The Asus ROG Ally: A Powerful Contender In The Handheld Gaming PC Market

Exploring the Features, Performance, and Limitations of the Asus ROG Ally

It’s easy to overlook the fact that the Steam Deck wasn’t the first of its kind but a powerful contender in the handheld gaming PC market a. Prior to its release, there were already Windows handheld gaming PCs available, and in the 15 months that followed, a slew of them hit the market. Some boasted more power, many flaunted premium build quality, and almost all featured higher-resolution screens. However, none managed to offer the same combination of battery life, portability, and affordability as Valve’s portable device. Let me cut to the chase: even with the arrival of the new Asus ROG Ally, set to ship on June 13th for $699.99, nothing has changed in that regard.

Performance

Now, don’t get me wrong. The Asus ROG Ally is indeed a significant step forward for Windows handhelds in several important aspects, especially considering its $700 price tag. It’s not just slightly more powerful than the Steam Deck; the AMD Z1 Extreme handheld packs a much heftier punch without being bulkier or nearly as expensive as its Windows-based competitors. I can’t help but wish that my Steam Deck ran as quietly as the Ally, and I long for the Ally’s variable refresh rate screen to bring the same level of smoothness to my games.

Speaking of smoothness, the Ally’s variable refresh rate (VRR) and low frame compensation (LFC) make a noticeable difference, even at lower frame rates like 30fps. It’s impressively smooth for such a compact computer.

Battery Life, Glitches, and Windows OS Limitations

Now, I bet you’re waiting for a “but.” Well, here are three points to consider before you jump in and pre-order the ROG Ally today: battery life, glitches, and the handheld experience hampered by the Windows operating system, which is supposed to be a plus!

The battery life on the ROG Ally falls short compared to the Steam Deck. Despite both devices having the same 40 watt-hour battery capacity, the Ally struggles to match the Deck’s performance. While the Steam Deck can offer a best-case scenario of around seven hours, the Ally maxes out at approximately four hours, even with all the power-saving measures enabled.

During my testing, I encountered some notable glitches with the ROG Ally’s handheld user interface. Additionally, the face buttons on the device had a tendency to get stuck, causing frustration while gaming. These issues certainly need addressing.

Furthermore, despite the involvement of Microsoft, the Windows operating system still poses challenges when it comes to the handheld gaming experience. While Asus touts the partnership with Microsoft and the inclusion of Xbox Game Pass, the reality is that Windows feels somewhat foreign on a seven-inch gamepad device. Tasks as simple as typing become cumbersome, requiring either touchscreen input or navigating with a sensitive cursor controlled by the right joystick. The split touchscreen keyboard isn’t optimized for comfortable thumb placement, and scrolling websites or documents using the joystick feels less smooth compared to the Steam Deck.

Notable Features and Design

It’s worth noting that the ROG Ally does offer some features that might make Steam Deck owners envious. These include easily accessible shoulder buttons, well-designed analog sticks, a comfortable Xbox One-style concave D-pad, a fingerprint sensor for biometrics, customizable fan curves to control noise and heat, and built-in shortcuts for task switching, task management, screenshot, and video recording. The performance overlay can also be moved to different parts of the screen, providing flexibility.

From a physical design standpoint, the ROG Ally is generally satisfactory. Although its grips aren’t as comfortable as the Steam Deck’s, and the screen bezels are more prominent, the device offers a smaller form factor, cooler grips compared to some Windows competitors, and eye-catching rainbow accents on Asus’ reflective material. Additionally, swapping the M.2 solid-state drive is relatively easy, requiring only a few screws and a simple flick.

Unfortunate Design Choices

However, Asus made two unfortunate design choices that I hope you won’t encounter. First, they opted for flat ABXY face buttons that sit almost flush with the console when pressed. Unfortunately, during my testing, three of these buttons kept getting stuck repeatedly, hindering gameplay. Asus acknowledged this issue and assured that retail units will come with slightly larger keys that won’t have the same problem.

The second design choice relates to the gamepad controls, which are managed through Asus’ Armoury Crate software. Unfortunately, the current version of Armoury Crate on my review unit suffered from frequent hangs and crashes, resulting in non-responsive gamepad controls. This became particularly frustrating during gameplay. Asus has assured that the version of Armoury Crate shipping with the retail units will address these issues.

Armoury Software Limitation

In its current state, Armoury Crate has several limitations and bugs. For instance, there’s no sensitivity adjustment for joystick cursors and crosshairs, no gyro aiming support (despite the Ally having a gyro), and pressing a trigger while moving a joystick can lead to input issues. Additionally, binding macros or using key combinations is not possible, making it challenging to summon the Steam in-game overlay. Changing performance modes or quick settings can cause freezing or delayed controls, and the resolution switcher only affects the Windows desktop and not games.

The scaling of Armoury Crate with other Windows UI elements is not seamless, and the mouse and keyboard template for non-gamepad games has nonsensical default bindings. There are also issues with launching and resuming games within Armoury Crate, as well as problems with the frames per second limiter. Furthermore, the resolution switcher affects additional monitors connected to the device, which can be inconvenient.

These limitations and bugs in Armoury Crate, coupled with the shortcomings of the Windows operating system on a handheld device, highlight the challenges faced by the ROG Ally. While Microsoft is a partner for the Ally and has assisted with UI tweaks, the overall Windows experience on a seven-inch gamepad gadget still feels somewhat foreign. The absence of an Xbox button further limits the seamless integration with Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Bar.

Microsoft’s Tech Support

One can’t help but hope that Microsoft takes notice of these issues and addresses them in the future. While the ROG Ally benefits from Microsoft’s support, the lack of a dedicated handheld UI or a more optimized Windows experience for gaming leaves room for improvement. It’s possible that Asus should consider defaulting the device to Steam Big Picture mode or even adopting Valve’s SteamOS 3.0 when it becomes widely available. However, such a move may face complications, as it’s uncertain whether AMD will continue to support SteamOS or offer full compatibility with external GPUs, which are often Nvidia products.

It’s essential to note that Microsoft’s partnership with Asus doesn’t necessarily limit the Ally’s potential to support SteamOS if users choose to install it themselves. While I didn’t have the opportunity to explore this option during my review, it could be an avenue worth exploring in the future. It would be interesting to investigate whether switching to SteamOS can address some of the battery life deficits and provide a more streamlined gaming experience.

Rounding up

Ultimately, I must emphasize that the Asus ROG Ally is not a subpar product overall. Priced at $700, it offers powerful gaming performance and can serve as a capable desktop replacement that occasionally transforms into a portable gaming machine. During my testing, I spent two full days working on the Ally, handling tasks for The Verge and other writing assignments, while connected to external monitors and peripherals. In that context, the Ally excelled.

However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that a truly portable gaming PC should excel in battery life and provide a user-friendly interface for on-the-go usage. In this regard, the ROG Ally falls short. While it offers impressive gaming performance for its price, it requires a power outlet and additional peripherals like a mouse and keyboard to reach its full potential. This raises the question of whether investing an additional $300 in a high-quality gaming laptop, such as our recommended Asus model, might be a more viable option for most prospective buyers. Alternatively, one could consider purchasing a Steam Deck for $400 and adding a separate SSD for storage.

That being said, it’s important to note that the ROG Ally is not without its strengths. Its physical design, despite some shortcomings, has its merits. The easily accessible shoulder buttons, well-designed analog sticks, comfortable Xbox One-style D-pad, and the inclusion of a fingerprint sensor for biometrics are notable features. Additionally, the ability to customize fan curves, built-in task switching and management shortcuts, and the flexibility to move the performance overlay to different parts of the screen provide added convenience.

From a hardware standpoint, the Ally’s M.2 solid-state drive can be easily replaced, requiring minimal effort. This stands in contrast to the Steam Deck, which presents a more challenging process for swapping components.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, while the Asus ROG Ally may not be the optimal choice for prospective handheld gaming PC buyers, it does offer impressive gaming performance at a $700 price point. However, to truly unlock its potential, it requires the presence of a power outlet and additional peripherals. Some individuals may find value in using it as their primary desktop that occasionally transforms into a portable gaming machine.

This review should serve as a wake-up call for Microsoft, urging them to address the challenges faced by Windows on handheld devices. Asus, on the other hand, might benefit from exploring the possibilities of integrating Steam Big Picture or even adopting Valve’s SteamOS 3.0 to enhance the gaming experience on the Ally. While the device has its merits, the limitations in battery life, glitches, and the less-than-optimal Windows experience underscore the need for improvement in the handheld gaming PC market.

It remains to be seen whether Microsoft and Asus will address these concerns in future iterations, but for now, the ROG Ally falls short of being the ideal portable gaming solution.

FAQ