Key takeaways:
- The Steam Deck OLED offers an enhanced gaming experience with a higher refresh rate, improved WiFi, and larger battery compared to the LCD model, making it a strong contender for mobile gaming.
- The ROG Ally from Asus stands out for its powerful performance, especially in the Z1 Extreme version, despite its higher price point, offering a compact and powerful option for on-the-go gaming.
- The Legion GO offers a massive screen and unique features like a kickstand and programmable buttons, presenting itself as a versatile option for gaming and productivity, albeit with some potential durability concerns.
# Pricing and Models
- The Steam Deck is available in several models, with the OLED variant providing significant improvements over the LCD version, such as a 90Hz refresh rate and WiFi 6E, at a starting price of for the 256GB model.
- The ROG Ally is offered in two models, Z1 and Z1 Extreme, with the latter being highly recommended due to its superior power and currently discounted price at Best Buy.
- Legion GO presents two storage options, 512GB and 1TB, with a minor price difference that favors opting for the larger storage for convenience.
# Hardware and Design
- Steam Deck OLED impresses with its solid build quality, ergonomic design, and enhanced haptics, alongside a suite of customizable buttons and inputs, making it a durable and user-friendly device.
- The ROG Ally distinguishes itself with a compact design lacking trackpads, which may be a deal-breaker for some, but compensates with powerful speakers and a more traditional control layout.
- Legion GO boasts an 8.8-inch screen, making it the largest of the three, but its size and detachable controllers raise questions about durability and portability.
# Screen Quality
- The OLED screen of the Steam Deck offers vibrant colors and high contrast ratios, significantly outperforming the LCD version and supporting HDR content.
- ROG Ally excels with its 120Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB coverage, providing sharp and fluid visuals for an immersive gaming experience.
- Despite its large size, the Legion GO's screen may impact battery life but offers an expansive viewing area and supports high refresh rates for smooth gameplay.
# Battery Life and Performance
- Battery life varies significantly across devices, with the Steam Deck OLED offering up to 5-6 hours for less demanding titles, while the Legion GO struggles with around an hour of gameplay due to its large screen and powerful internals.
- Performance
Summary for: Steam Deck OLED VS ROG Ally VS Legion GO: The King is...