Asus has surprised many by announcing a competitively priced handheld gaming PC, the Asus ROG Ally, which is aimed at challenging Valve’s Steam Deck. Despite having a higher-end AMD Z1 Extreme chip, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, the ROG Ally is set to cost just $699.99, which is only $51 more than the 512GB Steam Deck. It’s impressive that Asus can offer a device with similar specifications at such a competitive price point.
That’s according to a listing that briefly appeared on Best Buy, where the higher-end Asus ROG Ally handheld was priced at just $699. However, the page has since been removed, so it is unclear whether this is the final pricing for the device. In addition to the Best Buy listing, gadget leaker Roland Quandt and an earlier leak by SnoopyTech have also confirmed the same pricing.
While it’s always possible that the price is a placeholder, there is strong evidence suggesting that the $699.99 price tag for the higher-end Asus ROG Ally handheld gaming PC is legitimate. The product number and marketing claims associated with the device both point to it being the Z1 Extreme model with 512GB of storage. However, we won’t know for sure until the device is officially released on May 11th.
According to reports, Asus has confirmed that the ROG Ally will be available in both Z1 and Z1 Extreme configurations. It’s unclear at this time what the price of the vanilla AMD Z1 configuration of the ROG Ally will be, but it’s possible that Asus may price it competitively to compete with the Steam Deck’s $399 starting price. However, it’s also worth noting that the ROG Ally is expected to feature more powerful hardware than the Steam Deck, so it’s possible that Asus may choose to price it higher to reflect that. Ultimately, we’ll have to wait until more information is available to know for sure.
Asus ROG Ally Features
The ROG Ally is a handheld gaming PC that boasts impressive specs such as a 7-inch FHD 120Hz display, AMD Z1 Extreme chip, 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, AMD Radeon Navi3 graphics, and a 512GB NVMe M.2 SSD. It also features Dolby Atmos surround sound for an immersive gaming experience. The device measures 11.02 inches wide, 4.37 inches tall, 0.83 inches deep, and weighs 608 grams (1.34 pounds).
The device’s IPS screen is protected by Gorilla Glass DXC and allows for easy SSD upgrades with a single screw. Additionally, the Ally can charge from 0 to 50 percent in just 30 minutes using a bundled 65W USB-C power brick.
In addition to the aforementioned features, the ROG Ally also features a fingerprint detection power button and customizable back triggers. It will run on Windows 11 operating system and come with a special version of ASUS software called Armoury Crate SE. This software will serve as a game launcher and provide an easy way for users to customize their gaming experience on the console.
According to Asus, the ROG Ally is designed to play almost any game that runs on Windows, Steam, GOG, Xbox Game Pass, GeForce Now, Android, and more. It also supports co-op mode on the same device using 2 Xbox controllers and can be connected to a TV to play on a larger screen. Additionally, users can connect the device to the ROG XG Mobile Dock, a keyboard, mouse, and monitor for an even higher resolution and frame rate gaming experience. The device offers users the flexibility to play their games the way they want to.
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