The ASUS ROG Ally is the latest entry in the gaming handheld market, and it is already creating waves due to its impressive specifications and features. It is said to be a disruptor in the gaming handheld space, two years after Valve's Steam Deck was unveiled. The ROG Ally is being marketed as the first gaming handheld with custom AMD Ryzen APUs, which should offer excellent performance and efficiency for gaming on the go. In this article, we will discuss the key specifications and features of the ASUS ROG Ally.
Dimensions and Display
The ASUS ROG Ally is designed to be a portable gaming device, and as such, it has a compact form factor. It measures 280 x 113 x 39 mm, making it slightly larger than the Steam Deck. It weighs in at 608 grams, which is slightly lighter than the GPD Win 4. The ROG Ally boasts a 7-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The screen has a refresh rate of 120 Hz, a peak brightness of 500 nits, and a response time of 7ms. These specifications make the display of the ROG Ally one of the best in the gaming handheld space.
APU and GPU
The ASUS ROG Ally is powered by AMD Ryzen Z1 and Ryzen Z1 Extreme chipsets, which are customised versions of the Ryzen 5 7540U and Ryzen 7 7840U, respectively. Recent Geekbench listings suggest that these APUs offer excellent performance for gaming on the go. It is unclear what customisations AMD and ASUS have made to these APUs, but both appear to retain their standard Radeon 740M and Radeon 780M iGPUs, respectively.
The Radeon 740M and Radeon 780M iGPUs should offer decent performance for gaming, although they are not as powerful as dedicated graphics cards. However, the ROG Ally has an XG Mobile connector, which allows for eGPU expansion. This means that users can connect an external graphics card to the device, which should offer even better gaming performance.
Storage and RAM
The ASUS ROG Ally comes with 512 GB PCIe Gen4 (M.2 2280) storage, which is faster and more efficient than previous storage technologies. Additionally, the device has a UHS-II Micro SD card reader, which provides additional storage options. The ROG Ally also has 16 GB LPDD5 dual-channel, soldered RAM, which should provide smooth multitasking and gaming performance.
Software and Other Features
The ASUS ROG Ally comes with Windows 11 pre-installed, along with Armoury Crate SE. Armoury Crate is ASUS' proprietary software that allows users to customise and optimise their gaming experience. Additionally, the device has two fans, which should help keep it cool during intense gaming sessions.
Battery Life and Price
The battery capacity of the ASUS ROG Ally has not been revealed yet, but it is said to be competitive with the Steam Deck's 40 Wh battery. The GPD Win 4 has a 45.62 Wh battery, which provides decent battery life. It remains to be seen how the ROG Ally will perform in this regard.
The price of the ASUS ROG Ally has not been officially announced yet, but it is speculated to be between US$400 and US$900. The starting price point for Z1 Pro SKUs is expected to be around US$650, which is comparable to the Steam Deck's price point. However, it is important to note that these prices are speculative and subject to change.
One of the most interesting features of the ROG Ally is the custom AMD Ryzen APUs, which are said to be based on the Ryzen 5 7540U and Ryzen 7 7840U. While it is unclear what customisations have been made to these APUs, the fact that they are customised for this device is certainly intriguing. It will be interesting to see how they perform in comparison to other gaming handhelds on the market.
The ROG Ally also comes with 16 GB LPDD5 dual-channel, soldered RAM, which is sure to provide plenty of memory for gaming and multitasking. The device will come with Windows 11 pre-installed, along with Armoury Crate SE, which should make it easy for gamers to customise their gaming experience.
While the battery capacity of the ROG Ally has not yet been announced, ASUS has revealed that it will be competitive with the Steam Deck's 40 Wh battery capacity. This should provide enough power for several hours of gaming on the go, although it remains to be seen how the battery life will hold up under heavy usage.
Pricing and availability for the ROG Ally have not yet been announced, although rumours suggest that it could be priced similarly to the Steam Deck, which starts at $399. The Phawx has suggested that pricing could range from $400 to $900, with a starting price of $650 for Z1 Pro SKUs. However, this information should be taken with some scepticism until ASUS officially confirms pricing and availability.
Overall, the ASUS ROG Ally looks to be an impressive entry in the gaming handheld market, with high-end specifications and features that should appeal to gamers on the go. While we will have to wait for official reviews and benchmarks to see how it performs in real-world usage, the initial leaks and rumours suggest that it could be a serious contender for the title of the best gaming handheld on the market. With its custom AMD Ryzen APUs, impressive display, and eGPU expansion capabilities, the ROG Ally is sure to turn heads when it is officially announced later this quarter.
Conclusion
The ASUS ROG Ally is an exciting new entry in the gaming handheld market, offering impressive specifications and features that should appeal to gamers on the go. The 7-inch IPS display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 500 nits peak brightness is sure to deliver a smooth and visually stunning gaming experience. The device's dimensions and weight make it easily portable, while the XG Mobile connector allows for eGPU expansion, making it possible to play even more demanding games.
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