The Steam Deck has indisputably been one of the most game-changing consoles of our time. The Nintendo Switch may have started it all, but the Steam Deck truly pushed gaming handhelds into the mainstream. It packs a punch and can run almost all of your favorite titles in a compact, handheld form factor. Once it became popular, other players entered the market, trying to replicate its success. From Asus and Lenovo to Nintendo and Logitech, there are many Steam Deck alternatives worth a look.
FYI: wondering what to play on the go? Take a look at the best Steam Deck games you just can’t miss.
Asus ROG Ally
Logitech G Cloud
Ayaneo Air Pro
Lenovo Legion Go
Nintendo Switch OLED
Our Criteria
When choosing a handheld game console that can rival – or at least emulate – the Steam Deck, you need to be picky. While there’s no lack of options in the gaming handheld space, not everything deserves your attention.
Performance
What’s powering your handheld console obviously comes first. This includes primarily the processor, graphics, and RAM. While most handhelds ship with 16GB RAM at minimum, the differences often come down to the processor and graphical prowess.
Display
The display is another major factor when choosing handhelds, as your gaming experience hinges on it. 720p displays are fine for the handheld form factor, but you can also find FHD, QHD, and OLED displays on many devices.
Portability
It’s a game console you take with you, so weight and size are key. Most of the handhelds clock in at under two pounds. And the biggest of them can go up to almost nine inches in screen size. But there are lightweight and compact options available, too.
Design and Features
The design of the device determines the comfort, as well as the degree of fun you’ll get out of it. Does it have easy-to-use controls and removable controllers? Is it sleek? Does it have a dock and USB-C ports? The features play a part in the experience.
Battery Life
Handheld battery life isn’t great. Typical battery life on a handheld ranges from 2 hours (max performance) to 10 hours (light games). Among the best options, which ones deliver the most juice for your portable gaming sessions?
Tip: struggling to make your gaming sessions last? Learn how to improve battery life on your Steam Deck.
User Experience
Lastly, the operating system determines the usability of a gaming handheld, and not every OS is built the same. From Windows 11 to proprietary operating systems, there are multiple ways to customize your user experience.
Good to know: want some DIY tips for your Steam Deck? Check out these Steam Deck mods to try for free.
Best Steam Deck Alternatives Buying Guide
The Steam Deck came out in early 2022 and disrupted the handheld game console market. Despite the Nintendo Switch having existed for five years before any signs of the Steam Deck, it hadn’t made a big splash in the mainstream gaming community.
While the Switch had tons of excellent and beloved Nintendo titles, the Steam Deck had the full might of the Steam store and the PC gaming community behind it. It exploded in popularity, and consequently, gave rise to several other players launching their own gaming handhelds.
While Valve uses Linux-based SteamOS on the Steam Deck, almost every Steam Deck alternative on our list uses Windows 11, with an Android-based option also present. Besides big names like Asus and Lenovo, others like Onexplayer, Ayaneo, Razer, GPD, and Logitech have also carved out a niche for themselves.
Tip: need a bigger display for your handheld? Check out the best portable gaming monitors.
Best Overall Pick: Asus ROG Ally
Among the many Windows-based gaming handhelds, the Asus ROG Ally is the best Steam Deck alternative. It excels in performance, thanks to the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, has a super-bright 120Hz Full HD display, and comes with a great, gamer-focused design. The optional Asus Armory Crate interface transforms the UI from a full Windows 11 experience to a more manageable one.
The ROG Ally was one of the first Steam Deck alternatives and still remains in the top spot, due to its stable operation and features: fingerprint reader, haptic feedback, curved sides and shoulder buttons, comfortable ABXY buttons, and grippy texture. Battery life during gaming could be better, but this is still one of the greatest gaming handhelds on the market.
FYI: check out our Asus ROG Ally vs. Steam Deck guide to learn more about how the two compare.
Best Overall Value: Logitech G Cloud
The Logitech G Cloud might be an Android-based device, but there’s a lot you can do with it, especially for its affordable price. This cloud gaming handheld allows you to stream your Steam games on a 7-inch Full HD screen, and its biggest strength (other than price) is its impressive battery life of around 12 hours. You can also play AAA titles using Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce NOW.
As an Android device, it allows you to play any games from the Play Store, and you can also emulate older games. It might not be as powerful as some other handhelds on this list, but that allows it to be super portable and comfortable to use. The design feels premium, and the excellent battery life provides hours of uninterrupted fun.
Good to know: need more emulation? Take a look at the best handheld consoles for emulation.
Best Lightweight: Ayaneo Air Pro
Returning to Windows handhelds, the Ayaneo Air Pro is a unique beast: it packs an 8-core AMD processor in a lightweight, thin form factor. Besides the impressive feat of stuffing such performance in a compact and comfortable design, the Air Pro also runs quiet and comes with a lot of CPU, RAM, and storage variants.
The AMD 6-core CPU variant is only slightly heavier than the compact Nintendo Switch, and you can really feel that in the Air Pro’s design. The 1080p OLED display looks crisp and bright, much better than the Steam Deck’s LCD screen. You need to pay a premium for the super-compact build, but the impressive performance and user-friendly controls can justify it for many gamers. Ayaneo’s updated Air 1S has better specs but also a hefty price bump, while the Air Pro is better for most gamers.
Best Design: Lenovo Legion Go
The Lenovo Legion Go is similar to the Asus ROG Ally in performance and core specs, but it’s also very different. What sets it apart from all Windows handhelds is its removable controllers and massive 8.8-inch, 165Hz, Quad HD+ screen. You can use the controllers wirelessly, plus the scroll wheel and other buttons on the right controller make it much like using a mouse. There’s even a kickstand for enjoying movies on the gorgeous screen.
The AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor takes care of the top-tier performance, while the RAM and storage configurations are as expected. Frankly, if it weren’t for its hefty build and inconsistent software, this would have been our top pick. Despite its issues, though, the Legion Go is a fantastic piece of tech, and if you want the absolute best display and Switch-like controllers, there’s really nothing like it.
Best for Nintendo Fans: Nintendo Switch OLED
If you aren’t really into PC gaming, then the Nintendo Switch OLED is probably the best Steam Deck alternative for you. The one to start it all comes in a gorgeous OLED variant now, and its first- and third-party games roster remains solid. After all, there’s no alternative to the best Nintendo Switch games, such as the Mario, Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon franchises.
The Switch OLED is sleeker and more beautiful than ever, and the Joy-Cons, as always, are a treat to use. You can switch to the dock for a bigger screen experience, and the performance combined with the minimalist OS works great for Nintendo’s first-party library, as well as third-party games like The Witcher 3, Monster Hunter Rise, Doom Eternal, Fortnite, Rocket League, and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
Tip: want to stream your games from your PC to your handheld? Check out Steam Remote Play.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do these alternative devices differ from the Steam Deck?
While almost all of these Steam Deck alternatives share design cues with the Steam Deck, they use Windows instead of SteamOS and bring certain usability features of their own, such as removable controllers or ergonomic controls.
How does the price of Steam Deck compare to its alternatives?
The Steam Deck comes in three variants: the 256GB LCD, 512GB OLED, and 1TB OLED. The price of these models ranges from $399 to $649. The Steam Deck alternatives on our list range from $299 for the cloud gaming-focused Logitech G Cloud to the $699 ROG Ally and Legion Go.
What chipset does the Steam Deck and its alternatives use?
The Steam Deck runs a custom 4-core AMD Zen 2 CPU, while its most popular alternatives, like the Asus ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go, ship with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme CPU, which is an 8-core Zen 4 processor. Hence, the Steam Deck alternatives pack a lot more power than Valve’s portable PC.
Image credit: Unsplash
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