Is early adoption a chump’s game? I dunno about that, though between the Asus ROG Ally X and the Steam Deck OLED, those who stayed their hand on their earlier handheld gaming PC counterparts do have a couple of quality second-genners to choose from. Valve’s effort manages to wring multiple performance, design, and battery life improvements out of its new display, while the ROG Ally X makes similar upgrades with a bigger-yet-better take on the original ROG Ally.
The only thing to do, clearly, is make them fight. It’s probably in the Irish Code Duello or something: "Should one portable games box impugn another’s honour by releasing shortly after it, satisfaction must be claimed through a comparison article." My hands are bound here, folks, though if you yourself have been playing the waiting game on a handheld purchase, perhaps this little head-to-head can help you pick the right one.
Although the ROG Ally X is girthier than its predecessor – thank the bigger battery for that – it’s undoubtedly better-made. Both the thumbsticks and D-pad have more of a chunky, solid, premium feel than before, while the deeper handgrips and more spacious shoulder buttons help with ergonomics. Under load, it’s also cooler and quieter than the standard ROG Ally, with airflow aided by an additional exhaust vent – which, in turn, is made possible by the wise removal of the original’s rarely-usable connector for the Asus ROG XG external GPU enclosure. You can still hook up a proper graphics card if you want, via the Thunderbolt 4-enabled USB-C port.
