In the last week I picked up a mint condition steam deck LDD 256 for £250 pounds. Loved it, so went out and ordered an Ally X which I received yesterday. Both excellent devices. The Deck is magical for indies, whilst the Ally chews up those more more demanding titles. Obviously its a Windows system so the initial setup is a pain, but once up and running the thing is epic!!
I'm really glad FOMO doesnt control me, I got a Steam Deck on sale and that's all I need or could ask for. These things aren't the next generation of gaming, they're just fun to play in bed and maybe on the road on a rare occasion.
lol they 100 percent are the next generation lolol everybody got kids and shit now bro.. this is a win. I don’t have time to sit at my desk and play on my rig anymore haha this keeps me with the fam and they’re only gonna get more powerful.
@@cameronphelps6740Agreed. I got a decent gaming rig but no time to sit and play it because of work,fam, social life… These handhelds are great and are the future
Disagree my dude, these powerful consoles/ handheld hybrids are the future. Some of us with more responsibilities still want to play and getting s handheld now that can handle AA or AAA titles is amazing. Steam deck is awesome too, but I don’t play much indies, so Ally X it is for now.
I got extreme FOMO for the Ally x. Had the steam deck oled, Sold it for the Ally. Been happy with the Ally but more battery would be nice. 2-10 hours with the Ally X is amazing. And I’m one of the few that don’t see Linux and steam os as an advantage. Having a portable pc is much more attractive to me
Same here, I don't like Linux either. I prefer Windows all day. To be frank, I don't see any problems with Windows-maybe people just exaggerate. The versatility and the ability to install anything without limitations are all I need. I don't want to be locked to one platform or worry if a game will work on my device or not. Playing my games on Epic, Steam, and Gamepass is a breeze that game pass saves me a lot of money.
@@nathanjuan6042 it’s exaggerated. Windows is in by no means perfect or good on a 7 inch screen. But for the most part if you stay inside armoury crate or big picture mode then it’s no problems.
Love the Ally, I prefer their Operating system, i sold it because the screen size. Was worried the legion go was going to be to big, I find it perfect for my needs. I play it in hotels when I travel. Works for my needs. I hope the Ally-2 gives an option for a bigger screen.
Yup we were on G4 for a long time but The Electric Playground preceded G4. We launched in ‘97 and I’ve been covering games since ‘95. You have SO MUCH content to get caught up on. ❤️👊🏻
@EPN i remember it on tech tv with you and tommy. I loved tech tv before g4 kind of did away with all the good programming and restructured the staples from tech tv.
I think it like this, Deck oled - what should of been released when it first came out. Ally X - What Asus should of brought out when it first came out.
I don't have much FOMO when it comes to tech. I only adopted the PS5 last year and I'm still waiting for modern gaming handhelds to get a little more powerful before I buy one. I'm still using a 2022 Legion 5i as my main gaming platform (Steam + EGS + multiple emulators) I mean Strix Point/890M based handhelds should be out pretty soon right? On par with or close to an RTX 3050 mobile chip. Could be what the next Steam Deck's APU is based on. And then there's the Strix Halo APUs with the highest SKU reportedly being close to a 4070m. That's crazy amounts of power that could be offered in handhelds or at least in sub 1000 dollar thin and light laptops. Stronger than the full wattage 3060 on my laptop. That'll be when I actually get FOMO about handhelds. As of now, I'm just liking the idea of PC tech moving towards being more portable. I went from gaming desktop towers to gaming laptops. Once handhelds have the power I want out of them, I'll jump to them.
The FOMO i get is when the device is new....and i see the mods that i can perform. Agreed on all points about the unit structure - feels more comfortable when holding and gaming. I also experienced that creaky D-Pad sound as well which was really annoying at times - reminds me of how clicky some Xbox controllers can be. I feel like the Ally X is more or less the final form of the first unit - this should have been the launch model but instead its the Pro model. For that price, the absence of an OLED is criminal as to me that would push me to the Ally X over the SteamDeck OLED. Handhelds need to have OLED standard going forward - yes i know thats a price point hit for sure. Now the real question: Does it run Doom??
@@TheEverLastingRose it will arrive tomorrow. For my use case (i'll play it plugged in mostly) and for Metroidvania stuff, it will be fine. I won't likely play AAA stuff on it Plus i can use steam, gamepass, epic, ubi, ea launchers
Having too many games to choose from is why i don't subscribe to gamepass. The few times when i did have it i ended up playing 1 or 2 games at the most and that was when they had just over 300 games to choose from...now they have over 500 and growing. I felt like i was wasting my money.😄
I agree that too much storage is the true Netflix of gaming. You spend so much time looking at what you could play that you play nothing. That’s why the dreaded back catalogue exists. You buy a game new. But play something else.
Haven’t played around with that one yet but I’ll ask the Lenovo folks to send me the next system they make. Getting very interesting all of this competition!
Tbh, the ally was better than competitors, but a) itc has inherent hardware fault, b); it's battery life was rubbish, especially at anything other than 15w, and it could also throttle at that tdp, c) windows and no track pads, d) no oled screen e) Asus warranty issues. x is better in most respects, but still doesn't address C, D and E. I was very close to buying it, bu not oled screen and being unable to trust Asus meant I decided to go for oled deck and will just use chiaki for my AAA games. This is a portable device and I don't necessarily want to play the more cinematic type experience games on a small screen.
Steam doesn’t make any money on the steamdecks at all, they make their money off digital sales. If they weren’t steam the steam deck would be atleast 600$
@@Peatore no but it does mean valve will always just give customers the bare minimum something just good enough but will never make a product for people that have the money for something better.
Bought a steam deck oled and ended up returning it for an ally x. I just couldn’t deal with the performance. The OLED screen is nice, but comes at the sacrifice of fps and resolution. You couldn’t pay me to go back.
steam deck is still better for the native steam OS, so the X isn't entirely better. plus it's only like the improved battery over the original Ally, so it's not really worth the upgrade, and paying a shit load more.
Anyone buying an Asus product should consider the Gamer's Nexus report. I can't support them for how they have treated their customers even if they SAY they are changing things. They have said a lot of words in the past as well.
I tried the Ally X and just didn't like it as much as my Steam Deck OLED. Didn't like the Windows experience and the screen pales in comparison to the 7.4" OLED on the SD.
Absolutely not saying you're opinion isn't valid or that you're wrong but since so many of these changes were made on the new device because of community feedback I'm going to go ahead and say that anybody that enjoyed the white color more was definitely the minority lol
Fully agree. I held off on the Ally specifically becuase i didn’t want it in white, where it would look dirty / dingey after awhile. I’ll definitely pick up an Ally X.
Appreciate your perspectives for different types of users. Thanks Vic
❤️
Holy shit electronic playground is back? Since when? ❤ I used to watch reviews on the run and EP everyday
Dude you have so much to get caught up on! :) ❤️
In the last week I picked up a mint condition steam deck LDD 256 for £250 pounds. Loved it, so went out and ordered an Ally X which I received yesterday. Both excellent devices. The Deck is magical for indies, whilst the Ally chews up those more more demanding titles. Obviously its a Windows system so the initial setup is a pain, but once up and running the thing is epic!!
I'm really glad FOMO doesnt control me, I got a Steam Deck on sale and that's all I need or could ask for. These things aren't the next generation of gaming, they're just fun to play in bed and maybe on the road on a rare occasion.
lol they 100 percent are the next generation lolol everybody got kids and shit now bro.. this is a win. I don’t have time to sit at my desk and play on my rig anymore haha this keeps me with the fam and they’re only gonna get more powerful.
@@cameronphelps6740Agreed. I got a decent gaming rig but no time to sit and play it because of work,fam, social life… These handhelds are great and are the future
Or at work on night shift
@@cameronphelps6740 I wouldn't know mate I hangout with my family when I'm around them. I don't have kids though, not a necessity just another FOMO.
Disagree my dude, these powerful consoles/ handheld hybrids are the future. Some of us with more responsibilities still want to play and getting s handheld now that can handle AA or AAA titles is amazing. Steam deck is awesome too, but I don’t play much indies, so Ally X it is for now.
Got mine yesterday! This is the one to get! Dual booting windows and steam os.
I got extreme FOMO for the Ally x. Had the steam deck oled, Sold it for the Ally. Been happy with the Ally but more battery would be nice. 2-10 hours with the Ally X is amazing. And I’m one of the few that don’t see Linux and steam os as an advantage. Having a portable pc is much more attractive to me
Same here, I don't like Linux either. I prefer Windows all day. To be frank, I don't see any problems with Windows-maybe people just exaggerate. The versatility and the ability to install anything without limitations are all I need. I don't want to be locked to one platform or worry if a game will work on my device or not. Playing my games on Epic, Steam, and Gamepass is a breeze that game pass saves me a lot of money.
@@nathanjuan6042 it’s exaggerated. Windows is in by no means perfect or good on a 7 inch screen. But for the most part if you stay inside armoury crate or big picture mode then it’s no problems.
I’m selling my Ally and sticking with the SD OLED until Ally 2 or SD2 comes out.
Valve is smart they will made steam deck 2 after the ww3 finished unlik asus will lose everything
Miss this voice lol used to watch u every day after school when u were on with tommy. Glad ur r still going strong
Thanks for watching today and all the days! :)
Love the Ally, I prefer their Operating system, i sold it because the screen size. Was worried the legion go was going to be to big, I find it perfect for my needs. I play it in hotels when I travel. Works for my needs. I hope the Ally-2 gives an option for a bigger screen.
I'm having a blast with my x. Fsr 3 is a game changer for this handheld. I'm blown away by the performance
Is this the same show from G4TV? I remember the show when I was a teenager 💯
Yup we were on G4 for a long time but The Electric Playground preceded G4. We launched in ‘97 and I’ve been covering games since ‘95. You have SO MUCH content to get caught up on. ❤️👊🏻
@EPN i remember it on tech tv with you and tommy. I loved tech tv before g4 kind of did away with all the good programming and restructured the staples from tech tv.
@@EPN wow thanks didn't know
Yep! I've been watching Victor's content for 20 years!
I'm sticking with my original Ally for now. I agree I LOVE the white.
Love the white on the og ally. Gotta ride with it until new soc/ chipset is released . Steam deck oled is amazing as well.
I can't believe gaming has gotten to this point its amazing. AAA games in your hands.
I think it like this, Deck oled - what should of been released when it first came out. Ally X - What Asus should of brought out when it first came out.
Hi there! What kind of laptop would u compare it to, performance wise
I don't have much FOMO when it comes to tech. I only adopted the PS5 last year and I'm still waiting for modern gaming handhelds to get a little more powerful before I buy one. I'm still using a 2022 Legion 5i as my main gaming platform (Steam + EGS + multiple emulators)
I mean Strix Point/890M based handhelds should be out pretty soon right? On par with or close to an RTX 3050 mobile chip. Could be what the next Steam Deck's APU is based on.
And then there's the Strix Halo APUs with the highest SKU reportedly being close to a 4070m. That's crazy amounts of power that could be offered in handhelds or at least in sub 1000 dollar thin and light laptops. Stronger than the full wattage 3060 on my laptop.
That'll be when I actually get FOMO about handhelds. As of now, I'm just liking the idea of PC tech moving towards being more portable. I went from gaming desktop towers to gaming laptops. Once handhelds have the power I want out of them, I'll jump to them.
Yeah I need this on white.
The FOMO i get is when the device is new....and i see the mods that i can perform. Agreed on all points about the unit structure - feels more comfortable when holding and gaming. I also experienced that creaky D-Pad sound as well which was really annoying at times - reminds me of how clicky some Xbox controllers can be. I feel like the Ally X is more or less the final form of the first unit - this should have been the launch model but instead its the Pro model. For that price, the absence of an OLED is criminal as to me that would push me to the Ally X over the SteamDeck OLED. Handhelds need to have OLED standard going forward - yes i know thats a price point hit for sure. Now the real question: Does it run Doom??
I was totally trying to tell myself i needed the Ally X, but Best Buy had the Legion Go for $350 less and no backorder, so i bit on the Legion Go
Is it worth it I’m in between them right now
@@TheEverLastingRose it will arrive tomorrow. For my use case (i'll play it plugged in mostly) and for Metroidvania stuff, it will be fine. I won't likely play AAA stuff on it
Plus i can use steam, gamepass, epic, ubi, ea launchers
Nice review
Recording was always possible on fhe steam deck.
But recently became an official feateure.
I have been holding back because of the reviews I i have read.
Man do I love hi fi rush I should really get back into it I've been too consumed by forza horizon 4 and hitman Absolution 🤣
Think all these devices are awesome. Just the price points on some hold me back.
How does Destiny 2 perform? I want to get the X just for that game lol
Performs great! This is a really solid handheld PC. Pricy but impressive!
Having too many games to choose from is why i don't subscribe to gamepass. The few times when i did have it i ended up playing 1 or 2 games at the most and that was when they had just over 300 games to choose from...now they have over 500 and growing. I felt like i was wasting my money.😄
I agree that too much storage is the true Netflix of gaming. You spend so much time looking at what you could play that you play nothing. That’s why the dreaded back catalogue exists. You buy a game new. But play something else.
Yeah it’s interesting. I sort my games by release date and I rarely travel down to play the old stuff if the stack is too large!
Have they solved the problem of sd cards getting damaged or overheating?
Can anyone answer me?
The SD card is in a completely different location now. I think Asus were very conscious that they did not make that mistake again.
@@Robaylesbury Great!Thanks.
No more overheating or sd damaged...
Legion go is the best
Haven’t played around with that one yet but I’ll ask the Lenovo folks to send me the next system they make. Getting very interesting all of this competition!
You should. Software is better on the Ally, but the Go innovates more and has a perfect size screen. @@EPN
Tbh, the ally was better than competitors, but a) itc has inherent hardware fault, b); it's battery life was rubbish, especially at anything other than 15w, and it could also throttle at that tdp, c) windows and no track pads, d) no oled screen e) Asus warranty issues.
x is better in most respects, but still doesn't address C, D and E.
I was very close to buying it, bu not oled screen and being unable to trust Asus meant I decided to go for oled deck and will just use chiaki for my AAA games.
This is a portable device and I don't necessarily want to play the more cinematic type experience games on a small screen.
For the price, it should be better
Steam doesn’t make any money on the steamdecks at all, they make their money off digital sales. If they weren’t steam the steam deck would be atleast 600$
@@StopJerkingOff That doesn't change anything for the value proposition on the consumer side
@@Peatore no but it does mean valve will always just give customers the bare minimum something just good enough but will never make a product for people that have the money for something better.
I love it the Ally X so far, but it would be nice if they either added a bigger OLED screen
@@StopJerkingOff Right, at a lower price point
Would you sell your OLED Steam Deck and old ROG ally z1 for the new Ally X? Lol. Thoughts anyone?
og ally z1e was already better than the deck honestly but the X is by far the best handheld out right now
GO VIC GO
Bought a steam deck oled and ended up returning it for an ally x. I just couldn’t deal with the performance. The OLED screen is nice, but comes at the sacrifice of fps and resolution. You couldn’t pay me to go back.
steam deck is still better for the native steam OS, so the X isn't entirely better. plus it's only like the improved battery over the original Ally, so it's not really worth the upgrade, and paying a shit load more.
You have got to be kidding me. 800 dollars?? People can barely pay their bills out there or afford a fucking house.
Anyone buying an Asus product should consider the Gamer's Nexus report. I can't support them for how they have treated their customers even if they SAY they are changing things. They have said a lot of words in the past as well.
So it's basically the rog ally steam deck OLED edition a bigger screen and better battery life all for a steeper price nice 🤣
Im still using windows 7 :emofdr:
I tried the Ally X and just didn't like it as much as my Steam Deck OLED. Didn't like the Windows experience and the screen pales in comparison to the 7.4" OLED on the SD.
even normal ally is better as the deck 😂😂😂
My D-pad doesn't squeak at all. I think yours is defective.. 😉
My pre ordered system just came in. Setting that up now! Listening for squeaks. :)
What's more "flexible" than Windows?
SteamOS is limited, that's the opposite of "Flexible."
Linux is pretty flexible. Both systems can be tweaked like crazy.
@@EPN a notepad and marker is flexible. But we're talking gamming here. Windows is far more flexible when it comes to gamming than ANY other OS.
If u want a different design, just skin it
@800$ I hope so.
No thanks. I will wait for Nintendo Switch 2.
Absolutely not saying you're opinion isn't valid or that you're wrong but since so many of these changes were made on the new device because of community feedback I'm going to go ahead and say that anybody that enjoyed the white color more was definitely the minority lol
Fully agree. I held off on the Ally specifically becuase i didn’t want it in white, where it would look dirty / dingey after awhile. I’ll definitely pick up an Ally X.
Boomer review
Smartest comment 2024, hope u run for president one day