Forget Steam Deck OLED — ASUS ROG Ally is $399!! (It is even cheaper than on Cyber Monday and it crushes the competition)

I know we just finished talking about Cyber Monday, but here's a secret tip: Most deals come back for the holidays, and some drop even lower. It's already happened for the ASUS ROG Ally Z1, now $399.99 at Best Buy (it was on sale for $449, then dropped to $429 today, and now Best Buy marked it down even further to its lowest price ever), and even its beefier cousin with a stronger processor, the Z1 Extreme, is down to $599.99 at Best Buy, too. Perfect for handheld PC gaming, it's beating its rivals like Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch for value at this price.

ASUS ROG Ally — Ryzen Z1 | was $599 now $399.99 at Best Buy

ASUS' beastly gaming handheld is aimed squarely at the Steam Deck but also makes a compelling case over the Nintendo Switch thanks to its overwhelming power, fast and responsive screen, and all the freedom and customization from this design and the use of Windows 11. Open-box, where available, is just $299.99.

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Deals STILL AVAILABLE!

• Walmart: Cyber Monday+ deals
• Dell: Top deals on laptops, gaming PCs, etc.
• Alienware: Up to $800 off gaming laptops + desktops
• Best Buy: Big savings on video games + accessories
• HP: Up to 84% of select HP Windows PCs + accessories
• Lenovo: Up to 50% of gaming towers + laptops
• Newegg: Save on PC gaming accessories + components
• Razer: 43% off laptops + accessories with free gifts

• 🚨HOTTEST Trending deals:
• Keychron C3 Pro Gaming Keyboard: now $34 at Amazon
• Xbox Series S (512GB) + Game Pass Ultimate | $299.99 $249 at Walmart
• Xbox Series X (1TB) | $549.99 $449.99 at Best Buy
• 1TB Xbox Expansion Card | $149.99 $139.99 at Best Buy
• Windows Ugly Sweater | $69.99 at Xbox Gear Shop
• Meta Quest 3 (128GB) | $499.99 at Best Buy
• ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14| $1,599.99 $1,149.99 at Best Buy
• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3 mo) | $41.59 $27.89 at CDKeys

Coming from a Steam Deck fanatic..

I can feel the anger from Steam Deck fans already, mostly because I'm one of them. Look, I get it. SteamOS is a fantastic operating system, and there's nothing wrong with Linux. However, no matter how many advancements it makes, it'll be years before it catches up to the sheer level of compatibility and stability that Windows 11 on the ASUS ROG Ally offers.

It's not just me who came around, as Jez Corden agreed that he was wrong about the ASUS ROG Ally since the initial launch impressions. However, the teething problems of running Windows on a handheld are undeniable — Microsoft has a long journey to catch up with Valve in that respect. Still, most gamers are interested in sheer processing power.

If I were to advise parents on a handheld gaming machine with a budget around the $400-450 mark, I'd push them toward this ROG Ally deal before the recently launched Steam Deck OLED. Sure, anyone can learn the ropes and make Valve's handheld do magical things behind the scenes, but your average teenager likely already knows how to use Windows if they want to tinker.

For those unfamiliar with the category, stick with the Z1 version at $499.99. If your recipient has explicitly dropped hints about the ROG Ally, chances are they're typically more interested in the Z1 Extreme version for $599.99. The former is fine for a first-time handheld gaming PC and will easily play modern games, and the latter 'Extreme' model is geared towards the most demanding games with more powerful components lurking under the hood.

Already bought one during Cyber Monday? Best Buy price matches during these promotional periods, and a My Best Buy membership allows you an extended returns window.