Now that the new and improved Asus ROG Ally X is here, we’re starting to see some solid deals on its predecessor ASUS ROG Ally. For example, this Windows-based gaming handheld with the Z1 Extreme chip is available at Best Buy now through August 19 for an all-time low price of $499.99 (a $150 discount). That’s nearly half the price of its successor, which sells for $799.99, making it a good choice if you’re on a tighter budget. A lower-end model with the Z1 chip is also available for $US379.99 ($120), but given the reduced performance, we recommend sticking with the Extreme configuration.
At this price, the standard Asus ROG Ally offers good value, although it didn’t impress us as much as the ROG Ally X in terms of comfort, performance, or battery life. Still, it’s more powerful than Valve’s Steam Deck, thanks to its Z1 Extreme chip and enhanced performance when the handheld is plugged in and put into “Turbo” mode. It also has a quieter fan and a larger 1080p display with a 120Hz variable refresh rate, the latter of which is surprisingly smooth for its size.
Unfortunately, its battery only lasts a mediocre four hours at most, which is disappointing considering it’s designed to be a portable gaming computer. It also hinders the development of Windows 11, which is not designed for small handheld devices. That said, Valve is working on adding SteamOS support to rival handhelds like Asus’ ROG Ally, so perhaps we could see it running an alternative operating system.
