I think the Steam Deck has aged so well compared to Windows handhelds. The fact that Valve only seems to be updating it every few years shows that they're willing to stand by their hardware, not to mention their commitment to Linux as a platform. The fact that Valve has the ability to sell the base Steam Deck configuration at a loss because they own Steam and make the money back on game commissions. These other Windows handheld OEMs will probably abandon their hardware a year or two after the next model is released, becuase they make their money on hardware sales.
@diezfrancis Don't play Riot Games, especially Valorant. That game's anti-cheat (I don't know if it is in League of Legends, but still) is so low level that it is essentially a root-kit. Don't reward them. As for Genshin Impact, there are third party launchers... But being a free to play game, I don't get why people like it...
@@deathshade777 First of all, the CPU & GPU combination not being updated is by design; it's meant to serve as a baseline for several years. Second, the price of the base model would go WAY up if they bundle the AMD Z1 Extreme or the Ryzen 7840U it is based on. And that low price is a good thing for the Steam Deck.
The steamdeck in terms if specs is mediocre and cheap that's its saving grace. They update the terrbe steam os because that's what's getting the games too run. 50% of the games runs run like shit even old games. Windows handhelds are click and play because it runs on windows. The steamdeck is cheap which is why people shill for if they steamdeck cost the same as the other competitors than they SD wouldn't be very popular. If the Lenovo Go/ Rog Alley had the same price as the steamdeck, then the SD would be instantly forgotten about.
I own both a Steam Deck and Ally, and tend to use the Ally much more often. Having the extra horsepower and screen pixels helps it feel like much less of a downgraded experience compared to my desktop, whereas the Steam Deck leaves a good bit to be desired when running heavier AAA titles. It's doable, but a bit too much of a compromise for my liking. However, if I need to travel and won't be around a power outlet much, it's nice to play older/lighter games on the Steam Deck with lowered power profiles. My summary of the two devices is this: I much prefer the in-game experience with the Ally, but I prefer the out-of-game experience with the Steam Deck. Having to run updates in 3 different places on the Ally can be a bit of a chore.
I personally prefer my Steam Deck to my ROG Ally, I just gravitate towards picking up the deck for some reason, playing FPS on the trackpads is a FAR better experience than the ROG's thumbsticks, super excited for the Legion GO! *Update - Got the Legion GO & sold the ally and SD, love it!*
@Misfit626 It's certainly more powerful with a nicer screen, but otherwise it doesn't feel as good in the hands, worse functionality, worse game optimisation for the device, no trackpads, there is a lot going for the steam deck in my opinion anyway, when the lenovo legion go releases, that will blow both out if the water though I think!
@@Misfit626She/He are talking out of experience, they own both a steam deck and rog ally, rog ally is certainly more powerful but that is also a bad thing as that consume lot of battery life if you play a high end game it will only last 1 hour if you save the battery you'll get only 3 hours, Steam deck on the other can last 2 hour and 8 hour if you save the battery which is a huge difference! Rog ally is also kind of not optimized well for most games and it software is window 11 which again is a cause of it battery drain while steam deck is very well optimized for most of games perhaps except a few and it has it own software, Steam os it is a Good software that was especially made for the steam deck. Overall Steam deck is the better one, Asus rog ally is merely a copy of steam deck that try to beat the original with it better looking design, display,performance, 120Hz,led light,controller but in vain it will lack some of the most crucial thing that the steam deck has
As a modder, Ally is far superior and streamlined. Any religious modders like me (Cyberpunk) would gravitate to the Ally due to having Windows and not a custom OS. Not to mention the higher refresh rate being a bonus. When we are talking about differences between the machines , it is EXTREMELY negligible no matter how you try and spin it.
@cbgg1585 yeah I can imagine trying to get mods on games on Linux is a bitch, Ally it's literally a Windows PC so I can totally understand the Ally is mors suited for that!
Few additions to the video: 1. Apart from better quality controllers with option to replace sticks to hall-effect sticks, there is also a built-in functionality to use community managed controller mappings or official controller mappings provided by game developers. This makes a huge difference in setting up controller for specific games. 2. Speaking about repairability we also should consider how much of the custom details you can get for your device and this is where SteamDeck is above anything else on the market. You can upgrade controllers, buttons, screen, backplate or even entire case choosing from not one but dozens different brands and suppliers. It also important to add still ongoing issue with microSD port on Ally. 3. For me the biggest difference between Windows and SteamOS - is that you don't need a touchscreen with SteamOS while on Ally you will be using touchscreen much more than you'd think. It also worth mentioning that the new SteamOS 3.5 (currently beta) is improving display colours and adding more screen settings while also boosting performance with the updated linux kernel 6.1
This is why I chose Steam Deck. The devices are similar, with different strengths, and overall pretty equal, but the Steam Deck is cheaper and it comes with a case. I saw the discounted Deck prices and it was the end of the debate.
I think it’s just getting clearer that they went about accommodating completely different consumers here. If you want a hassle free psp like experience with limited performance buy the SD. If you want a portable gaming focused pc and don’t mind messing with windows and a better screen get the Ally
Yes both these can be true. I had steam deck and enjoyed the deck but I felt limited with demanding games. I did get the Ally and have loved the extra horse power. Plus Windows 11 requires patience, and understanding. Both are good but gotta know what you want out of them.
As someone who plays mostly indie and previous gen games, SD has been perfect and has also replaced my desktop since the linux experience is much snappier than the bloated features of windows.
@@spectertechexcept that the SD now gets an oled version, which is MUCH better than any lcd. I already sold my old steam deck an getting the oled version. Can’t wait 😁
Bought Ally from Launch and it's getting better all the time. The why I did not buy Steam Deck last year was that Linux-based system. I can imagine you get a better console like gaming with it but nothing beats Ally when you want to dock it and stream Netflix etc to a TV via a hub or use it as a desktop. I just think Ally has many other uses than just a console like a handheld.
I want an ally. I'm not a PC genius but I have patience am ok at troubleshooting and have some super tech savvy kids. I like what you are saying here cuz I have an series s I use mainly for gamepass. Have a shield TV box that I really only use for streaming. My experience with the cloud has made me fall for pc gaming so I am essentially looking at the ally to replace pretty much everything I use other than Nintendo and my phone
i was just randomly fantasizing about getting the rog and searched for a recent review to see if the state of the device is better than it was at release , found you and i must say the production quality of this video is insane , like its actually linus tech level . its like i like everything about this video , the transitions , review format , sound/video quality , scripting , your well kept glistening hands , overall demeaner/disposition . its giving expertise top tier 2 mil subscriber entire production team , thank you for convincing me i need the rog .
Have both, and I prefer the Ally. At the begging I was skeptical of windows 11 on a handheld but as a pc gamer I prefer windows OS by far. Is way easier to play all my library from different game apps. Steam OS is really a chore for playing non steam games. I love my Steam Deck but I will be using it for indie, retro and emulator games. My Ally is for more newer games.
as a pc gamer the fact that steam deck is doing a console look kind of loses me. Everything I'm looking for in a handheld the ally delivers. if i were to purchase which i am totally thinking about it I'd go ally. but that is just my personal preference. however im looking over at legion go and its interesting.
the console feel is awesome. It just works, you can pause resume when powering off, you just download games with the amazing launcher. Bit of tinkering on the deck for non steam games sure but its not hard. I love playing steam games and switching from pc to deck seamlessly. Id recommend the steamdeck oled@@zanthusprime4355
I do like seeing these follow ups because many people and many reviews are from the early period. Both the Ally and Deck had far more issues at launch than they do now. The Ally has the failing SD card slot and the Deck has the infasmous 200mhz/400mhz bug which both of these still plague both devices
Wow excellent sharp footage of the two devices being played, showing the difference in screen size and quality, buttons, interface etc - this is exactly what I was looking for THANK YOU, SPECTER!
@@spectertech Love it so far, I have a pc but there is simply something about laying on ur couch comfortably surrounded by pillows with cozy feeling. I have become the greatest couch potato.
Your content is always such high quality that I don’t understand how you don’t have millions of subscribers and a whole studio dedicated to your brand. Amazing work as always!
I bought both, the ROG Ally has: way way better screen, better speakers, better performance, better WiFi (awesome for Moonlight), is lighter, can play all the games. Sold my Steam Deck, no regrets.
dude is over here pushing out content with production quality like he’s LTT or Marques for only 22k subscribers. This is insane production for a newer channel.
About 15 minutes ago is when I embarked on my journey to researching which handheld device I actually need. 15 minutes later and this video saved me from having to any more research for the rest of the day. Good video, well done.
At the end of the day....Windows is just not built for handhelds. It's cumbersome and sometimes an outright PITA to use with this form factor. This is why I sold my Ally after two months. Yes the screen is gorgeous. Yes it can push a few games the Steamdeck can't. But at the end of the day the Steamdeck just bridges that gap between console and PC gaming for what I think is the perfect marriage for a handheld.
The prices of new gaming PC's are still a grand for just an ok gaming pc/laptop and have not come down in price even a little even after 30 years+ of PC gaming development. That's why handhelds are going to be in because it's what the majority can afford.
For me one of the biggest killer features for the SD is the sleep mode.. I can hold games when i go to sleep and the next day, one button press and i`m back in the game.. A feature that i will never miss in the future...
From my point of view, Steam Deck could be identified as the best Handheld at the moment, based on Price/Performance. I had a 64gb SD, upgraded to 512gb, and it's amazing. You can not request a Handheld to go 300 FPS, max setting AAA games, whole day battery, and an amazing 240Hz display. However, you have got a device allowing you to play a triple A game on 45FPS, low setting, for 2/3 hours, or idle game, 60 FPS, for 5/6 hours, when you travel far from your PC or can not carry Laptop. It's really good device if you use it as Handheld gaming, not a high end PC. Moreover, I can confirm that SD display is very niche (reality/spec data), not bad at all compared to G24F or ProArt 24 monitors. Lastly, SD does not burn your micro SD card like Ally one.
Man, I want the Asus display, but I want the Steam Deck form factor and controls. I would definitely get annoyed by the digging into my hands. I also paradoxically want the Steam centric ease of use but also want to be able to do Windows stuff on it, if I ever wanted to lol. I wonder if a Steam Deck revision with more power and a better screen will ever come along any time soon?
I have both of them I can’t say the Rog Ally is better then the Steam Deck I got the Rog Ally to play game pass since the Steam Deck couldn’t play game pass games
@@sonnygaddi7382 steamdeck the games you mentioned are verified! and the SD just works and the price! if the SD had that screen we wouldnt be havin this convo.
Why is no UA-camr talking about the factory problems that are disturbing the gameplay with random freezes on the Deck… It’s absolutely weird that nobody said a thing about this? On the forums and on the Steam community its one of the most adressed subjects. I see lots of players giving up on trying to find fixes for that and having to RMA the device I’ve also seen scenarios where the new “RMAd” Deck also had the problem. No one knows with certainty what is the real problem (hardware or something else), but it just makes the Deck freeze, mainly with AAA games. It just begins after a period of usage and it only gets worse! I love my Deck, but it’s a really really sad situation!
It’s a real shame that Valve’s not bothering to offer the Steam Deck in Australia, unlike Asus with the ROG Ally. Not worth the gamble to buy from overseas with this one. Great video on comparing the 2 devices though.
Only time I see myself replacing my deck is something similar sized and smaller, with twice the performance and roughly the same cost. So probably 3+ years.
There's a few tutorials out there for setting up Wow Classic on the ROG Ally that are worth checking out. I believe it's an easier setup compared to the Steam Deck.
If you have a big Steam collection, than Steam Deck is a no Brainerd. If you have Gamepass + Battlenet + EA PLAY, than Ally (or other Windows handheld ) will be a better choice.
And if you want more fps / care less about battery life than Ally. Less fps but more consistent software and just steam library Deck. Just my opinion and reverberating what you said.
I was a die hard steamdeck user until i picked up a Z1 extreme rog ally used for 420 last week and man, I gotta say that I'm swayed by the increased performance and ability to use launchers without a guide (plus being able to actually use gamepass) The deck is still a great handheld but I was really surprised in how much I enjoy the ally.
agreed with everything you said except the Repairability part. Third party ASUS part sites is nowhere NEAR a draw vs First party ifixit collab from Steam , Steam also has a far better customer support so if your unit is defective they can RMA it for you fast. where as ASUS is known to be a scumbag company that hates its customers and will void your warranty as much as if you use a beta BIOS on their hardware. (its documented here on UA-cam by Gamers Nexus and JaysTwoCentz) so i'd say in that regard Steam Deck takes the W completely. also i wished you talked about the community part as well because Steam Deck's community is insane. a lot of people got some game modding (like 7th Heaven Mod Manager for original Final Fantasy 7) working on Linux/SteamDeck just fine and they continue to tinker
Does any of these support "Charge & Terminate" like "Lenovo Go" and Switch? When 100% is charged, they act as PSU instead to no ruin the battery. Lenovo Go is suitable as Desktop PC for this reason.
I ended up with both. Ally was needed for the games I play the most (destiny/diablo ..workarounds annoyed me on deck) plus i like the lighter footprint. Both are used but ally used more these days.
Which console is best for playing mouse-based games, like an RTS, or God game? I guess the Steam Deck, but I also noticed you used the Ally's analogue stick as a cursor.
The ally needs life support to reach potential. So if you're in the go the deck is the must have. I played diablo 4 on my ally with these config (720p, 15w, 50% brightness, 50% volume, capped to 45 fps) and i only got an hour and 15 mins. I dont have a reason to plug it coz when that happens i'm home with my 4090 rig. I dont have the deck yet but as per reviews looks like ill go down that route. The ally might be for people who wants to always have a power bank with them and those who dont have pc
Is it okay if you also compare Lenovo Legion Go as well on your next video? Because I am currently stuck which one to get. My problem is, I have a very limited space now at home. Renting a room, and move places from time to time. So I minimalize myself from having a mITX gaming PC build because as soon as my landlord sees I bring along a display, a desktop PC. I will get charge for more towards electricity usage, I need help with choosing Steam Desk, Asus ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go now. Will get XREAL AR glasses to pair with it.
Microsoft is apparently planning on making their own console-like shell for Windows, but I wonder if it's going to be to late compared to all of the work gone into SteamOS and their existing userbase. As a desktop linux user I can only hope one day we really have the full software compatibility dream one day. But really I know Microsoft's stranglehold on the PC desktop is not going away any time soon. Who would want to develop for linux users? We're a bunch of pirates.
SD has better battery life, both can game at 60hz but Ally will hit it more reliably on cutting edge games. If you can get the new OLED SteamDeck I would say it edges out the Ally by quite a bit for the price. If you don't mind dealing with the shorter battery life of the Ally, go ahead it's a good device, I just can't get over how abysmally short the battery life is.
I actually haven't tried using it in a docked setup for Starfield. I mainly played in portable mode with adjusted settings. I don't see why a setup like that couldn't work though.
You showed a clip of the shargeek charger and was wondering if you got that to charge your ally? For some reason it won't charge and wondering if this is a wide spread issue.
I keep looking for alternatives to the Steam Deck but the support and game library and controls still makes me come back to wanting a Steam Deck. The only issue I have is the screen. I have an original Switch with huge bezels and don't wanna be stuck with that again.
Pair it with an Xreal or be one of those Quest 3 virtual screen guys. I love using my AR glasses with the steam deck to get that OLED 1080p experience. And personally I use my steam deck mainly for remote playing so I can be in bed and play games because I work every single day on my feet.
Should I get a steam deck or rog ally? I plan on play the Resident Evil remakes, Spider-Man Remastered n Miles Morales, and guardians of the galaxy as well as the Arkham trilogy. Which handheld should I get? @@onemanarmada1481
Good stuffs. Yes, global availability for the Steam Deck is not great at the moment. Meanwhile, I can already find tech stores in my area that already has the ROG Ally. It’s an easy choice for me, I won’t buy a device that I literally cant buy, it’s as simple as that (at least, for now).
I think the Steam Deck has aged so well compared to Windows handhelds. The fact that Valve only seems to be updating it every few years shows that they're willing to stand by their hardware, not to mention their commitment to Linux as a platform. The fact that Valve has the ability to sell the base Steam Deck configuration at a loss because they own Steam and make the money back on game commissions. These other Windows handheld OEMs will probably abandon their hardware a year or two after the next model is released, becuase they make their money on hardware sales.
I would buy the Steam Deck if only most of the games I play can run in it without tempering with stuff like League of Legends and Genshin Impact.
@diezfrancis Don't play Riot Games, especially Valorant. That game's anti-cheat (I don't know if it is in League of Legends, but still) is so low level that it is essentially a root-kit. Don't reward them.
As for Genshin Impact, there are third party launchers... But being a free to play game, I don't get why people like it...
Them updating doesn’t change how bad the steam deck is. It doesn’t upgrade the weak cpu gpu. And no vrr makes it feel sooo bad.
@@deathshade777 First of all, the CPU & GPU combination not being updated is by design; it's meant to serve as a baseline for several years. Second, the price of the base model would go WAY up if they bundle the AMD Z1 Extreme or the Ryzen 7840U it is based on. And that low price is a good thing for the Steam Deck.
The steamdeck in terms if specs is mediocre and cheap that's its saving grace. They update the terrbe steam os because that's what's getting the games too run. 50% of the games runs run like shit even old games. Windows handhelds are click and play because it runs on windows. The steamdeck is cheap which is why people shill for if they steamdeck cost the same as the other competitors than they SD wouldn't be very popular. If the Lenovo Go/ Rog Alley had the same price as the steamdeck, then the SD would be instantly forgotten about.
I own both a Steam Deck and Ally, and tend to use the Ally much more often. Having the extra horsepower and screen pixels helps it feel like much less of a downgraded experience compared to my desktop, whereas the Steam Deck leaves a good bit to be desired when running heavier AAA titles. It's doable, but a bit too much of a compromise for my liking. However, if I need to travel and won't be around a power outlet much, it's nice to play older/lighter games on the Steam Deck with lowered power profiles.
My summary of the two devices is this: I much prefer the in-game experience with the Ally, but I prefer the out-of-game experience with the Steam Deck. Having to run updates in 3 different places on the Ally can be a bit of a chore.
Absolutely true.
The rog ally non extreme vs the steam deck
I personally prefer my Steam Deck to my ROG Ally, I just gravitate towards picking up the deck for some reason, playing FPS on the trackpads is a FAR better experience than the ROG's thumbsticks, super excited for the Legion GO!
*Update - Got the Legion GO & sold the ally and SD, love it!*
Ally is better
@Misfit626 It's certainly more powerful with a nicer screen, but otherwise it doesn't feel as good in the hands, worse functionality, worse game optimisation for the device, no trackpads, there is a lot going for the steam deck in my opinion anyway, when the lenovo legion go releases, that will blow both out if the water though I think!
@@Misfit626She/He are talking out of experience, they own both a steam deck and rog ally, rog ally is certainly more powerful but that is also a bad thing as that consume lot of battery life if you play a high end game it will only last 1 hour if you save the battery you'll get only 3 hours, Steam deck on the other can last 2 hour and 8 hour if you save the battery which is a huge difference! Rog ally is also kind of not optimized well for most games and it software is window 11 which again is a cause of it battery drain while steam deck is very well optimized for most of games perhaps except a few and it has it own software, Steam os it is a Good software that was especially made for the steam deck. Overall
Steam deck is the better one, Asus rog ally is merely a copy of steam deck that try to beat the original with it better looking design, display,performance, 120Hz,led light,controller but in vain it will lack some of the most crucial thing that the steam deck has
As a modder, Ally is far superior and streamlined. Any religious modders like me (Cyberpunk) would gravitate to the Ally due to having Windows and not a custom OS. Not to mention the higher refresh rate being a bonus. When we are talking about differences between the machines , it is EXTREMELY negligible no matter how you try and spin it.
@cbgg1585 yeah I can imagine trying to get mods on games on Linux is a bitch, Ally it's literally a Windows PC so I can totally understand the Ally is mors suited for that!
Few additions to the video:
1. Apart from better quality controllers with option to replace sticks to hall-effect sticks, there is also a built-in functionality to use community managed controller mappings or official controller mappings provided by game developers. This makes a huge difference in setting up controller for specific games.
2. Speaking about repairability we also should consider how much of the custom details you can get for your device and this is where SteamDeck is above anything else on the market. You can upgrade controllers, buttons, screen, backplate or even entire case choosing from not one but dozens different brands and suppliers. It also important to add still ongoing issue with microSD port on Ally.
3. For me the biggest difference between Windows and SteamOS - is that you don't need a touchscreen with SteamOS while on Ally you will be using touchscreen much more than you'd think.
It also worth mentioning that the new SteamOS 3.5 (currently beta) is improving display colours and adding more screen settings while also boosting performance with the updated linux kernel 6.1
Sheeeesh the facts on this. Def sold me to the new OLED deck.
Wonderful summary. Valve has crushed it with the Steam Deck.
This is why I chose Steam Deck. The devices are similar, with different strengths, and overall pretty equal, but the Steam Deck is cheaper and it comes with a case. I saw the discounted Deck prices and it was the end of the debate.
Do you own a gaming pc? Im teying to decide if i want to build a pc or go to a steam deck. Im tech savy just trying to save😅
@@IndestructibleTurtlebuild a pc if you plan to use it at home mainly
@@IndestructibleTurtleyou can build a pc pretty cheap these days
@@huskysharky9025 thank you for the advice 😁
@@IndestructibleTurtle stay safe hope you have fun!
I think it’s just getting clearer that they went about accommodating completely different consumers here. If you want a hassle free psp like experience with limited performance buy the SD. If you want a portable gaming focused pc and don’t mind messing with windows and a better screen get the Ally
Yes both these can be true. I had steam deck and enjoyed the deck but I felt limited with demanding games. I did get the Ally and have loved the extra horse power. Plus Windows 11 requires patience, and understanding. Both are good but gotta know what you want out of them.
Perfect summary.
As someone who plays mostly indie and previous gen games, SD has been perfect and has also replaced my desktop since the linux experience is much snappier than the bloated features of windows.
You got it wrong, you need more tweaking just to play games in SD, worst experience overall
@@spectertechexcept that the SD now gets an oled version, which is MUCH better than any lcd. I already sold my old steam deck an getting the oled version. Can’t wait 😁
Bought Ally from Launch and it's getting better all the time. The why I did not buy Steam Deck last year was that Linux-based system. I can imagine you get a better console like gaming with it but nothing beats Ally when you want to dock it and stream Netflix etc to a TV via a hub or use it as a desktop. I just think Ally has many other uses than just a console like a handheld.
first actually good reason to buy the ally ive seen
I want an ally. I'm not a PC genius but I have patience am ok at troubleshooting and have some super tech savvy kids. I like what you are saying here cuz I have an series s I use mainly for gamepass. Have a shield TV box that I really only use for streaming. My experience with the cloud has made me fall for pc gaming so I am essentially looking at the ally to replace pretty much everything I use other than Nintendo and my phone
You can use the Steam Deck just like any other desktop PC. It has Steam OS, as well as their modified version of Arch Linux in desktop mode.
its not a good idea handing arch linux to a noob who uses windows@@Amfneey
@@Amfneey and again it is a Linux. It is a shame that nothing beats Windows in desktop mode.
i was just randomly fantasizing about getting the rog and searched for a recent review to see if the state of the device is better than it was at release , found you and i must say the production quality of this video is insane , like its actually linus tech level . its like i like everything about this video , the transitions , review format , sound/video quality , scripting , your well kept glistening hands , overall demeaner/disposition . its giving expertise top tier 2 mil subscriber entire production team , thank you for convincing me i need the rog .
look into the legion GO
Did you get your rog ally?
How is it if you got it??
@@thatonesalamander6242 im not that person u replied to...but I got my Ally 2days ago and its excellent.
Steam Deck Oled and Legion Go have entered the chat.
👀
The biggest turn off is where the ally placed the SD card reader. I mean who thought it was a good idea to stick it next to an exhaust port?
Have both, and I prefer the Ally. At the begging I was skeptical of windows 11 on a handheld but as a pc gamer I prefer windows OS by far. Is way easier to play all my library from different game apps. Steam OS is really a chore for playing non steam games. I love my Steam Deck but I will be using it for indie, retro and emulator games. My Ally is for more newer games.
as a pc gamer the fact that steam deck is doing a console look kind of loses me. Everything I'm looking for in a handheld the ally delivers. if i were to purchase which i am totally thinking about it I'd go ally. but that is just my personal preference. however im looking over at legion go and its interesting.
the console feel is awesome. It just works, you can pause resume when powering off, you just download games with the amazing launcher. Bit of tinkering on the deck for non steam games sure but its not hard. I love playing steam games and switching from pc to deck seamlessly. Id recommend the steamdeck oled@@zanthusprime4355
An excellent presentation, very even-handed. Good work young fella, happy new year to you.
I do like seeing these follow ups because many people and many reviews are from the early period. Both the Ally and Deck had far more issues at launch than they do now. The Ally has the failing SD card slot and the Deck has the infasmous 200mhz/400mhz bug which both of these still plague both devices
the mhz steamdeck bug was just fixed last week
@@obscene-c1🧢
change to the beta branch@@SWOTHDRA
@@obscene-c1 really? i had this bug a few days ago
are you using the beta update branch ? they fixed it there@@workout3D
Wow excellent sharp footage of the two devices being played, showing the difference in screen size and quality, buttons, interface etc - this is exactly what I was looking for THANK YOU, SPECTER!
Thanks! Happy to hear :)
Good review, imma pick up my Ally tomorrow, hyped.
Thanks! How are you liking it so far?
@@spectertech Love it so far, I have a pc but there is simply something about laying on ur couch comfortably surrounded by pillows with cozy feeling. I have become the greatest couch potato.
Your content is always such high quality that I don’t understand how you don’t have millions of subscribers and a whole studio dedicated to your brand. Amazing work as always!
Thank you! It’s always an absolute blast to be a part of this awesome community! :D
He will. Give it time.
M
I was about to pull the trigger on an ALLY, but now I preordered a Legion Go, I’m very exited about that system.
Love your content. Hope your channel grows as the handhelds hopefully will do!
Keep up the good work
Thank you!
This was a very quality video dude! Much appreciated!
I bought both, the ROG Ally has: way way better screen, better speakers, better performance, better WiFi (awesome for Moonlight), is lighter, can play all the games. Sold my Steam Deck, no regrets.
The Ally really cranks up the performance in a small package.
Very nice video, informative and smooth!
Thank you! Happy to hear :)
I just discovered your channel, you give off such “what if Peter Parker was a professional tech reviewer vibes” and I’m so down for it!
dude is over here pushing out content with production quality like he’s LTT or Marques for only 22k subscribers. This is insane production for a newer channel.
❤️ Thanks dude!
About 15 minutes ago is when I embarked on my journey to researching which handheld device I actually need.
15 minutes later and this video saved me from having to any more research for the rest of the day. Good video, well done.
At the end of the day....Windows is just not built for handhelds. It's cumbersome and sometimes an outright PITA to use with this form factor. This is why I sold my Ally after two months. Yes the screen is gorgeous. Yes it can push a few games the Steamdeck can't. But at the end of the day the Steamdeck just bridges that gap between console and PC gaming for what I think is the perfect marriage for a handheld.
I can’t believe you gave repairability to Asus! So just how easy is it to buy OG spares for the Rog Ally?
It just makes no sense.
The prices of new gaming PC's are still a grand for just an ok gaming pc/laptop and have not come down in price even a little even after 30 years+ of PC gaming development. That's why handhelds are going to be in because it's what the majority can afford.
For me one of the biggest killer features for the SD is the sleep mode.. I can hold games when i go to sleep and the next day, one button press and i`m back in the game.. A feature that i will never miss in the future...
From my point of view, Steam Deck could be identified as the best Handheld at the moment, based on Price/Performance. I had a 64gb SD, upgraded to 512gb, and it's amazing.
You can not request a Handheld to go 300 FPS, max setting AAA games, whole day battery, and an amazing 240Hz display. However, you have got a device allowing you to play a triple A game on 45FPS, low setting, for 2/3 hours, or idle game, 60 FPS, for 5/6 hours, when you travel far from your PC or can not carry Laptop. It's really good device if you use it as Handheld gaming, not a high end PC.
Moreover, I can confirm that SD display is very niche (reality/spec data), not bad at all compared to G24F or ProArt 24 monitors. Lastly, SD does not burn your micro SD card like Ally one.
Community wise: Steam Deck
Steam Deck oled is also a great upgrade.
Very nice video mate. What about the fan noise? Cheers
Man, I want the Asus display, but I want the Steam Deck form factor and controls. I would definitely get annoyed by the digging into my hands. I also paradoxically want the Steam centric ease of use but also want to be able to do Windows stuff on it, if I ever wanted to lol. I wonder if a Steam Deck revision with more power and a better screen will ever come along any time soon?
Steam just announced a new version with a better screen.
@@Sqaidz4Life yeah, I saw that too lol. I think that's what I'm going to try and get.
It looks like you may have spoken this into existence 😂
Not really more powerful though so it’s a miss imo.
I have both of them I can’t say the Rog Ally is better then the Steam Deck I got the Rog Ally to play game pass since the Steam Deck couldn’t play game pass games
Which should I get if i want to play AAA games like Re2 and Re4 remake or even the Spider-Man games?
@@sonnygaddi7382 steamdeck the games you mentioned are verified! and the SD just works and the price! if the SD had that screen we wouldnt be havin this convo.
@@sonnygaddi7382ally, don't listen to SD chumps, have both SD is a pain in the ass
@@sonnygaddi7382 Ally 100% .... good luck getting SD to play any intensive game lol.
Really really good video, a huge well done Sir 👏
Glad you liked it!
You should have added price as a tiebreaker. Steam Deck would've won any day because the base 64GB model is a huge deal for that price.
The fact u dont have more subscribers is a sin
Is this the z1 extreme or non extreme?
Why is no UA-camr talking about the factory problems that are disturbing the gameplay with random freezes on the Deck…
It’s absolutely weird that nobody said a thing about this?
On the forums and on the Steam community its one of the most adressed subjects. I see lots of players giving up on trying to find fixes for that and having to RMA the device
I’ve also seen scenarios where the new “RMAd” Deck also had the problem.
No one knows with certainty what is the real problem (hardware or something else), but it just makes the Deck freeze, mainly with AAA games. It just begins after a period of usage and it only gets worse!
I love my Deck, but it’s a really really sad situation!
Amazing review! Exactly what I was looking for :) You earned a subscriber my friend
Thank you! I appreciate it.
I love the fact that you did a comparison, but you couldn’t even pick one
Great content, you deserve more subscribers. The production quality of these videos is insane.
Thank you!
Very good video. Very different devices, both are great
Thank you! Nailed it, both are solid!
I feel like the problem with the ally (except having a screen that eats half the battery) is that it uses windows
And has an unreliable microSD card slot, which involves playing Russian Roulette with it.
It's not the screen. It's windows background activity
its also that but a 120hz screen on a handheld aint that good of an idea@@crestofhonor2349
It’s a real shame that Valve’s not bothering to offer the Steam Deck in Australia, unlike Asus with the ROG Ally. Not worth the gamble to buy from overseas with this one. Great video on comparing the 2 devices though.
My fiancé bought hers in Australia from an online store
ALLY 100%
the speakers , screen , and touch response omg wow !
anything that uses windows is trash
@@obscene-c1and you have tested it? 😂
yes, most games ive tested run better with linux@@onionv
@@obscene-c1 Nope SteamOS/Linux is cool at times, but I’d take Windows over Linux
clearly you never used linux if you are saying that@@MithosDagon
Only time I see myself replacing my deck is something similar sized and smaller, with twice the performance and roughly the same cost. So probably 3+ years.
what would you recommend for someone like me who wants to play world of warcraft vanilla classic?
There's a few tutorials out there for setting up Wow Classic on the ROG Ally that are worth checking out. I believe it's an easier setup compared to the Steam Deck.
@@spectertech ty for answer!
@@skatarin1690 when i finally get mines am going to grind elder scrolls online
If you have a big Steam collection, than Steam Deck is a no Brainerd. If you have Gamepass + Battlenet + EA PLAY, than Ally (or other Windows handheld ) will be a better choice.
And if you want more fps / care less about battery life than Ally. Less fps but more consistent software and just steam library Deck. Just my opinion and reverberating what you said.
Great video and editing man! And lighting! Do you do it all yourself? What camera are you using here for the talking head if you don’t mind
Only grips is the Ally fries SD cards while the steam deck does not.
I was a die hard steamdeck user until i picked up a Z1 extreme rog ally used for 420 last week and man, I gotta say that I'm swayed by the increased performance and ability to use launchers without a guide (plus being able to actually use gamepass)
The deck is still a great handheld but I was really surprised in how much I enjoy the ally.
420? Where at?
@@devonford3836 just a local fb marketplace ad, seems to be the best way to snag the best deals
420?? Used steam decks are going for 500 cad here!
i know right? It was such a good deal I had to leap on it!@@festive5476
Thanks for the vid man!
Thanks for watching!
Hot video quality. Hot UA-camr. Hot electronics. What a place to be. Keep up the good work my dude. Get you a patreon going I will sign up day one!
I’m still not convinced I need to upgrade from my Nomad.
What game is being played at 1:31? Just before the Display review.
midnight fight express
Steam Deck 100% all the way. My cousin has the ally. We swapped for a week and even she said she enjoyed the Deck...
i am a casual gamer - maybe do a little bit of emulation. What would you recommend?
SD Oled
I don't think you'd go wrong with a Steam Deck. Especially for lighter emulated titles.
This is the non-extreme version of the Ally?
This is the Z1 Extreme version of the Ally.
agreed with everything you said except the Repairability part.
Third party ASUS part sites is nowhere NEAR a draw vs First party ifixit collab from Steam , Steam also has a far better customer support so if your unit is defective they can RMA it for you fast.
where as ASUS is known to be a scumbag company that hates its customers and will void your warranty as much as if you use a beta BIOS on their hardware. (its documented here on UA-cam by Gamers Nexus and JaysTwoCentz) so i'd say in that regard Steam Deck takes the W completely.
also i wished you talked about the community part as well because Steam Deck's community is insane. a lot of people got some game modding (like 7th Heaven Mod Manager for original Final Fantasy 7) working on Linux/SteamDeck just fine and they continue to tinker
Absolutely a category that the Steam Deck can shine. The SD card situation on the Ally is still a mess. And Valve's community is unmatched.
I love my ally. I use it docked to my 65” or right next to me and it works great with a Xbox elite 2 so I don’t have to worry about “ holding it “
Oh nice!
I can’t get my Xbox controller to work in game while docked to my tv..
Open up your armory crate and disable embedded controller support. Should get you fixed and going
Very informative, subscribed
Where did you get that bad ass skin for your steam deck?
It's Warzone from dBrand - I have it linked in the description.
Sick hoodie man
Thanks!
Does any of these support "Charge & Terminate" like "Lenovo Go" and Switch? When 100% is charged, they act as PSU instead to no ruin the battery.
Lenovo Go is suitable as Desktop PC for this reason.
I ended up with both. Ally was needed for the games I play the most (destiny/diablo ..workarounds annoyed me on deck) plus i like the lighter footprint. Both are used but ally used more these days.
isn’t diablo now on steam?
@@jerryk9965 yea it was added last month, already had the ally by then.
Nice, enjoy!
Which console is best for playing mouse-based games, like an RTS, or God game? I guess the Steam Deck, but I also noticed you used the Ally's analogue stick as a cursor.
The ally needs life support to reach potential. So if you're in the go the deck is the must have. I played diablo 4 on my ally with these config (720p, 15w, 50% brightness, 50% volume, capped to 45 fps) and i only got an hour and 15 mins. I dont have a reason to plug it coz when that happens i'm home with my 4090 rig. I dont have the deck yet but as per reviews looks like ill go down that route. The ally might be for people who wants to always have a power bank with them and those who dont have pc
Ally is very expensive in my country twice the price.
Wow! Where are you located?
Here in Brazil:
Steam Deck 64GB - R$3.200
Rog Ally 512 GB - R$ 6.400
We can buy 1TB NVMe 2230 for less than R$ 300, so Deck is a clear winner here.
game at 1:33?
I just recently purchased both of those
Is it okay if you also compare Lenovo Legion Go as well on your next video? Because I am currently stuck which one to get. My problem is, I have a very limited space now at home. Renting a room, and move places from time to time. So I minimalize myself from having a mITX gaming PC build because as soon as my landlord sees I bring along a display, a desktop PC. I will get charge for more towards electricity usage, I need help with choosing Steam Desk, Asus ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go now. Will get XREAL AR glasses to pair with it.
I have both and i prefer the SD just for the ease of use. Ill probably resell my rog ally
Didn't even mention which Ally variant this is: Z1 extreme of Z1 non-extreme.
Microsoft is apparently planning on making their own console-like shell for Windows, but I wonder if it's going to be to late compared to all of the work gone into SteamOS and their existing userbase. As a desktop linux user I can only hope one day we really have the full software compatibility dream one day. But really I know Microsoft's stranglehold on the PC desktop is not going away any time soon. Who would want to develop for linux users? We're a bunch of pirates.
i love the white look it’s so clean. I’m sick of black handhelds
I mean...Rog ally is £340 more so of course its going to be a bit better. I go for price on handhelds. I'm not spending over £400 on a handheld
What is better for Long battery life gaming on 60hz and fHD? I Can get asus or Steam Deck for 400 €
SD has better battery life, both can game at 60hz but Ally will hit it more reliably on cutting edge games.
If you can get the new OLED SteamDeck I would say it edges out the Ally by quite a bit for the price. If you don't mind dealing with the shorter battery life of the Ally, go ahead it's a good device, I just can't get over how abysmally short the battery life is.
What’s the game at 1:35 ?
Game is call ''Midnight Fight Express''
Yup!
For the price of that charger, you may as well just buy both systems and play one while the other charges...
What’s the game at 0:47? Looks fun.
Amazingly made video!
Thank you!
Next comparison with Steamdeck Oled ?!😮
Next week 👀
What is the name of that game shown at 1:31 of the video?
It's Midnight Fight Express
Can you play starfield & dock the ally or steam deck via hdmi/usb C to a TV without any setbacks? Saw you had it on your homescreen. Thanks
I actually haven't tried using it in a docked setup for Starfield. I mainly played in portable mode with adjusted settings. I don't see why a setup like that couldn't work though.
What game is being played at 1:33?
It's Midnight Fight Express
You showed a clip of the shargeek charger and was wondering if you got that to charge your ally? For some reason it won't charge and wondering if this is a wide spread issue.
1:55 which game is this? thanks
It's Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition - super solid game!
What kind of charger is that? 3:37 mark
Your video isn’t showing up as sponsored
Link for the steam deck case please and skin. Thanks!
Is the micro sd card reader still overheating and causing permanent damage?
Nice video, I'd like either one of those consoles, for that 300watt fast charger, how long does it take to charge either one of them from 0%to 100%?
It should take about 50-70 mins on steam deck I think and bout an hour for rog ally
@@sonnygaddi7382 Thank you
What's that powerbank thing you have at the back of the SteamDeck?
What game is that from the beginning?
Can you somehow play PlayStation games on one of these?
I keep looking for alternatives to the Steam Deck but the support and game library and controls still makes me come back to wanting a Steam Deck. The only issue I have is the screen. I have an original Switch with huge bezels and don't wanna be stuck with that again.
Pair it with an Xreal or be one of those Quest 3 virtual screen guys. I love using my AR glasses with the steam deck to get that OLED 1080p experience. And personally I use my steam deck mainly for remote playing so I can be in bed and play games because I work every single day on my feet.
Should I get a steam deck or rog ally? I plan on play the Resident Evil remakes, Spider-Man Remastered n Miles Morales, and guardians of the galaxy as well as the Arkham trilogy. Which handheld should I get? @@onemanarmada1481
What game was the one you were fighting people in the bathroom?
1:32 what game is this I need to know it looks so fun
Really great video.
Good stuffs.
Yes, global availability for the Steam Deck is not great at the moment. Meanwhile, I can already find tech stores in my area that already has the ROG Ally. It’s an easy choice for me, I won’t buy a device that I literally cant buy, it’s as simple as that (at least, for now).
Makes sense!