤣

[@adolfbilic8622]

Plus on Ally X I can run iistripper while playing a game . Who doesn't want a dancing babe in the corner of the screen while beating the cap outta someone in MK1 ... Can't do that on Deck ...

[@bilihileydson]

windows on a handheld is the worst experience ever dude!!! pause the game today, turn the screen off... and then turn the screen on tomorrow on windows... after that you come here and tell people how good windows is...

[@peaceandthepanic]

tbh i have both a deck oled and the rog ally x and windows is definitely not that hard to deal with.

[@justjoshininjapan700]

It’s all about use case. I have both ally and steam deck but I play almost exclusively rpgs and single player games like GoW. Instant and reliable sleep function on the Steam Deck is a winner for me.

[@jackykwan2580]

Dumb lazy people how much time you spend on the os? All it takes is just a click on window 11 and you are in whats the stupid fuss.

[@peaceandthepanic]

@@hk6926 more like an additional 5 seconds

[@peaceandthepanic]

@@hk6926 ive had this thing for about a month and its never taken me any longer than 10 seconds to get into a game

[@stormer1686]

I'm sorry to say this but you are very narrow in your mind. I think that reviewers should review products without any kind of a bias. Or at least try to have views from a broader spectrum. The fact that your friends do not use Linux platform doesen't work as an argument that Linux would be bad.

[@smsmafia]

It is not possible to NOT have a biased about something. That's the point of opinions. At least I went out and bought the device to have an informed bias rather than just fanboying and reading spec sheets. The no friends using Linux was a joke. I'm an entertainer too man. Laugh a little

[@X-101]

I don't play multiplayer on it, I'm not a scrub and have an actual gaming pc

[@smsmafia]

In a nut shell. Looking for bare minimum get the steamdeck. Looking for high mileage get the Ally X.

[@RIKSALISTI]

all the finnish ppl watching this shit on windows: 😂 love the attitude btw

[@Whatnoww]

AFAIK the most important part for these devices are the battery life.

[@smsmafia]

And the Ally X right now is best in class with its 80w Hr battery. On AAA titles maximum output you can get up to 3 hours gameplay. Lower it to steamdeck level you can get at least 5-6 hours. The deck gave me about 2 hours with the games I played at least with worse performance.

[@Oderaxx56]

Ngl when I saw sms mafia posted and I thought it was a sparkling zero video but whatever

[@smsmafia]

That's coming next! Wanted to hurry and get this out so I can focus on Sparking!

[@Oderaxx56]

@@smsmafia bet

[@kevinmontgomery4443]

I know he said there was no real difference when playing street fighter on either device but some some reason my eyes were drawn to the steam deck 🤣

[@smsmafia]

👀👀 I wonder why 💀

[@jacobpino2756]

For 800$ tho, I don’t think so man, the legion go is literally 200$ cheaper and the steam deck is like 300$ cheaper, I mean I can’t justify spending 800$ on a handheld when we could get a these things for cheaper

[@smsmafia]

They all come down eventually. When steamdeck first launched the same thing was said about it too that it was expensive. Just wait for affordable options. I wouldn't buy any of these first hand tbh.

[@boredmurse3432]

1:46 Chun Li in the back 😂😂😂

[@SquadHunta117]

I got the rog ally gamepass baby

[@reeyan72]

but microsoft dont see this as oppurtunity, if they make Windows OS Handheld its will be great but yeah you know, they lazy

[@Micchi-]

I chose steam deck because I simply hate windows with every atom in my body

[@horticultural261]

Brooo 💀

[@yeahboi1286]

You didn't disable the frame limit, also it's not the same experience.

[@smsmafia]

Yes I did

[@yeahboi1286]

@@smsmafia That doesn't make sense because you can get 110 fps w/average settings in desktop mode on the steam deck.. a little bit more with the Steam OS frontend.

[@smsmafia]

Can you link me a video of anyone getting over 100fps on steamdeck? I don't believe that. The screen on the OLED is only 90hz MAX. And those frames are dont sound possible on the hardware. You'd have to make the setting so low that it's ACTUALLY HIDEOUS below 720p with even lower than low specs on any game could provide. I seriously doubt that.

[@yeahboi1286]

@@smsmafia You literally showed the steam deck running on a external display, I did the exact same thing and I uncapped the framerate and upped the resolution. You can do that via by the quick settings option on the steam deck in the Steam OS front end mode. You don't need to worry about it in Desktop mode as that will default to a more windows approach.

[@smsmafia]

I'll give it another shot and see if I'm mistaken. I'll respond with what I find when I do

[@ethd__]

if asus rog ally x had a touchpad it would be better

[@sneakybobinson3252]

The Ally has a higher performance ceiling, sure. But it's made by Asus... Valve has miles better customer support and spare parts are easily sourced. To each their own though.

[@peaceandthepanic]

thats why you get it through best buy and just deal with their customer service

[@sneakybobinson3252]

@@peaceandthepanic If you live in the US. Not sure about the rest of the world...

[@peaceandthepanic]

@@sneakybobinson3252 they dont have best buys overseas? i thought they were international

[@horticultural261]

I live in Italy and have not had any issues with ASUS customer service.

[@sneakybobinson3252]

@@horticultural261I can provide anecdotal evidence as well. Anyway, just get what makes you happy

[@horticultural261]

Is there really a big difference between SD oled and rog ally ips panel?

[@smsmafia]

All the Ally's have VRR screens that help with smoothess in games they get up to 120hz while Steamdeck is OLED and gets up to 90hz. Not like you'd use the 90hz very much. Not many games on steamdeck can even consistently run over 60 frames let alone reach 90 frames.

[@horticultural261]

Is there a significant difference between using an OLED or Ally X display? I can not decide what to buy. I mean colors and brightness

[@jondr]

Why are you so concerned with high fps and resolution on a 7in screen? The Ally X excels at battery life because they threw in a massive 80wh battery. Windows on a handheld is janky (especially with no trackpads)

[@smsmafia]

Because you can still see it even on a smaller screen? And this has more functions than just on handheld. It translates even better when you dock it. I go from 100+ frames on handheld to 200+ on dock. It's an entire gaming pc in compact form. Why would I want less? More frames is always good.

[@MurtadhaJlil]

Can run Witcher on Ally x high setting and Ray tracing?

[@horticultural261]

Bro is only one talking honest 😂

[@smsmafia]

Its like other reviewers scared to say the truth 🤣

[@horticultural261]

Yeah, because fanboys will eat them alive.

[@horticultural261]

it's nindendo loyalty all over again

[@AlexanderHoller-d5l]

Can someone please explain what the fuck happened on 1:48

[@YKZL]

Haha wait for steamOS 3.0 release then no one will remember windows gaming

[@smokytheplug]

Hell yeah

[@CaptainCaskett]

Yooo I see you 1:45

[@smsmafia]

👀👀

[@danric3422]

steamdeck is better until my cousin told me that he is selling his rog ally x with 2tb sd card for half the price.

[@LAZYBOI]

Steam Deck is piece of trash !!! Absolute hate linux, can't use it at all...

[@podkse]

This video is hilariously honest. Brought up some greats points that many other reviewers fail to bring up. Good shit. 👍

[@smsmafia]

Thank you bro! This is only my third review videos ever and they're being recieved better than I thought they ever would. I'm having a lot of fun!

[@podkse]

@@smsmafia keep em coming!

[@Nico-pw8yo]

Buy a rog ally then install bazzite

[@Ghostlynotme445]

Bro really 1:47😂

[@AquaFiend_Cupid]

Really at 1:45 bruh

[@smsmafia]

What you mean 👀

[@darkzs3126]

VRR>>OLED

[@Nyyvv]

Ally x is Garbage lmao 😂

[@smsmafia]

If the X is garbage the Deck is the entire garbage dump 💀

[@blissurzu7216]

Deck doesn't even have Anti cheat lol. Enjoy playing all 12 of your 300 games on Linux.

[@AkaiSuzume]

Below the bell curve.

[@AquaFiend_Cupid]

Let's go my nibba

[@celtycelluloid]

I agree with everything you said in this video.

[@str8poisintv131]

Thought I was the only person who thought it was weird all the content creators were saying rog isnt as good cuz of windows...shit never made much sense unless there's a narrative being pushed.

[@smsmafia]

Definitely some propaganda for sure. They're blowing that out of proportion and making it worse than it actually is. This is why I took the risk and bought one myself. To ACTUALLY have an informed opinion. No way they're calling themselves PC gamers willing to defend it to that extent. I found myself getting mad I couldn't play games properly. I dint show it cause I didn't want the video to be entirely negative so I cut a lot. But there was a game I was only able to get 25 frames maximum out of from the steamdeck. It was a demanding game sure. But the Ally got 60 consistently.