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Here’s how the Asus ROG Ally’s specs compare to the Steam Deck

A handy guide to help you sort out the top options

The Asus ROG Ally handheld gaming PC connected to the Asus XG Mobile external GPU enclosure, which delivers more powerful graphics, as well as extra USB ports and other connection options.
Being able to connect the ROG Ally to Asus’ eGPU is a unique, but pricey, feature.
Image: Asus
Cameron Faulkner (he/him) is Polygon’s commerce editor. He began writing about tech and gaming in 2013, and migrated from The Verge in 2023.

The Asus ROG Ally is a beast of a portable gaming PC, containing the AMD Z1 Extreme, the most capable processor to be put inside of a handheld yet. Whether you dig its made-for-gamers aesthetic or not, the $699.99 ROG Ally is full of eyebrow-raising specs and features that set it apart from its biggest competitor, the Steam Deck.

There’s a lot that sets the ROG Ally apart from its competitors, which of course includes more than just the Steam Deck. In addition to its fast processor and RAM specs, it is, to my knowledge, the first handheld to feature a faster UHS-II microSD card slot, allowing faster transfer speeds than its competitors. Also, it runs Windows 11 software out of the box, not Linux, like the Steam Deck does by default. Now, that’s not entirely novel, but it ensures that the ROG Ally will be compatible with more games, whether they’re on Steam, PC Game Pass, or on the Epic Games Store.

Okay, let’s allow the table below to do the rest of the talking.

Asus ROG Ally comparison table

Category Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) Asus ROG Ally (Z1) Valve Steam Deck Ayn Odin Ayaneo 2 Logitech G Cloud
Category Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) Asus ROG Ally (Z1) Valve Steam Deck Ayn Odin Ayaneo 2 Logitech G Cloud
Starting price $699 $599 $399 $239 $1,099 $299
Operating System Windows 11 Windows 11 SteamOS (Linux-based) Android 10 Ayaneo OS (Linux-based) / Windows 11 Android 11
Display 7-inch (1920 x 1080, 120 Hz) IPS touchscreen, 500 nits at peak brightness 7-inch (1080p, 120 Hz refresh rate) IPS touchscreen, 500 nits at peak brightness 7-inch (1280 x 800, 60Hz) IPS touchscreen, 400 nits at peak brightness 5.98-inch (1920 x 1080, 60 Hz) IPS touchscreen 7-inch (1920 x 1200, 10-120 Hz) LCD, 400 nits 7-inch (1920 x 1080, 60 Hz) IPS touchscreen, 450 nits at peak brightness
Processor AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme AMD Ryzen Z1 Custom AMD APU Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 AMD Ryzen 7 6800 U Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G
RAM 16 GB LPDDR5 16 GB LPDDR5 16 GB LPDDR5 4 GB LPDDR4x 16 GB LPDDR5 4 GB LPDDR4x
Storage 512 GB 512 GB 64 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB options 64, 128, 256 GB options 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB options 64 GB eMMC
M.2 SSD support Yes, M.2 2230 Yes, M.2 2230 Yes, M.2 2230 No Yes, double-sided support for M.2 2280-sized SSDs No
Connectivity Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1
Ports USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 charging port with DP 1.4 video out support, UHS-II microSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 charging port with DP 1.4 video out support, UHS-II microSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 charging port with DP 1.4 video out, UHS-I microSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack USB-C 3.1 charging port, Micro HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack Two USB-C USB 4.0 charging ports with DP 1.4 video output support, high-speed microSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack USB-C 3.1 charging port, microSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack
eGPU support Yes Yes No No Yes No
Biometrics Fingerprint sensor embedded in power button Fingerprint sensor embedded in power button None None Fingerprint sensor embedded into power button No
Battery capacity 40 Wh 40 Wh 40 Wh 6,600 mAh 50.22 Wh 23.1 Wh

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