Asus has opened pre-orders and announced the pricing for its first handheld gaming PC, the ROG Ally, in South Africa. This gaming device features a 7-inch full HD touch display panel with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz and a peak brightness of 500 nits. It is equipped with an AMD Ryzen Z1 processor with RDNA 3 graphics and comes with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM.
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To ensure optimal performance and solid battery life, the ROG Ally incorporates the Zero Gravity thermal system. This system includes dual fans, ultra-thin heatsink fins, and high-friction heat pipes, effectively keeping the hardware cool and avoiding slowdowns. The device comes pre-installed with Windows 11, providing access to a wide range of games.
In terms of design, the ROG Ally features an aluminium chassis weighing 608 grams and measuring 28 x 11.1 x 2.1cm. The controller buttons and joysticks are positioned on either side of the screen, following the layout of the Xbox controller with A/B/X/Y, D-Pad, and thumbsticks. Users have the option to navigate using touch controls, the built-in controller, or by connecting a Bluetooth or 2.4GHz Wi-Fi keyboard and mouse.
Asus, known for its expertise in packing powerful hardware into compact systems, aims to compete with Valve’s popular Steam Deck gaming console. Early reviews are mixed, but several have found that the ROG Ally outperformed the Steam Deck in frame rates, particularly in the 15W and 25W power profiles.
The ROG Ally offers faster charging capabilities, with the battery reaching 80% capacity in about 40 minutes compared to the Steam Deck’s 1.5 hours. However, the Steam Deck excels in terms of battery life, especially in less graphically-intensive titles.
In South Africa, Asus is initially releasing the higher-end Z1 Extreme Edition of the ROG Ally, featuring processor clock speeds of up to 5.1GHz. The device can be pre-ordered from the Asus South Africa online store or Makro for R15,999, which includes a 90-day subscription to Microsoft Game Pass Ultimate. Shipping for online orders and on-shelf availability is set for June 15, 2023. The local pricing is impressive, considering the expected starting price of $699.99 (R13,827) in the US, excluding VAT.
