ASUS is gearing up to release the ROG Ally, a handheld gaming PC that looks – and likely performs – like a rival for Valve’s Steam Deck. The Steam Deck has been wildly successful as gamers are turning to portables to get their gaming fix. The Steam Deck proved an instant hit with fans who wanted to play their PC games without actually being at their PC, but the platform certainly has its share of issues, including battery life and performance.
Here’s how they both stack up based on the ROG Ally’s official speculations.
Is the Steam Deck or the Asus ROG Ally bigger?
The Steam Deck is slightly larger than the Asus ROG. The Deck is 11.7 x 4.6 x 1.9 inches, while the Ally is a little slimmer, coming in at 11 x 4.4 x 1.5 inches. The difference is almost tiny, but the reduction in thickness, however small, may make handling it for longer periods of time more comfortable.
The Ally is also 0.13 pounds lighter, down to roughly 1.3 pounds compared to the Steam Deck’s 1.47 pounds Both are still much larger than the Nintendo Switch OLED, if you have one to use as a base.
Steam Deck vs. Asus ROG Ally: Screen size
The Steam Deck and ROG Ally have the same 7-inch screen and both are LCD screens. However, that’s where the similarities end.
The Deck’s max resolution is 1280x800p, which just barely meets the mark as an HD screen. The Ally’s screen caps out at 1920x1080p, which is full HD and a noticeably higher visual quality. Games on the Ally will look better and have a deeper color range as a result.
Asus ROG Ally and Steam Deck storage
There are three versions of the Steam Deck with varying storage sizes, but for the purpose of this comparison, we’re using the most expensive model, which comes with a 512GB NvMe SSD.
The ROG will also feature a 512 GB SSD, so it’s the same as the Deck. They both have 16GB of RAM, which is usually enough to play most modern games on modest to high settings.
Is the Asus ROG Ally more powerful than the Steam Deck?
So far, it seems like the ROG Ally will have the edge when it comes to power. The Ally has a refresh rate of 120hz, compared to Deck’s 60hz and lower options, and that means the Ally can run games at 120fps. The Deck remains locked at 60fps or lower.
The Ally also has the power to potentially hit and maintain 120 fps, with a minimum of 2.8Tflops compared to the Deck’s 1.6Tflops maximum. If you’re not up on Teraflops and other tech jargon, that just means the Ally will have 150 percent of the Deck’s processing power and can handle more demanding settings. Some rumors suggest an even more powerful Ally is in the works, but those are, for now, just rumors.
This one could have graphical processing up to an impressive 8.6Tflops. This is not as impressive as the PS5, but far outstrips other handhelds on the market.
Steam Deck battery life vs. Asus ROG Ally
The Steam Deck’s battery life is pretty poor, often clocking in lower than the 2-8 hours the official specs promise you’ll get. Some players even reported getting only 30 to 45 minutes for more intensive games, such as Elden Ring, though indie games, older games, and anything in 2D usually fare better.
If you’re hoping the Asus ROG Ally’s battery life may be better, you’re probably in for some disappointment. The spec sheet shows it uses a similar battery, and the more powerful Ally is likely to drain it faster anyway.
That’s just speculation at this point, naturally. The actual performance may be better.
Asus ROG Ally vs. Steam Deck: Which is easier to play?
Steam Deck uses the SteamOS, which is a version of Linux, but the Ally will run on Windows. Which version is better depends on you. Windows is the more common operating system that more people are familiar with, though Linux is often more stable. Linux crashes less often and has better defenses against viruses. However, the Steam Deck has more buttons for greater accessibility and lets you map them as you see fit.
Most games are designed to run on Windows, so there’s a chance the Asus ROG Ally may be able to run games that aren’t compatible with the Steam Deck.
The Ally will also come with three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so if you don’t have a big library of Steam games, that at least gives you a place to start.
Steam Deck vs. Asus ROG Ally: Price
The Steam Deck comes in three versions, and the version that’s nearest to the Ally costs $649. The Asus ROG Ally’s price will be officially announced on May 11, 2023, but the company said it will be “competitively” priced, and be “comparable” with the Steam Deck’s price. Asus has also said it will definitely cost less than $1000, though admittedly, that leaves a pretty big price window open.
We expect it to sell somewhere around the $800 price range.
Steam Deck vs Asus ROG Ally: A full comparison
Here are all the specs and stats compiled.
- Resolution
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- Steam = 1280x800p
- Asus = 1920x1080p
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- Refresh Rate
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- Steam = 60hz
- Asus = 120hz
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- Screen Size
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- Steam = 7”
- Asus = 7”
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- Screen Type
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- Steam = LCD
- Asus = LCD
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- Weight
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- Steam = 669g
- Asus = 608g
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- Operating System
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- Steam = Steam OS (Linux)
- Asus = Windows
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- Size
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- Steam = 29.8 x 11.7 x 4.9 cm
- Asus = 28 x 11.3 x 3.9 cm
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- Storage
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- Steam = 512 GB SSD
- Asus = 512 GB SSD
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- RAM
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- Steam = 16 GB
- Asus = 16 GB
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- Battery
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- Steam = 40wh
- Asus = 40wh
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- GPU
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- Steam = 1.6 Tflops
- Asus = 2.8 Tflops
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- Adaptive Controls
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- Steam = Yes
- Asus = No
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- Price
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- Steam = $649 (£569)
- Asus = <$1000 (<£800)
The ROG Ally is the clear winner, with more powerful processing, better resolution, and the potential to reach and maintain higher framerates. However, the Steam Deck has the edge when it comes to accessibility, with better control schemes and a more reliable operating system.
As far as support for games, it really depends on whether you already have a robust Steam library. If you prefer Xbox Game Pass or DRM-free games, then the Ally might be the better choice for you.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF.
