Top 3 Gaming Handheld Alternatives to Steam Deck (Not $789)

On May 27, Valve announced a steep price increase for the Steam Deck. Moving forward, The 512GB OLED Steam Deck costs $789; meantime, The 1TB edition requires an investment of $949. With a price jump of $200 and $300, respectively, the Steam Deck went from a relatively affordable gaming device to a premium luxury item while simultaneously opening the door for more handhelds to step up to the plate.

Although still a nobody in the grand scheme of things, the handheld market has become quite competitive in recent years, giving customers several options. Thanks to its familiar trade name and competitive price, the Steam Deck has generally been in the lead in both critical and commercial success, although its sales figures lag far behind even the stunning console handhelds. Is Steam Deck still worth the money? That's something only you can answer, but you should definitely consider other options at this point.

Place the consoles in the correct order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)heavy (10)

Start

Place the consoles in the correct order.

Easy (5) Medium (7) Hard (10)Start

Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is the best value for money pocket PC

Asus Store Price: $499.99

Since its debut in 2023, the Asus ROG Ally Z1 has been the Steam Deck's main competitor, mainly due to similar specs and a comparable price. Before May 27, Valve's handheld was slightly cheaper than Asus' Windows device, at least for the 512GB model. After May 27, the Z1 looks like an absolute steal compared to its more popular sibling, especially when you consider that it's a more technically powerful device.

At launch, the Z1 Extreme cost $699.99, establishing itself as a high-end alternative to the original ROG Ally model. However, nowadays The MSRP of the ROG Ally Z1 comes in at a much more attractive $499.99and sometimes it goes for less. At the moment, the ROG Ally Z1 might offer the best value for your dollar, and it's a very solid choice for anyone looking for a good entry-level pocket PC that has enough juice to handle most (but not all) modern games.

Full disclosuremy handheld is a Z1 Extreme, although I bought it mainly as a laptop to use when visiting family. As a makeshift low-to-mid-range Windows PC, this ROG Ally works like a charm, and will suffice as a workstation as well as a plug-in gaming PC that mainly runs older titles. However, as a handheld, its capabilities are much more impressive Windows 11 is not at all fun to use in this form.

ROG Xbox Ally now looks cheap thanks to the Steam Deck

16GB 512GB base model: $599.99

ROG Xbox Ally is basically ROG Ally with Xbox branding and a launcher interface. Gamers can jump into Game Pass and bypass Windows 11, giving the illusion of a handheld console (but it's not). Although it has essentially the same screen as the Z1 Extreme, this version's Xbox-style controllers provide improved ergonomics, which is one area where the standard ROG Ally struggles. This model features a much better battery that should last much longer, which probably makes it more valid small device than the Z1 Extreme.

In terms of performance, the Xbox Ally could be seen as roughly equivalent to the Steam Deck, albeit with a better battery, USB-C ports and a 1080p screen. As a result, being much more expensive initially, the Asus/Microsoft collaboration couldn't really compete with Valve's product, causing it to be considered more of a console handheld than a PC alternative. Now that the 512GB Xbox Ally model is actually cheaper than the cheapest version of the Steam Deck, things have really changed.

Even after the price increase, the Nintendo Switch 2 will be much cheaper than the Steam Deck

Current Price: $449.99; Price as of September 1st: $499.99

Okay, this is a bit of a cheat since the Nintendo Switch 2 and the Steam Deck take up different places. Realistically, most people interested in one device may be looking for something the other can't offer. However, for those few people who just want a pocket-sized device that can keep them occupied during trips, the Switch 2 is the best option on the table. Unlike Valve, Steam Deck Nintendo announced price increases months in advance and gave interested customers the opportunity to pick one up in the meantime. Even then, the Switch 2 price increase was “only” $50, far less than the Steam Deck increase.

You need to know what you're getting with Switch 2: Great exclusives, third-party support, and an extensive backwards compatibility library. It can also be a fantastic indie gaming device, though its selection can't compare to Steam. Games like Donkey Kong Banana and upcoming Splatoon Raiders are system resellers, but you don't have to pick up the latest Nintendo game to get mileage out of your Switch 2. While nothing compares to Valve's sales, the Nintendo Store constantly offers pretty big discounts, especially on old Switch games. You don't have to spend a lot to play a lot.