Valve recently increased the price of the Steam Deck. The 512GB OLED model now costs $789, and the 1TB version is priced at $949. These increases of $200 and $300, respectively, position the Steam Deck as a more expensive, premium device, potentially creating opportunities for competing handheld gaming PCs.
The market for portable gaming PCs is still relatively small, but it’s become more competitive lately, giving buyers a few different choices. The Steam Deck has generally been the most successful, thanks to the popularity of the Steam brand and its reasonable price, even though it hasn’t sold as many units as some traditional console handhelds. Whether the Steam Deck is still a good value depends on your needs, but it’s worth looking at other options available now.
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Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Is The PC Handheld With The Best Value For Money
Asus Store Price: $499.99
| Spec | Asus Rog Ally Z1 | Steam Deck OLED |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4, 8-core / 16-thread) | Custom AMD APU (4 cores / 8 threads) |
| GPU | AMD RDNA 3 (4 Compute Units) | AMD RDNA 2 (8 Compute Units) |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5 (6400 MT/s) | 16GB LPDDR5 (6400 MT/s) |
| Display | 7-Inch IPS LCD | 7.4-inch HDR OLED |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 | 1280×800 |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz with VRR | 90Hz, No VRR |
| Battery | 40 Wh | 50 Wh |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home | SteamOS 3.0 (Linux) |
Since its release in 2023, the Asus ROG Ally Z1 has been the main rival to the Steam Deck, offering similar performance at a comparable price. While the Steam Deck was usually slightly cheaper than the Asus device – especially the 512GB version – that changed on May 27th. Now, the Z1 looks like a fantastic deal, especially considering it’s actually the more powerful of the two handhelds.
I use the word ‘technically’ because SteamOS is better optimized for games, helping the Steam Deck perform well. Plus, the Steam Deck’s battery lasts much longer than the ROG Ally’s – the Ally often struggles to run demanding games for more than an hour and a half.
When it first came out, the Z1 Extreme cost $699.99 and was positioned as a premium alternative to the original ROG Ally. Now, the ROG Ally Z1 has a much more appealing price of $499.99, and you can often find it on sale for even less. This makes the ROG Ally Z1 a great value, and a strong choice for anyone wanting a capable entry-level handheld gaming PC that can run most modern games, though not everything.
You could even find this model for cheaper, especially if you look into the second-hand market.
Just so you know, I prefer the Z1 Extreme, but I originally bought it to use as a portable computer when I travel to see family. It works really well as a basic to moderately powerful Windows PC – I can use it for work and play older games when it’s plugged in. It’s even better as a handheld gaming device, although Windows 11 isn’t very user-friendly in that mode.
If you’re buying a used ROG Ally, be sure to get the Z1 version – that’s the original, powerful model released in 2023 (RC71L). Avoid the earlier ROG Ally, as it doesn’t perform as well.
ROG Xbox Ally Now Seems Cheap Thanks To The Steam Deck
16GB 512GB Base Model: $599.99
| Spec | Asus Xbox Ally | Steam Deck OLED |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen Z2 A (4 Cores / 8 Threads) | Custom AMD APU (4 cores / 8 threads) |
| GPU | AMD Radeon | AMD RDNA 2 (8 Compute Units) |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5X (6400MHz) | 16GB LPDDR5 (6400 MT/s) |
| Display | 7-Inch IPS LCD | 7.4-inch HDR OLED |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 | 1280×800 |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz with VRR | 90Hz, No VRR |
| Battery | 60 Wh | 50 Wh |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home + Xbox Interface | SteamOS 3.0 (Linux) |
The ROG Xbox Ally is similar to the ROG Ally, but designed with Xbox branding and a simplified Xbox interface. It lets players easily access Xbox Game Pass and feels like a handheld console, though it still runs on Windows. While the screen is nearly identical to the Z1 Extreme model, the Xbox Ally features controllers that are much more comfortable to hold – a key improvement over the original ROG Ally. Most notably, this version boasts a significantly better battery life, making it a more practical handheld gaming device overall.
The Z1 Extreme is more powerful than the Xbox Ally. If you don’t already use Xbox products and plan to play games mostly while connected to power, I recommend the Z1 Extreme.
Microsoft and Asus are known to release updates that improve the Xbox Ally as well.
The Xbox Ally offers similar performance to the Steam Deck, but with improvements like longer battery life, USB-C ports, and a higher resolution 1080p screen. Initially, it struggled to compete with the Steam Deck because it was more expensive. This led many to see it more as a handheld console than a portable PC. However, with the 512GB model now costing less than the base Steam Deck, the situation has significantly changed.
The Xbox handheld is still a PC first, meaning you won’t be able to play all your Xbox games on it – only those that have ‘Xbox Play Anywhere’ support.
Even After Its Price Increase, The Nintendo Switch 2 Will Be Far Cheaper Than The Steam Deck
Current Price: $449.99; Price from September 1: $499.99
It’s tricky to directly compare the Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck, as they appeal to different gamers. Someone wanting one probably needs features the other doesn’t have. But if you simply want a portable device for gaming on the go, the Switch 2 is currently the better choice. Nintendo also handled pricing better than Valve; they announced a $50 price increase well in advance, giving potential buyers time to purchase the original Switch. This increase was much smaller than the price jump seen with the Steam Deck.
The Switch 2 offers a compelling package: access to fantastic Nintendo-exclusive games, a decent selection of titles from other developers, and the ability to play a huge library of older games. It’s also a great system for indie games, though it doesn’t have as many options as Steam. Games like Donkey Kong Bananza and the new Splatoon Raiders are major draws, but you don’t need to buy the latest Nintendo release to enjoy your Switch 2. While Steam has bigger sales, the Nintendo Store regularly offers good discounts, especially on older Switch games, meaning you can have a lot of fun without spending a fortune.
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2026-05-29 04:40