Asus threw its hat into the handheld gaming PC space last year with the release of the ROG Ally, and in a new interview, the company has confirmed that a second-generation version of the device is already in development and could be out later this year.
“We most likely will launch a second-generation [handheld gaming console] this year. We will still keep the Windows features, but we will focus more on gaming,” Asus India’s VP of consumer and gaming PCs, Arnold Su, said to Techlusive.
The Asus ROG Ally is an impressive device, as it combines a sleek design with powerful hardware and a sharp IPS screen. Because it runs on Windows 11, it also gives users a greater selection of digital marketplaces to access in comparison to Valve’s Steam Deck. Steam, GOG, and Uplay all perform well on it, and you can even turn it in to a Game Pass machine by logging into the Xbox app. It is a pricy, and it doesn’t have the best battery life, but the ROG Ally is still a solid competitor in a crowded market.
As for upgrades, there is room for improvement here as an OLED screen, more internal storage space, and an even beefier APU would be welcome. While Asus is primarily competing against Valve and AyaNeo in this space, it’ll have to watch out for the MSI Claw later this year as well. There are quite a few similarities between both of these devices, as they both have 1080p 120hz IPS displays, 16GB of RAM, and even a similar shell.
The MSI Hook does trade AMD hardware for Intel’s new tech, and it’s scheduled to launch in the first half of 2024 for $699. Right now, the current ROG Ally is only $400 at Best Buy.
