Save $100 on the best Steam Deck alternative and play The First Descendant anywhere you like

Play your PC games in bed or on the couch with this gaming handheld.

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The competition in the portable gaming space is more intense than ever, as every major gaming company vies for market share. The Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch kickstarted this trend, but the ASUS ROG Ally surpasses them both in terms of versatility. Thanks to Windows 11, it offers freedom from being tethered to any exclusive game store right from the start. However, the ASUS ROG Ally typically comes with a heftier price tag. But today, that changes with a $100 discount that brings the cost of the ASUS ROG Ally’s base model as low as the Steam Deck’s entry-level price of just$399.99 at Best Buy.

ROG Ally Z1 (non-Extreme) |was $499.99now $399.99 at Best Buy

This Windows 11 gaming handheld can access any service that you would on a regular PC. It’s lightweight, offers VRR for smoother motion clarity, and is easy to bring with you on-the-go.

✅Perfect for:People who want to play PC games in bed, on the couch, or on the go.

❌Avoid it if:You’d rather go with the more powerful Z1 Extreme ROG Ally for more intense titles.

👀Alternative:ROG Ally Z1 Extreme |was $649.99now $549.99 at Best Buy

🔎Our expertise:ASUS ROG Ally review

💰Price check:Also$399.99 at Amazon❓Why Best Buy?If you’re spending this much on some tech, a brick-and-mortar retailer who will deal with any issues for you in person as they arise will always trump Amazon’s distance selling. Also, if you haveBest Buy Membership, you can get other perks.

🔥 The hottest Prime Day 2024 deals 🔥

Why the ROG Ally is an ideal gaming handheld

ROG Ally and Legion Go are both excellent Windows 11 PC gaming handhelds.

I keep my Start Menu simple, just giving easy access to my most important apps, launchers, and installed games.

The Command Center is always a single button away, and offers a ton of utility.

•Prime Day FAQ: More info•PC upgrade parts & components•Laptop upgrades under $100•The best graphics card deals•Steam Deck/ROG Ally upgrades•12 best Xbox accessory deals

As a Steam Deck owner, I initially chose Valve’s handheld for its affordability. While I appreciate mySteam Deck, its reliance on the Steam store can be limiting unless you’re willing to navigate complex workarounds to access other game launchers. Many of my colleagues at Windows Central have the ROG Ally, and its Windows-based operating system allows you to play any game you could on a gaming PC, including using the Xbox PC app. The ASUS ROG Ally is currently the closest equivalent to a true Xbox handheld.The ASUS ROG Ally is more powerful than Valve’s Linux-based Steam Deck and is also cheaper than theLenovo Legion Go. Running newer or more demanding games on the Steam Deck often requires extensivetweaking with Protonto achieve acceptable performance. In contrast, the ROG Ally handles a broader range of games more effortlessly. Though if you are planning on buying this for more demanding games I would stress that the Z1 Extreme version is the much better choice.  No gaming handhelds are as powerful as top-tier gaming laptops and desktops, but they still deliver impressive performance for on-the-go gaming. You just need to be careful to choose the right handheld for you.

There are two versions of the ROG Ally available: the more affordable option features an AMD Z1 (non-Extreme) processor, ideal for cloud gaming and less taxing titles, while the more powerful Z1 Extreme version is better suited for running games locally and with higher performance. Both models come with 16GB LPDDR5 RAM and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD. You can also expand your SSD storage easily if you feel comfortable doing so, we have a thorough guide onupgrading the ROG Ally SSDto show you how.

Its worth noting that theROG Ally Xis set to be released soon. It will have double the battery capacity of the the ROG Ally, 24GB and other spec upgrades as you can see in ourROG Ally X coverage. It will hit the market at $799 though and most users will still find the original ROG Ally to be a great choice especially at the much lower price. For more information, check out ourROG Ally vs. ROG Ally Xguide.

With Windows 11, the ROG Ally can access any game service or retailer that a regular computer can right out of the box. This means you can easily play non-Steam games likeFortnite via the Epic Games Store, orMinecraftfrom the Windows store.

Having the right accessories can greatly enhance your experience with the ROG Ally. For instance, since gaming handhelds often have limited battery life, one of thebest ROG Ally power bankscan help you play your favorite games longer and is pretty much essential for any gaming handheld you choose. There are a bunch of greatROG Ally and Steam Deck accessory dealsin the Amazon Prime Day sales now too.

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Jen is a News Writer for Windows Central, focused on all things gaming and Microsoft. Anything slaying monsters with magical weapons will get a thumbs up such as Dark Souls, Dragon Age, Diablo, and Monster Hunter. When not playing games, she’ll be watching a horror or trash reality TV show, she hasn’t decided which of those categories the Kardashians fit into. You can follow Jen on Twitter@Jenbox360for more Diablo fangirling and general moaning about British weather.