Asus ROG Ally review: A powerful, imperfect handheld gaming PC

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Handheld consoles have been around since the late 1980s, but it recently feels like we’ve entered a new era with home console gaming coming to portable devices.

From the Nintendo Switch being the only realistic option for such handheld quality a few years ago, we now have credible competitors from the likes of Valve, Logitech and Onex. These are consoles that don’t play traditional physical game cartridges, cards, or discs, but instead stream or download games from services such as Steam or Xbox Game Pass.

But with the ROG Ally, Asus wants to take things to the next level. Unlike rivals, it runs a full version of Windows 11, meaning you can play the same range of games as any PC. Alongside dedicated AMD flagship processors and a 120Hz display, Asus means business. 

But does it live up to the hype, and more importantly, that high price? I believe so, but only if you’re willing to fully embrace the handheld form factor and its compromises.

This review originally appeared on TechAdvisor.com.

Design & build

• Premium but bulky design
• Impressive Xbox-style controls
• Good range of ports

The ROG Ally is a real statement of intent from Asus, and that starts with design. It’s a bulky, imposing device with a distinctive gaming aesthetic, yet still feels slick enough to have mainstream appeal. I’m not hugely into modern gamer aesthetics, but have no issue using this in public. 

A reasonably light weight of 608g and thickness of 21.2mm are a big selling point of the Ally, meaning you can take it almost anywhere with you. For context, that’s thinner and lighter than the Valve Steam Deck, despite both devices having a 7in display. 

But crucially for such an expensive device, the premium look and feel isn’t compromised to get there. The white finish won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but I feel it contributes to a design that’s sleek and modern. If you’ve used the white Nintendo Switch OLED, you’ll know what I mean. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

As good as it looks, though, an alternative colour option would’ve been nice. Unlike with phones, you can’t just cover it up with a case here. However, the device does a good job of avoiding picking up visible dirt marks, something I was concerned about. Your hands can get sweaty while playing, but it won’t show. 

While the design of the Ally is fairly generic, Asus has still managed to put its own stamp on the device. Small ROG-specific touches can be found across the device, from a large logo on the back to RGB lighting around both joysticks. The latter can quickly become annoying, particularly if you leave it on the default ‘rainbow’ mode, but this can easily be customised or turned off altogether. 

The joysticks themselves are where my thumbs naturally rest, offering a comfortable experience. My only complaint is the lack of padding, which can become uncomfortable when making lots of quick movements. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Asus has opted for Xbox-style ABXY buttons in the top-right corner, plus a directional pad diagonally opposite. Both are clicky and responsive, making them easy to press no matter the game.

Triggers and bumpers on the top of the Ally are just as good, but Asus has added a few extra physical buttons of its own. The most notable are two on the back of the device, which the company is calling ‘Macro 1’ and ‘Macro 2’.  While not relevant in many games, one-tap access to functions of your choice can make a big difference in some titles. It’s certainly a nice option to have.  

Shortcuts to the View, Command Center, Armoury Crate and Menu sections on the front of the device are more mundane, but still worth having. Combined, the physical buttons and joysticks deliver a more convincing experience than even a dedicated controller.

At the top, the power button doubles as a fingerprint sensor, which is a cool addition. It’s quite small, but still relatively fast and reliable. Next to it, you’ll find volume controls and a surprisingly good port selection.

Alongside a USB-C port for charging, you get a microSD slot for expandable storage, a 3.5mm audio jack, and dedicated connector for ROG XG Mobile, Asus’ external GPU system. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

The latter can supposedly deliver a big boost to the already excellent performance, but I wasn’t sent one to test out. It also costs well over $1,000/£1,000 and makes the Ally much less portable. For the vast majority of people, it’s totally unnecessary. 

Screen & speakers

• 7in, Full HD display
• 120Hz refresh rate
• Impressive dual speakers

The display on the ROG Ally is one of its key strengths. It’s a 7in, Full HD (1920×1080) IPS touchscreen, complete with Gorilla Glass Victus for extra durability. That resolution gives it a classic 16:9 aspect ratio, meaning almost all games can run natively. 

It’s a real step up from the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch OLED, which are both limited to 720p output. You also get a 120Hz refresh rate on the Ally, rather than the standard 60Hz on the other devices. 

With all that in mind, it’ll come as no surprise to learn that the display here is a joy to use. Gameplay looks superb, with rich, vibrant colours and lots of detail. On a screen of this size, you certainly don’t need a higher resolution. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

When loading up a game for the first time, I was genuinely shocked by how good the screen looked. It’s not quite high-end PC or TV console level, but it’s not far off. This is a premium display.

Prior to testing, I was concerned about how the LCD panel here would compare to OLED. But darker colours and contrast are still impressive on the ROG Ally, and it doesn’t feel like you’re missing out.  

The display’s 7ms response time isn’t the greatest by PC gaming standards, but there was no noticeable input lag while playing. Only avid gamers will observe any difference compared to more responsive screens.

Given how portable the Ally is, you might want to use it outside. A maximum brightness of 502 nits means that’s very much possible. 

My only complaint here is the bezels, which are much thicker than they need to be. There’s a ROG logo below the screen, but no webcam at the top – there’s no camera at all. This is a shame. Unlike a tablet, there’s plenty of space to comfortably hold the device already, so Asus has no real excuse for not squeezing one in.

However, the ROG Ally does benefit from dual stereo speakers, which emit sound from both the front and back of the device. The room-filling audio they provide is solid, considering the size of the device, with an impressive depth to music and sound effects. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

In-game character voices sound crystal-clear too, though an extra hit of bass and higher max volume would be nice. For the best experience, you’ll still need to connect headphones – whether they’re wired (via the 3.5mm jack) or wireless (via Bluetooth).

Specs & gaming performance

• AMD Ryzen Z1 and Radeon graphics
• Superb, console-level performance
• Limited storage, but microSD expansion

Asus has made a big deal of the performance abilities of the ROG Ally, and it’s easy to see why. 

The device is powered by the Ryzen Z1 Series, new AMD chips that are specifically designed for handheld consoles. Asus claims both Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme models offer flagship-level performance, but only the latter is coming to the UK – it’s the version I’ve been testing. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

While integrated AMD Radeon graphics and 16GB of DDR5 RAM (on both models) doesn’t sound particularly impressive, the results are. Performance is excellent, and in line with cheap gaming laptops in the £600-£800 price range – as the benchmarks below show:

Crucially, that’s reflected in real-world usage. I tried some of the most demanding PC games you can play, across three of the most popular platforms: Xbox Game Pass, EA Play and Steam. Everything runs very smoothly at 1080p, with gameplay looking superb on the ROG Ally’s excellent display. 

It’s not quite as good as a full PC gaming rig or next-gen console, but you won’t be disappointed by the performance on offer here. There are no noticeable dropped frames, even during fast-paced action games. According to Asus, a June 2023 update supposedly increases framerates by around 10-20%, boosting performance even further.

Hesitations and lag aren’t an issue while playing games, and bugs elsewhere seem related to software rather than hardware. I highly doubt more power would change anything, and it’s worth putting up with them for the superb in-game performance.

One feature which can sometimes be overlooked is the vibration motor. It’s excellent here, offering subtle feedback that really enhances the gaming experience. 

After only a couple of minutes of playing, there was a noticeable build-up of heat. But the advanced cooling system means the Ally only ever gets warm to the touch, with both fans on the back of the device where they won’t be covered by your hands. Even when in full flow, they don’t get too loud &