If you’re trying to decide what gaming handheld to get this year, you should really go with the ROG Ally rather than the Steam Deck.
I’m a big fan of handheld gaming and own every major on-the-go device, including the ROG Ally, Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and Legion Go. Among these devices, the ROG Ally and Steam Deck are the most popular options for playing PC games. And while each device has pros and cons, the ROG Ally stands above the rest thanks to its higher performance.
Of course, every gaming handheld is a good fit for someone. So, I’ll also review the pros and cons of the Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and Legion Go before explaining who they are a good fit for.
True, the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme version of the ROG Ally costs $50 more than the most expensive Steam Deck OLED, but ASUS’ device offers far more freedom and better performance to make this pricing worth it. However, there’s much more to consider when comparing ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck, so let’s keep going.
During the testing I ran for my ROG Ally review, the handheld tended to run very smoothly and could even hit consistent frames of 60FPS in certain games as long as the settings were at a good spot. Steam Deck can also run relatively smoothly, but the LCD screen only supports up to 780p, and imagery can come through looking pixelated and muddy. Meanwhile, game visuals are far more vibrant and crisp on the ROG Ally’s IPS display, reaching up to 1920 x 1080p.
Since ROG Ally runs Windows 11, it can do anything a gaming laptop can. You can access any gaming service, including Battlet.net, Epic Games, Steam, Xbox Game Pass, and more. I even plugged a wireless dongle into my Ally and used a keyboard and mouse to write up Word docs on the ASUS gaming device. The tradeoff here is that ROG Ally users will have to deal with the bloatware and specific scenarios that Windows 11 comes with, but there are plenty of places online to find help for that, including right here with our own Windows 11 troubleshooting guides.
Meanwhile, the Steam Deck runs on a proprietary SteamOS and is only intended to run Steam games — Actually, it can’t even play all Steam games, only Steam Deck-compatible games optimized for the system. So, you’ll need to check and see if the Steam games you want to play even work on the Steam Deck. Of course, if you feel comfortable doing so, we can show you how to install Windows 11 on the Steam Deck so it can run just about every service the ROG Ally can.
The biggest problem with ROG Ally is that it does have an overheating problem that can cause inserted microSD cards to malfunction. Fortunately, you can increase your storage without using a microSD card if you purchase a larger WD_BLACK SSD for the ROG Ally. I’ve even written a guide (with pictures) on how to install the WD_BLACK SSD into ROG Ally if you want help with that. It’s a straightforward process that doesn’t take very long.
As far as accessories go, the ROG Ally has been pretty popular, so there are plenty of third-party ROG Ally accessories to help improve the gaming experience, such as TV docks, carrying cases, screen protectors, thumb grips, and more. In fact, the device is so similar in size and usage to the Steam Deck that many Steam Deck accessories can also be used for ROG Ally. Just make sure if you get an ROG Ally battery pack that it has a 65W power flow, at least, or it won’t work well with the ASUS handheld.
How to know what gaming handheld to get
Aside from the ROG Ally, the biggest gaming handhelds on the market today are Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and Legion Go. I’ve already talked about ROG Ally at length, but these other devices all have merits and disadvantages. So here’s a rundown for each device with a quick explanation of who they’ll be a good fit for.
Nintendo Switch is great for kids, Nintendo fans, or people on a budget
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Steam Deck is perfect for people on a budget who primarily play Steam games
Legion Go is ideal for people who want a versatile entertainment device
Gaming handheld FAQ
What is the best gaming handheld?
This really depends on what you’re looking for in a gaming device. Nintendo Switch is the best seller and is ideal for Nintendo fans, kids, and people on a budget. ROG Ally is an excellent PC gaming device that acts like a gaming laptop with controllers attached and offers the freedom to play any game service. Steam Deck is explicitly intended for accessing Steam Deck-compatible games and is ideal for people who primarily play Steam. Meanwhile, the Legion Go offers a fantastic screen with a slightly lower performance than the ROG Ally. Thanks to the picture quality and tabletop mode, it’s ideal for people who want the best viewing experience from their handhelds.
What is the best selling gaming handheld?
Nintendo Switch is the best-selling gaming handheld by far at over 132 million units sold. This is thanks to its lower price and extensive library of exclusive games, many of which are appropriate for all ages. Steam Deck comes next, having sold close to 3 million units. Then ROG Ally has sold over 500,000 units. It’s unclear how many Legion Go devices have sold, as it’s still relatively new. It’s worth noting that the devices that have been out the longest have seen the most sales.
What are the pros and cons of a gaming handheld?
Gaming handhelds allow you to play games anywhere, so you don’t have to be stuck at your desk or couch. However, they don’t tend to have the best battery life, and performance isn’t nearly as good as a gaming laptop or full console. Additionally, each gaming handheld has pros and cons, so you need to look into each device specifically to see if it meets your desires.
Is Steam Deck better than ROG Ally?
That depends on what you mean by better. The Steam Deck’s simple software and layout are more straightforward to interact with. However, it’s only intended to work with Steam out of the box, whereas ROG Ally offers far more freedom. Since it runs Windows 11, ROG Ally can access any gaming service that a regular gaming laptop can, not just Steam. Additionally, ROG Ally has more powerful internals and offers better performance and a better screen than Steam Deck (unless you get the Steam Deck OLED).
Can I use ROG Ally as a PC?
Yes. Basically, anything you can do on a computer, you can do on ROG Ally, thanks to the fact that it runs Windows 11. You can browse the internet, open any gaming service, download apps, and more. If you connect the proper accessories to it, you can even type up documents or access other programs.
Can you browse the internet on ROG Ally?
Yes. ROG Ally comes with Windows 11 installed on it, so it comes with the Microsoft Edge web browser already installed. Of course, you can download other browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, and use them instead.
What games are compatible with ROG Ally?
Any PC games you can run on a Windows gaming laptop can run on ROG Ally. However, you must adjust settings in each game to get the best performance out of your titles.
