Review-of-ROG-Ally-in-the-UAE
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About Asus ROG Ally
Asus began developing a handheld gaming computer in 2018 to compete with handheld computers such as the GPD Win 2. Development slowed down over the next few years but was accelerated after Valve’s 2021 announcement of the Steam Deck, which quickly led to a renewed public interest in handheld gaming computers. The device was announced on April 1, 2023. Asus revealed the ROG Ally’s release date, technical specifications and price on June 11, 2023.
I got the Asus ROG Ally for review around a few weeks ago. Below are the details
Design & Specifications
The Asus ROG Ally 2023 comes with a dimension of 11.02″ x 4.37″ x 0.83″ and weighs 608 grams. The device comes with a 7inches glossy touch screen FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 ratio IPS panel Display which Gorilla Glass DXC and Gorilla Glass Victus protect. It comes with a 120Hz refresh rate and response time is 7ms and a brightness of 500 nits.
The ROG Ally comes with Windows 11 home edition with AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme Processor, AMD Radeon Graphics and AMD FreeSync Premium.
It ROG Ally comes with 16GB LPDDR5 on board with 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD for storage.
It has a 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, ROG XG Mobile Interface and USB Type-C combo port (USB 3.2 Gen2) which supports DisplayPort 1.4. And it has a microSD UHS-II card reader. The device comes with 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion with 40 WHrs battery.
Gamepad controls
The ROG Ally comes with A B X Y buttons, D-pad, L & R Hall Effect analogue triggers, L & R bumpers, a View button, a Menu button, a Command Center button, an Armoury Crate button, 2 x assignable grip buttons, Thumb sticks – 2 x full-size analogue sticks, Haptics – HD haptics and Gyro – 6-Axis IMU
The Review
The ROG Ally is a Windows-based device which opens up doors but limits flexibility or accessibility in some cases. The all-white case looks sharp, and since the body is also fairly slim, it’s a pretty slick-looking console. The device comes with circular RGB lighting at the base of each control stick. You can apply various colours and effects, or you can turn them off entirely if they aren’t to your liking. I think they do add a bit of fun, though they can be a bit distracting. Colour-changing RGB lighting is inherently an eye-catcher, and sometimes as your thumb moves on the stick, it covers and uncovers the light in your line of sight, which can make it flicker in your eyes.
Built Quality – ROG Ally
ROG Ally’s body is plastic built, it feels well-made and sturdy—not cheap and flimsy. The body has a textured grip on the handles that both makes it easier to hold and feels better to the touch. Initially, the handles seem somewhat insubstantial, but after using the device for a few minutes, that thought slips away. The Ally weighs 608 grams which is decent and doesn’t feel the weight on your hand, it is comfortable to use and easy. It’s a 7-inch full HD (1080p) touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of rated brightness.
Holding the device for a long period while gaming isn’t uncomfortable despite the size, and the display looks sharp and vibrant. The speakers are also surprisingly decent quality for their size—the sound comes through crisply and richly enough, and it can get loud when needed. A headphone jack is included, too.
Game Control – ROG Ally
The control sticks also feel substantial and responsive. They may be a touch small for some games, like shooters, but adjusting stick dead zones and sensitivity hopefully results in the right calibration for you. The two rear macro trigger buttons, which you can customize to suit your needs on a per-game basis. You can use these buttons on a game-by-game basis, as a Function key modifier, and for quick actions like taking a screenshot.
Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass can be an easy installation making access to every new PC game so much easier.
The ROG Ally’s Software: Open the Armoury Crate
ROG Ally comes with Armoury Crate which Asus own software. A dedicated button to the left of the screen pulls up an Asus Command Center overlay menu. This button allows you to change brightness, set a frame-rate limit, change resolution, and access a few other options. Two of the key inclusions are the Operating Mode and Control Mode toggles: The former swaps the performance level of the system (more on this later), and the latter swaps among gamepad mode, desktop mode, and auto.
These are key to navigating Windows. Gamepad Mode will act like a controller, and it is useful for Steam’s Big Picture Mode, in games, and in some menus. Desktop Mode, meanwhile, turns the control stick into an approximation of a mouse. This allows you to steer the cursor around the desktop like a mouse, and press the stick inward to click. You can connect a mouse via included USB-C port, as well as Bluetooth.
Another piece of Asus software, Armoury Crate, helps avoid the need to navigate Steam and your game libraries on the desktop altogether. A dedicated button to the right of the screen opens the Armoury Crate menu, which includes options to edit system settings and customize the layout and order of the Command Center. Armoury Crate’s best feature, however, is the unified game library. This pulls games from every game store or client you have installed, placing all of your Steam, Game Pass, Ubisoft Connect, GOG, and other libraries in one place. It displays them all as large tiles with their names and images, similar to Big Picture Mode or the SteamOS interface on the Steam Deck.
ROG Ally As Windows PC
As it is a Windows-based device, you can choose it as a regular PC too. 512 SSD storage is good for storage for your files. I found the best and easy way to navigate using the touch screen or with a mouse. You can choose to use the buttons need little handy work to learn and use the device. I’ve become accustomed to quickly hitting the left-side Command Center button and tapping Control Mode to toggle between desktop and handheld mode as needed. Connect a wireless keyboard, but like using a mouse, that’s not always practical unless you’re at a desk. the power button includes a fingerprint sensor, so you can sign in to the device without typing your password.
To use it as a proper PC, A dock is strongly recommended given the device has only one USB-C port. The Ally can also connect to an external display. The Ally is compatible with Asus’ separate XG Mobile eGPU, the device also comes with a microSD card reader which can help expand the storage.
Verdict
The Asus ROG Ally is a great device for gamers who want a handheld Windows PC-based product. You can use Windows GamePass and play AAA games. As it works like a PC you can use your Steam account and download and play your favourite games. The 7 inches IPS display which provides FHD quality videos and great sound quality can give you a great gaming experience and use the 3.5mm Combo jack for your personal environment. You use Bluetooth 5.2 to connect devices with the ROG Ally. The audio quality is amazing and can play Hi-Res audio with Al Noise-cancelling technology and Dolby Atmos. There is 2 speakers system with Smart Amplifier Technology. With Asus’s AURA Sync by which you can have RGB lighting changed as per your request.
The best part you can use the ROG Ally as your personal PC. You can connect with an external monitor and Asus’s XG separate Mobile eGPU.
“It is recommended for gamers who want the handheld device, which can be used to do other Window-based PC work too.”
The Asus ROG Ally comes with 65Watt AC Adapter and charging cable. It is priced at AED 2699 and be purchased from the ASUS website
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