Steam Deck OLED vs Rog Ally, which should you get and avoid?
We are looking to answer that question by sharing the similarities and differences and giving our opinion on why we love one another.
The Steam Deck was a great PC innovation, thanks to the Nintendo Switch opening the doors for the handhelds we have today. But do not sleep on the Rog Ally Z1 Extreme, as it too can be a PC handheld game changer. If you have not decided which is best for you, allow me to help ease the choice by giving you a comparison, and I will tell you which I like at the end.
Steam Deck OLED vs Rog Ally
The Rog Ally Z1 Extreme specs show an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor ( Zen 4 architecture ) with 8 cores and a 16-thread count of 16 gigabytes of RAM DDR5. It has an internal storage space of 512 GB, a 7-inch display that is 1080p, and a high refresh rate of 120Hz. It also connects to Wi-Fi 6E and supports Bluetooth while using the operating system Windows 11.
The GPU is an AMD Radeon RDNA3 that clocks up to 2.7GHz, 8.6 TFLOP with a 4 GB of RAM. The RAM is onboard, and it is a 16Gb LPDDR5 dual channel. While there is only one storage coming at 512 NVMe M.2 SSD.
The Rog Ally Z1 Extreme specs are nice, but the Steam Deck is no pushover regarding specs for PC handhelds. The Steam LCD has a CPU AMD Zen 2 4-core 8 thread count that clocks at 2.4 to 3.5GHZ. It sports an AMD RDNA 2 GPU, with its APU wattages ranging from 4 to 15 watts.
The Steam Deck has 16 gigs of onboard RAM, with options of 512 NVMe SSD and 1 terabyte. The display resolution is 1280 x 800, and the screen is 7.4 inches. The refresh rate will vary depending on whether you buy the LCD or OLED version. The LCD model has a refresh rate of 60hz while the OLED has 90hz.
A Bluetooth connection 5.3 ( for connecting controllers, audio, and other accessories )
Wifi 6E ( allowing connections from 2.4 Ghz, 5GHz, and even 6GHz ). You get a 2.5 type c charger ( 45 watts ) with a 50Whr battery ) for hours; depending on the game you want to play, usage could range from 1 to 12. But I think the most I have gotten out of my Deck is 4 hours.
What to expect from a price for the handhelds
When looking into the battle of the Rog Ally Z1 Extreme vs Steam Deck, pricing will always play a benefactor in determining which to get becasue of the different versions the SD has, whereas the Rog Ally has two.
The Rog Ally Z1 and the Z1 Extreme can be questionable price points, but thanks to time passing and Best Buy, you can find some really good deals for both devices. If you are curious about the Z1 version, Best Buy has one for 499.99 USD. The Rog Ally Z1 and the Z1 Extreme can be.
The Rog Ally Z1 Extreme brand new will cost around 699.99 USD, but if you find an open box by Best Buy, you may be able to find it for much less.
( Pricing for these devices seems to fluctuate, so at the time of writing this article, the links to the prices were correct. )
Of course, the best version of the two is the Z1 Extreme, an open box at Best Buy (at the time of writing this article) ASUS ROG Ally 7" 120Hz FHD 1080p Gaming Handheld AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme Processor 512GB White RC71L-ALLY.Z1X_512 - Best Buy
The Z1 Extreme can cost a pretty penny, and when I bought myself one, I contemplated keeping it. The Rog Ally Z1 Extreme can rival a mid-tier gaming PC or Laptop.
Steam Deck LCD models 64GB LCD, 256GB LCD, 512GB LCD
Consider the various SD versions available, as they can significantly impact your choice between the ASUS ROG Z1 Extreme and Steam Deck. Don't miss out on the opportunity to make an informed decision and get the most out of your investment.
For the Steam Deck, you have the choice between the LCD and its versions or the OLED and its versions. Keep in mind that many of the differences are minor but play a role in pricing. Price will increase based on the amount of storage you decide on and other digital aspects that add a little more flavor to your Steam Deck.
If you want the base LCD that is 64GB, that will cost $349.00. This has the lowest SSD and the slowest speed for its memory. The 64GB sports an eMMC SSD at 64GB. This is the base option, but the price goes up to $399.00 for the 256GB version.
The difference between the 64GB and the 256GB is the amount of storage, the SSD, and the profile bundle included. The 256 LCD has an NVMe SSD, meaning faster loading speeds and, of course, more games to install. The profile bundle gives Steam users a background to add to their profile. An Avatar border for their profile picture.
If you want the best LCD model, the 512GB LCD is your best choice. This model includes everything included in the other two models, but it also has a premium anti-glare screen. That 512GB will only mean more games for you to install with the best SSD.
As a person who wants to stretch his money, I suggest the 256GB LCD model simply because the only difference is the storage. You can buy a micro SD card for more storage at your local Target, Walmart, or Best Buy.
Steam Deck OLED models 512GB, 1 TB
Currently, and maybe the best gaming handheld PC option, money can buy the OLED models.
The OLED models follow the LCD in options that get better the more you spend. For the 512GB model, you are looking at a complete improvement over the LCD model with all new and faster upgrades.
You are looking at a faster SSD, HDR OLED Display, 90 HZ refresh rate, Wi-Fi 6E, and a 50 Whr battery while still getting a carrying case. But with the OLED models, you get the Steam profile bundle.
If that is not enough for you, then there is the 1 TB OLED. This model includes everything but also has an exclusive startup movie and virtual keyboard. This is the best option for those looking to spend $649.00.
Again, I bought the 512 GB OLED and an SD card for less than 100 USD each. I want to say that having a lot of storage is great, but there is also too much, and before you know it, you will have more games installed than you play. So do not get into the storage race. You will spend more time holding games than playing them.
Rog Ally Z1 Extreme or Steam Deck Performance
Here's a link from Digital Trends on testing out the performance of Rog Ally Z1, Rog Ally Z1 Extreme, and the Steam Deck. If you want to take a further look at their benchmark, here is the link: imgurl:https://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/rog-ally-z1-vs-steam-deck.jpg - Search (bing.com)
You will have to look after yourself, in my opinion. I am not a benchmarker, nor do I claim to be a blogger on the subject. However, I thought it would be the best thing to do is provide you with information on where to get the data for benchmarking.
The worst thing about the two gaming devices Steam Deck Vs Rog Ally
The Rog Ally Z1 extreme battery life is the worst thing about it. In most regards, how long the battery life lasts, the Rog comes dead last. The battery is not the greatest on endurance. When playing on battery, the Rog Ally drains so fast. No matter what mode you are playing in, the battery will only give you an hour max.
Of course, there are some minor tweaks around this, like turning off CPU Boost, turning off the LED lights, and only playing in Turbo Mode when plugged in. You can also change the display resolution. These small changes can help extend the battery life by a smaller margin.
The only thing I do not like about the Steam Deck is that some games do not play well or do not play on there. I am not talking about the games that Valve considered playable or varied. I am talking about games, in general, that use other launchers to play.
Some PC games use the Windows operating system to launch, and the Steam Deck is Linux-based. So, many games will not work or work properly due to the operating systems.
Which do I like more?
In my personal opinion, despite the Rog Ally Z1 Extreme costing the same as a gaming Laptop, it is the best option of the two gaming handhelds. It performs games better than the Steam Deck and allows me to play any game I want. That is the beauty of owning one.
The Rog Ally is the perfect example Microsoft should follow once they make the Xbox gaming handheld. I am a GamePass, Steam, and Epic game store user. It is as simple as 1 2 3 in my eyes. Now, everyone will say the Steam Deck is easier to navigate than the Rog Ally Z1 Extreme, but my only defense to this argument is that it does not matter if you have never used Steam before; more people have used Windows.
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