Review is quite long (45 min). A highlight:
- Games tested with frame timing: Steam Deck has very consistent frame timing, ROG Ally is only competitive plugged in, otherwise on battery (and the same 1280×720) the low 1% and low 0.1% are far worse than Steam Deck in several tested games, and more akin to AYANEO.
Other things:
- Crazy $2000 for ASUS RTX “4090” eGPU with proprietary connector vs. GPD’s standardized OCuLink
- ASUS with pushy BIOS updates and questionable benefits, sometimes even performance regressions
- Windows 11 touch keyboard appears automatically in text fields, and more comfortable than the Steam desktop mode on-screen keyboard
- Steam Deck with 60 fps V-Sync cap sounds more closely like ROG Ally on “Silent”, without annoying high frequency noise. But once uncapped, sounds like ROG Ally on “Turbo” and with high frequency noise.
- The reviewed ROG Ally also developed a malfunctioning SD card reader, like many reports.
Every time a competitor comes for a piece of the Steam Deck pie, you start to see the cracks.
At this point you’re bound to make Steam OS compatible with your Deck alternative, or just not try at all to sell at a premium.
Easy steamdeck killer checklist:
✅ SteamOS/ChimeraOS ✅ Trackpads ✅ 800p at most ✅ AMD Z1 ✅ Within $300US of deck’s upper price point
Literally just need all 5 and you’ll easily slip into the steamdeck market instead of “handhold windows handheld” market