The second I performed a recreation on Asus’ upcoming ROG Ally, it felt too good to be actual. Performance is off the charts, and the shape issue is surprisingly snug. And the extra I believed concerning the ROG Ally after utilizing it, the extra I really contemplated changing my high-end gaming desktop with the hand held.
I’ve been clear about my worries about Windows 11 on a handheld like this, and though we hear about effectivity with every new launch from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia, it’s onerous to really feel these features in on a regular basis use. But the ROG Ally not solely seems to be just like the winner in opposition to the Steam Deck, it additionally may simply substitute your desktop PC.
We want to speak about effectivity
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
We’ve all heard about performance-per-watt metrics and daring claims about effectivity advert nauseum, however within the fanatic PC area that’s dominated by peak efficiency, they usually fall on deaf ears. But he ROG Ally is a showcase of what effectivity advances can materialize as.

The ROG Ally makes use of AMD’s new Ryzen Z1 processor, which is constructed with Zen 4 CPU cores and RDNA 3 GPU cores. It’s quicker than the Steam Deck’s APU, and effectivity advances are what make a kind issue just like the ROG Ally even attainable.
That’s not what will get me excited concerning the handheld, although. The up to date XG Mobile is. Asus launched this exterior GPU dock a few years in the past, and the latest iteration packs a cell RTX 4090 inside. The ROG Ally helps the proprietary connection, permitting you to plop down at your desk, dock the ROG Ally to the exterior GPU, and play video games at the next efficiency stage.

It’s simply the extent of efficiency that makes a distinction. As we’ve seen with laptops just like the Asus Strix Scar 17 and MSI GT77 Titan, the cell RTX 4090 is able to outpacing even a desktop RTX 3090 Ti in some video games. I wasn’t capable of do any express efficiency testing with the ROG Ally and XG Mobile, however the duo offered a 4K gaming expertise that I actually wouldn’t argue with.
I wouldn’t have any points changing a desktop with the ROG Ally and XG Mobile. It’s an costly combo — we don’t understand how a lot the ROG Ally prices but, and the XG Mobile is $2,000 — however not any dearer than a high-end gaming desktop packing a GPU just like the RTX 3090 Ti. And that’s with efficiency that may rival such a high-end PC.
It’s a testomony to the developments made in effectivity over the past a number of generations. There’s little question {that a} desktop RTX 4090 is far quicker than the cell model, however the ROG Ally permits a kind issue that wasn’t attainable in earlier generations, and all with out sacrificing efficiency.
Windows 11 does the trick
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
There’s one other facet that helps the ROG Ally as a full-fledged desktop: Windows 11. The ROG Ally isn’t the primary Windows 11 gaming handheld, however it’s the primary with an ecosystem designed to work with Windows 11.
That comes courtesy of Armoury Crate, Asus’ gaming-focused administration app. Unlike the Steam Deck, which must reboot if you wish to swap between gaming mode and desktop mode, the whole lot runs excessive of Windows 11 on the ROG Ally. Instead of a very separate UI for launching video games and managing your system settings with thumbsticks, Armoury Crate merely runs on high of Windows.
Even higher, there’s a devoted button to launch Armoury Crate. There had been a handful of occasions whereas testing the ROG Ally the place I’d find yourself on the desktop or in a Windows menu whereas poking round. And irrespective of how far I went, I might at all times click on the button and go proper again to the handheld-focused UI.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
It’s not onerous utilizing Windows 11 in handheld mode, both. It’s not good, however it’s far simpler to navigate with the touchscreen than the desktop mode of SteamOS. For instance, touching an tackle bar in a browser robotically brings up a keyboard, in contrast to SteamOS, the place you’ll be able to solely invoke the keyboard with a button mixture. It’s a small change, however it makes utilizing Windows 11 on this kind issue really feel far more sensible.
Armoury Crate was constructed to work together with Windows 11 as effectively. Through the app, you’ll be able to totally rebind the controls on the ROG Ally, together with mouse and keyboard instructions. Beyond that, Asus consists of a number of Windows shortcuts which you could bind to buttons, resembling exhibiting your desktop, launching Task Manager, and opening an software.
I don’t need to use the ROG Ally with Windows 11 in handheld mode, however I’d take utilizing it over SteamOS in handheld mode mode any day. Still, it’s not good. Because Windows 11 is static, the ROG Ally is very happy to allow you to run a number of functions on the similar time, together with a number of video games. Managing what apps you will have open is one thing that doesn’t come up on the Steam Deck, and it’s a major concern on the ROG Ally.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
You don’t ever have to work together with the Windows 11 desktop, although. Armoury Crate robotically hooks as much as the EA app, Xbox app, Steam, Epic Games, Ubisoft Connect, and GOG Galaxy, so you’ll be able to set up all of your video games and launch them by Armoury Crate with out ever touching the Windows 11 desktop.
Built for extra
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Between Windows 11 and extremely environment friendly {hardware}, the ROG Ally is able to delivering a desktop expertise. It’s clear that Asus designed the hand held for this objective, too. In the field, for instance, there’s a small plastic dock. It’s only a low-cost piece of plastic, however it props the system up like a dock, and that’s all you really want.
In addition, the charger doesn’t simply hook into the wall. It makes use of USB-C, and together with that connection, the charger additionally features a USB port and an HDMI 2.0 output. Even in the event you don’t have XG Mobile, you’ll be able to hook the ROG Ally as much as an exterior monitor with out shopping for any extra equipment.
I nonetheless want time with the ROG Ally to check the place it excels and the place it falls behind, however it’s already impressing me. The handheld expertise is nice, there’s little question about that. But I wouldn’t be shocked to see the system substitute some high-end gaming PCs when mixed with the XG Mobile, and that’s one thing to get enthusiastic about.

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