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

On May 27th, Valve announced a drastic price increase for Steam Deck. in future The 512GB OLED Steam Deck costs $789.; Meanwhile The 1TB edition requires an investment of $949.. The price increases of $200 and $300, respectively, transformed the Steam Deck from a relatively affordable gaming device to a premium luxury item, while also opening the door for other PC portables to take the next step forward.

Although it's still a niche market in the grand scheme of things, the PC handheld market has become quite competitive in recent years, giving customers several options. Due to its store presence and competitive pricing, Steam Deck has generally led the line in both critical and commercial success, even if its sales numbers have fallen far short when compared to its less convincing portable console counterparts. Is Steam Deck still worth it? That's a question only you can answer, but at this point you should definitely consider other options.

Place the consoles in the correct order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)hard (10)

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Place the consoles in the correct order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Difficult (10)start

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

Asus Store Price: $499.99

The Asus ROG Ally Z1 has been the Steam Deck's main competitor since its debut in 2023, mainly due to its similar specs and similar price point. Before May 27, Valve's handheld devices tended to be slightly cheaper than Asus' Windows devices, at least for the 512GB model. After May 27th, the Z1 looks like an absolute steal compared to its more popular sibling. Especially considering that it is a more technically powerful device.

At launch, the Z1 Extreme was priced at $699.99, positioning itself as a premium alternative to ROG Ally's original model. But these days The ROG Ally Z1 comes in at a much more attractive MSRP of $499.99.Sometimes it costs less. At this point, the ROG Ally Z1 may offer the best value for the money and is a very solid option for anyone looking for a good entry-level PC handheld with enough features to handle most (but not all) modern games.

full disclosureMy portable device of choice is the Z1 Extreme, but I bought it primarily as a portable PC that I could use when visiting family. As a mid-range Windows PC, this ROG Ally performs attractively and should suffice primarily as a workstation and plug-in gaming computer running older titles. As a portable, its capabilities are even more impressive. Windows 11 is not at all fun to use in this form..

ROG Xbox Ally now looks cheap thanks to Steam Deck

16GB 512GB base model: $599.99

ROG Xbox Ally is essentially ROG Ally with Xbox branding and launch interface. Players can jump into Game Pass and bypass Windows 11, creating the illusion of a portable console (but it's not). It offers essentially the same screen as the Z1 Extreme, but this version's Xbox-style controller offers improved ergonomics, one of the areas where the standard ROG Ally struggles. This model will probably be more effective as it introduces a much better battery that will last much longer. portable device than Z1 Extreme.

Performance-wise, the Xbox Ally can be considered roughly on par with the Steam Deck, although it has a better battery, USB-C port, and 1080p screen. As a result, because it was originally much more expensive, Asus' collaboration with Microsoft couldn't really compete with Valve's offering, which led to it being viewed almost as a portable console rather than a PC alternative. But now things have really changed, as the 512GB model of Xbox Ally is actually cheaper than the cheapest version of Steam Deck.

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

Current price: $449.99; Price starting September 1: $499.99

Yes, this is a bit of a trick since the Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck take up different spaces. Realistically, most people interested in one device may be looking for something the other device can't offer. However, for the small number of people who want a portable device that can keep them entertained while traveling, the Switch 2 is the best option. Unlike Valve with Steam Deck, Nintendo announced the price increase several months ago, giving interested customers a chance to purchase it in the meantime. Still, the Switch 2's price increase was “only” $50, much less than the Steam Deck's increase.

You need to know what you're getting with the Switch 2. It has great proprietary products, some third-party support, and a large backwards-compatible library. It could also be a fantastic indie gaming device, although its selection doesn't compare to Steam's. games like Donkey Kong Bananza and coming splatoon raiders Although it's a system seller, you don't have to pick up the latest Nintendo games to get mileage out of the Switch 2. While nothing can compare to Valve's sales, the Nintendo Store consistently offers some pretty big discounts, especially for older Switch games. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a lot of fun.