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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 clear margin (4.5 vs 4.0). The gap is mostly about Visual quality enthusiasts — read the strengths below before deciding.

ASUS ROG Ally X
Ranked #5 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs
ASUS ROG Ally X
4 sources

The ROG Ally X is an incremental but meaningful update to ASUS's handheld PC, pairing the Ryzen Z1 Extreme with reworked grips. The Verge notes it still runs full Windows, with the mandatory updates and unwanted Microsoft offers that implies. Battery endurance remains the limit on long sessions.

Strengths
  • — Slightly more powerful than predecessor, pairing the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme with faster 24 GB LPDDR5X memory
  • — Refined build with comfortable hand grips and improved button layout
  • — Better battery life compared to original model, per Engadget
Watch-outs
  • — Battery life still insufficient for extended use
Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Steam Deck OLED
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs
Steam Deck OLED
4 sourcesall derived$1,075as of Oct 4

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 AmazonFull 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 runs full Windows, which differentiates it from the SteamOS-based Valve Steam Deck OLED. It offers better battery life than its predecessor, with an 80Wh battery that matches the MSI Claw 8's 80WHr capacity.

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

SpecASUS ROG Ally XSteam Deck OLED
ProcessorAMD Ryzen Z1 ExtremeRevised AMD 'Van Gogh' 6nm
Display7 inch, 1920 x 1080 px7.4" OLED
Memory24 GB LPDDR5X-750016GB LPDDR5 6400MT/s
Storage1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe512GB and 1TB options
Battery80 Wh—
Graphics12 RDNA 3 CUs, up to 2.7 GHz8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.6GHz
Refresh Rate120Hz90Hz
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