Asus subsidiary ROG (Republic Of Gamers) launched its first handheld gaming console called the Asus ROG Ally at a summer product launch event on Monday. Equipped with a customized AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, the company claimed  its new product’s performance was on a par with the PS5 game console. 

The handheld device runs on a Windows 11 system, supporting game platforms Steam, Epic Games, Xbox, and GOG among others. Gamers can also explore Android mobile games through the software Tencent mobile game simulator. Asus initially unveiled a global version of the ROG Ally on May 11, priced at $699; the device will sell at a comparable price point in China.

Why it matters: The Asus ROG Ally is one of the most widely anticipated handheld gaming consoles to launch this year, with the company positioning the device as a rival to the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. Asus has been a major player in the PC space for years and will hope to boost the reputation of its new venture by making a positive impact in the world’s biggest gaming market.

Details: With multiple functions, the ROG Ally is essentially akin to a portable Windows 11 PC rather than a handheld gaming console. Players can play games, browse the internet, download files, and run programs. 

• Built on a cutting-edge 4nm processor, the customized AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor features both Zen 4 architecture and RDNA 3 graphics. The Ally boosts high frame rates and strong image quality. 
• The ROG Ally screen features a 7-inch LCD display with 1080p resolution, a 16:9 aspect ratio, 500 nits of peak brightness, and a 120Hz refresh rate. Asus claims a 7ms response time and 100% coverage of the sRGB color space.
• The device weighs approximately 608 grams and is equipped with two fans, allowing better cooling at slower speeds to keep noise to a minimum.
• The new console comes with dual Dolby Atmos speakers and AI Noise Cancellation, which processes both incoming and outgoing audio to filter errant background noises from voice chats.
• The console comes with a 40Wh battery that Asus claims gives it up to two hours of life when playing heavy gaming titles. The ROG Ally comes with 16GB of LPDDR5 memory and 512GB of solid state storage, and can be upgraded with a microSD card. It is fully compatible with Steam, Xbox Game Pass, Epic, and GOG, among other platforms.

Context: Established in 1989, Asus is a Taiwan-based company known for personal computers and monitors. It founded ROG as a gaming brand n 2006. 

• According to market analyst firm Canalys, as global PC shipments declined by 16% year-on-year to 285 million units in 2022, Asus ranked in the top five, albeit also declining on 2021 shipments by 4%. Asus occupied a 7.2% share of the global PC market in 2022, selling 20.61 million units.