Buzz
This can be seen as a direct competitor to high-end handheld gaming devices currently on the market like the Steam Deck.
Recently, ASUS ROG unveiled ROG Ally, the first handheld gaming device running on the Windows 11 platform. With its unique ergonomic design, large touchscreen, lightweight build, powerful configuration, and diverse connectivity options, it's poised to be a suitable choice for gaming enthusiasts on the go.
Overall, the exterior design of ROG Ally follows the general pattern of handheld gaming devices with the screen in the middle flanked by buttons on either side. However, ASUS has revealed that they've explored hundreds of different design iterations to optimize for user grip and control.
And this has been realized with ROG Ally boasting soft curves on the sides and back in an ergonomic design that ensures comfortable and secure grip.
The entire device shell is coated in a white finish with a matte texture for a premium, sophisticated feel while remaining fingerprint-resistant. At present, it's uncertain, but perhaps with prolonged use at high frequencies, users may also need to pay attention to cleaning the hand grips to maintain the freshness of this device.
The button layout of ROG Ally follows the Xbox controller standard, with the left Joystick positioned higher than the D-Pad. On either side of the screen are shortcut keys for quick access to functions like View, Menu, Command Center, and the Armoury Crate app.
ROG Ally is equipped with a 7-inch IPS display with FullHD resolution in a 16:9 aspect ratio. This touchscreen supports a 120Hz refresh rate, 7ms response time, and is protected by Gorilla® Glass DXC and Gorilla® Glass Victus™. With brightness up to 500 nits, ROG Ally ensures excellent visibility in various lighting conditions, indoors or outdoors. Additionally, it supports FreeSync™ Premium to prevent screen tearing, ensuring smooth gameplay in action-packed titles.
The standout feature of ROG Ally is its powerhouse configuration, boasting an AMD Ryzen™ Z1 Extreme processor based on Zen4 architecture at 4nm, with 8 cores and 16 threads. Paired with an AMD RDNA™ 3 graphics chip, 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and a 512GB SSD, ROG Ally is akin to a mini PC, packing more punch than many laptops currently available.
This configuration enables the device to handle regular games at a stable 60FPS or higher with high graphics settings. Additionally, for smoother gameplay in AAA titles with even higher graphics settings, ROG Ally users can easily connect the device to the ROG XG Mobile 4090 external graphics unit.
ROG Ally runs on genuine Windows 11 Home, allowing installation of all major gaming and game streaming platforms like Steam, Origin, EpicGames, and PC Game Pass. Users also receive a complimentary 3-month subscription to PC Game Pass upon purchasing this device.
With a customizable interface, controlling ROG Ally is comfortable through the touchscreen and customizable directional buttons. ASUS also releases a dedicated Armoury Crate SE app for use specifically with this device, integrating various features to enhance the gaming experience.
ASUS announces that ROG Ally will be officially launched in the Vietnamese market in July with an expected price tag below 20 million Vietnamese dong.
