Steam Deck OLED vs ASUS ROG Ally – Which Should You Buy in 2025?

The handheld gaming market has grown tremendously in recent years, and two consoles currently dominate the market: the Steam Deck OLED and the ASUS ROG Ally. Both devices promise console-quality gaming on the go, but which one is really the best choice for you?

In this comprehensive comparison, we dive deep into the specifications, performance, and user experience of both devices. We help you make the right choice based on your gaming needs and budget.

Overview

The Steam Deck OLED is the improved version of Valve's original handheld console, with a beautiful OLED screen and improved battery life. The ASUS ROG Ally, on the other hand, focuses on pure performance with Windows 11 and more powerful hardware.

Performance and Hardware

Steam Deck OLED

The Steam Deck OLED uses a custom AMD Zen 2 processor with RDNA 2 graphics. Although this is not the latest architecture, the console is optimized for gaming and offers excellent performance for most modern games.

Specifications:

• Processor: AMD Zen 2 (4 cores, 8 threads)
• Graphics: AMD RDNA 2 (8 compute units)
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
• Storage: 512GB / 1TB NVMe SSD
• Screen: 7.4" OLED, 1280x800 @ 90Hz

ASUS ROG Ally

The ROG Ally goes a step further with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, which is based on the newer Zen 4 architecture. This results in better performance, especially at higher resolutions.

Specifications:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (8 cores, 16 threads)
• Graphics: AMD RDNA 3 (12 compute units)
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
• Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD (expandable)
• Screen: 7" IPS, 1920x1080 @ 120Hz

Screen Quality

This is where the Steam Deck OLED really shines. The OLED screen offers deep blacks, vibrant colors, and excellent contrast ratios. For games with dark scenes or HDR content, this is a clear advantage.

The ROG Ally, on the other hand, has a higher resolution (Full HD vs 800p) and a higher refresh rate (120Hz vs 90Hz). For competitive gaming or games that benefit from high frame rates, this can be an advantage.

Battery Life

The Steam Deck OLED has a larger battery (50Wh vs 40Wh) and is optimized for efficiency. In practice, this means you can play for approximately 3-6 hours, depending on the game and brightness.

The ROG Ally has a smaller battery and more powerful hardware, which results in shorter playtimes of approximately 2-4 hours. This is an important point to consider if you often play longer sessions without access to a power outlet.

Operating System and Software

The Steam Deck runs on SteamOS, a Linux-based operating system that is fully optimized for gaming. The interface is user-friendly and integrated with Steam. Windows games work via Proton compatibility layer.

The ROG Ally runs on Windows 11, which means you have access to all Windows games and applications without compatibility issues. However, the interface is less optimized for handheld use.

Price and Value

The Steam Deck OLED starts at €569 for the 512GB model, while the ROG Ally costs €799. The price difference is significant, but the ROG Ally does offer better performance and more flexibility.

Conclusion

The choice between these two consoles depends on your priorities:

Choose the Steam Deck OLED if:

• You value battery life
• You love the OLED screen
• Your budget is limited
• You mainly play Steam games

Choose the ASUS ROG Ally if:

• Performance is your main priority
• You want to play Windows games without hassle
• You want a higher resolution and refresh rate
• Budget is not an issue

Both consoles are excellent choices, but for most gamers, I would recommend the Steam Deck OLED due to its better battery life, beautiful OLED screen, and excellent price-performance ratio.