Best Steam Deck Alternatives In 2024

Our picks for the best Steam Deck alternatives in 2024

The Asus ROG Ally was the first major response to the Steam Deck, and a great one at that. With better specs across the board and a more compact design, the Asus ROG Ally is an excellent gaming handheld, and it remains the best Steam Deck alternative overall.

One of the most compelling factors right from the get-go is performance. The Ally is powered by AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Series of processors, with up to 12 AMD RDNA 3 compute units, which makes it significantly more power than Valve’s handheld if you opt for the Z1 Extreme model (which you should). It will not only power through light indie titles without working up a sweat, but it’s great for AAA games, too. Excellent thermal design, which includes dual fans and thin heatsinks, makes the Ally one of the coolest yet quietest high-end handhelds, even at full power.

In our tests, we played games like Grand Theft Auto V, Hadesand Outer Wilds — and all of these were playable at sensible settings between 90-120 FPS. What’s more, there’s no need to worry about certain games not being compatible because the Ally is powered by Windows 11. Unlike Steam Deck, it plays nicely with anticheat software, so you can enjoy Call of Duty, Fortnite, EA FCand just about everything else.

Of course, there are some downsides to that. We find Windows can be a bit troublesome on the Ally’s small screen, especially as there is no touchpad for navigation, but Asus has improved the overall software experience since the Ally’s launch. It’s still not quite perfect — and certainly not as polished as SteamOS — but it’s not going to ruin your gaming experience.

Another great aspect of the ROG Ally is its display. Unlike the Steam Deck, which has a 16:10 aspect ratio screen, the ROG Ally has a traditional 16:9 FHD screen, with a faster 120Hz refresh rate and VRR support. This should make gaming feel super smooth, without having to deal with a letterbox when playing games.

Finally, the design is more gaming-like than the Steam Deck. You still get features like the microSD card port, but other things like a fingerprint reader, curved shoulder buttons, support for haptic feedback, comfortable macro keys, curved sides, flat-dome ABXY buttons, and a slip-resistant texture.

If you want something that’s truly better than the Steam Deck, you have to opt for the Ryzen Z1 Extreme model, which is fairly expensive, but you’ll be having a fantastic experience.

The Lenovo Legion Go is, in theory, better than the Asus ROG Ally. Lenovo entered the space with a larger, but more versatile handheld with some genius design decisions that make this an excellent handheld for all kinds of players. But it does have some downsides.

Inside the Legion Go is the same AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme you’ll find in the top-tier Asus ROG Ally, and that means you get similar overall performance, barring any differences in cooling. You also get 16GB of RAM and at least 512GB of storage, so you should be all set for a great experience. In our review, we found numerous performance issues that stopped some games from being a pleasant experience, but Lenovo has made big improvements to its software since then, and the Go is much better for it.

The Legion Go shines in every other aspect, too. The display is a beautiful, 8.8-inch panel with Quad HD+ resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. For simpler games, you can use that full resolution and refresh rate to get a beautiful gaming experience, and with 100% coverage of DCI-P3, this is also a fantastic screen for watching movies and other content. Its larger size and integrated touchpad make navigating Windows 11 a lot easier, too.

But what really helps the Legion Go stand out is its design, which features detachable controllers similar to the Nintendo Switch. You can use these attached to the console or wirelessly, and Lenovo included a few neat tricks, like a scroll wheel, optical sensor, and special buttons on the right controller that allow it to be used as a regular mouse. It’s ingenious, and it makes you wonder why no one else has done it. If you don’t need controllers at all, you can remove them and use the Legion Go just like a tablet, and there’s even a built-in kickstand which is great for kicking back with a movie.

If it weren’t for some lingering software issues that still need to be addressed, this would easily be the top recommendation here, but we’re erring on the side of caution by putting the ROG Ally at the top. However, if you like the idea of a larger screen, a more versatile design, and a microSD card reader that’s likely to be much more reliable over time, the Legion Go won’t disappoint.

If all you want to do is stream games from your PC, console, or from the cloud, and you don’t want to spend a lot to do it, the Logitech G Cloud is a solid option. It sacrifices a few luxuries to hit its affordable price point, but it’s got a great design, it’s super portable, and it runs a version of Android that makes it compatible with all game streaming services.

One of the strengths of this device is definitely the overall form factor. The G Cloud is a much more compact and lightweight handheld when compared to the Steam Deck, which makes it great for long-term use. It also feels more premium than other lower-cost handhelds, with decent controls and all the inputs you’ll need to play almost any game.

Performance is not the best given the G Cloud’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset, which is a noticeable step down from the G3x Gen 1 in devices like the Razer Edge. Still, for cloud gaming and simpler Android emulators, this does the job just fine, and it gives you something most other handhelds don’t have: excellent battery life. While the Steam Deck OLED has a larger, 50Wh battery compared to Logitech’s 23.1Wh battery, the Steam Deck has a power-hungry, laptop-grade APU inside it, so you’ll get 5-6 hours of battery life on average. But you can get more than 12 hours on the G Cloud.

Don’t expect to download the latest AAA titles on the G Cloud, but if you want to enjoy cloud gaming services, older games through Android emulation, or just games on the Google Play Store, the G Cloud might be an option worth considering.

Of course, we couldn’t have this list without the device that basically started it all. The Nintendo Switch launched back in 2017 and is still a great device, but here, we’re specifically recommending the OLED model because it has some great upgrades that make it by far the best option.

Performance isn’t what the Switch excels at, with its older Tegra X1+ chipset no match for the silicon found inside the Steam Deck and its latest rivals. But since games tend to be optimized specifically for this hardware, you don’t have to worry about performance as much as you would with other devices on this list. And part of the reason we’re recommending the OLED model is the upgraded storage at 64GB instead of 32GB.

The Nintendo Switch OLED model is also noteworthy because it’s significantly smaller and lighter than most of its competitors, including the Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally. Yet, it still has detachable controllers, great battery life, and a kickstand to prop the system up. Its portability and versatility are big selling points. Plus, those controllers include motion controls, rumble, and a lot of little features that are kind of surprising to see in such a small design.

Of course, the Nintendo Switch won’t play your PC games (though many games have been ported to it), but conversely, it has a lot of exclusive games you couldn’t find on other options on this list. That includes the recent The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros. Wonderamong dozens of others. If it’s Nintendo games you’re most interested in, Switch is still the best there is.

The GPD Win 4 was refreshed this year to include AMD’s latest 8840U APU with Radeon 780M graphics. This makes the device one of the most powerful handhelds on the market. It’s also more than just a gaming machine. With a sliding screen that can be moved up to reveal a built-in keyboard, the Win 4 is as good at portable computing as it is at playing AAA titles on-the-go.

Alongside its 8840U chip, the Win 4 can be configured with up to 64GB of RAM and 4TB of storage. It also packs an Oculink interface for connecting external GPUs, a USB-C port, a microSD card slot, and 4G LTE connectivity for online gaming wherever you may be. Its form factor alone makes the Win 4 one of the most interesting and unique handhelds on the market, but it does have its downsides.

The surprisingly portable form factor means the Win 4 uses a control setup that’s closer to the PS Vita than a high-end gaming device, which you may find uncomfortable during longer play sessions. In addition, its 1080p display measures in at just 6 inches, making it one of the smallest on this list. That’s great if you want a device that’s easy to carry around, but it can make some games harder to see.

Part of the appeal of the Steam Deck and its direct competitors is that they’re relatively affordable, but if you have money to spend, then the Ayaneo Kun is probably the best experience you can get for handheld PC gaming. It runs Windows 11, but the Aya Space software that’s included is actually quite good and makes the experience more manageable compared to most competitors.

On the hardware side, we’re looking at an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor (similar to the Ryzen Z1 Extreme specs-wise), and a minimum of 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage — with the option to go up to 64GB and 4TB, respectively. It’s plenty powerful, and in line with the best devices on this list.

One thing that helps it stand out is the large 8.4-inch display that boasts a very sharp 2560×1600 resolution, though it is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate.

While that is unfortunate for simpler 2D games that might have benefited from a higher refresh rate, it’s unlikely any modern 3D game would go far past 60 frames per second anyway, so it’s not a big sacrifice, especially when the scene looks this good.

The rest of the hardware is also excellent, with a curvy, ultra-ergonomic design that makes the console very comfortable to hold, despite the large display. The Kun also offers impressive build quality that makes it feel more premium than most other options, plus it has everything you’d expect from a good handheld, including hall effect analog sticks, customizable back buttons, and dual touchpads for mouse control when you need it.

Starting at $1,000, this is certainly not for everyone, but if you can afford it, the Kun is an excellent choice.

There’s something appealing about a dedicated gaming device, but not everyone wants to carry a console in addition to their phone. And with the Razer Kishi V2, your phone can be your gaming device, complete with more traditional-style controls.

The Raer Kishi V2 is a mobile gaming controller compatible with most Android smartphones (there’s an iPhone version, too) and it plugs into the port on the side of your phone, wrapping around the device to provide a console-like experience. You can also charge your phone with the Kishi attached thanks to pass-through charging.

Of course, you still won’t be playing AAA games running natively on your phone. But if you want to play mobile games or use cloud streaming services, the Razer Kishi is a much more affordable solution than even the Logitech G Cloud or Nintendo Switch, and it takes up less space in your bag. Plus, the best phones today are faster than either of those two devices, and you can always upgrade the phone while keeping the controller. Since mobile phones have 5G and LTE connectivity, too, you’ll have access to your games anywhere and everywhere without worrying about Wi-Fi.

The downside to using your phone for gaming is that you’ll be draining its battery much faster than usual, which can be a problem if you rely on your phone lasting a full day between charges. If that’s an issue, you’ll want to look at the other options on this list.

If you want to play some retro games, you can emulate them on almost every device on this list, but why not do it on the Analogue Pocket? While this system isn’t as powerful as the Steam Deck, doesn’t do cloud gaming, and can’t play PC games, it is something we have to mention on its own because it’s a gem for those into retro gaming with a large catalog of old Game Boy cartridge games.

Officially, the Analogue Pocket is compatible with over 2,780 Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance game cartridges. If you buy adapters, you can also play Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color, and Atari Lynx games, too. The thing that makes this game console special, though, is the design. It’s shaped similarly to an original Game Boy but comes with a better, 3.5-inch LCD screen with a super-sharp 1600×1400 resolution. The buttons onboard are also mappable, and you get bonus features like a microSD card slot.

Charging happens via USB-C, and there’s even a link port that you can use to link the handheld up to four others for multiplayer games. Similar to the Steam Deck, you can also dock the Pocket Analogue, with support for 1080p output to an external display, and Bluetooth connectivity for a wireless controller. There are also two USB inputs for wired controllers if you prefer, and you can even connect the Pocket Analogue to a PC as a MIDI device with a special cable.

Developers can build native games for the Analog Pocket, thanks to a partnership with GB Studio, so in addition to existing classics, new games are being released for it, too.

The Analog Pocket was released in 2021, and stock was unstable for a long time, but it seems things have settled down now. Still, you can only get it directly from Analogue, which is a bit of a bummer.

The Best Steam Deck alternatives: The bottom line

Right now, the best Steam Deck alternative is the Asus ROG Ally. This handheld is a truly powerful one, since it has great specs above all the other devices on our list, thanks to the AMD Ryzen Z1 CPU under the hood. It also has a great design, though there were some early quality control problems with the hardware. You also have to keep in mind that this handheld runs Windows, so you might run into bugs, though Asus has committed itself to patching issues with the device.