April No Fools: Asus Challenges Steam Deck with Rog Ally
Despite hitting the screen on the suspicious April Fool’s Day, the news about Asus’s Rog Ally handheld gaming PC has been confirmed as genuine. The company aims to challenge Valve’s Steam Deck with this powerful device. With external GPU support Asus is confident that it has the fastest AMD APU until now. Thus, it’s set to rock up the market once released.
The Rog Ally will have Windows 11 support. It’s also capable of connecting to an eGPU enclosure, known as the Rog XG Mobile. Thus, enabling users to connect a powerful graphic card to compatible laptops and even the upcoming handheld device. This gives the Rog Ally a considerable advantage over the Steam Deck, as it enhances the gaming experience by boosting FPS in ‘docked mode.’ But the Rog XG Mobile’s cost may be a deterrent for some. Priced at $1,999, it certainly will drill a hollow hole into the wallets of many. While it remains to be seen what the cost of the handheld will be, perhaps it’ll circle around the same price point as other Steam Deck alternatives using the Windows system. One example is the Onexplayer Mini, which costs $1,229.
While the incoming portable PC’s official specs have yet to be revealed, Asus has stated that it has worked with AMD to provide the fastest APU yet. This has led some to speculate that the device may feature the ‘Little Phoenix’ chip, which was originally designed for the Steam Deck 2. Its promotional trailer also suggests that it will bring players a seamless “Full HD” gaming experience. Thus, perhaps a 1080 screen is in the picture. The company also mentioned that the Rog Ally can be used outdoors, under the sunlight.
Asus’s incoming handheld PC will be quite a premium product. Therefore, it’ll likely cost more than the $399 Steam Deck. But despite that, years of achievements within the best gaming laptop space should help it gain a foothold in the portable PC market. Thus, if successful, the company might be able to offer more affordable models in the future.
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