Head-to-head · Best Handheld Gaming PCs

ASUS ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Steam Deck OLED comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.3 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about Visual quality enthusiasts — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #3 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs

ASUS ROG Ally X

4.3

4 sources2 derived

The ROG Ally X is an incremental but meaningful update to ASUS's handheld PC, pairing a Ryzen Z2 A with reworked grips that reviewers repeatedly single out as the most comfortable in the x86 handheld class. Digitally Downloaded and Ultrabook Review both rate the refined build above the raw silicon, which is the trade this generation makes. The Xbox-branded front end pulls Steam, Epic and Xbox libraries into one list and boots straight into it, though Windows is still underneath with all the driver and update friction that implies. Battery endurance remains the limit on long sessions.

Strengths

— Slightly more powerful than predecessor with AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor
— Refined build with comfortable hand grips and improved button layout
— Better battery life compared to original model

Watch-outs

— Battery life still insufficient for extended use
— Xbox UI may not appeal to non-Microsoft ecosystem users

Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs

Steam Deck OLED

4.5

4 sourcesall derived$1,075as of Jul 31

The Steam Deck OLED's headline change is the screen, and reviewers backed it up on color accuracy, HDR support, and the 90Hz refresh rate. Birchtree rated the display well above the original LCD model, calling it 'spectacular' and 'eye-searingly delightful.' Wi-Fi 6E, slightly longer battery life, and quieter fans round out the update. Reviewers still hear the fans in a quiet room, and the battery gain is modest. It's for anyone who wants better visual quality and performance than the original Steam Deck offered, less so for those chasing endurance or silence.

Strengths

— OLED screen delivers exceptional color reproduction and HDR support with 1,000 nits max brightness
— 90Hz refresh rate improves game smoothness and reduces input latency
— Quieter fans compared to the original Steam Deck model

Watch-outs

— Fan noise still audible in quiet environments, though improved from original
— Battery life improvement is marginal and not as good as Nintendo Switch

$1,075 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

ASUS ROG Ally X

The ASUS ROG Ally X stands out with its Xbox-branded UI and Game Pass integration, which differentiates it from competitors like the Valve Steam Deck OLED that focuses on SteamOS. However, while it offers slightly better battery life than its predecessor, it still falls short compared to the MSI Claw 8's 80WHr capacity and lacks the raw performance of the Lenovo Legion Go S with its Z1 Extreme chipset.

Steam Deck OLED

The Steam Deck OLED excels in display quality over the Valve Steam Deck OLED with its vibrant HDR and 1,000 nits peak brightness, though the latter offers better battery life and a more refined overall experience. Compared to the MSI Claw 8, it lacks the larger 8-inch screen and superior battery capacity, but provides a more polished SteamOS experience.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	ASUS ROG Ally X	Steam Deck OLED
Processor	AMD Ryzen Z2 A	Revised AMD 'Van Gogh' 6nm
Display	7 inch, 1920 x 1080 px	7.4" OLED
Memory	16 GB LPDDR5-6400	16GB LPDDR5 6400MT/s
Storage	512 GB NVMe PCIe gen 4	512GB and 1TB options
Battery	40 Wh	—
Graphics	12 RDNA 3 CUs, up to 2.7 GHz	8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.6GHz
Refresh Rate	120Hz	90Hz

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