Steam Deck OLED Review
This is truly a beautiful device. It’s not just a Steam Deck with an OLED display; it’s a Steam Deck featuring a custom HDR OLED display, the first of its kind in a handheld. It boasts a peak brightness of 1,000 nits in HDR, a million-to-one contrast ratio, and 110% DCI-P3 color space coverage.
The screen is even bigger than the original, now 7.4 inches, compared to the previous 7-inch display. Valve achieved this by shrinking the bezels rather than increasing the overall size of the unit, creating a more immersive experience. Plus, it now supports a 90 Hz refresh rate, making animations smoother and inputs more responsive. After the slightly underwhelming display in the original Steam Deck, this is everything I could have hoped for—well, almost everything.
We’re still at 800p resolution, but I was amazed by how difficult it was to notice. It almost felt like a higher resolution, which highlights how much our perception is influenced by factors like brightness, contrast, and color accuracy. Valve truly nailed it with this display. In sRGB mode, the colors are spot-on, and in HDR, the saturation is even more impressive. The display is easier on the eyes in low light, and the contrast ratio is virtually infinite. To put it simply, this display really pops.
The only feature I would have liked is support for variable refresh rate (VRR) on the built-in screen. Valve explained that it wasn’t possible—not because they didn’t do the software work (VRR will work on external displays)—but because the internal display uses a MIPI interface. When I asked why they didn’t use an EDP interface, which supports VRR, Valve was somewhat evasive. Based on the identical sub-pixel layout, we suspect they might be sourcing the display from the same supplier that Nintendo uses for the Switch OLED. This is significant because many believe that Nintendo uses a MIPI derivative for their screens. While we don’t have concrete proof, if we’re right, it could be a good thing, considering the recent concerns over OLED burn-in with the Switch.
Eventually, it may happen, but only with heavy use. Fingers crossed.
Now, I’m sure you’re thinking, “Valve said there wouldn’t be a new Steam Deck for years! What’s going on here?” But that’s not exactly what happened. Earlier this year, Valve programmer Pierre Lugreffet mentioned that Valve would need to do a lot of work to re-engineer the internals for an OLED display. Then, more recently, he stated that the performance targets for the Steam Deck wouldn’t change in the next couple of years. This led us to believe that no new hardware would be coming.
However, if you read his actual quotes instead of just skimming the headlines, he never actually said there wouldn’t be a mid-generation upgrade. We assumed that, and we all know what happens when we do that.
What’s more, not only is the new screen better, but it’s also thinner, creating space for a larger battery behind it.
The Steam Deck OLED, as we’re calling it (though Valve might not officially name it that), features a 50-watt-hour battery. Valve claims this should charge faster and last up to 50% longer than the previous model. On the surface, this seems a bit dubious, especially since the included charging brick has identical specs. However, our results were in line with their claims, and we got to investigate why that is.
Some of these gains come from the larger battery size, some from newer chemistry, some from the more efficient screen, and some from the new silicon that AMD developed for this version.
Before you get too excited, Valve made it clear that the new 6-nanometer die-shrunk processor is intended to perform just like the previous 7-nanometer version. Their exact words were, “often equivalent, never worse.” But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be better, and as we’ve learned, there’s as much to be gleaned from what Valve doesn’t say as what they do say.
Now, while it’s beyond the scope of this video, I’d be particularly interested to see what kind of results the hyper-miling community can achieve with this new die, paired with Valve’s new underclocking features. But let’s focus on out-of-the-box performance, starting with Returnal. Running the built-in benchmark at 1280×800 on the low preset, we saw virtually identical performance, with only the maximum FPS being significantly different from the original Steam Deck.
The same story held for F1 23 on our favorite Kanakistan track. The performance was similar enough that most people wouldn’t notice a difference day-to-day, but there was a measurable improvement beyond the margin of error. I’m happy with that—until something strange happened. In Cyberpunk 2077, we saw a significant performance drop. Using the Steam Deck preset in both cases, our minimum FPS was noticeably lower than on the original Deck.
The good news is that the average FPS wasn’t impacted. What we suspect is that the new APU was stuck in a lower power state at the start of the benchmark and then ramped up. This should be easy enough to fix with future updates—likely within days, given how quickly Valve has been rolling out patches to improve the Steam Deck from the unfinished product it was when I first reviewed it to the polished experience it is today.
Since we’re focused on the new hardware, we won’t dive too deeply into what Valve has done with SteamOS recently, but their work on HDR and color management in Linux is just the tip of the iceberg. Once you manage to tear your eyes away from the new screen, you might notice the thumbsticks. To clarify, they’re not Hall Effect, but they do have a new texture and a slightly different profile that most people around the office seemed to prefer.
When asked why they didn’t opt for Hall Effect thumbsticks—something that seems like an obvious upgrade—Valve explained that they were ultimately unsatisfied with their reliability at this time. So, fingers crossed for the future, but not today.
As for other exterior tweaks, the button labels and the bases of the thumbsticks have different colors. The power button now sports a nice almost LTT orange, and the power LED is a WRGB diode, providing better feedback about your charge status. Additionally, the screws on the back of the device are now Torx instead of Phillips, which is a nice touch.
Beyond that, there aren’t many changes to the exterior, and it looks like the dimensions are identical to the original. This raises a big question: Will your original Steam Deck accessories still fit?
dbrand was eager to know, which makes sense given their line of work. We considered lending them a unit, but I thought, “Hey, I have the power in this relationship for once. Why not charge them to test it and do it on camera?” So, I took matters into my own hands.
I tried fitting the accessories, and everything seemed to line up perfectly. The Micro SD slot was fine, the rear and top buttons, as well as the LEDs, were all visible and accessible. Even the kill switch seemed to work, so it looks like their other accessories will fit just fine. If you don’t need the kickstand, there’s also their universal mount, which can hold pretty much anything you want to attach to your Steam Deck.
One thing that doesn’t fit as smoothly is the screen protector. Since it’s just a bezel reduction, the actual piece of glass is the same size. Applying it can be tricky, as I found out in a rush while on camera. They include two protectors, though, because they assume you’ll mess up the first one. In fact, dbrand’s notes suggest you don’t actually need to install it, probably because they knew I would screw it up in a hurry. A big thanks to dbrand for sending these over, though! Links will be in the description along with the new Steam Deck and everything else we feature.
At this point, you know everything you need to know as a consumer, but tinkerers will want to stay tuned because a lot more has changed inside than you might think. For instance, the screws now go into metal screw bosses instead of just the plastic housing, which is a big improvement if you plan to open your Deck multiple times, like for a storage upgrade.
Speaking of storage, Valve has made a concerted effort to reduce the number of different screw types, making repairs and modifications a more pleasant task. That said, intergenerational compatibility won’t be perfect. The motherboard has changed, and the daughter boards on both sides of the unit have been reshaped and redesigned. The thumbstick boards now have little “wings” (not sure what else to call them), which serve as mounting points for the shoulder button switches. This means that any third-party replacement joysticks will need to be redesigned before they’ll work in the new Steam Deck.
The battery is still glued in place, but Valve mentioned that they didn’t use excessive glue this time, making battery replacements a bit easier. The new model also features a dedicated DSP to offload some audio processing from the APU, with Valve claiming improvements in haptics, cleaner audio, better bass response, and improved stereo separation. While these upgrades aren’t revolutionary, they’re certainly welcome.
The cooling system looks similar to what we’ve seen in recent Steam Deck updates, but upon closer inspection, the mounting points have changed. There’s more open space under the shroud, and fewer components obstruct airflow. As a result, we noticed a significant reduction in fan noise, even with the system running cooler overall.
The APU still comes with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, but now it operates at 6400 MT/s, up from 5500 MT/s on the original, resulting in a substantial performance boost. The new custom Wi-Fi module also made a big difference, with real-world download speeds reaching 650 megabits per second on our Wi-Fi 6E network. This is a significant improvement, especially when downloading large games.
While the wireless module is still soldered down, Valve explained that this decision allowed them to create a specialized interface between the Wi-Fi module and the APU, moving the power circuitry to the main board and allowing a dedicated Bluetooth 5.3 antenna. The new Wi-Fi chip is also soldered further away from the M.2 SSD slot, which should reduce interference.
The storage lineup has been updated as well. The top-tier model now features 1TB of NVMe storage and retains the same anti-glare etching on the glass as the original. It also comes with a new two-part case, which is a convenient addition for those with limited space in their bags. The base model now offers 256GB of storage for the same price as before, providing a quadrupling of storage and a speed upgrade. However, this version still features the older LCD screen without the new improvements, so it’s probably best to avoid it for now. The mid-tier model, priced just $20 more than the previous generation, offers double the storage, all the new features, and great value. It lacks only the anti-glare coating and the two-part case, neither of which are dealbreakers.
There’s also a limited edition 1TB model with a transparent shell, but it’s so exclusive that Valve didn’t even let us borrow one, despite using our color scheme.
ROG Ally X Review
Hello everyone, it’s Spawnpoint, and today we’re getting hands-on with the ROG Ally X, a new handheld gaming console from Asus. It builds on the original Ally and brings several much-needed improvements. As you’d expect, you can play PC games, Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation games, and even use it for productivity, as it runs Windows 11.
At first glance, it might seem like just a simple color change from the original Ally, but there’s a lot more to it, which I’ll cover today. I’ll unbox it, highlight the main features, and compare it to the original Ally to see if it’s worth upgrading. From my first impressions, having used the original for the past year, this feels like a solid step up, especially with the increased battery size.
The retail box looks similar to the first Ally, though it’s now all blacked out. Inside, we find the Ally X itself, which looks fantastic in black. Beneath it is a 65W charger with a USB-C connection, though I also have a 140W charger to test. The new Ally X supports 100W fast charging, which is useful with the larger battery. Inside the compartment, there are two little cardboard stands that you can use for display purposes, either on either end or placed around your room.
Now, looking at the device, the design is clean with some subtle changes compared to the original. If you were waiting for a black Ally, this is a win. The usual ROG branding is present, including on the front, hand grips, and back. Even the vents are shaped like the ROG logo, but it doesn’t feel tacky or over the top. The overall design looks similar to the original, with slanted grips, vents on the front and bottom, and the signature A, B, X, and Y colors. However, this model feels noticeably more comfortable to hold.
The hand grips have been slightly enlarged and thickened for better ergonomics, and the edges are now more rounded. Comparing it to the original, it’s noticeably smoother around the grip area. The grip texture has also been updated to include tiny ROG logos, which adds a neat touch, similar to what we saw on the PS5’s DualSense controllers. Surprisingly, the Ally X is now heavier, weighing 678g instead of the original’s 608g. It’s not uncomfortable, but you do feel the difference when holding both side by side.
The buttons are familiar, with asymmetrical thumbsticks, but the caps are slightly tweaked, now more concave. The new texture gives them a more grippy feel, and they fit your thumbs perfectly. You may have noticed the RGB rings around the thumbsticks, which you can customize or turn off entirely. These thumbsticks are also now closer to the screen, something ROG claims improves the overall feel. They’ve also been made more durable, with a rating of 5 million rotations—double what the original had.
On the left side, the D-pad feels responsive, now with a matte finish on the center cross. It’s still an 8-way D-pad, but the corners have markers, making it easier to feel and identify each direction. The A, B, X, and Y buttons on the right are now larger, flatter, and more solid, with little to no movement when pressed. Here’s how they sound:
Across the top, there have been some changes. The power button is followed by a 3.5mm jack for wired headphones, and the microSD card slot has been relocated to improve performance, addressing some issues people had with the original Ally. There are also volume buttons and two USB-C ports: one is 3.2 with DisplayPort support, and the other is a Thunderbolt 4 port.
Lastly, the triggers and bumpers on the top are larger and easier to reach and press. From my testing, the bumpers have the same feel and sound as before, but they’re more accessible now.
Although, to be honest, the triggers are slightly louder. Here’s a quick comparison between the two, just to see if you can tell the difference. Around the back, there are two mappable rear buttons, which can be assigned to any button or macros of your choice. These buttons are smaller and have been moved slightly away from the hand grips, making them easier to press without accidentally hitting them while holding the device.
The screen on the Ally X remains a 7-inch, 1080p touchscreen with 120Hz support. While this is standard for handhelds, it would have been nice to see an OLED screen this time. That said, the display is sharp and bright, with a peak brightness of 500 nits, and the image quality is vibrant. It’s worth noting that the screen has a glossy finish, which may cause reflections in bright environments or outdoors, though the coating is dark enough to reduce reflections compared to other handhelds. Since it’s not an OLED, the viewing angles do suffer a bit when you’re off-center, but realistically, you’ll likely be using it straight on as a handheld device.
I won’t go through the entire setup process, as it’s pretty straightforward. You just need to accept the usual Windows prompts, sign in or create an account, and apply any required updates. There will also be updates for the Armoury Crate, but these are usually prompted automatically. After that, it’s a matter of signing into your gaming apps like Steam or Xbox Cloud, and you’re all set. Plus, if you already own an Ally, you can transfer your settings over via cloud backup and share your Steam games from one device to another without needing to redownload them.
When it comes to gaming, the Ally X really impresses. I was happy with the original Ally last year and didn’t have performance complaints, but this model is even better. It still uses the same processor, the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, but now comes with 24GB of RAM instead of just 16GB. This means games that previously struggled or stuttered run smoothly on the X. Combine that with the 120Hz screen and VRR, and games look stunning.
Over the past week, I tested several games, and the performance blew me away. For example, in Cyberpunk, a game that can sometimes stutter during fast driving or panning around the city, the Ally X handled it smoothly. With the FPS counter enabled in the command center, I saw it running at around 60 to 70 FPS out of the box in turbo mode. When plugged in, it jumped to around 90 FPS.
I also tested Forza Horizon 4, which I prefer over Horizon 5, and it maintained a steady 60 FPS without stuttering. There were occasional dropped frames, but nothing noticeable. The same goes for Spider-Man Remastered. Despite trying to make it stutter, there were only a few dropped frames, which again weren’t significant. This is using the same processor as the original Ally, but with much better performance—getting around 60 to 70 FPS on battery and 70 to 80 FPS when plugged in.
All the games I’m testing are through Steam, where I play most of my PC games. However, there’s also the option to use cloud gaming services like Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now, meaning you can play these games without needing to download them.
In terms of controller feel, the thumbsticks are tighter and firmer, which is always a good thing, especially since they are full-sized. If I had to compare them to another controller, I’d say they’re on par with the PS5’s DualSense. The triggers are equipped with Hall sensors, making them highly precise and responsive. Even a light touch will trigger an instant response, which is perfect for FPS games. The magnetic sensors also reduce wear over time, and as mentioned earlier, the triggers are larger, making them more comfortable to press. Both the triggers and thumbsticks can be adjusted in the settings, allowing you to tweak the curvature and dead zones. However, out of the box, they feel perfectly fine.
Another feature I really appreciate on the Ally X is the built-in haptics. Whether you’re driving or firing a weapon, you can feel the rumble in the controller. It also includes a 6-axis gyro for games that support it. From a gaming perspective, the Ally X exceeds my expectations. It runs faster, smoother, and feels better to hold. Asus has taken the original Ally and improved almost every aspect that we asked for.
In terms of storage, the Ally X now comes with a 1TB SSD, doubling the previous 512GB. Plus, with an SD card slot supporting SD, SDXC, and SDHC cards, you can easily expand the storage further. What’s more, the Ally X is serviceable, so you can open it up and swap the 1TB SSD for up to an 8TB SSD. To do this, simply remove six screws from the back, pop off the case, and slide out the NVMe SSD to replace it.
The Ally X is running a full install of Windows 11, meaning it essentially acts as a full gaming PC or laptop in the palm of your hands. The possibilities are endless in terms of what you can install and use it for. Of course, this also means you’ll need to manage updates and drivers as you would with any PC or laptop. Fortunately, the Command Center and Armoury Crate UIs keep everything looking fresh and organized.
Although the Ally runs Windows 11, you’ll likely use the Armoury Crate most of the time. It’s a quick launcher that consolidates all your installed games and apps in one place. This interface has been visually updated and can be accessed anytime by tapping the Armoury Crate button on the right side of the screen. I’ve installed Steam and Game Pass, but any Windows-based game launcher, including the Epic Games Store, will work. You can even install the PlayStation Remote Play app to access your PS5. Just a note: while you can use the built-in controls to navigate the dashboard, once you’re in a game, you’ll need to connect a DualSense controller via the USB-C port. This isn’t a limitation of the Ally; it’s a requirement of the PS Remote Play app.
By tapping the View button, you can also change the display layout of your games. You can customize the library to show your games either horizontally or vertically.
Here’s how it used to look on the original Ally. However, I think the horizontal layout looks much cleaner. You can also adjust the positioning of the thumbnails to the top, middle, or bottom, and change their size. Additionally, you can choose whether or not to display the background image and control how blurred it appears. If you’re not satisfied with the default game art, you can upload your own.
In the settings, you have full control over the operating mode, allowing you to switch between Silent, Performance, and Turbo modes, or manually adjust the settings yourself. You can also view the console’s performance, including CPU and GPU stats. Furthermore, you can enable or disable certain GPU options based on the games you’re playing, either at the console level or for individual games. The “Game Visual” section lets you adjust screen settings like brightness and color temperature. There’s also a lighting option for the RGB lights around the thumbsticks.
Overall, the Armoury Crate remains largely the same as before, offering great customization and settings. The Command Center, which can be accessed by pressing the button to the left of the screen, provides a quick menu for controlling things like brightness, operating mode (Turbo, Silent, or Performance), controller modes, and game profiles. You can also adjust the FPS limiter and enable features like the FPS counter, which displays GPU, CPU, and FPS data for each game. The overlay can be moved around the screen and customized as needed. You can also edit the Command Center by adding or removing options from the Armoury Crate.
Regarding the speakers, ROG has claimed that they’ve been improved and are louder than before. Honestly, I haven’t noticed a significant difference, but they do provide decent sound since they are front-firing. If you prefer, you can also use wired or wireless headphones. For example, I tested it with my AirPods Max, and they worked perfectly.
In terms of cooling, the Ally X has been improved. The heat pipes are thicker, enhancing cooling, and there are two fans to improve airflow. The size of the fans has been reduced by nearly 25%, and they’re 50% thinner. Despite this, the system doesn’t run any louder, although you will hear the fans when it’s in Turbo mode.
One major change with the Ally X is the battery capacity, which has been doubled from 40Wh to 80Wh. This theoretically means it will last twice as long as before. To test this, I fully charged the device and used it continuously in Turbo mode, playing a mix of Cyberpunk, Ratchet & Clank, and Spider-Man.
By the end of my testing, I managed to get around 2 hours of gameplay in Turbo mode, which is double what I got with the original Ally. In the first 30 minutes, it used just 20%, and after 1 hour, it had used 43%. After 2 hours and 10 minutes, the battery was nearly empty. For me, that’s decent and what I would expect. Lowering the operating mode to Performance would extend the battery life even further, but of course, this depends on the games you’re playing.
The Ally-X now supports 100W fast charging, up from 65W, although it comes with a 65W charger in the box. I tested it with a 140W power supply, and it charged from empty to full in about 60 minutes. I also tried charging it with my Ugreen power bank, which pulled around 70-80W, which is great. The screen even shows the wattage it’s receiving, so you can track the charge speed.
The Ally-X is clearly a gaming device. It can handle anything you throw at it, but since it’s running Windows 11, it’s essentially a portable gaming PC or laptop. You can run all your games, but it also supports Windows apps like photo or video editing software, Office 365, and more. You can connect a keyboard and mouse and hook it up to a monitor via the Thunderbolt 4 port, transforming it into a powerful workstation. During the day, you can use it as part of your desk setup, and when you’re ready, unplug it for gaming on the go. It’s the best of both worlds.
So, is the Ally-X worth buying? If you’re looking for a handheld console that lets you play your PC games, Xbox titles, and even remote play on your PS5, while also offering the flexibility of a Windows OS for more than just gaming, then the Ally-X is a great option. If you already own the original Ally and are wondering if it’s worth the extra £200 for the X, it depends on whether the additional features matter to you—like the bigger battery, the all-black design, the 1TB storage, and the improved ergonomics. You’re definitely getting a lot of extras for the price, and it feels like a solid step up.
However, if I’m being honest, if you can find the original Ally on sale, it’s still an incredible console and definitely worth buying.
So, there you have it—the new 2024 Ally-X from ROG.
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