Valve
Steam Deck OLED
$789
Released 2023-11
Best Handheld Gaming Pcs · head-to-head
Steam Deck OLED vs Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) is cheaper at $699. Every spec and price links to its source.
Asus
Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)
$699Cheaper
Released 2023-06
Which is better: the Steam Deck OLED or Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)?
The Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) wins 2 of the 3 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 1. The Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) is the cheaper at $699. The Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.
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Key specs, head to head
The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Steam Deck OLED | Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $789 | $699 Launch MSRP, 512GB config |
| Brand | Valve | Asus |
| Released | 2023-11 | 2023-06 |
| Chip | AMD Sephiroth APU (6nm, Zen 2 4c/8t, RDNA 2 8CU) | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4, 8c/16t, RDNA 3 12CU) |
| Screen (in) | 7.4 in | 7.0 in |
| Screen resolution | 1280x800 | 1920x1080 |
| Refresh (Hz) | 90 | 120 |
| Battery (Wh) | 50 | 40 |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 16 |
| Weight (g) | 640 | 608 |
| OS | SteamOS 3 (Arch-based) | Windows 11 Home |
| Release | 2023-11 | 2023-06 |
Sources — Steam Deck OLED: steamdeck.com (verified 2026-06-23). Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme): rog.asus.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Steam Deck OLED and Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (7 of 8). Matching specs are omitted.
- Chip: Steam Deck OLED AMD Sephiroth APU (6nm, Zen 2 4c/8t, RDNA 2 8CU) vs Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4, 8c/16t, RDNA 3 12CU)
- Screen (in): Steam Deck OLED 7.4 in vs Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) 7.0 in
- Screen resolution: Steam Deck OLED 1280x800 vs Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) 1920x1080
- Refresh (Hz): Steam Deck OLED 90 vs Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) 120
- Battery (Wh): Steam Deck OLED 50 vs Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) 40
- Weight (g): Steam Deck OLED 640 vs Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) 608
- OS: Steam Deck OLED SteamOS 3 (Arch-based) vs Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) Windows 11 Home
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Steam Deck OLED
Two whitelisted testers (Engadget, Tom's Guide) hands-on-reviewed this exact model and agree it's a definitive mid-cycle upgrade, not the awaited Steam Deck 2. The OLED HDR display draws unanimous praise; both note raw CPU/GPU performance is essentially unchanged and the chassis stays large. RTINGS, The Verge and Notebookcheck were not fetched. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: OLED HDR display is a major, vibrant upgrade over the original LCD (brighter, wider gamut); Longer battery life plus cooler thermals; Lighter build and faster Wi-Fi.
Flagged: Not a 'Steam Deck 2' — CPU/GPU performance is basically unchanged; Same large chassis; best as an around-the-house console rather than truly travel-friendly.
Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)
Two whitelisted lab testers (Tom's Hardware, Notebookcheck) reviewed the exact Ryzen Z1 Extreme model. Both praise its bright 120Hz 1080p IPS screen (measured ~465-474 nits) and the powerful AMD Zen4 Ryzen Z1 Extreme, and both note the handheld is more compact and lighter than the Steam Deck. Both flag short battery life during gaming — roughly one hour in Turbo and ~1.5-1.75 hours in Performance mode. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Bright, sharp 120Hz 1080p IPS screen (measured ~465-474 nits) clearly beats the Steam Deck; Powerful AMD Zen4 Ryzen Z1 Extreme delivers smooth 720p/1080p frame rates for a handheld; More compact and lighter than the Steam Deck.
Flagged: Short battery life while gaming (~1 hour in Turbo, ~1.5-1.75 hours in Performance mode); Performance differs notably on battery vs plugged in (Turbo) — Tom's Hardware only; No webcam and no built-in kickstand — Notebookcheck only.