The ASUS ROG Ally, the company's new handheld gaming 'PC,' has been quite a unique experience for me. Full disclosure: I'm not a big fan of handheld gaming. My first — and only — experience with handheld gaming was in the halcyon days of the PlayStation Portable, which I had for a short time before giving it away to my brother. Against this backdrop, my experience with the Ally was pleasantly surprising and somewhat perplexing.
The ASUS ROG Ally is available starting Wednesday, July 12, for Rs 69,999. The company has sweetened the pot for early adopters — the first 200 customers who purchase the ROG Ally from ASUS eShop or ASUS Exclusive stores between July 12-15 can get the ROG Ally case, worth Rs 2,000, for just Re 1. Also, the XG Mobile — an external graphics card — worth Rs 1,42,990, will be available for Rs 87,990 during that period.
Let's first get the specs out of the way. The ASUS ROG Ally is powered by either an AMD Ryzen Z1 or Z1 Extreme processor with integrated CPU and GPU. The variant ASUS lent me for reviewing came equipped with the Extreme variant, 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage.
There is an option for expandable storage with a Micro SD card reader, should you need the extra space. On the front, there's a 7-inch full HD (1080p) IPS display protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and boasting a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a peak brightness of 500 nits. There are dual front-firing speakers that provide decent sound on their own, but you also have the option of plugging in a dedicated gaming headset through the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Further, there are ports to connect to an external display and, because this is a Windows device, you get the full benefits of Xbox Game Pass and the Xbox ecosystem — including connecting a controller wirelessly. There is a USB Type-C port for charging and connectivity as well.
The entire package is housed in a compact, matte white housing that very closely resembles the Nintendo Switch or the Steam Deck, neither of which are available in India (officially). Priced at Rs 69,999, the Ally is the Indian gamer's only real option for an officially available portable gaming PC.
Review
As primarily a console gamer, it took me faster than perhaps other PC gamers to get used to Ally's built-in joystick. However, as a PS5 gamer accustomed to the Dual Sense controller's layout, the Xbox-style control layout took me a little getting used to. But once I was able to make sense of it all, I got down into the serious business of gaming.
The first thing that caught my eye — literally — is that ASUS managed to pack a full Windows 11 operating system into something so compact, and that has its own advantages and drawbacks. For one, it is impressive that a full-fledged OS was packed into a device that weighs a hair over 600 grams. However, this also means that the OS has not been optimised for handheld gaming. It's a full PC experience on a 7-inch screen, which, unless you have exceptionally sharp eyes, will make you squint at the tiny font. It's fully touch-enabled, though you can navigate the system with the controller, but the overall tiny user interface makes it a tricky proposition. I'm not a fan.
That said, this is not meant to replace your laptop or your primary PC, so if you're trying to work on this as you would on a laptop, that's on you. This is first and foremost — and perhaps exclusively — a gaming device, and if you keep that in mind, then all is hunky dory.
In terms of controls, the ROG Ally features an Xbox-style layout with a familiar ABXY face button array. The joysticks have RGB lighting effects, adding a touch of visual flair. The buttons and triggers were responsive, and there are two configurable back buttons for added convenience.
The display on the ROG Ally is impressive, with the sharp 7-inch 1080p screen and 120Hz refresh. Games look great on this display, and the speakers provided clear, immersive audio. I've tried everything from games that are over a decade old — Grand Theft Auto IV, Dragon Age: Origins, et al — and those that are more demanding, such as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, FIFA 23, and F1 22, and it barely broke a sweat. My palms did break a sweat, however, as the device got a little warm during intense gaming sessions, but not uncomfortably so, thanks to its dual fans.
Battery life
This was an area of disappointment for me, as the device offers roughly two hours of battery life, which is not ideal for a portable gaming handheld. That said, this is a first-generation device, and considering ASUS's pedigree in crafting excellent gaming hardware, there is no reason to believe a couple of generations down the line, the Ally will have more optimised battery life.
In conclusion
In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Ally is a powerful and portable gaming device that offers an alternative to traditional gaming PCs. There's an argument to be made here that it is not only the best — officially available — handheld gaming PC, but thanks to its immense portability, it probably is among the best budget gaming PCs, period. PC gamers who want to take their games on the go will have a blast. The device has its flaws, including clunky integration of Windows and limited battery life, but as a first-generation product, it shows great promise.
Also read: ASUS says it will continue to raise the bar with its ROG lineup of gaming laptops
The ASUS ROG Ally is available starting Wednesday, July 12, for Rs 69,999. The company has sweetened the pot for early adopters — the first 200 customers who purchase the ROG Ally from ASUS eShop or ASUS Exclusive stores between July 12-15 can get the ROG Ally case, worth Rs 2,000, for just Re 1. Also, the XG Mobile — an external graphics card — worth Rs 1,42,990, will be available for Rs 87,990 during that period.
Specifications
Let's first get the specs out of the way. The ASUS ROG Ally is powered by either an AMD Ryzen Z1 or Z1 Extreme processor with integrated CPU and GPU. The variant ASUS lent me for reviewing came equipped with the Extreme variant, 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage.
There is an option for expandable storage with a Micro SD card reader, should you need the extra space. On the front, there's a 7-inch full HD (1080p) IPS display protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and boasting a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a peak brightness of 500 nits. There are dual front-firing speakers that provide decent sound on their own, but you also have the option of plugging in a dedicated gaming headset through the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Further, there are ports to connect to an external display and, because this is a Windows device, you get the full benefits of Xbox Game Pass and the Xbox ecosystem — including connecting a controller wirelessly. There is a USB Type-C port for charging and connectivity as well.
The entire package is housed in a compact, matte white housing that very closely resembles the Nintendo Switch or the Steam Deck, neither of which are available in India (officially). Priced at Rs 69,999, the Ally is the Indian gamer's only real option for an officially available portable gaming PC.
The ASUS ROG Ally weighs just 608 grams, making for a comfortable handheld gaming experience. (Image: ASUS)
Review
As primarily a console gamer, it took me faster than perhaps other PC gamers to get used to Ally's built-in joystick. However, as a PS5 gamer accustomed to the Dual Sense controller's layout, the Xbox-style control layout took me a little getting used to. But once I was able to make sense of it all, I got down into the serious business of gaming.
The first thing that caught my eye — literally — is that ASUS managed to pack a full Windows 11 operating system into something so compact, and that has its own advantages and drawbacks. For one, it is impressive that a full-fledged OS was packed into a device that weighs a hair over 600 grams. However, this also means that the OS has not been optimised for handheld gaming. It's a full PC experience on a 7-inch screen, which, unless you have exceptionally sharp eyes, will make you squint at the tiny font. It's fully touch-enabled, though you can navigate the system with the controller, but the overall tiny user interface makes it a tricky proposition. I'm not a fan.
That said, this is not meant to replace your laptop or your primary PC, so if you're trying to work on this as you would on a laptop, that's on you. This is first and foremost — and perhaps exclusively — a gaming device, and if you keep that in mind, then all is hunky dory.
In terms of controls, the ROG Ally features an Xbox-style layout with a familiar ABXY face button array. The joysticks have RGB lighting effects, adding a touch of visual flair. The buttons and triggers were responsive, and there are two configurable back buttons for added convenience.
The display on the ROG Ally is impressive, with the sharp 7-inch 1080p screen and 120Hz refresh. Games look great on this display, and the speakers provided clear, immersive audio. I've tried everything from games that are over a decade old — Grand Theft Auto IV, Dragon Age: Origins, et al — and those that are more demanding, such as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, FIFA 23, and F1 22, and it barely broke a sweat. My palms did break a sweat, however, as the device got a little warm during intense gaming sessions, but not uncomfortably so, thanks to its dual fans.
Battery life
This was an area of disappointment for me, as the device offers roughly two hours of battery life, which is not ideal for a portable gaming handheld. That said, this is a first-generation device, and considering ASUS's pedigree in crafting excellent gaming hardware, there is no reason to believe a couple of generations down the line, the Ally will have more optimised battery life.
In conclusion
In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Ally is a powerful and portable gaming device that offers an alternative to traditional gaming PCs. There's an argument to be made here that it is not only the best — officially available — handheld gaming PC, but thanks to its immense portability, it probably is among the best budget gaming PCs, period. PC gamers who want to take their games on the go will have a blast. The device has its flaws, including clunky integration of Windows and limited battery life, but as a first-generation product, it shows great promise.
Also read: ASUS says it will continue to raise the bar with its ROG lineup of gaming laptops