Are you looking for a device that offers peak gaming performance, portability, and affordability? If yes, you are in the right place! The ASUS ROG Ally is the latest addition to the handheld gaming industry that has marvelously exceeded its competitors in the industry.
With a 7-inch display, an AMD Ryzen Z1 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB PCIe SSD, the ASUS ROG Ally combines portability with gaming power, allowing gamers to have the freedom to indulge in their favorite games at their convenience, these handheld devices feature a sleek design, ergonomic controls, and a vibrant display, ensuring an immersive gaming experience.
The ROG Ally is equipped with high-end components, including a powerful processor, ample RAM, and a dedicated graphics card, delivering smooth gameplay and impressive visuals. Let’s check out the key features and specifications of this device in this comprehensive review!
ASUS ROG Ally Gaming Handhelds Console
The ASUS ROG Ally gaming handheld has several distinguished features that contribute to its outstanding performance. The device comes with a high-resolution display, providing crisp visuals and vibrant colours.
The user-friendly design ensures comfortable gameplay for extended periods, and the inclusion of physical controls enhances precision and control during gaming sessions.
Powered by the latest generation processors, the ASUS ROG Ally gaming handhelds deliver exceptional performance, rivaling that of traditional gaming laptops.
The combination of a powerful CPU and a dedicated graphics card ensures smooth frame rates and realistic graphics. Gamers can expect a smooth gaming experience, even when running demanding titles.
Design and Build Quality
The design of the ASUS ROG Ally showcases the brand’s signature aesthetics with its sleek lines, aggressive angles, and customisable RGB lighting. The device features a durable aluminium chassis that exudes a premium feel and enhances its sturdiness.
The software is made to be extremely seamless and integrative. Unlike the Nintendo Switch, you can play on any platform, including Steam, XBox Game Pass, Android apps, Epic, GOG, cloud gaming services, and much more! The Ally doesn’t restrict you to buying your favourite games on only a specific platform.
Visual Experience
Equipped with a 7-inch IPS display, the ASUS ROG Ally offers Full HD resolution with a high refresh rate of 120 Hz. The most amazing part about this device is its impressive brightness levels and excellent colour accuracy, making it highly suitable for immersive gaming.
The brightness peaks at 500 nits, which means you can easily play even in direct sunlight without compromising your gaming performance. The 7 ms response time ensures lightning-fast performance with minimum action to display disparity.
Performance and Gaming Capabilities
Under the hood, the ASUS ROG Ally boasts a formidable hardware combination. It features the latest AMD Ryzen Z1 processor paired with an RDNA 3 graphics card, enabling smooth gameplay and exceptional graphics performance.
You can play even the most demanding games on peak settings without compromising the frame rates. The device also has an efficient cooling system that keeps temperatures in check during intense gaming sessions.
Battery Life
In terms of battery life, the ROG Ally provides decent performance, considering its powerful components. You can easily play for around 5 to 6 hours under light usage, but intensive gaming sessions will significantly reduce this time.
Granted, this battery life is not the best for a gamer, but considering the portability of the ROG Ally, it’s still a pretty good purchase!
Software and Features
The ASUS ROG Ally comes pre-installed with the Windows 11 operating system, providing a familiar and user-friendly interface.
The built-in fingerprint sensor lets you go in and out of your system within a split second. Additionally, the Microsoft Pluton security processors add an extra layer of security to your gaming PC.
There are many other features that you can turn on within your ROG Ally. The HD Haptics and 6-axis Gyro take your gaming experience to another level. Combined with L&R-effect analogue triggers, the ROG Ally has done a pretty good job of creating an immersive gaming experience for its users.
Compare with ASUS Gaming Laptops
When deciding if you should buy a handheld PC or a gaming laptop, the key factor to consider is performance vs. portability. If performance and portability are your preferences, the ROG Ally is the way to go. But if you want a bigger screen, seamless upgradeability, and a more immersive experience, getting a gaming laptop is a much better choice.
| Criteria | ASUS ROG Ally Gaming Handhelds console | ASUS Gaming Laptops |
| Portability | Compact and lightweight, designed for gaming on the go. | Larger and less portable compared to the handhelds. |
| Performance | Powerful processors, dedicated graphics cards, and ample RAM for excellent gaming performance. | Similar powerful components, but often equipped with better cooling systems for sustained high performance. |
| Display | 120Hz display for smooth gameplay and vibrant visuals. | Larger displays for a more immersive gaming experience. |
| Battery Life | Relatively shorter battery life due to the power-hungry components and portable nature. | Longer battery life compared to handhelds, allowing for extended gaming sessions. |
| Connectivity | More limited connectivity options due to the smaller form factor. | A wider range of connectivity options, including multiple USB ports, HDMI, Ethernet, etc. |
| Price | Generally more affordable compared to gaming laptops. | Higher price point due to larger displays, better cooling, and additional features. |
Portability
The ROG Ally gaming handheld exceeds in terms of portability. This device is compact, lightweight, and designed specifically for gaming on the go. The display is only 7 inches wide and weighs 1.38 lbs., making it perfect for carrying whenever and wherever you want.
ASUS gaming laptops are larger, but they offer a more engaging gaming experience. Even though there are many ASUS gaming laptops that offer excellent portability, you can still not find a display smaller than 10 inches.
Performance
Both the ROG Ally and ASUS gaming laptops deliver excellent gaming performance. They feature powerful processors, dedicated graphics cards, and ample RAM to handle demanding games.
The ROG Ally (2023) boasts the latest AMD Ryzen Z1 processors with 8 cores and 16 threads. From heavy multitasking to serious gaming, this handheld PC can handle it all. Not only this, but the Z1 processor is extremely energy efficient.
To keep your system from overheating, the ROG Ally is the first handheld PC to have its own cooling system. The all-new zero-gravity thermal system and dual-fan ventilation let the air flow seamlessly. You can enjoy peak performance with minimum noise levels on this handheld PC.
However, gaming laptops come with bigger chassis, so they have relatively better cooling systems, allowing for sustained high performance during extended gaming sessions. You can find different processors, storage, and specifications of your choice within the gaming laptops.
Display
ASUS gaming laptops generally offer larger displays compared to ROG Ally gaming handhelds. This can be advantageous for gamers who prefer a larger screen for a more immersive gaming experience. However, the ROG Ally’s 120Hz display provides smooth gameplay and eliminates motion blur, enhancing the visual experience.
The glossy display and FHD resolution let you completely dive into what’s happening on the screen. Gorilla Glass offers foolproof protection and security for this device. You don’t have to worry about accidental slips and falls with this handheld PC.
Battery Life
ASUS gaming laptops typically have larger battery capacities compared to ROG Ally gaming handhelds. This means that gaming laptops can generally provide longer battery life, allowing for extended gaming sessions without the need for frequent charging. The ROG Ally’s portable nature results in a shorter battery life due to its power-hungry components.
The ROG Ally features a 40-watt battery that is good enough for most users. On the other hand, the modern ASUS gaming laptops, such as the GX650PY-NM044X, come with up to 90-watts of battery life.
Connectivity
ASUS gaming laptops often offer a wider range of connectivity options, including multiple USB ports, HDMI, Ethernet, and even Thunderbolt.
The ROG Ally (2023) still has much improved connectivity as compared to the rest of the handheld PCs in the gaming industry. The device comes equipped with a 3.5mm combo jack, 1 ROG XG Mobile interface, a USB Type C combo port, and a Micro SD card reader.
Still, you cannot expect the ROG Ally to act as a full-fledged gaming station when needed. The external connectivity options are limited as compared to gaming laptops.
Price
Gaming laptops tend to be more expensive compared to ROG Ally gaming handhelds. Gaming laptops offer a complete package with larger displays, more extensive cooling systems, and additional features, which contribute to their higher price point.
The ROG Ally gaming handhelds offer a unique gaming experience at a more affordable price, but with some compromises in terms of screen size and cooling.
Conclusion
The ASUS ROG Ally gaming handhelds are an excellent choice for gamers who value portability without compromising on performance. With their sleek design, powerful components, and user-friendly controls, these devices provide an immersive gaming experience on the go.
When compared to ASUS gaming laptops, the ROG Ally does come with certain compromises in terms of battery life, connectivity, and upgradeability. However, despite these limitations, this handheld PC remains a highly viable option for users who are unable to invest in a fully-fledged gaming PC.
