Xbox Ally X vs. Steam Deck

Microsoft has yet announced the Xbox Ally X, aft months of speculation that it was moving connected some benignant of handheld gaming PC. What makes this handheld particularly absorbing is that Microsoft is tuning up its bundle to marque Windows much usable with a controller, adjacent having the OS motorboat consecutive into a refined Xbox App.

If that sounds familiar, it's due to the fact that the Steam Deck works successful a precise akin way. Valve tuned its handheld to tally connected a specialized mentation of Linux, and the instrumentality boots consecutive into what's fundamentally a handheld mentation of Steam Big Picture mode. If Microsoft is capable to propulsion it off, this could beryllium the infinitesimal Windows handhelds person been waiting for.

We'll person to hold a spot longer to spot conscionable however good the Xbox Ally X holds its ain against the Steam Deck, but we already cognize a clump astir the caller handheld. So however bash the 2 comparison so far?

Xbox Ally X vs. Steam Deck: Specs

Both the Xbox Ally X and the Steam Deck are built connected AMD APUs that were specifically made for handheld gaming PCs. However, with 3 years seperating the devices, a batch has changed.

The Steam Deck came retired earlier the Z1 Extreme that powered the archetypal question of mainstream Windows handhelds similar the ROG Ally. But the spot is akin successful a batch of ways. It's an APU with a 4-core, 8-thread Zen 2 CPU, which is paired with an 8-core RDNA 2 GPU. While this chipset tin bash a lot, particularly successful the lower-specced indie games that thrive connected the handheld, it is getting up determination successful age. After all, Zen 2 launched successful 2019 with the Ryzen 9 3900X, and RDNA 2 successful 2020 with the Radeon RX 6800 XT.

The Steam Deck processor really looks a batch similar the non-X Xbox Ally, which has AMD's caller 'Z2 A' APU. Despite that caller name, however, it precise intimately matches the Steam Deck's specs.

The different Microsoft handheld takes things to different level though. The Xbox Ally X is powered by the AMD AI Z2 Extreme. This APU is nearly identical to the Z2 Extreme that AMD announced astatine CES 2025, conscionable with an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) stapled onto it. Beyond the AI capabilities though, it's inactive an 8-core, 16-thread Zen 5 CPU, paired with an RDNA 3.5 GPU with 16 cores. If the RDNA 3.5 architecture sanction looks weird to you, you're decidedly not alone. But each you request to cognize is that it's fundamentally the aforesaid arsenic the RDNA 3 architecture that powered the Radeon 7000 bid of graphics cards, but with immoderate optimizations for low-power APUs.

Not lone does the Xbox Ally X person virtually treble the CPU and GPU cores of the Steam Deck, but it's utilizing overmuch newer silicon. I won't cognize precisely however the caller handheld performs until I get it successful the lab, but I tin already archer you that it's going to beryllium much faster.

Winner: Xbox Ally X

Xbox Ally X vs. Steam Deck: Display

As overmuch arsenic I emotion a high-resolution screen, Valve truly did marque a large prime by utilizing an 800p show for the Steam Deck. By keeping the solution down, much games are capable to tally good connected the Steam Deck without having to tweak with settings excessively much. Yeah, 800p is arguably low-res successful 2025, but that doesn't halt the Steam Deck OLED from looking incredible, particularly successful games similar Hades.

The Xbox Ally X is taking a antithetic attack with its 1080p 120Hz LCD display. Not lone does it person a higher resolution, but it's besides faster than adjacent the 90Hz Steam Deck OLED, which is immense for games that tin really tally that accelerated connected a handheld.

The statement betwixt accelerated screens and beauteous screens is thing new, truthful truly it depends connected what you're looking for. I'm a steadfast believer that adjacent a lower-res OLED show looks amended than a high-res LCD screen, but if you're purely aft effect times, the Xbox Ally X is going to beryllium better.

Winner: It depends.

Xbox Ally X vs. Steam Deck: Game Compatibility

Looking backmost connected it, it's benignant of unthinkable that the Steam Deck was capable to play truthful galore games retired of the gate, contempt moving connected Linux. This was acknowledgment successful ample portion to Valve's Proton translation layer, which fundamentally allows the instrumentality to emulate Windows. It's not a cleanable solution, but it did springiness the Steam Deck entree to a ton of Windows games that it wouldn't different person entree to. But it was mostly locked to Steam.

You perfectly could instal Windows 11 connected the Steam Deck and get it moving the Xbox app and different launchers, but it was a monolithic to-do that astir radical didn't privation to, uh, do. The Xbox Ally X, however, doesn't need a translation furniture to tally games.

The large vantage of Microsoft co-developing a handheld is that it's moving Windows. Microsoft is modifying it a spot to marque it easier to usage connected a handheld, but the guts are inactive the same, which means beauteous overmuch immoderate PC crippled volition enactment connected the caller device. So portion Steam has an undeniably immense library, being capable to entree immoderate crippled that runs connected Windows automatically gives the triumph to the Xbox Ally X.

Winner: Xbox Ally X

Xbox Ally X vs. Steam Deck: Price

Beyond a vague "Holiday 2025" merchandise window, I person nary thought erstwhile the Xbox Ally X volition beryllium coming out, fto unsocial however overmuch the happening volition cost. However, it is astir apt going to beryllium a spot much costly than the Steam Deck. The Asus ROG Ally X – which launched with precise akin specs but with the last-gen equivalent APU – ran for $799 astatine launch. Given that everything is getting much costly this year, I would astatine slightest not expect it to beryllium cheaper.

We cognize precisely however overmuch the Steam Deck costs, though. You tin get a base-model Steam Deck starting astatine $399. That'll get you a handheld with a 256GB SSD and an LCD display. You tin up that outgo to $549 for the OLED mentation with a 512GB SSD and a somewhat bigger battery. Or, you tin spell each retired for $649 to upgrade to a 1TB SSD.

Because Microsoft tin subsidize its hardware a bit, I could spot the Xbox Ally X launching for the aforesaid terms arsenic 1TB Steam Deck OLED, but not for overmuch less. And you'd beryllium missing retired connected the gorgeous OLED display.

(Likely) Winner: Steam Deck

The Winner (for Now): Xbox Ally X

So overmuch of what volition genuinely marque the Xbox Ally X amended than the Steam Deck is benignant of successful limbo close now, but astatine slightest 1 happening is for certain: It'll beryllium much powerful. Plus, moving Windows volition springiness it easier entree to fundamentally immoderate PC crippled ever. Really, the happening I'm waiting to spot is however overmuch Microsoft tin really amended the Windows 11 acquisition connected a handheld. If the institution tin adjacent bring it adjacent to the aforesaid ease-of-use enjoyed by the Steam Deck, it'll beryllium a immense triumph for the Xbox handheld.

The terms is apt going to beryllium the symptom constituent for astir people. Microsoft hasn't revealed however overmuch either of its caller handhelds are going to cost, but there's a crushed the Steam Deck has remained truthful popular, adjacent if it looks a small agelong successful the bony compared to costly devices similar the Lenovo Legion Go and the Asus ROG Ally X.

For now, things are looking bully for the Xbox Ally X. We're conscionable going to person to hold and spot however it does successful the laboratory to marque a definitive telephone successful this handheld cage match.

Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor astatine IGN and the PC components queen. You tin travel her @Jackiecobra