Reviewing the Asus ROG Ally handheld gaming console, a 2023 Steam Deck and Aya Neo 2 rival, after a week of testing. Includes an unboxing, so you see what's in the box.

The Asus ROG Ally with Ryzen Z1 Extreme can smash through most AAA titles with smooth gameplay, even at Full HD resolution. However, some of the more demanding games like Returnal are still no-go and many titles need the graphics scaling down to stay playable.

Check out my review of the Steam Deck, Aya Neo 2 and other Asus ROG Ally rivals, but this is undoubtedly one of the best handheld consoles right now. That 120Hz Full HD display is smoother and sharper than the Deck's, while playing games on different services is easier. Performance is seriously impressive (including benchmark tests), helped by Asus' excellent cooling system.

And the ROG Ally also has many useful customisation tools which can help you setup your favourite games to run perfectly. However, it's not all great news. Like other gaming handheld consoles such as the Aya Neo 2, that battery life is pants. And like the Steam Deck, portability isn't fantastic in general!

So that's my unboxing and review of the Asus ROG Ally after a week of gaming. Are you tempted? Full UK price and release details coming when we have them!

Asus ROG Ally Review Chapters:
0:00 - Banging on and unboxing
0:55 - Design
3:30 - Ports
4:04 - Asus ROG Gaming Charger Dock
4:35 - Armory Crate
8:35 - Command Centre
9:34 - Display
11:21 - Audio & haptics
12:09 - Performance benchmarking
14:01 - Returnal
14:45 - Uncharted 4 & Atomic Heart
15:34 - Forza 5 & Doom Eternal
16:10 - Cooling
17:26 - Final specs
17:54 - Battery life
18:22 - Verdict

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