Steam Deck vs ROG Ally: which handheld console should you buy?

The short verdict

If you want the easiest, most efficient handheld and play mostly on Steam, buy the Steam Deck OLED. If you want the highest frame rate and the flexibility of full Windows, and you will pay more for it, buy the ROG Ally X. That is the whole decision in two sentences. For most people the Steam Deck OLED is the better buy, because its software and battery make it nicer to live with day to day, and it costs less. The Ally X is the device for the player who specifically wants more power and more storefronts. Below, we go through each axis with our measured numbers.

Performance: the ROG Ally wins on frames

On raw performance the ROG Ally X is clearly ahead. In our standard Cyberpunk 2077 run at low settings with FSR, the Ally X reached 58 fps against the Steam Deck OLED's 46, thanks to its faster Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and higher power budget. Its 7 in screen is also sharper, at 120 Hz 1080p versus the Deck's 90 Hz 800p, so demanding 3D games look crisper and run smoother on the Asus. If your priority is the highest possible frame rate, especially in fast or competitive games, the Ally X is the more capable machine, and it never thermal-throttled across our sessions.

That said, the gap matters less than the numbers suggest for most games. A steady 46 fps on the Deck is perfectly playable, and many people cap the frame rate anyway to save battery, at which point both feel similar. The Deck's OLED screen, with its deep blacks and vivid colour, also flatters 2D and indie games in a way the Ally's brighter but greyer LCD does not. So the Ally wins on peak performance, but the Deck's screen quality narrows the real-world difference.

Battery and efficiency: the Steam Deck wins

Here the Steam Deck takes a clear lead. In the same heavy Cyberpunk test the Steam Deck OLED lasted 3 hours 50 minutes against the ROG Ally X's 2 hours 35, because SteamOS and the Deck's chip are far more power-efficient. The Ally X has a large 80 Wh battery, double the original Ally's, which is the only reason it lasts as long as it does, but the Deck's efficiency still wins out. For long sessions on a train, a flight or in bed, the Deck simply lasts longer, and that often matters more than a few extra frames.

Software and ease of use: the Steam Deck wins

This is the Deck's biggest advantage. SteamOS is a console-style system built for the device: it suspends and resumes a game in a second, has a clean menu you drive entirely with the sticks, and rarely needs a mouse. The ROG Ally runs full Windows 11, which is more flexible, every storefront works, but clunkier on a 7 in screen, occasionally dropping to a desktop that begs for a touchscreen or pointer. Asus's Armoury Crate front end helps, but it never feels as seamless as SteamOS. If you want a plug-and-play console experience, the Deck is the easier life by some margin.

The trade-off is compatibility. SteamOS runs the vast majority of Steam games through Proton with no setup, but a small number of anti-cheat titles will not run, and a few non-Steam launchers need a workaround. Windows runs everything, full stop. So if you live in a specific Windows-only game or rely on Game Pass on the device, the Ally's flexibility is worth its rougher interface.

Price and value: the Steam Deck wins

The Steam Deck OLED costs around £569, and the ROG Ally X around £799.99, a £230 difference for a device that is faster but harder to live with and shorter on battery. If budget is tight, the gap is even wider: the Steam Deck LCD plays the same games for £419. On pure value the Deck wins comfortably, which is why it is our best overall pick. The Ally X earns its premium only for the player who genuinely wants its extra power and Windows flexibility, and is happy to pay for them.