Withmillionsof units sold, the Steam Deck is the most formidable presence in PC gaming handhelds.
Unleash portable power with the ASUS ROG Ally!
Play anywhere, anytime.
Bill Logudice / How-To Geek
In a nice gesture to Steam Deck LCD owners, Valve has enabled additional display options under tweaks.
The Steam Deck’s built-in speakers sound good for such tiny speakers.
At maximum volume, they get sufficiently loud with decent bass and stereo separation.
Unleash portable power with the ASUS ROG Ally! This premium handheld gaming PC delivers AAA gaming performance, stunning visuals, and seamless compatibility with your favorite platforms. Play anywhere, anytime.
The ROG Ally’s speakers, however, are on a whole other level.
Not only is the stereo separation excellent, but the surround sound effect is unbelievable.
In combination with its default Dolby Atmos support, I can literally hear the sounds around me.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
My favorite way to play on these types of devices is with AirPods Pro with noise-canceling on.
It’s easy to connect and they feature excellent stereo separation.
All ROG Ally and Steam Deck handhelds have a top-mounted 3.5mm audio jack for those who prefer wired headphones.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
Each platform also supports USB-C-based audio connections.
Screen Quality and Sound Winner: ROG Ally
Both platforms offer great displays and quality sound.
The ROG Ally weighs 1.34 pounds and the Steam Deck weighs 1.47 pounds.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
While the ROG Ally adds two programmable rear buttons, the Steam Deck adds four.
The Steam Deck also adds two trackpads to simulate mouse functionality, something the ROG Ally completely omits.
Both platforms have excellent touchscreen functionality and haptic feedback.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
The actual placement of the analog sticks and D-pad is different on each platform but functions the same.
The ROG Ally’s analog sticks are short with lots of throw, but good overall action and precision.
Similarly, when docked, the Steam Deck can be switched to desktop mode, runningKDE Plasma.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
This is a nice alternative to a touchscreen pincode for those who wish to secure their gear.
Of course, relying on Windows is not all positive.
However, the ROG Ally’s out-of-the-box versatility and Windows foundation make it worth the occasional extra effort.
Bill Loguidice / How-To Geek
Both the ASUS ROG Ally and Steam Deck OLED feature Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax.
The Steam Deck LCD only supports Wi-Fi 5.0.
The Steam Deck can struggle even more, even when set to a lower visual fidelity and 800p resolution.
Should You Buy the ASUS ROG Ally or Valve Steam Deck?
It’s also more competitively priced and generally better built than offerings from smaller companies.
