I am a PC gamer. Although I spent far less time in front of my desk gaming nowadays than I do developing, I still like to maintain a (way-too-beefy) system for my needs.
I like exploring hardware options, weighing pros and cons, their prices, what components would complement each other best, and the like. Then, assembling the system and tweaking it until it runs just as smoothly as I imagined. It is really satisfying to see your vision come together and have it just the way you planned it.
The recent release of the ROG Xbox Ally X first caught the interest of a colleague, and we started talking about his gaming plans with it.
I was excited by the idea of handheld PC gaming in the form factor of a switch. All the games from Steam, Battle.net, and other vendors in the palm of my hands. Gaming wherever I want while the handheld can also be plugged into a Thunderbolt dock to use at the desk. Gaming on the sofa? No problem. Going over to a friend’s, and wanting to play something together? Just bring the handheld.
(Image generated with AI)
A great success? Well, not quite. I am still excited but wanted to write down my experience coming “down” from PC gaming, and give my perspective on what is really possible with the hardware currently out there. I’ll focus on real-world usability, not benchmarks.
The Steam Deck OLED
The Steam Deck OLED (512 GB) makes a good first impression right from the start. Although the packaging is a bit rough, it is well thought out and includes a carrying case.
The hardware feels premium. The touch pads are actually a good replacement for a mouse in places where pointer control is needed. There is some vibration feedback which is okay. Overall, the device is nice to hold and control is great.
First boot experience is smooth: after a short setup and some system updates, you’re dropped directly into the Steam interface. Within a few minutes, you are ready to play games.
Installing Steam games is excellent. The interface feels like a refined version of Steam Big Picture, and browsing, downloading, and launching games is intuitive and fast. Downloads continue in the background, even on battery if you want. For anything that lives within the Steam ecosystem, the Deck is genuinely pleasant to use.
Games with controller support play great. You run them from the interface and can get right into the action.
Things get more complicated once you step outside the Steam ecosystem. Installing non-Steam games requires a certain level of technical comfort with Linux. In my case, that meant switching into desktop mode, downloading the Battle.net (Windows) installer, manually adding it to Steam, setting the right Proton compatibility by hand, and then running the installer from there. None of this is impossible, but it’s also not something you casually stumble into without knowing roughly what you’re doing. Many guides are partially outdated because of changes over the years. That said, the process is fragile. At one point, I removed the Battle.net setup entry from Steam, which apparently also wiped the associated virtual file system, effectively removing both Battle.net and its installed games.
Running Battle.net itself worked well once set up, and installing games went smoothly. Performance under Proton was genuinely impressive, especially given the hardware constraints. WoW ran even better than I expected.
The ROG Xbox Ally X
The ROG Xbox Ally X (1 TB) arrives with great packaging. It does not include a carrying case but a small stand instead. I would call the experience overall more premium.
The hardware feels very premium. Every bit is just slightly better than the Steam Deck. I guess it is to be expected at almost double the price. The analog sticks even include ROG-typical RGB lighting.
The first boot experience immediately sets a different tone, however: the device needs to be plugged into power before it can even turn on, and you’re basically dropped straight into the standard Windows 11 setup experience. That includes the usual assortment of telemetry prompts, a Microsoft account requirement, and, at one point, even a UAC prompt asking for permission for “Xbox” to modify the system during initial setup. Well, the device literally contains “Xbox” in its name. Why do I have to give it setup permission?
Before actually playing anything, I spent close to two hours installing Windows, firmware, BIOS, and app updates. It’s not perfect if you want to get into playing as soon as possible, but it is required to make things like installs via the Microsoft Store work.
Once everything is set up, the experience turns great. Steam is pre-installed. Installing Battle.net is trivial. The Xbox fullscreen experience gives a nice overview of all installed games, even if via Steam or other launchers.
So every time you come back there is a nice overview of your games to jump right into.
ASUS’s software “Armoury Crate” integrates Steam, Battle.net, and other launchers into a unified interface. It’s easy to find what launcher you are looking for and go from there.
The software also allows to set performance profiles, e.g., a “Silent” 13 Watt profile while on battery, and the full “Turbo” 37 Watt mode while plugged in. That flexibility makes it much easier to tailor the experience to specific games or personal preferences, rather than relying on the system. You want it quiet? You need more power? You can choose at any point with the click of a button.
In addition, the software houses a whole lot of other customization options that PC gamers are familiar with. Tinker with the system to your liking.
Conclusion
Overall, the Steam Deck OLED delivers a great experience for Steam games and shows just how much Valve has invested in the SteamOS operating system. It is very polished if the use case fits for you.
However, if your main use case revolves around non-Steam titles, the friction adds up. The overall software polish can’t fully compensate for the extra complexity, and the experience starts to feel finicky rather than seamless. The hardware is also low-powered in comparison at this point in time.
Compare that to the ROG Xbox Ally X which has the most up-to-date hardware. It outright leaves the Steam Deck OLED in the dust. You can fine-tune it to your need at any given moment and it will most likely play any current title at low to medium settings decently.
In addition, you are not limited to Steam games — since most games are still Windows-first, there is no real barrier to get any game running. However, running Windows is a limitation at the same time. You have to accept that the Xbox fullscreen experience is just a layer on top of Windows, but coming from PC gaming that would be a tradeoff worth to me.
If you want a console-like experience, choose the Steam Deck. If you want a handheld PC, the Xbox Ally X actually is one.