At one point I seriously thought about buying a Steam Deck. My friends already had it, tested it and monitored how things were going with the games. The console feels great in your hands, games launch quickly, and the large screen immediately immerses you in the process. Almost ready to order. But then I thought: is this really the best option?
And then I remembered about ASUS ROG Ally. On paper, everything is good: Windows 11 instead of Linux, a display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a powerful AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip. Yes, I know that there is also a newer version of ROG Ally X, but with the prices from our resellers I decided that the game was not worth the candle: the performance was not much higher, and autonomy was more secondary (I will explain why below).
Of course, there were plenty of doubts. At some point I decided I wanted to give it a try and chose Ally. I’ll tell you why this console is so cool even at the end of 2024.
Why didn’t you choose Steam Deck?
Photo from our Steam Deck review
When I started looking for a portable gaming console, the Steam Deck immediately caught my attention. Huge community, great Steam library, ease of use – sounds great, right? But the more I studied the options, the more I realized that this device was not quite what I needed. To begin with, Steam Deck runs on SteamOS, and although you can install Windows, this is already a crutch (and why then take SD if you are not ready to use what is offered?).
I needed a console that would instantly let me play my favorite games, many of which were outside of Steam. For example, I often play games from Game Pass, and with Windows on board the ASUS ROG Ally, all this is immediately available.
Another important point is performance and screen. The Steam Deck is certainly good, but its 800p display at 60Hz (90Hz on the OLED version) is underwhelming in 2024. But the ROG Ally screen is 1080p, 120 Hz – this is a more advanced level. Games look incredibly sharp despite the IPS screen. And the processor in ROG Ally is more powerful, which allows you to run some games at high settings without compromise. For me this was the deciding factor.
And the last thing is design. The Steam Deck is heavy and quite bulky, while the ROG Ally is lighter and sleeker. This also played a role. I wanted a device that would be pleasant to hold in my hands and would not tire me out during long sessions. And so it happened that the choice fell on ROG Ally.
What’s included
In the European versions and for the EAEU there is a normal “fork”
The set turned out to be quite minimalistic. The box contains only the console, a 65W USB-C charger and some documentation. Yes, everything you need is in place, but no case, stand or even protective film for the screen.
However, this is a little disappointing given that the Steam Deck comes with a protective case. It seems like a small thing, but when you buy something premium, you expect the manufacturer to take care of the details. Of course, I bought an additional case, but ideally I would like to get at least a basic set included.
But the charger turned out to be quite compact, albeit powerful. The console charges quickly, which slightly compensates for its weak battery life. Overall, the Asus ROG Ally package is okay, but I think a little more could have been done to please customers.
Design and ergonomics. It’s very easy to use
There is no stick drift, this problem was fixed very quickly
This is the very device that you really want to hold in your hands. The white body with RGB lighting around the joysticks looks stylish, but not flashy. Everything is done with feeling and taste.
Compared to the Steam Deck, which seems more utilitarian, the ROG Ally looks like a gadget from the future. The plastic is high quality, the body is monolithic, nothing fidgets or plays anywhere, like on the Steam Deck.
The console is light, only 608 grams, and you really feel it. Your hands don’t get tired even during long gaming sessions. The sticks and buttons are conveniently located, everything is at hand. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I got used to the controls. It’s like taking a PlayStation gamepad, but in a wider case (not, of course, as if you were playing PS Portal, but still).
Of course, there are some minor drawbacks. For example, the handles on the Steam Deck are more pronounced, so it may be more comfortable for people with larger hands. But personally, the ergonomics of ROG Ally suited me perfectly.
And Armory Crate SE, proprietary software from ASUS, makes it easy to manage performance settings and launch games. You can even overclock your console using it.
Performance is up to par. Runs the most demanding games
Many people complain about problems with microSD cards overheating. I haven’t encountered them in all this time, ASUS doesn’t say whether it solved it (but promised to fix it in the middle of the year)
When I turned on ROG Ally and launched the first game, my expectations were completely met. The device simply “pulls” everything. Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Baldur’s Gate 3 – each of these games runs amazingly smoothly on medium-high settings, albeit with FSR enabled. This is not just a portable console – it’s a full-fledged gaming PC in miniature.
Unless Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is already straining the console more. If in “stalker” I can comfortably play at high settings with frame generation up to 60 FPS, then Indiana already produces 30 FPS (albeit stable) at low settings. For comparison, the Steam Deck runs the same game at only 20 FPS.
It is best, of course, to play in Turbo mode. When you connect the charger, the console reaches its maximum power (30 W), and you really feel the difference. Visuals become even clearer and FPS more stable. The 120Hz refresh rate screen does its job: games look vibrant and response is instantaneous.
Compared to Steam Deck, which also does a good job, Ally wins due to performance and image quality (800p vs 1080p). Yes, the device gets a little warm during long sessions, but the cooling system works decently – the heating does not interfere with the game, because you hardly feel it.
Autonomy is terrible, but for me it’s not a big minus
You can also purchase an XG Mobile dock with an external RTX 3080 or 4090 video card for top-end gaming. There is a special port on top for connecting
Let’s say right away: the battery of the Asus ROG Ally is its weak point. In games, it lasts for 1.5 hours at most, and sometimes less if Turbo mode is turned on at 25 W. This is not a console that you can take with you on a long flight and not think about charging. But for me personally this did not become a critical problem.
Why? Because I rarely play for more than an hour or two at a time without access to an outlet. And at home or in a cafe where you can charge, the battery does not cause any inconvenience. The charger is quite compact and charges the console quickly, so that smooths things out a bit.
Yes, the Steam Deck definitely wins in this regard, but it’s a trade-off I’m willing to accept for the sake of performance and the ROG Ally’s screen. And if necessary, I take a portable battery with me, which gives me a couple more hours of play.
As for charging, the console charges up to 50% in 35 minutes. It will take about 2 hours to fully replenish energy.
If desired, you can play in a reduced power mode of 15 W. Then the autonomy will almost double. However, games will perform 1.5-2 times worse.
Overall, an improved version of the Ally X is now available with twice the battery capacity. There are no problems with autonomy – it is approximately on the same level as a “steam deck”. But, again, the price in Russia became the decisive factor.
Was it worth taking ASUS ROG Ally
If desired, the console can easily replace the sticks and built-in SSD with a more capacious one. For example, 512 GB -> 2 TB
Definitely yes. Despite its shortcomings, Asus ROG Ally met all my expectations. This is a powerful, stylish and convenient device that can cope with any games and pleases with its quality. Yes, the battery could be better, but for me personally this does not cover all the advantages.
Even taking into account the fact that there is a full-fledged Windows 11 on board with its advantages and disadvantages. There are bugs, as usual, but I haven’t encountered anything critical.
If autonomy is more important to you than me, then you should pay attention to the ASUS ROG Ally X. And there is a little more RAM – 24 GB versus 16 GB.
Otherwise, these are the same consoles. And personally, I found no reason for myself to overpay almost 2 times.
P.S. Presumably, ASUS fixed the problem with memory cards in hardware, not software. There are no official revisions for the console, but it is better to pay attention to devices with a serial number that starts with R8. Judging by numerous reviews, it was from this generation that the problem was eliminated.
All photos in the article:
Source: www.iphones.ru
