ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck: Here’s a deep comparison in 2023

ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck: Which one to choose in 2023?

Asus has introduced the ROG Ally, a handheld device designed to compete with Valve’s Steam Deck. The ROG Ally offers better specifications than Valve’s machine, boasting a 1080p 120Hz display and the new AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip. It comes preloaded with Windows 11 and is capable of playing Windows-compatible games right out of the box.

ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck – Prices

In terms of pricing, the ROG Ally is slightly more expensive than the Steam Deck, but the price difference is not excessive. The handheld is set to launch on June 13, and pre-orders are currently available for $699 at Best Buy. This configuration includes a 7-inch 120Hz 1080p LCD, an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. A $599 configuration with an AMD Ryzen Z1 chip is also listed on Best Buy and is expected to arrive in Q3 2023.

The Steam Deck offers three models differentiated primarily by storage sizes and displays. The storage options include 64GB for $399, 256GB for $529, and 512GB for $649. The 512GB model also features an anti-glare etched-glass display. All configurations of the Steam Deck come with a black carrying case with a Steam Deck logo on top. The $649 unit’s carrying case has a gray lining on the inside and includes a cleaning cloth.

Currently, the ROG Ally is priced $50 higher than the Steam Deck with 512GB of storage. Additionally, if you wish to protect the Ally, you would need to spend an additional $39 for the Asus ROG Ally travel case. In the end, the Steam Deck remains the more affordable option, even with the high-end model.

ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck – Design

While the ROG Ally and Steam Deck share some similar features, there are important differences between the two devices. The ROG Ally features an all-white design, setting it apart from the all-black Steam Deck. It also incorporates RGB lighting beneath the analog sticks, which the Steam Deck lacks. However, the Ally does not include touchpads, which are a prominent feature of the Steam Deck. Both systems have four face buttons, two analog sticks, a d-pad, and four small buttons for UI navigation. The Ally has two back buttons, whereas the Steam Deck has four.

In terms of size and weight, the ROG Ally measures 11.0 x 4.4 x 0.5 inches and weighs 1.3 pounds, while the Steam Deck measures 11.73 x 4.60 x 1.93 inches and weighs 1.5 pounds. Overall, the Ally is smaller and lighter than the Steam Deck, making it comfortable to hold and use for extended periods.

The ports on the ROG Ally are located along the top of the device and include a USB-C port, a PCIe port, a mini SD card reader, and a headphone jack. The Steam Deck has a USB-C port and a headphone jack on the top, with an SD card reader on the bottom. Both devices feature volume and power buttons on the top and air vents positioned at the top as well.

ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck – Display

One of the main differences between the two handhelds lies in display quality, where the ROG Ally holds a clear advantage. The Ally features a 7-inch 120Hz 16:9 display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. In contrast, the Steam Deck’s 7-inch screen has a resolution of 1280 x 800 with a refresh rate of 60Hz. The ROG Ally’s display exhibits superior color reproduction, achieving 108.6% of the sRGB color gamut and 76.9% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, and 76.9% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, with a Delta-E score of 0.17. The Steam Deck’s display, on the other hand, achieved 68.5% of the sRGB color gamut, 48% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, and a Delta-E of 0.25.

ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck – Performance 

The ROG Ally is equipped with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads and utilizing the efficiency of Zen 4 architecture. It is a custom Zen 4 RDNA3 4nm APU. In comparison, the Steam Deck utilizes an AMD APU based on Zen 2 architecture for its CPU and RDNA 2 for its GPU. The Ryzen Z1 Extreme outperforms the Steam Deck’s chip, with eight Zen 4 cores and 12 RDNA 3 compute units compared to the Steam Deck’s four Zen 2 cores and eight RDNA 2 compute units.

ASUS ROG Ally vs Steam Deck – Software

While the ROG Ally is theoretically more powerful on paper, It can run any Windows-compatible game or application out of the box, which is both a strength and a weakness. In contrast, the Steam Deck runs on SteamOS 3.0, which has a dedicated controller-friendly UI and supports Proton, a compatibility layer that allows many Windows games to run on the Linux-based SteamOS. The ROG Ally’s game library consists of the titles you already own, as it supports various launchers such as Steam, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, Xbox Game Pass, EA Origin, and others, sorted within the Armoury Crate app. However, there might be some trial and error involved in getting games to run well on the ROG Ally, similar to the Steam Deck.

In summary, the Asus ROG Ally and Valve’s Steam Deck have some similarities but also important distinctions. The ROG Ally offers a superior display and a more powerful processor, but its performance may not meet expectations. The Steam Deck, with its SteamOS and Proton compatibility, provides a dedicated controller-friendly UI and optimized gaming experience. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on individual preferences and priorities.

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