ASUS ROG has launched its first dedicated gaming handheld device. (Image: Asus)
ASUS ROG has launched its ROG Ally handheld gaming device. Featuring the powerful AMD’s 4nm Ryzen Z1 Extreme chipset, this launch marks ASUS’ first foray into the world of portable handheld gaming devices.
With gaming handheld devices becoming more popular, ASUS ROG has launched its ROG Companion handheld gaming device. The ROG Aide packs a powerful AMD’s 4nm Ryzen Z1 Extreme chipset – based on the Zen 4 architecture – coupled with an RDNA3-based GPU with 4GB of VRAM and 16GB of DDR5 RAM. This makes the ROG Ally at ideal in-game settings for playing AAA games.
It marks ASUS’ first foray into the world of portable handheld gaming devices – aiming to compete with the likes of the Nintendo Switch and Valve’s Steam Deck. In fact, many are calling it the first true competitor to Steam Deck. Furthermore, users can further enhance its power by using ASUS’ XG external GPU.
ASUS ROG AIDE: Specifications and Features
As a handheld gaming device, the ASUS ROG Ally sports a 7-inch IPS panel with 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The device offers AMD FreeSync and Gorilla Glass Victus protection for the display glass.
It comes in two configurations, the high-end model with the AMD 4nm Ryzen Z1 Extreme chipset, with 8 cores and 16 threads, with a boost clock speed of up to 5.1GHz, and the base model featuring the AMD Ryzen Z1 chipset. Both the models come with an RDNA3-based GPU paired with 4GB VRAM, 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, and up to 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD.
Running Windows 11, the ROG Companion offers three months of free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and is compatible with third-party game clients such as Steam and Epic Games. Being an ROG device, the Ally comes with ROG laptop staples, including the Armory Crate SE app. For ports, it has a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C port, UHS-II, and a microSD card reader. The device is powered by a 40WHr battery with 65W fast charging support.
ASUS ROG Companion: Price and Availability
For now, ASUS is only going to sell the high-end model that costs $700, but the base model, which is $600, will be available in Q3 2023. It is not yet known whether the device will be available in India or its price. It is to be noted that Valve’s Steam Deck- its closest competitor, has not been officially launched in India but is being imported through gray channels.
