Gadgetren – The ASUS ROG Ally has finally been introduced in the open, even though it was previously suspected to be just one of the agendas for fun at the 2023 April Fool’s celebrations.
Although it is not sure when it will be released in Indonesia, the gaming laptop is planned to be available globally on June 13, 2023. We can also ask its hand at a price of 599 USD and 699 USD depending on the processor.
To be able to compete with many gaming laptops that have been released in the past, ASUS ROG also brings a variety of the latest features and support. We can also summarize it into its pros and cons.
Advantages of ASUS ROG Ally
ASUS developed the ROG Ally using both processor models from the AMD Ryzen Z1 family series that was just released a while ago. The higher end uses AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme while the affordable version is based on the standard AMD Ryzen Z1.
AMD Ryzen Z1 itself is a line of processors designed to deliver powerful performance in laptops. Both use the Zen 4 architecture, the Extreme version offers 8 cores with 16 threads while the standard only has 6 cores with 12 threads.
These two dedicated laptop processors are also equipped with the robustness of the AMD RDNA 3 GPU that promises a better visual gaming experience. It’s just that the Extreme version is built with 12 cores and the standard Ryzen Z1 is only 4 cores.
In order to boost the processor’s capabilities, ASUS provided both ROG Ally models with LPDDR5 RAM with a capacity of up to 16GB. It’s just that the higher variant comes with 512GB of M.2 NVMe PCIe 4 SSD storage while the standard is only 256GB.
Users also don’t have to worry that the ROG Ally will heat up quickly when in use. Relying on Zero Gravity Thermal System technology combined with dual fans, ASUS promises these devices will stay cool.
In order to treat users to a more enjoyable mobile gaming experience, ROG Ally also features a 7-inch IPS Level touch screen with FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution.
What makes it even more interesting is that the display belonging to this gaming device already supports a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, even though some of its competitors are still 60 Hz. So technically it will be able to display a more fluid animation so it looks smoother.
In addition to this, the ROG Ally display is also equipped with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. This protective glass can definitely make the panel of the device tougher so that we don’t have to worry about it being easily scratched by small and sharp objects.
There’s also a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass DXC that will make it even more scratch-resistant up to 40 percent better, while reducing light reflection to make content visible even in bright conditions.
Like other gaming laptops, ROG Ally also has a console-like design with a set of controllers ranging from joysticks, D-pad, macro keys, power buttons, ABYX buttons. The device in particular uses an asymmetrical design similar to that of the Xbox controller.
The features that ROG Ally brings are also quite complete. Among us, we can still find support for a fingerprint scanner sensor, Hi-Res audio, Dolby Atmos, AI noise cancellation technology and ASUS ROG Armory Crate SE that can improve the user experience.
The device also brings support for a number of supporting accessories to enhance capabilities. This includes the ASUS ROG Gaming Charger Dock, the ASUS ROG XG Mobile External GPU and the ASUS ROG Raikiri Pro.
Cons of ASUS ROG Ally
Coming with Microsoft Windows 11 operating system, ASUS ROG Ally supports more types of gaming platforms, starting with Xbox Game Pass, Epic, GOG and Steam. It’s just that the interface screen may not seem practical for a portable gaming device.
In addition, the ROG Ally does not slip with the addition of a touchpad on either the right or left side of the body. We can only rely on the operation with the touch screen, joystick and control buttons.
The battery life of this portable gaming device can also be said to be very lacking. Based on ASUS’ claims, the ROG Ally can reportedly only last for around 2 hours when used to run heavy games.
The good news is that ASUS has armed its gaming device with fast charging technology. In this case, we only need about 30 minutes to charge the battery up to 50 percent capacity.
