Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | ASUS - ROG Ally Z1 | Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB |
| Disc drive | false | true |
| VR support | false | true |
| Max resolution | 1080p | 8K |
Between the ROG Ally Z1 and PlayStation 5 Slim, the ROG Ally Z1 comes out ahead in several specs, while the PlayStation 5 Slim wins on storage / disc drive. Overall, the ROG Ally Z1 scores 54.6 and the PlayStation 5 Slim scores 72.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The PlayStation 5 Slim is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 18.1 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
The ROG Ally Z1 does not pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec-table groups rather than the headline advantages.
Pick the PlayStation 5 Slim if you care most about storage / disc drive. Its strongest claims are storage, disc drive, vr support, among others. The single most decisive one: Storage — 100.00% more. 1024 GB vs 512 GB.
Both ship with comparable ram, max refresh, ray tracing, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the PlayStation 5 Slim is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: ASUS - ROG Ally Z1 or Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim?
Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim leads the current Mars Score by 18.1 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare storage, max resolution against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose ASUS - ROG Ally Z1 if…
ASUS - ROG Ally Z1 does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
Choose Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim if…
Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim has the measurable edge on storage gb, has disc drive, has vr support.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why ASUS - ROG Ally Z1 wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim wins
- ▲Storage — 100.00% more. 1024 GB vs 512 GB.
- ▲Has Disc drive.
- ▲Has VR support.
- ▲Max resolution: 8K (vs 1080p).
Spec comparison
Performance
| Spec | ASUS - ROG Ally Z1 | Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen Z1 | AMD Zen 2 8-core |
| GPU | AMD RDNA 3 (~4 TFLOPS) | AMD RDNA 2 (10.3 TFLOPS) |
| RAMⓘ | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Max resolution | 1080p | 8Klead |
| Max refreshⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Ray tracing | true | true |
| VRRⓘ | true | true |
Storage
| Spec | ASUS - ROG Ally Z1 | Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim |
|---|---|---|
| Storageⓘ | 512 GB | 1024 GBlead |
| Storage typeⓘ | NVMe SSD | NVMe SSD |
| Expandable storageⓘ | true | true |
Design & I/O
| Spec | ASUS - ROG Ally Z1 | Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim |
|---|---|---|
| Disc drive | false | truelead |
| HDMIⓘ | 0 | 2.1lead |
| USB ports | 1 | 4lead |
| Weight | 0.608 kglead | 3.2 kg |
| VR support | false | truelead |
Frequently asked
Does ROG Ally Z1 or PlayStation 5 Slim have a disc drive?+
PlayStation 5 Slim has a disc drive; ROG Ally Z1 is digital-only.
Which has more storage, ROG Ally Z1 or PlayStation 5 Slim?+
PlayStation 5 Slim ships with 1024GB of NVMe SSD.
Which supports higher refresh rates, ROG Ally Z1 or PlayStation 5 Slim?+
PlayStation 5 Slim supports up to 120Hz vs 120Hz.