UPDATE 4/25: We spent some time with this highly anticipated Windows 11 gaming handheld. Check out our first impressions.
Original Story:
It turns out the handheld gaming PC that Asus introduced on April Fools’ Day is no joke.
The upcoming product is called the ROG Ally, and it’s poised to be a competitor to Valve’s Steam Deck, another handheld gaming PC that starts at $399. But for some reason, Asus decided to debut the Ally on April 1, when tech companies have a long history of unleashing fake products on the infamous holiday.
Hence, many users on social media assumed the device was bogus, especially since the company’s video about the product contained several corny jokes. But on Monday, Asus’ social media accounts clarified and said the ROG Ally is real.
That'll be a relief to numerous users who saw the company's initial announcement. “I don't even get the joke,” wrote one user on Facebook. “Handheld gaming devices are more popular than ever. This seems like something ROG should be doing.”
What’s enticing about the ROG Ally is how it’ll run Windows 11 while using the “fastest AMD APU yet.” YouTuber Dave2D adds the product will specifically run an AMD Zen 4-based APU for “double the performance” of the Steam Deck, which features an older AMD Zen 2 APU processor and runs the Linux-based Steam OS, making it capable of playing Windows games.
Another improvement is how the ROG Ally features a 7-inch 1080p 120Hz screen, over the Steam Deck’s 720p 60Hz display. Other features include a fingerprint scanner, a microSD card slot, and built-in speakers. In addition, the product can be connected to ROG’s external RTX 4090 GPU to add even more graphics horsepower.
There’s currently no word on when the ROG Ally will arrive and for how much. Asus didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But users can learn when pre-orders for the product will be available through a Best Buy email sign-up page.