Biggest feature for me from the steam deck is the console-like sleep. Having small children, being able to put down my game at a moment’s notice is a must have.
@@marshallmcluhan33 actually, even if I drop wifi, my deck that's dual booted has been really reliable with win11/gamepass when I use the sleep button. I'm seriously impressed.
@@SheddysGaming I'm biased but part of me wonders if that has something to do with Windows driver support from Valve. Hopefully Asus follows suit and releases some Linux support.
Just read a similar comment on another channel. I told him, as I'll tell you, that feature is definitely the sleeper Hit feature of the SD. Makes it a real console experience for sure
From what I've seen PC handhelds seem to have more hardware issues than laptops. Let's hope Asus didn't take too many short cuts to get it down to $699. Time will tell.
Yeah, they do need to get a bit more efficient or battery tech needs to advance so we can get 3-4 hours IMO. And they can't go that much smaller on transistors and I've heard that battery tech has sort of plateaued too. Maybe AI will bring us innovations in both of those fields that we can't even imagine right now.
@@recessionriche GPD and others were around, but Valve made it popular and Sony missed their chance. I've been saying it ever since the first laptop APUs came out back in the 2013 that they should be used for a handheld.
Yes absolutely. Until now the Deck was the only reasonable one; other devices either had tragic performance trying to match Deck's price or were more than 2x the price for any performance boost and also had very little in the way of support like Deck has. The Ally slots nicely into the more premium without being exorbitantly priced space and coming from a big company like Asus, I would hope for decent support.
@@Fina1Ragnarok So basically, The steam deck is the only best option and at a very reasonable price point? Since you basically have every console in yo hands while being powerful?
This is the first handheld I've been excited for since Deck. The other companies out there are cool devices but many are so expensive and don't have much in the way of support for after sales(IE software updates and improvements like Valve does for the Deck).
I hope I'm wrong, but don't expect a lot of great software support from Asus. They're a hardware company, and other than dumping a bunch of bloatware on their devices, they aren't exactly known for top-tier software. Valve is a software company first, so it makes sense that SteamOS is their strongest feature. It's also worth noting that the Ally's software still sits on top of a full Windows install that has all that junk running in the background. I've already seen reports of people saying they get the typical Windows popups interrupting their games and things that just don't happen on the Steam Deck, which has no desktop running under the UI. Sorry to be a downer. I do hope I'm wrong, but it looks bad from the early reviews. Honestly, it's not really Asus' responsibility to provide a great OS. That's Microsoft's job as the software partner for these hardware vendors. Until MS starts taking handhelds seriously, no Windows handheld can match the Steam Deck on the software side.
@@hueypautonoman Yes It's Microsoft fault. The advantage that the Steam Deck has by running Linux is massive, Valve can optimize the performance at kernel and software level! Something impossible in Windows, unless Asus team up with Microsoft to create a exclusive Windows fork for the Ally optimized for handheld gaming, otherwise the Ally will have only the hardware as a advantage, while the Deck get optimized kernel and OS + Valve active support with updates and new features.
@@krazymeanie The problem is that the Deck OS is optimized specifically for the Deck, so besides you getting the SteamOS optimizations you will miss some deep optimizations that would be possible if Asus reached Valve to have SteamOS on the Ally.
My only other hesitation I would like to bring up is the long-term support for repair ability. That was a huge selling point for me when I bought the steam deck is just how easy it is to service and get parts for the device since, like any electronic, there is wear and tear that will happen over time. Though the Ally is a performance beast compared to the steam deck, I just hope they are willing to work with the repair community just as much as the gaming community on keeping this device in a good place. Interested to hear your thoughts!
In europe or at least where I'm from its' 2 years plus they said there'd be support for this for 5years but by that time they'd prob have upgraded the ally
@@benimaru6708 If handheld become truly popular, like laptop and console we'll see repair shop everywhere. Switch and Steam Deck shows people still want handheld even when couch gaming is the preferred way of playing.
Battery lasts 4-7 hours minimum for me and I’m playing silent mode but mostly indie steam games or old school shmups and JRPGs. Will test out Tales of Symphonia but assume this will only last 3-4 hours.
In a future video could you show how the ASUS ROG ALLY behaves when you put a game into sleep mode. Because that is something that the Steam Deck has that NO OTHER handheld gaming pc has and its kind of a dealbreaker for me if a handheld doesn't have it. Thanks!
I can't speak for the other devices, but AYA's devices have had their own sleep mode since they launched Ayaspace last October ("Hibernate" - accessible from the quick launch menu). It's also a lot more power efficient than the standard windows sleep mode (a fact I, unfortunately, learned the hard way), though it also keeps the LED light indicators off.
@@sirdinkus6537 Theoretically, it should be able to last longer than the Steam Deck with the same performance, while getting smoother gameplay due to VRR. I don't know why the low power performance is so bad. I wonder if SteamOS would help its battery life.
Appreciate your reviews as always! Question here: is it looking possible for a typical end user to swap out the analog sticks when they wear out someday?
Looks really promising, I would love to see a video where you use it as a PC replacement. So plugged into power w/ an external monitor and peripherals, I think something like this has the potential to replace traditional PCs for some people.
I’d be curious to see how the normal Z1 Asus Ally compares to the Steam deck. All around I think Asus might actually have it beat. We still have to thank Valve to getting the ball rolling though and making the Steam Deck.
AOKZOE A1 isn't even in the same category, I'd group that with Aya Neo. The main two competitors are Asus and Valve now. Valve has taken Aya Neo's spot.
I would like them to add Thunderbolt 4 also charger over type-C, and we can plug it to bigger screen, use this "console" as minimap and do the adventure on TV screen.
I think the Ally could be a good choice for someone's only (and possibly first) gaming PC. When docked it's pretty much a standard and decent entry-level rig, though you will have to buy a monitor (and kb and mouse) or use it with your TV. The big question is: Why not get a gaming laptop instead, which offers a more complete package? The answer depends mostly on what form factor you prefer when traveling: laptop vs. handheld.
No a gaming laptop is not a handheld. A gaming laptop will require power at all times to achieve any usable performance. A gaming laptop is not easy to transport as compared to these handhelds. Gaming laptops also have larger power bricks. Don’t get me wrong, I love gaming laptops. I know all about them. But some people like the Handheld form factor very much so that will be best for them
If you could, I would love to see how well HoloISO works on the Ally. I love the looks and performance of the Ally but I like the console experience that you get from the Steam deck specifically SteamOS. ASUS seems to have done a good job of hiding most of Windows issues with a small touchscreen device but I did notice in your video that touching icons was still a hit or miss and I attribute that to Windows just not scaling down to a small display like the one in the Ally.
What are the benefits of SteamOS? I see Deck users keep yapping about it but I can't think of a single one? On Windows everything works and without having to jump through compatibility layer hoops. I get that some people want to "stick it to the man" (MS) but besides that I don't see any other benefits.
@@Glotttis the power consumption can be better on Linux due to less overhead functions. Also the stock OS on the Ally has Armory Crate, that is a really bad piece of software. People call armory crate a malware. Windows has lots of services in the background, Asus put a lot more.
Where can I find that video background you have running on the ALLY from 2:54-4:35? The train ride collage. I love that and need that! Someone please help!
If this had trackpads it would be the perfect handheld device. Unfortunately, with the games I play on my Deck, I can’t see myself upgrading to this due to that. Awesome device though! Love to see competition heating up in this space.
The Track Pad is Nice, this new handheld might be a beast but I also just like using SteamOs which I'm not even sure if you could run it by default or not on it
People should realise track pad is superior to a normal analog stick. And it is necessary in a device like this. I need it only on the right side though
I've preordered mine and this is the first time I've preordered a console. I never preordered a console because poor kid but with my job now I work hard so I can play hard.
While this is still not on my radar for purchase, it looks like an amazing device, and the price seems to be amazing to boot. I guess all those other companies in the handheld PC space might as well close up shop, as no way anyone is spending over $600 for one of those devices at this point. And maybe not even at that price depending on the base model cost of the Ally, so between the Deck & Ally all markets seem to be covered. The biggest issue for the Deck is that it isn't available worldwide, but with the Ally they cover the globe, so between these two devices, the market is pretty much covered(Both should also have much better support, in comparison to the Chinese options). I guess the devices with an 8" screen may still have a place, but unless you have to have that extra screen space, I really can't see it being worth the extra funds to make it happen.
Arguably steam pioneered and opened up the handheld market and it has gained a ton of adoption vs every year prior. Now we are stepping into powerful and affordable handhelds, I hope it sells well so the future of handheld gaming in the future will be amazing.
But but but Sony says there is no future in handheld market! Only mobile! This can‘t be true.. a total nightmare. They couldn‘t be lying.. could they? Please no!
I'm still literally shocked that they're putting out something that looks this equipped, in this form factor, and still hitting $700 with nothing on the back end to offset that. I can't wait for some of the really in depth head to heads with the Deck on a lot of the minutia. Didn't really see myself considering switching but it's going to be tempting, even if it's just all the easier access to all the non-Steam options out there. The trackpads and all the work Valve has done into a crazy flexible interface would be the big trade off, make a lot of games playable that have no controller support. That and ASUS is doing some serious damage to their reputation right now.
Super excited....oh question.. when setting up windows .. did you have to pay for a new windows key? .. reason why I'm asking when I setup my ayaneo I had to end up getting a new windows key .. thank goodness for the discount link you have on here
The trackpads are essential to the steam deck to me, essentially a mouse like replacement over stick for aiming, navigating menus in rts games or as radial menus. A lot of games would be a much worse experience without them. I would definitely say try making the most of steam input before counting those extra features out so easily.
The trackpads are non factor for me. I only care about game launcher support (battlenet, epic, gamepass) and performance. The rog ally kicks steamdecks ass. I’m very annoyed I bought a steamdeck a month ago.
@@youraverageyoutuberj different strokes i guess, thats perfectly valid, if u get the ally hope you enjoy it. the extra performance is definitely nice and i love this new competitive handheld pc market.
@@bigscheesy4982 Yup, for my use cases the ally is better, but for others the steamdeck is. No disrespect to either side. I wish I would’ve known about the ally before purchasing the deck
Trackpads are essential for navigation in quirky emulation software also and desktop mode. Can you imagine navigation in windows without them? Sounds awful
Great video - can't wait for emulation and RSR videos you mention. Currently have an Aokzoe A1 and had to pre-order this over the A1 Pro, the Ally screen is just too good to pass up.
You mentioned the VRR screen, but then proceeded to target a locked 60 fps. I think a good way to go about things would be to use as low a wattage as possible while the game runs unlocked at around the 40-50 fps range and FreeSync would help make it feel smooth.
This looks incredible! If I hadn't have just got my Ayaneo 2 back in January I'd be getting this for sure. I'm happy enough with the Ayaneo 2 that I'm going to just wait for a handheld with a 7" OLED screen. I don't really need more performance than the 6800u provides right now, so OLED is really the only thing I'm excited for right now.
I love how this started in april fools day but not even 2 months after we can already feels it in our horizon thats really show the reputation of asus in the production and marketing game
I will keep my eye on this handheld to see if the hardware hold up in 6 months to see if they took short cuts to get it that price. I have plenty games to play on my Deck and Switch until then.
Thanks for another intensive video again ETA Prime. I started to watch your channel since 2020 and I have gained so much knowledge in tech. God bless u
I hope this will be highly successful so then other hardware like Alienware, Gigabyte, MSI and many other make similar handheld and start innovating. I also hope MS wakes up and implement big picture & steam input like within OS.
In real life scenario, Playing low or medium is preferable on the go hence handheld is portable battery powered device. But i guess ETA Prime will do on docked mode or using Asus eGPU.
I'm not buying it, I'm happy with my Steam Deck, but I'm glad to see a reasonably priced competitor helping to up the game in the handheld PC space and as another person in the comments said, these devices will get better and better because of it. We have the Steam Deck to thank for setting the standard. I really like the dockable GPU and I truly hope Valve is taking notes on that for a future iteration of the Steam Deck.
I know this is “better” than my deck but the deck for me just has a kind of X factor that will keep me coming back generation after generation as my go to mobile gaming device
To me it really isn’t better! I would get the display, that’s for sure. But the profile of the deck is more comfortable. The trackpads are unique and awesome. I much rather prefer steamos over windows for handheld (in its current status) so I am actually very happy with keeping my deck and waiting for gen 2 whenever that happens
@@antoniocastrojimenez8366 Steam OS is very limited. With Windows, it's just easy to do whatever you want from downloading and playing GamePass games to playing games from any storefront without waiting for approval or certification. Emulation will also be very easy without jumping through hoops.
@@OC.TINYYY that’s simply not true. It sounds to me like you haven’t touched a steamdeck even with a stick… it run Diablo 4 flawlessly. I played Hogwarts legacy with no issues. Played god of war, Spider-Man… all run perfectly fine. It’s a freaking handheld (400$) base model so you can not expect to run games like a 4090 that cost the same as three steamdecks. Be realistic
Really loving my steam deck but for AAA games I definitely felt it lacking personally especially for anything more recent, this looks to be the solution for power and resolution with that screen
Really good for the money, I was assuming this would be around $1000. That said, I got a deck for $360 and upgraded the SSD myself, so this is still almost double the price. The lack of trackpads is rough too. My most played game on the deck is actually Civ VI and that would be unplayable with analog sticks.
That's a major reason why I still went for a Steam Deck and didn't wait for this. The Steam Deck is unbeatable at its price point and the extra input options are nice to have. Just ordered it, so looking forward to having it soon.
Yeah - I was planning to buy the basic Steam Deck for €400. I have a high speed 512GB internal 30mm drive laying around, so that won't add to the cost (but even without it the Steam Deck is perfectly usable). Especially for people with a tight budget the Steam Deck will stay the most affordable hand-held that's capable running around 9000 games (and that's even without all emulated games). I don't say the Alley is bad or something, but at double the price it's even for me not really a cheap buy...
You always rock amazing wallpapers. Is there any way to share them? I suppose you are using wallpaper engine, but I'd love a list or recommendations. Thank you
I’m glad for the competition but it’s still the deck for me all day. Battery life is important to me as well as the trackpads. Also appreciate the native steam support.
If possible, can you do the "contra test" or the "tetris instant drop test" to see how often that d pad is registering diagonals when it objectively should NOT be?
I mean...I do want this, but then again it costs almost double what I paid for my Steam Deck so I am not disappointed. Still...it could ACTUALLY run Switch emulation and not just kind of... Edit: Just to clarify, the Deck cost me 400, plus a 25EUR SSD and an SD card, which brought me to 750GB of storage. The Ally costs 799 for the cheapest option where I live.
Almost double? requires some interesting shortcuts in math. You accounting for the identical storage model? This is 512 GB of storage. And there's a version for 599 with 512 GB. Just has a slightly weaker chip than the 699 model. So the prices are almost identical once you account for storage. Hell even a 64 GB steam deck plus a 500 GB SD card would be maybe 20% savings over the base model of this device. Again I don't have any preference either way, I probably won't buy either but price is almost identical once you factor in storage. Maybe a 10 or 15% premium on the price. In fact, pretty sure the 512 GB steam deck is 650 which is $50 more The base model of the Ally.
@@michaelcorcoran8768 I bought a VERY cheap used/new SSD for the deck and an SD card and came out to about 450EUR (slightly less) and the Ally is 799 here. I was lucky with my purchases, but it is still my current status. I am not at all saying the ally is expensive for what it is. It looks amazing, but if you are thrifty you can get a much cheaper steam deck, obviously with less performance. I do have a gaming PC in addition, so I don't need the insane handheld.
Gonna need you to discuss some of the negatives or things that could be better plx. Its helpful of course to know all the good things, but we need both sides of the coin :) maybe a follow up video.
I used to think using native was the shyt, but my OXP Mini Pro 2 (6800U) upscale to 1200p amazing that I can even run Steam Deck 800p resolution and I can barely tell unless I’m being a punk and double check lol! I could see this being great for like PS3 emulation or even 480p and playing for hours This has me debating because if it’s not like PS5/XSX where it sells out, I’m tempted to walk 15 mins and buy one when it’s out just because my OXP feels so fragile and don’t want my sweaty paws staining it 😂😂
Kind of seems like they should have gone with more than 16gb of ram since some newer games use a lot and that's also for the "VRAM" Or is the 4gb for the igpu seperate?
This is pretty neat. I've suggested this my oldest son. He's looking for a replacement "PC" and this would suit his needs for gaming, school work, etc. Already has a monitor and keyboard mouse. Would just need a USB-C dongle to plug everything in.
Can't wait for your emulation video and comparison, I'm excited to get this but I wanna know how it compares when it comes to the software and performance on this new device vs the steam deck.
You should man! They're so convenient. I've had my deck since July and my mind is still blown away by how far we've come in tech. Might as well get this Asus Rog Ally, I guess it's even better than the SD. Although the SD is not a bad choice either.
@Panamike you know, 10 years ago I only dreamed of handhelds being this good, but no tech company was developing them, I think the closest we got was the Razer Edge Pro back then which was pretty much the only attempt at a handheld gaming pc around. But here we are 10 years later and handheld gaming PCs are finally getting the spotlight they deserve!
The cheapest model of steam deck is still a better bargain than rog ally, but if I have the budget, I will go for the ally. More importantly, AMD is doing an amazing job on the apu, we will be having more powerful handheld coming from now on! I will wait for steam deck 2!
With its performance level up to 15 W TDP and starting price point of $399, Steam Deck still offers unbeatable value in terms of "mobile" handheld PC gaming.
If AMD could go on even bigger iGPU for desktop APuS (instead of 12CUs like here to maybe 32CU (768 -> 2048 shader cores) at 65W and maybe even up to 105W
With A $699 Price Tag What do you Think?
Let Me Know what else you want to see Running on the ASUS ROG Ally?
Actually exhaustive battery life testing.
Xbox 360 and PS2. How much upscaling.
Destiny 2
blender bmw render test 😁
Looking forward to seeing SteamOS on this
Biggest feature for me from the steam deck is the console-like sleep. Having small children, being able to put down my game at a moment’s notice is a must have.
That's a great point. I'd love to see ETA test putting the Ally to sleep/waking it up compared to the Steam Deck and other handhelds.
It's Windows so I wouldn't expect it to work well by default. In Retro Game Corps' review he mentioned sleep is buggy but it is an early version.
@@marshallmcluhan33 actually, even if I drop wifi, my deck that's dual booted has been really reliable with win11/gamepass when I use the sleep button. I'm seriously impressed.
@@SheddysGaming I'm biased but part of me wonders if that has something to do with Windows driver support from Valve. Hopefully Asus follows suit and releases some Linux support.
Just read a similar comment on another channel. I told him, as I'll tell you, that feature is definitely the sleeper Hit feature of the SD. Makes it a real console experience for sure
The future of APU's is so exciting right now
I do hope this becomes a very competitive segment. I’d gladly buy these gaming handhelds over gaming laptops.
@@Terreos it was already competitive to a certain degree. It's just that the volume was so low that they couldn't drive prices much lower.
Why isn't the present of APUs exciting right now? Lol. There has always been something better beyond the horizon. Tech is about chasing carrots.
From what I've seen PC handhelds seem to have more hardware issues than laptops.
Let's hope Asus didn't take too many short cuts to get it down to $699. Time will tell.
Yeah, they do need to get a bit more efficient or battery tech needs to advance so we can get 3-4 hours IMO. And they can't go that much smaller on transistors and I've heard that battery tech has sort of plateaued too. Maybe AI will bring us innovations in both of those fields that we can't even imagine right now.
Valve really opened the flood gates on the whole handheld thing. It's only going to get better from here, this is gonna be awesome.
You could say that they really unscrewed the Valve ;)
You mean GPD*
they dont even care about the steam deck lol they just wanted to set this off so more people would by pc games, genius
@@recessionriche GPD and others were around, but Valve made it popular and Sony missed their chance. I've been saying it ever since the first laptop APUs came out back in the 2013 that they should be used for a handheld.
@@recessionriche GPD been at it longer, but it was a weird niche thing. Valve got people talking mainstream with it.
I think ASUS has upped the playing field in this genre. The more competition we have the more these companies will make better devices.
Yes absolutely. Until now the Deck was the only reasonable one; other devices either had tragic performance trying to match Deck's price or were more than 2x the price for any performance boost and also had very little in the way of support like Deck has. The Ally slots nicely into the more premium without being exorbitantly priced space and coming from a big company like Asus, I would hope for decent support.
I still think GPD makes the best devices in this space, steam deck a close second.
@@Whatsup_Abroadthey mainly are talking price wise
I was waiting for a reason. :)
@@Fina1Ragnarok So basically, The steam deck is the only best option and at a very reasonable price point? Since you basically have every console in yo hands while being powerful?
This is the first handheld I've been excited for since Deck. The other companies out there are cool devices but many are so expensive and don't have much in the way of support for after sales(IE software updates and improvements like Valve does for the Deck).
I hope I'm wrong, but don't expect a lot of great software support from Asus. They're a hardware company, and other than dumping a bunch of bloatware on their devices, they aren't exactly known for top-tier software. Valve is a software company first, so it makes sense that SteamOS is their strongest feature. It's also worth noting that the Ally's software still sits on top of a full Windows install that has all that junk running in the background. I've already seen reports of people saying they get the typical Windows popups interrupting their games and things that just don't happen on the Steam Deck, which has no desktop running under the UI.
Sorry to be a downer. I do hope I'm wrong, but it looks bad from the early reviews. Honestly, it's not really Asus' responsibility to provide a great OS. That's Microsoft's job as the software partner for these hardware vendors. Until MS starts taking handhelds seriously, no Windows handheld can match the Steam Deck on the software side.
@@hueypautonoman Yes It's Microsoft fault. The advantage that the Steam Deck has by running Linux is massive, Valve can optimize the performance at kernel and software level! Something impossible in Windows, unless Asus team up with Microsoft to create a exclusive Windows fork for the Ally optimized for handheld gaming, otherwise the Ally will have only the hardware as a advantage, while the Deck get optimized kernel and OS + Valve active support with updates and new features.
@@hueypautonoman steam deck os can be installed on the asus handle held tho so it's not that big of a deal imo
Once Microsoft kills the SteamDeck all the updates and support disappear. Open source 4 life
@@krazymeanie The problem is that the Deck OS is optimized specifically for the Deck, so besides you getting the SteamOS optimizations you will miss some deep optimizations that would be possible if Asus reached Valve to have SteamOS on the Ally.
My only other hesitation I would like to bring up is the long-term support for repair ability. That was a huge selling point for me when I bought the steam deck is just how easy it is to service and get parts for the device since, like any electronic, there is wear and tear that will happen over time. Though the Ally is a performance beast compared to the steam deck, I just hope they are willing to work with the repair community just as much as the gaming community on keeping this device in a good place. Interested to hear your thoughts!
In europe or at least where I'm from its' 2 years plus they said there'd be support for this for 5years but by that time they'd prob have upgraded the ally
Absolutely! That's one aspect I haven't seen anyone talk about and a major reason I like the steam deck so much.
@@benimaru6708 If handheld become truly popular, like laptop and console we'll see repair shop everywhere. Switch and Steam Deck shows people still want handheld even when couch gaming is the preferred way of playing.
@@sadiqraga3451 exactly I really don't thing long term support is gonna be a problem
To me is the design. The fact that it has only the white color (which is not even totally white, which is the worst) and the cheap plastic buttons
I love it. Is the battery life a big issue in real world use? I travel a lot. I’ve never drained my Switch battery though…
It lasts 90 minutes on full power or 4 hours with the lowest TDP mode as far as I'm aware.
@@WorldLoveGamingI seriously doubt it will last 90 minutes at full power with. 40Wh battery since the math doesn't add up.
Nevermind that's a misconception on my part
it's worse than the STEAM DECK.... which is not good
Battery lasts 4-7 hours minimum for me and I’m playing silent mode but mostly indie steam games or old school shmups and JRPGs. Will test out Tales of Symphonia but assume this will only last 3-4 hours.
In a future video could you show how the ASUS ROG ALLY behaves when you put a game into sleep mode. Because that is something that the Steam Deck has that NO OTHER handheld gaming pc has and its kind of a dealbreaker for me if a handheld doesn't have it. Thanks!
It'll likely work like standard windows sleep. It works ok most of the time, and has a high battery draw.
I can't speak for the other devices, but AYA's devices have had their own sleep mode since they launched Ayaspace last October ("Hibernate" - accessible from the quick launch menu). It's also a lot more power efficient than the standard windows sleep mode (a fact I, unfortunately, learned the hard way), though it also keeps the LED light indicators off.
This is awesome. Finally a high refresh rate, VRR screen, and at a price I really wasn’t expecting
Yeah🎉
And you can take full advantage of all those fancy specs as long as you don't leave a wall outlet for more than an hour.
@@sirdinkus6537
Theoretically, it should be able to last longer than the Steam Deck with the same performance, while getting smoother gameplay due to VRR. I don't know why the low power performance is so bad. I wonder if SteamOS would help its battery life.
Preordered mine as soon as it became available from Best Buy. Love my Steam Deck. I think my kids will love the Steam Deck now.
For what the steam deck is still better this is almost double the price
Nah they'll hate it. Gimme
@abdillin I can sympathise with that, though I love it
You never fail to do proper in-depth reviews 👍🏻
Appreciate your reviews as always! Question here: is it looking possible for a typical end user to swap out the analog sticks when they wear out someday?
Looks really promising, I would love to see a video where you use it as a PC replacement. So plugged into power w/ an external monitor and peripherals, I think something like this has the potential to replace traditional PCs for some people.
100% agree on seeing a PC replacement video!!
Hopefully its better than their AM5 motherboards.
🤣
This will blow up
That's a cheap shot but Asus totally deserve it! I'm not sure I'll buy any more Asus products.
I ordered one, i will see it the AMD APU fries .... and report😁
Your comment is going to explode just like mine CPU in ROG STRIX X670E-A 🙃
The Steam Deck still has its place at the $399 price point. But for high end, the $699 ROG Ally and the $799 AOKZOE A1 Pro take its place.
I’d be curious to see how the normal Z1 Asus Ally compares to the Steam deck. All around I think Asus might actually have it beat. We still have to thank Valve to getting the ball rolling though and making the Steam Deck.
AOKZOE A1 isn't even in the same category, I'd group that with Aya Neo. The main two competitors are Asus and Valve now. Valve has taken Aya Neo's spot.
@@user-ih6oe9ny3jSteam Deck doesn't even come close to Aya Neo Geek or 2 lol and now with 7840U it's not even comparable at this point
@@user-ih6oe9ny3j the deck is not near aya neo lol..
Nah
Shredder's revenge answers the low TDP question. Deck runs it with a package power of 7 watts compared to the 10/11 seen here.
one of the best reviewers in youtube, not just clear content but also clear voice that any race can understand. Subscribed!
Shame that Asus doesn't make a dock that would allow a person to connect a desktop gpu to the XGm port.
I know, I've been looking for an adapter but have had no luck
@@ETAPRIME m.2 egpu?
I would like them to add Thunderbolt 4 also charger over type-C, and we can plug it to bigger screen, use this "console" as minimap and do the adventure on TV screen.
They should have gone with USB4
Which asus egpu will be performant before the CPU starts being a bottleneck?
I love this guy, why couldn’t I come across this channel earlier. What a great genuine guy
I think the Ally could be a good choice for someone's only (and possibly first) gaming PC. When docked it's pretty much a standard and decent entry-level rig, though you will have to buy a monitor (and kb and mouse) or use it with your TV. The big question is: Why not get a gaming laptop instead, which offers a more complete package? The answer depends mostly on what form factor you prefer when traveling: laptop vs. handheld.
Oh yes it is
No a gaming laptop is not a handheld. A gaming laptop will require power at all times to achieve any usable performance. A gaming laptop is not easy to transport as compared to these handhelds. Gaming laptops also have larger power bricks. Don’t get me wrong, I love gaming laptops. I know all about them. But some people like the Handheld form factor very much so that will be best for them
1) gaming laptop way over priced
2) handheld vs laptop form factor is not comparable. Two totally different things with pros and cons for both.
11:19 Those mammoths are freaking out omg bethesda never change
If you could, I would love to see how well HoloISO works on the Ally. I love the looks and performance of the Ally but I like the console experience that you get from the Steam deck specifically SteamOS. ASUS seems to have done a good job of hiding most of Windows issues with a small touchscreen device but I did notice in your video that touching icons was still a hit or miss and I attribute that to Windows just not scaling down to a small display like the one in the Ally.
I'd go for ChimeraOS instead, as HoloISO is anything but "stable".
Isn't setting big picture in steam deck mode and auto running steam while it's turning on enough? You can also import games from other launchers.
What are the benefits of SteamOS? I see Deck users keep yapping about it but I can't think of a single one? On Windows everything works and without having to jump through compatibility layer hoops. I get that some people want to "stick it to the man" (MS) but besides that I don't see any other benefits.
@@Glotttis sleep works
@@Glotttis the power consumption can be better on Linux due to less overhead functions. Also the stock OS on the Ally has Armory Crate, that is a really bad piece of software. People call armory crate a malware. Windows has lots of services in the background, Asus put a lot more.
It would also be cool to benchmark these games with the highest graphical settings it can manage at decent framerates, while in docked mode 35-40W.
Yes! If thermals are managed, 40W mode might be able to run lots of games at high settings above 60fps, which would be absolutely amazing.
Does it have gyro? I couldn't find any information about it
15:45 Being able to finally play Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Definitive Edition with a good resolution on a handheld would be a dream
Perfect timing for this to go live!
Yep, they couldn't upload a full depth review to the public before Asus presentation due to the confidentiality agreement
It's called an embargo
Where can I find that video background you have running on the ALLY from 2:54-4:35? The train ride collage. I love that and need that! Someone please help!
If this had trackpads it would be the perfect handheld device. Unfortunately, with the games I play on my Deck, I can’t see myself upgrading to this due to that. Awesome device though! Love to see competition heating up in this space.
The Track Pad is Nice, this new handheld might be a beast but I also just like using SteamOs which I'm not even sure if you could run it by default or not on it
Ehh you can live without it
People should realise track pad is superior to a normal analog stick. And it is necessary in a device like this. I need it only on the right side though
Wouldn't it be possible to use a modifier button to make your analog stick act as a mouse pointer like the trackpad?
@@sevbait I think he wants the track pad for precision
imagine, in couple of years gaming handhelds will be as popular, as gaming laptops today..
this is just beginning
I would definitely love to see what SteamOS would be like running on the Ally.
Just wait for Steam Deck 2nd Edition.. the competition race for handheld wars has started!
🤢🤮 battery life of ally lol you can't even play
I think having windows by default is a big benefit, I wouldn't even look at this thing if my Steamdeck had real support for gamepass.
My birthday is on the 26th. Always wanted a handheld, definitely going to save up for one of these. 🔥
Eta really is a frames per second guy. I wish he tested more games out at higher settings
I've preordered mine and this is the first time I've preordered a console. I never preordered a console because poor kid but with my job now I work hard so I can play hard.
While this is still not on my radar for purchase, it looks like an amazing device, and the price seems to be amazing to boot. I guess all those other companies in the handheld PC space might as well close up shop, as no way anyone is spending over $600 for one of those devices at this point. And maybe not even at that price depending on the base model cost of the Ally, so between the Deck & Ally all markets seem to be covered.
The biggest issue for the Deck is that it isn't available worldwide, but with the Ally they cover the globe, so between these two devices, the market is pretty much covered(Both should also have much better support, in comparison to the Chinese options). I guess the devices with an 8" screen may still have a place, but unless you have to have that extra screen space, I really can't see it being worth the extra funds to make it happen.
That’s sick man, what background software do you use it looks amazing!
Arguably steam pioneered and opened up the handheld market and it has gained a ton of adoption vs every year prior. Now we are stepping into powerful and affordable handhelds, I hope it sells well so the future of handheld gaming in the future will be amazing.
Yeah
But but but Sony says there is no future in handheld market! Only mobile! This can‘t be true.. a total nightmare. They couldn‘t be lying.. could they? Please no!
that 1 hour battery life makes me think twice before buying any of those portable PCs
I'm still literally shocked that they're putting out something that looks this equipped, in this form factor, and still hitting $700 with nothing on the back end to offset that. I can't wait for some of the really in depth head to heads with the Deck on a lot of the minutia. Didn't really see myself considering switching but it's going to be tempting, even if it's just all the easier access to all the non-Steam options out there. The trackpads and all the work Valve has done into a crazy flexible interface would be the big trade off, make a lot of games playable that have no controller support. That and ASUS is doing some serious damage to their reputation right now.
Super excited....oh question.. when setting up windows .. did you have to pay for a new windows key? .. reason why I'm asking when I setup my ayaneo I had to end up getting a new windows key .. thank goodness for the discount link you have on here
Will you try steamOS with this?
I will
@@ETAPRIME I am so exited. Really wanna see how SteamOS works on this.
You beat all other YT reviewers to the punch 👍 Nice review!
Kindest regards, neighbours.
I would love to see some more CPU-taxing games running on this as well, like those sprawling factory simulators and 4X and strategy games.
Satisfactory
LTT had factorio in is benchmarks. Very much freeze the graph, though. Not gameplay
i need to know how you got that pixel art background on the Ally I love that aesthetic !
The trackpads are essential to the steam deck to me, essentially a mouse like replacement over stick for aiming, navigating menus in rts games or as radial menus. A lot of games would be a much worse experience without them. I would definitely say try making the most of steam input before counting those extra features out so easily.
The trackpads are non factor for me. I only care about game launcher support (battlenet, epic, gamepass) and performance. The rog ally kicks steamdecks ass. I’m very annoyed I bought a steamdeck a month ago.
@@youraverageyoutuberj different strokes i guess, thats perfectly valid, if u get the ally hope you enjoy it. the extra performance is definitely nice and i love this new competitive handheld pc market.
@@bigscheesy4982 Yup, for my use cases the ally is better, but for others the steamdeck is. No disrespect to either side. I wish I would’ve known about the ally before purchasing the deck
Trackpads are essential for navigation in quirky emulation software also and desktop mode. Can you imagine navigation in windows without them? Sounds awful
What software do you use for the moving desktop backgrounds?
I would probably play games at 720p, save some battery and get more frames. Does it have Gyro?
Great video - can't wait for emulation and RSR videos you mention. Currently have an Aokzoe A1 and had to pre-order this over the A1 Pro, the Ally screen is just too good to pass up.
Excellent review! I will totally buy one soon as I get the cash for this bad boy. :)
You mentioned the VRR screen, but then proceeded to target a locked 60 fps. I think a good way to go about things would be to use as low a wattage as possible while the game runs unlocked at around the 40-50 fps range and FreeSync would help make it feel smooth.
This looks incredible! If I hadn't have just got my Ayaneo 2 back in January I'd be getting this for sure. I'm happy enough with the Ayaneo 2 that I'm going to just wait for a handheld with a 7" OLED screen. I don't really need more performance than the 6800u provides right now, so OLED is really the only thing I'm excited for right now.
Steam deck is still better than all for 400
@@moneymoneyman32 no, it's not. If all you can afford is $400, fine. But most people should just save up a little more and get something FAR better.
@@moneymoneyman32 🤣💀 budget wise maybe but not better than all
@@robras2850 for 400 yes
@@bnr32jason 700 for a handheld is kinda crazy especially the fact that it only has 1 hour battery life 😭
I love how this started in april fools day but not even 2 months after we can already feels it in our horizon
thats really show the reputation of asus in the production and marketing game
Their marketing skill is explosive 💣
I will keep my eye on this handheld to see if the hardware hold up in 6 months to see if they took short cuts to get it that price. I have plenty games to play on my Deck and Switch until then.
Thanks for another intensive video again ETA Prime. I started to watch your channel since 2020 and I have gained so much knowledge in tech. God bless u
My good sir, thank you for this! 🎉
Great review. Where can I get those live backgrounds?
I hope this will be highly successful so then other hardware like Alienware, Gigabyte, MSI and many other make similar handheld and start innovating. I also hope MS wakes up and implement big picture & steam input like within OS.
Yes that will be great
Cant wait till mine comes in. Preordered before the rog launch video was over. ETA Prime were do you het those awesome wallpaper/screensavers?
I really want to see this hooked up to their external gpu.
I look forward to the emulation demos! Great review as always!
Would be interested to see how well games like CP2077, RDR2 etc run a medium or high settings on different wattages and with/without FSR
Indeed.
Every reviewer out there is only testing at low settings...
Why not see what it can do in turbo mode at higher settings?
In real life scenario, Playing low or medium is preferable on the go hence handheld is portable battery powered device.
But i guess ETA Prime will do on docked mode or using Asus eGPU.
Please someone tell me what incredible video wallpaper he was using in this video at 2:55
Asus Rog Ally is really good overall but i'm stick with my deck because i love trackpad for fps games or strategy games. i want to wait steam deck 2.
Me too
Same, steam deck 2 will for sure be worth the wait
Steam Input spoiled me. Can't go without it.
Yep, exactly
Could you please use the Ally with the Diablo 4 Server Slam this weekend and let us know how it handles the game?
I'm not buying it, I'm happy with my Steam Deck, but I'm glad to see a reasonably priced competitor helping to up the game in the handheld PC space and as another person in the comments said, these devices will get better and better because of it. We have the Steam Deck to thank for setting the standard. I really like the dockable GPU and I truly hope Valve is taking notes on that for a future iteration of the Steam Deck.
Can’t wait to get my preorder. Awesome video!
Need to see HoloISO on this thing
same - I bet it would be more efficient than windows
I pre-ordered mine earlier today! Can't wait for it to come in.
Much more better & beautiful than Deck, that's why it's slightly pricier 😍🤤
I was waiting for this ! As usual, very good review thank you.
Powerful handhelds under 1000 dollars, exactly what we've been asking for
🤣 720p at low settings
@@steffdia7080 I'm sorry you're broke
@@steffdia70801080p medium
I’m so hyped for this review! YES! Yes! Yes!
Gonna stick with the steam deck but I love that ui. Hopefully someone will figure out a way to get it to work on steam deck with windows
I can't wait to see that Dock. Keep your eye out that, for sure.
I know this is “better” than my deck but the deck for me just has a kind of X factor that will keep me coming back generation after generation as my go to mobile gaming device
To me it really isn’t better! I would get the display, that’s for sure. But the profile of the deck is more comfortable. The trackpads are unique and awesome. I much rather prefer steamos over windows for handheld (in its current status) so I am actually very happy with keeping my deck and waiting for gen 2 whenever that happens
Weird statement considering it can't even run current gen games without looking like the Switch trying to run Doom.
@@antoniocastrojimenez8366 Steam OS is very limited. With Windows, it's just easy to do whatever you want from downloading and playing GamePass games to playing games from any storefront without waiting for approval or certification. Emulation will also be very easy without jumping through hoops.
@@cadizking8161What hoops? You install an emulator and download games it's literally the same in both platforms
@@OC.TINYYY that’s simply not true. It sounds to me like you haven’t touched a steamdeck even with a stick… it run Diablo 4 flawlessly. I played Hogwarts legacy with no issues. Played god of war, Spider-Man… all run perfectly fine. It’s a freaking handheld (400$) base model so you can not expect to run games like a 4090 that cost the same as three steamdecks. Be realistic
Really loving my steam deck but for AAA games I definitely felt it lacking personally especially for anything more recent, this looks to be the solution for power and resolution with that screen
Really good for the money, I was assuming this would be around $1000. That said, I got a deck for $360 and upgraded the SSD myself, so this is still almost double the price. The lack of trackpads is rough too. My most played game on the deck is actually Civ VI and that would be unplayable with analog sticks.
That's a major reason why I still went for a Steam Deck and didn't wait for this. The Steam Deck is unbeatable at its price point and the extra input options are nice to have. Just ordered it, so looking forward to having it soon.
Yeah - I was planning to buy the basic Steam Deck for €400. I have a high speed 512GB internal 30mm drive laying around, so that won't add to the cost (but even without it the Steam Deck is perfectly usable). Especially for people with a tight budget the Steam Deck will stay the most affordable hand-held that's capable running around 9000 games (and that's even without all emulated games). I don't say the Alley is bad or something, but at double the price it's even for me not really a cheap buy...
@@bardknight Plus SteamOS and active support.
Looking forward to mine arriving! Great Review!
I like the 16 by 9 display. This would be perfect for streaming
You always rock amazing wallpapers. Is there any way to share them? I suppose you are using wallpaper engine, but I'd love a list or recommendations. Thank you
I’m glad for the competition but it’s still the deck for me all day. Battery life is important to me as well as the trackpads. Also appreciate the native steam support.
Pre ordered mine today can’t wait to use it. 🎉
Impressive. But the price and the battery life, and some of the controller design choices still makes me prefer the Steam Deck.
Waiting for July for my local set.. Can't wait!
699 let's go!!!!!!
If possible, can you do the "contra test" or the "tetris instant drop test" to see how often that d pad is registering diagonals when it objectively should NOT be?
I mean...I do want this, but then again it costs almost double what I paid for my Steam Deck so I am not disappointed.
Still...it could ACTUALLY run Switch emulation and not just kind of...
Edit:
Just to clarify, the Deck cost me 400, plus a 25EUR SSD and an SD card, which brought me to 750GB of storage.
The Ally costs 799 for the cheapest option where I live.
Almost double? requires some interesting shortcuts in math. You accounting for the identical storage model? This is 512 GB of storage. And there's a version for 599 with 512 GB. Just has a slightly weaker chip than the 699 model. So the prices are almost identical once you account for storage.
Hell even a 64 GB steam deck plus a 500 GB SD card would be maybe 20% savings over the base model of this device.
Again I don't have any preference either way, I probably won't buy either but price is almost identical once you factor in storage. Maybe a 10 or 15% premium on the price.
In fact, pretty sure the 512 GB steam deck is 650 which is $50 more The base model of the Ally.
@@michaelcorcoran8768 I bought a VERY cheap used/new SSD for the deck and an SD card and came out to about 450EUR (slightly less) and the Ally is 799 here. I was lucky with my purchases, but it is still my current status.
I am not at all saying the ally is expensive for what it is. It looks amazing, but if you are thrifty you can get a much cheaper steam deck, obviously with less performance.
I do have a gaming PC in addition, so I don't need the insane handheld.
Can you connect the new ROG Raikiri Pro PC Controller into this ?
Trackpads are a must for me, I'm staying on the Deck
Gonna need you to discuss some of the negatives or things that could be better plx. Its helpful of course to know all the good things, but we need both sides of the coin :)
maybe a follow up video.
As cool as the 1080p 120hz screen is, I'd probably just run games at 720p/60fps to get the smoothest possible experience.
I used to think using native was the shyt, but my OXP Mini Pro 2 (6800U) upscale to 1200p amazing that I can even run Steam Deck 800p resolution and I can barely tell unless I’m being a punk and double check lol!
I could see this being great for like PS3 emulation or even 480p and playing for hours
This has me debating because if it’s not like PS5/XSX where it sells out, I’m tempted to walk 15 mins and buy one when it’s out just because my OXP feels so fragile and don’t want my sweaty paws staining it 😂😂
Same. 1080p/120hz is nice, but I'll be more than happy playing games at 720/60 and maximizing battery life.
Kind of seems like they should have gone with more than 16gb of ram since some newer games use a lot and that's also for the "VRAM" Or is the 4gb for the igpu seperate?
Will stick to my dual boot steam deck
This is pretty neat. I've suggested this my oldest son. He's looking for a replacement "PC" and this would suit his needs for gaming, school work, etc. Already has a monitor and keyboard mouse. Would just need a USB-C dongle to plug everything in.
Can't wait for your emulation video and comparison, I'm excited to get this but I wanna know how it compares when it comes to the software and performance on this new device vs the steam deck.
I think I'm finally gonna jump into these handheld devices, this is amazing!
You should man! They're so convenient. I've had my deck since July and my mind is still blown away by how far we've come in tech. Might as well get this Asus Rog Ally, I guess it's even better than the SD. Although the SD is not a bad choice either.
@Panamike you know, 10 years ago I only dreamed of handhelds being this good, but no tech company was developing them, I think the closest we got was the Razer Edge Pro back then which was pretty much the only attempt at a handheld gaming pc around. But here we are 10 years later and handheld gaming PCs are finally getting the spotlight they deserve!
The cheapest model of steam deck is still a better bargain than rog ally, but if I have the budget, I will go for the ally. More importantly, AMD is doing an amazing job on the apu, we will be having more powerful handheld coming from now on! I will wait for steam deck 2!
With its performance level up to 15 W TDP and starting price point of $399, Steam Deck still offers unbeatable value in terms of "mobile" handheld PC gaming.
The Steam Deck 2 will be killer!
@@MatrixJockey you need Zen 5 APUs. Should be from Q3-Q4 2024 then according to "More law is dead" leaks
I just pre ordered mine excited to get hands on this. What wallpaper are you using at the start of vid looks sick 👌🏼
If AMD could go on even bigger iGPU for desktop APuS (instead of 12CUs like here to maybe 32CU (768 -> 2048 shader cores) at 65W and maybe even up to 105W
Bro 32CUs is literally the same as an RX 7600 and that thing is the same size as a 6800U
This is also silly due to this 12CU has already bottlenecking by bandwidth.
DUDE!!! thanks for showing warframe to us this has been something i been waiting for long time from an handheld