Steam Deck OLED vs Asus ROG Ally X: Which gaming handheld should you buy?

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It comes down to what you want from a handheld

Steam Deck OLED vs Asus ROG Ally X
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The Steam Deck OLED is arguably the best handheld gaming console for most people due to its ergonomic design, excellent performance, ease of use and compatibility with the best Steam games. 

Conversely, we have the Asus ROG Ally X, which is perhaps the best Windows 11 handheld thanks to its zippy performance, long battery life and new design. 

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So how do we settle this debate? In our Steam Deck OLED vs Asus ROG Ally X Tech Takedown video, Paul and I got together to discuss the pros and cons of each machine. Admittedly, this is a tricky subject since both handhelds are the best at what they do.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you want from your handheld. Steam Deck has a more intuitive interface and better compatibility with Steam games while the ROG Ally X lets you play the best PC games across multiple launchers. However, the Steam Deck isn’t as powerful as the ROG Ally X, while Windows 11 on Asus’ machine doesn’t always play nice with the handheld form factor. The latter is also more expensive, costing $150 more than the most high-end Steam Deck configuration.

Though I favor the Steam Deck OLED for myself and most people, I can’t knock anyone for going with the Asus ROG Ally X. When compared to the Lenovo Legion Go and MSI Claw, it’s the best Windows 11 handheld and a true Steam Deck competitor. But like I said, the choice comes down to what you’re looking for in a portable device. Hopefully, our Tech Takedown video will help you decide which one to get!

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Tony Polanco
Tony Polanco
Senior Computing Writer

Tony is a computing writer at Tom’s Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on X/Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.