When it comes to handheld PC gaming, we’re absolutely spoilt for choice nowadays. Valve’s Steam Deck hit shelves in February 2022. And the ASUS ROG Ally was hot on its heels, dropping just last month. If you want to game on the go, you’re going to want to bag yourself at least one of them.

A handheld game console puts the power of a gaming PC right in your hands and lets you take all your favourite titles with you. From the latest AAA blockbuster games, to one of a kind indie gems. It’s definitely one way to level up your morning commute! But which handheld is the best? We’ve gone head-to-head, pitting the ROG Ally and the Steam Deck against each other to try and find out. Here’s what we’ve learnt…

Steam Deck vs ROG Ally: the specs

Let’s take a quick look at how the two stack up specs-wise:

As you can see, the two share a lot of similar features, with a couple of key differences when it comes to the operating system, graphics and the processor. The Steam Deck also has a couple of handy trackpads. Making it easier to play certain PC genres – like real time strategy - that really need a mouse to get the most out of them.

It’s also worth saying that while the ROG Ally outperforms the Steam Deck in a few areas (processor, display, graphics), it is a newer bit of tech. So that’s probably to be expected.

Performance

When you really dig into the numbers and the tech that’s packed into these handhelds, the Ally comes out on top as the more powerful option. An AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (ZEN 4) processor powers through the latest and greatest games. All without lag or slowdown. Beautiful, demanding titles like Elden Ring and the recent port of Spider-man are really no trouble for the Ally.

It helps the Ally to run games at a higher resolution – 1080p, up from the Steam Deck’s 720p – making everything look sharp and detailed. And there’s a relatively stable framerate across a bunch of different games too. Rally sim Dirt 4 gives you about 45 fps, while the open-world RPG Cyberpunk 2077 comes in at around 24 fps. Then the fast-paced shooter DOOM Eternal clocks in at 35-45 fps, easily keeping up with the hectic demon slaying action. The fact that a handheld can even run these massive, detailed games in the first place is pretty incredible in itself!

And because you’re going to be playing the Ally while you’re out and about, the pesky old sun is going to come into play. But it’s really not a problem with ASUS’ handheld. The anti-glare treatment, plus a max brightness of 500 nits (100 higher than the Steam Deck) displays whatever you’re playing on the full HD 120Hz screen clearly at all times. Even when you’re sat in the great outdoors and the sun is beating down. So, if you’re by the pool on holiday, you can still get some quality gaming in – nowhere is off limits.

Speaking of the heat, we’ve all had gadgets that get a bit too hot after using them for a while. Especially when we’re gaming on laptops, tablets, and phones. The Ally manages to stay cool and quiet, especially when you pop it into the Performance cooling mode. And when you compare it to the slightly noisier Steam Deck with its one fan – which can get a little loud at times - you can game away in peace.

Battery life

The amount of juice you can squeeze from each handheld really depends on what you’re playing or doing. Those massive, graphically intense titles take more out of the console. While the smaller indie experiences will let you chug along for a bit longer. And if you’re just browsing the web, you’ll get even more from a single charge.

In terms of the numbers, you’ll get nearly 6 hours from the Ally and about 4 from the Steam Deck (if you’re just surfing the net and doing other simple tasks). On the gaming side of things, this will drop to about 1 hour 40 minutes on average for both if you’re playing some of the newest releases.

But if you load up some indie favourites instead – think Hades and Dead Cells – you should expect to get about 4 or 5 hours from both consoles. Just make sure you charge them fully before heading out!

Top tip: you’ll be able to get more from the battery life if you play about with your screen brightness, speaker volume and other power draining settings.

Game libraries

On both handhelds, you’ll have access to a massive stack of games. The Steam Deck is built around your Steam library – a free platform where you can buy, download and play various games. While you can tweak the Deck to install other launchers like EA’s Origin, this takes a bit of fiddling about to get done. And let’s be honest, we’d all rather be spending that time actually playing something.

You won’t need to be doing any jiggery pokery with ASUS’ console though. Because it runs on Windows 11, it supports pretty much every major platform you can think of. The Epic Games Launcher, Ubisoft Connect, Xbox Game Pass, Steam, EA Play, GOG.com and Battle.Net are all supported. Meaning most (if not all) of the big launchers in PC gaming are here. With each being super easy to download and install straight to the device.

Plus, using the Armoury Crate app, you’ve got quick access to all your titles in one handy place. So, there’s no digging around a load of annoying menus to try and find your faves. Nice.

But you’ll only be able to use Xbox Game Pass on the ROG Ally. And it’s a seriously good deal for gamers. You’ll have hundreds of top titles at your fingertips that are ready to play whenever you are. It’s pretty much the Netflix equivalent for video games. All you have to do is pay a small subscription fee each month and you can dive right into Microsoft’s huge catalogue. And boy oh boy is it humongous.

Skyrim. Doom. Assassin’s Creed. Gears of War. Halo. Fallout. These are just a tiny slice of the exciting adventures you’ll be able to experience. New games get added all the time too. Some of the biggest upcoming releases even find their way to Game Pass as soon as they’re out. Hotly anticipated games like Starfield will be hitting the service on day one, and you’re not going to want to miss out on Bethesda’s latest spacefaring epic, that’s for sure.

Game verification

For both the Deck and the Ally, you might occasionally run into a few games that don’t run too well. While others just won’t run at all.

Through Steam, Valve’s console offers over 2000 games that are ‘Verified’ – giving you a full picture of what you can actually play on it. These specially optimised titles are clearly highlighted on the launcher too. So, you shouldn’t accidentally buy something that doesn’t run properly.

And while in theory the Ally has more games it can technically run, there aren’t as many that have been optimised from the ground-up for the system. It could take a little trial and error finding out what does and doesn’t work. Just a heads up!

Design

It isn’t just about what’s under the hood though. The ROG Ally is a real looker too. A bold white paint job contrasts nicely with a set of light up RGB thumb sticks. And you can fully customise these with a bunch of groovy looking colours. You can even set them to change colour depending on the temperature of the CPU, swapping between different shades and tones while you game.

It’s also a lot slimmer and lighter than the Steam Deck (weighing in a whole 60g less). So, it stays comfortable, and your hands aren’t going to get tired - even during those marathon gaming sessions. Speaking of comfort, ASUS specially designed each button with a flat dome shape. This makes them smooth and easy to press, making even the most aggressive button mashing in Street Fighter a pleasant, cramp-free experience.

Even though it’s not as chunky as the Steam Deck, it still manages to feel nice and solid while you play. Which means you don’t have to worry about it being fragile or coming across like it’s been built on the cheap.

And when you finally pop it in your backpack, you’ll barely even know it’s there! All of these factors make it a far more portable option than the Deck. It’s equally good for those quick trips or a multi-legged journey. Whether that’s a long-haul flight, or a quick bus ride into town.

Connectivity

Both consoles aren’t just a handheld in the traditional sense though. You won’t only be able to use them for gaming on the train or a plane. With the handy USB Type-C port, you can quickly hook the Ally up to your TV. Just connect a couple of controllers and you’ve got yourself a quality couch co-op console too. Or, if you want to get competitive, go head-to-head against your mates instead.

You can even use ASUS’ handheld as a normal gaming PC with its Gaming Charger Dock. Just connect an HDMI cable to your monitor – and plug in a mouse and keyboard – and you’ll transform it into a desk-based computer in a flash. Opening up a whole new way to play.

The same goes for the Steam Deck. With the special Docking Station, you can hook up any USB accessories, and plug it into the telly in your living room. Taking PC gaming from the small screen to the big screen!

Price

Every version of the Steam Deck is cheaper than the ROG Ally. But while ASUS’ handheld might be a bit more expensive, you’re getting a more powerful console. And a lot more bang for your buck. The faster, sharper display, and next-gen AMD chip combine to make the best Windows handheld console around.

Summary

For us, a great piece of gaming kit really comes down to what you can play on it. And ultimately, the Ally’s flexibility and bigger library of titles comes out on top here. You’ve got literally 1000s of games to pick from, and with the more powerful hardware to back them up, they run and look better than ever. And because of that, if we had to pick one, the Ally would be our go-to.

Not sure whether the Ally is the right handheld for you? Head over to ShopLive and speak with one of our in-store gaming experts. They’ll be able to run you through all the key specs and features. And you won’t even have to leave the house. Nice.