Steam Deck OLED vs Asus ROG Ally – which device takes the handheld crown
We're seeing a wide range of handhelds hit the market this year and the release of the Steam Deck OLED shakes things up even more.
The Steam Deck OLED is finally here, and is replacing the original Steam Deck LCD. Coming in at a comparatively lower price point than the older model, despite having significant upgrades, the Steam Deck OLED release is a bit of a kick in the teeth to those who opted for the Steam Deck LCD. For those who, instead, decided to pick up the Asus ROG Ally or are still browsing, then you're in luck as we're comparing which of the two handhelds is the better purchase.
Steam Deck OLED vs Asus ROG Ally: price
The Steam Deck OLED price comes in cheaper than the previous Steam Deck LCD models when comparing storage sizes. The Steam Deck OLED comes in at £479 / $549 / AU$865 for a 512GB edition and £569 / $649 / AU$1020 for a 1TB version. These models will be replacing both the 256GB and 512GB versions of the Steam Deck LCD.
The Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is currently available for £699 / $699 / AU$1,299 which is a significant jump up from the Steam Deck OLED, coming in at £130 more than the 1TB edition of the handheld. It currently doesn't have options for more storage but the Asus ROG Ally standard edition will be released soon with a price point of £599 / $599 / AU$1,000 (AU pricing approx).
Steam Deck OLED vs Asus ROG Ally: specs and design
We were able to benchmark the Asus ROG Ally in our review, and we thought it was phenomenal, with it achieving a full five stars from us. In terms of design, both of these devices have been made to ensure minimal hand cramping or strain when gaming for long periods and on the go. That includes the controls being on the top half of the device, slanted edges for better grip, and curved shoulder buttons.
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Steam Deck OLED specs
- Processor: CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32), GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.0-1.6GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)
- Operating System: SteamOS
- Memory: 16GB LDDR5 RAM
- Storage: 64 GB eMMC (PCIe Gen 2 x1), 256 GB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4 or PCIe Gen 3 x2*), 512 GB high-speed NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 x4 or PCIe Gen 3 x2*)
- Weight: 640 grams
- Display: 7 inches, 60Hz, 720p, touchscreen
- Sound: Stereo with embedded DSP for an immersive listening experience
Asus ROG Ally specs
- Processor: AMD Ryzen Z1 / AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
- Operating System: Windows 11
- Memory: 16GB 6400 MHz LDDR5 RAM
- Storage: 512 GB PCIe Gen4 SSD with MicroSD slot for expansion
- Weight: 608 grams
- Display: 7 inches, 120Hz, 1080p, touchscreen
- Sound: Dual front-facing speakers powered by Dolby Atmos
The Asus ROG Ally comes in a sleek white casing, with RGB features in certain locations for that pop of colour that we PC gamers hold near and dear. The Steam Deck OLED is more simple, in full black casing. Both of them are near enough similar in weight, however, surprisingly the Asus ROG Ally comes in slightly lighter despite packing more of a punch.
Steam Deck OLED vs Asus ROG Ally: games
The Steam Deck OLED limits your options to games that are only available on Steam. This means if your main game is an Epic Games exclusive, then you're out of luck. One issue with the Steam Deck OLED is that not all Steam titles are guaranteed to work either, as some aren't optimised. However, the list of optimised games is ever-growing as more developers adjust their games to work on the platform.
A great feature of the Asus ROG Ally is the fact that it runs Windows 11, meaning you get access to a whole host of game clients, including but not limited to Steam, Epic Games, EA Play, Ubisoft, and Battle.Net. This means no matter what games you currently play or are hoping to explore, the world is your oyster and you're not limited to games on a single client. This also allows you to take advantage of more free-to-play titles.
Steam Deck OLED vs Asus ROG Ally verdict
Which unit you pick up will be based on what you're looking for. If you're hoping for your new handheld to be your main system and replace your gaming PC, Xbox, or PS5, it may make sense to go for the higher-specification Asus ROG Ally which will give you access to a wide range of games rather than limiting you to one gaming client.
However, if you already have a console or PC and you're just looking for a cheap and portable addition to your collection, then the Steam Deck OLED is a great option, giving you the ability to play AAA titles like Elden Ring, as well as mellow farming sims like Stardew Valley, while you're on the go.
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