Nintendo has dominated the portable gaming market for the last few years. Its unique games that a large number of people could enjoy gave the gaming industry a huge boost and helped it become what it is today, according to Mat Piscatella, executive director for games at data firm NPD.
But more was needed for gamers, who wanted a portable computer to take with them and play Windows games on. That’s when Asus ROG Ally came to the rescue. It is an impressive handheld gaming device with powerful performance, vibrant display, and immersive audio. But the question is, does it deliver on its promise of being a portable computer for gamers?
The Ally has a clean and somewhat reserved design for an Asus device. The front is covered in a fine-grain finish that gives it a matte appearance, while the sides have different wavy patterns that help you hold on to it—a textured d-pad on the left side and a fingerprint sensor built into the power button. The device has a single USB-C port that can be used on its own or to hook up the XG Mobile dock, as well as a microSD card slot for expandable storage. The power button also doubles as a volume rocker.
It immediately boots into Windows, and Asus’ Armoury Crate software sits on top of it. It’s a system similar to SteamOS that lets you access major PC game libraries like Steam, Game Pass, the Epic Games Store, and more, along with your local games. Armoury Crate is accessed via shortcut keys and a visual overlay on the Ally’s display.
In my testing, the Ally ran several games at their native resolutions and uncapped frame rates. It hit 30 frames per second (fps) in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 in Turbo mode and around 25 fps in less demanding games. But it also drained the battery pretty quickly, dropping to 15W in Silent mode after about an hour and a half of gameplay.
Asus’ battery is split into two 40Wh cells, which should be good for about four hours of gaming at the 15W power setting. Its less usable 10W mode is expected to fare better, but I would not recommend it for gaming on the go.
While the Ally has its kinks, it is still an impressive handheld computer for gamers. However, it does not have a built-in kickstand, and you’ll have to prop it against something flat or spring for a separate stand. The Ally is also not officially available in India, so Indian gamers either buy it from other countries or can only wait for the day when it will be available here. Until then, we can only hope that more manufacturers will start making handheld PCs that cater to the demands of Indian gamers. That means higher screen resolutions, better ports, and more battery life.
