Before the Asus ROG Ally leak, Asus had been expected to postpone any handheld console development. After all, hand consoles were not believed to run AAA games on PC. However, Steam Deck pioneered the change and brought a revolutionary experience to fans of handheld consoles. The console runs a big part of the most played games on PC and is an excellent outdoor option. Likewise, Asus ROG Ally borrows the same functionality with better features and a competitive price. The details were uncertain so far, but a new leak reveals all the fundamentals of the console incoming.
Asus ROG Ally Price and Features Leaked: A Steam Deck Rival
According to Roland Quant’s data from The Verge, the console features the AMD Z1 and AMD Z1 Extreme options. The processor isn’t the only difference between those two options. The storage size and technology vary on the processor. As one would expect, the Extreme option gives peak performance and higher storage with fast NVMe M2 technology. The base version performs slightly slower, and its EMMC storage is as impressive only as a smartphone’s storage.
The most powerful option costs $699,99, which is a competitive price. We’re not suspicious about the hardware, but the software is really important for a Steam Deck rival. Both consoles feature incredible specs for hand consoles, but the truth is that Steam Deck would be a big failure if Valve wasn’t experienced in operating systems and software. The features on paper look good for Asus ROG Ally, but the real-world usage is different, and it could reflect a different experience on battery life.
Asus ROG Ally’s game support has a chance of being superior to the Steam Deck if its performance is better. Nevertheless, an optimal user experience would also rely on the controlling mechanisms for gameplay. After all, there are only so many options to design the control on a hand console. It’s also worth noting that the console will support the same game marketplaces as Steam Deck.
Asus has not officially responded to the leaks about their Asus ROG Ally. At the current moment, it would be best to adjust our expectations to be balanced. What do you think about the features and price of this new handheld gaming console?
