It would totally switch places with my Switch if you could easily use PC Game Pass. I like my Steam Deck but it's the least used of my portables. You can easily play AAA games at high 1440p fps or mid range 4k fps and then swap to Steam deck for non AAA games and / or AAA games low res FSR level 5 on the GO. Games run better on the Asus (yes, Steam Deck fans will always point out the few exceptions). For the ultimate experience, I recommend you have a PC with at least a 3080. You still have big picture mode for Steam if you don't like Asus's software.Īnd not only do you have Steam, you also have all the other gaming stores. I already think the Asus is bordering on being too big but next to the Steam Deck, it's svelte. Don't get me wrong, I love Win11 on my hummer of a desktop, and I the flexibility to do PC VR, 3D modeling and printing, and AAA games from the same place, but that's not a thing I want on a portable and so I will always choose the lightest thing that will get me there if I can.The Asus is lighter and smaller than the Steam Deck.

MS is missing the purpose built lightweight OS market a bit. Phyzzi said:I can see how having Win11 might be an advantage for some games, but for a handheld it's a huge disadvantage for a lot of other games. The Steam Deck is a glorious piece of tech, and with the upgraded OLED model only cementing its place as one of the best handhelds, the question of how to play Game Pass games is on everyone’s. The deal won't last forever, so grab it while you can and get started on your PC game backlog - we all have unfinished games! It's not tied to a proprietary connector, so you could use most of these to charge everyday devices like your smartphone and even some laptops, making the ROG Ally a perfect companion for getting through long, boring flights or train journeys. Now is the time to jump ship to a Windows 11-based handheld and finally enjoy the complete list of the best ROG Ally games, regardless of whether or not they utilize anti-cheat software (something that often causes issues with the Linux-based Steam Deck.) If you're heavily ingrained into the Steam ecosystem like I am, moving to ASUS' 'Armoury Crate' software environment might feel strange, but there are solutions for that, like booting the ROG Ally into SteamUI with EmuDeck.Įven common issues like dwindling battery performance when playing intensive games can be solved by picking up one of the best ROG Ally battery packs. Thankfully, after a six-month review with the ROG Ally, our Jez Corden laid those fears to rest. The price was always a downside because although the jump in price did net me a performance boost, it was hard to be sure if ASUS would support the handheld in the long term. I've used it daily since it launched, but I've been craving an upgrade since our initial ASUS ROG Ally review. I'll be frank: Valve will continue dominating the portable handheld scene if it keeps the 256GB Steam Deck LCD priced at $399 without rivals attempting to match it. The Steam Deck cant yet play every game on Steam, but its a great handheld gaming system nonetheless. You dont need a desktop or laptop to play the best PC titles. (Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden) Steam Deck and Beyond: The Best Handheld Gaming Devices for 2024. Even better, for me (and I suspect a lot of other people) it has reinvigorated my appreciation for the wide world of PC gaming.There's no need for Linux compatibility troubleshooting the ROG Ally runs Windows 11. There are plenty of Steam Deck mods tp be found, and we’ve even seen some enthusiasts try their hand at building handheld gaming PCs. A fully fledged gaming PC built in a portable shell you can take with you. With the Steam Deck, the company finally has a genuine hardware hit on its hands. That being said, lets also clarify a couple of things. Valve's previous hardware initiatives, including the Steam Machine and Steam Controller, never really got out of the gate. So if you're interested in buying a Steam Deck for around $500 - I recommend the middle model with 256GB and adding your own microSD card for additional storage - it's a safe bet to invest now without too much upgrade anxiety. I don't have any specific insight, but I suspect it's at least a year or more away. There's no real idea of when that might happen, but the Steam Deck is enough of a hit that a new version is almost guaranteed. The biggest hurdle the Steam Deck faces is that its AMD CPU and GPU aren't getting any younger, and more powerful components - along with design and ergonomic improvements, a better screen and improved battery life - are on everyone's must-have list for a Steam Deck 2.

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