Valve's Steam Deck continues to reign supreme in the handheld PC gaming market, even as competitors like the Asus ROG Ally X aim to dethrone it. While the ROG Ally X brings significant upgrades over its predecessor, the Steam Deck still offers a more well-rounded package for most users.
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| The Steam Deck, ROG Ally X, and standard ROG Ally displayed together, showcasing their distinct designs and features in the handheld gaming arena |
Key Advantages of the Steam Deck
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SteamOS: The custom Linux-based operating system provides a console-like experience that's optimized for handheld use. Windows 11 on the ROG Ally X remains clunky for portable gaming.
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Trackpads: The Steam Deck's dual trackpads offer greater input flexibility, especially for games not designed with controllers in mind.
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Fast Suspend/Resume: This feature allows near-instant game resumption, similar to the Xbox's Quick Resume function.
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Price: Starting at $399 for the base model and $549 for the OLED version, the Steam Deck is significantly more affordable than the $799 ROG Ally X.
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| A close-up view of a handheld gaming device highlighting its control panel, representing the Steam Deck’s user-friendly design |
ROG Ally X Improvements
- Performance: With an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme CPU and 24GB of RAM, it can outperform the Steam Deck in some games.
- Display: 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate compared to the Steam Deck's 800p 60Hz screen (or 90Hz on OLED model).
- Storage: 1TB SSD standard, double the maximum Steam Deck capacity.
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| A side-by-side comparison of the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally, showcasing their unique features and designs in the handheld gaming market |
Real-World Performance
Game performance varies:
- In Forza Horizon 5, the ROG Ally X matched the Steam Deck's framerate while enabling ray tracing.
- Cyberpunk 2077 struggled on the ROG Ally X unless graphics settings were lowered significantly.
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| A user immersed in gameplay on the Steam Deck, highlighting its real-world performance and gaming capabilities |
Battery Life Concerns
The ROG Ally X's higher performance comes at the cost of battery life, especially in Turbo Mode. The Steam Deck generally offers more consistent battery performance across games.
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| A person enjoying gaming on a handheld device, illustrating the immersive experience while considering battery life and performance |
Conclusion
While the Asus ROG Ally X brings impressive hardware to the table, the Steam Deck's combination of price, performance, and purpose-built software makes it the better choice for most users entering the handheld PC gaming space. The Steam Deck's more consistent performance across various games and its superior operating system give it an edge in real-world usability.
For those willing to pay a premium and deal with Windows quirks, the ROG Ally X offers cutting-edge specs. However, the Steam Deck remains the more balanced and accessible option for most gamers looking to take their PC libraries on the go.
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| A visual comparison of gaming devices, summarizing the competitive landscape between Steam Deck and ROG Ally X for gamers on the go |