ASUS has recently introduced its newest innovation in portable gaming: the ROG Ally. This handheld gaming PC is lightweight at just 608 grams but packs a punch with a full Windows PC packed inside it.
Design Features
The architecture of ASUS ROG Ally is well-considered. It is compact yet robust, making it extremely easy to hold and use.
Even for a first-time user, the controls are very friendly and straightforward. The ROG Ally has an ABXY button pad and a D-Pad on the right, very much like conventional gaming consoles.
The absence of a touchpad might seem daunting at first, but it’s not much of an issue when you explore the multitude of button options available.
Moreover, the power button also serves as a fingerprint sensor, which operates smoothly and safely.
But what’s really impressive about the ROG Ally is the dedicated slots on top. It boasts a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB Type-C port, a microSD card reader, and a Gen 2 display port.
The sleek white and black colour aesthetic is not just functional but also visually appealing, adding to the user experience.
Performance Aspects
Performance-wise, the ASUS ROG Ally goes beyond expectations. Extended gaming sessions do not result in any drop in performance.
It flaunts a seven-inch 1080P display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate, making for a delightful visual experience. While an AMOLED display would have been nice, the existing screen is vibrant enough to please the eyes.
Powered by the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and supported by 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, this handheld gaming beast delivers top-tier performance.
However, the battery life could have used some improvement. It barely lasts an hour while playing graphically-intensive games. The three-hour mark is hard to reach even when playing lighter games.
That being said, the haptic response and sound quality of the ROG Ally is simply top class.
As a first-generation product, the ROG Ally is strikingly impressive, scoring high points in design and performance.
