ASUS ROG Ally: Your handheld gaming ally

CHENNAI: There’s been quite a lot of action in the handheld gaming space, it’s part of a larger industry trend that has seen gaming revenues soar across the world. We’ve seen the likes of Steam Deck challenge established players like Nintendo Switch in the global market. The ASUS ROG Ally is the newest entrant in this space and is also one of the first handheld gaming devices that is officially available in India. If you’ve been considering a Nintendo Switch, the Ally definitely needs to be on your watchlist. For starters, it’s extremely portable and is easy to lug around.

The Ally scores with its form factor – it’s under 600 gm and just over 2 cm thick. Most users flit across different screens. We’re seeing the same with frequent games who use multiple gaming screens and are driving the demand for ‘Crossplay’ titles. The Ally offers the convenience of better game compatibility, since it’s powered by Windows 11. All this on a vibrant 7-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate that delivers an immersive gaming experience. We tried multiple titles, and the experience was ultra-smooth.

Battery life is one of the challenges for this category. We just managed about two hours on the Ally. The in-box (USB-C) charger powers this device in good time, you can also use your laptop or mobile charger to power this device. You don’t need to pack an extra charger when you travel. The ROG Ally has all the firepower you need for your gaming marathons, it’s propelled by the AMD Z1 APU chipset complemented by 16GB of 6400MHZ LPDDR5 DRAM. It offers uninterrupted gaming without thermal throttling with an innovative zero gravity thermal system and dual fan design. You also get a very familiar Xbox-style layout that adds to its appeal as your gaming ally.

(Rs 69,990)