Turns out the Asus Rog Ally is a real one Alternative to the steam lid, because the component giant has just confirmed that it is not an April Fool’s joke. The gaming laptop will not only be compatible with Windows 11, but you can also plug it into one of the best graphics card options to give it a real boost for the desktop.

News of the rival Asus Rog Ally Steam Deck came on an unfortunate day, but that was the company’s plan all along. When you think about it, presenting a “too good to be true” product on a day of disbelief makes sense, because it’s a huge double letdown. That’s not to say the new handheld promises anything fictional, but it does have a few perks that could shake up the portable PC gaming scene.

For starters, Asus claims to have worked with AMD to deliver Rog Ally “the fastest AMD APU yet”. We’re still waiting for the official specs to arrive, but that could mean it’ll use the “Little Phoenix” chip that we thought was intended for Steam Deck 2. That’s exactly what it does.

The handheld’s promotional trailer also claims it will deliver a smooth “Full HD” gaming experience, suggesting it will come with a 1080p display. Even better, Asus says it will be able to play in direct sunlight, which means it can come with anti-glare capabilities that stand up to the 512GB Steam Deck model.

Like Valve’s handheld combined with the best Steam Deck, you’ll be able to connect the Rog Ally to a big screen. Instead of pairing the laptop with a docking station, however, the trailer says it will work with Rog XG Mobile, an eGPU enclosure that lets you hook up a full graphics card to compatible laptops and the next handheld.

That alone will give it a hybrid advantage over Valve’s handheld and consoles like the Nintendo Switch, since “docked mode” will increase fps. However, the latest Rog XG Mobile eGPU case costs $1,999, so the setup isn’t at all the same price as a Steam Deck and dock combo.

Given the premium vibe of the Asus Rog Ally, the handheld will likely cost significantly more than the Steam Deck as well. Other Windows-based portable Steam Deck alternatives, like the Onexplayer Mini, cost $1,229, so it’ll be anything but a price rival. That said, Asus’ achievements in the best gaming laptop space should help it grab a slice of the laptop market, which could allow it to make cheaper models at home. coming.

In fact, if Asus successfully steps into the laptop spotlight, there’s no reason a SteamOS version of the Rog Ally can’t emerge in the future. Valve said it’s open to the idea of ​​manufacturers making their own decks, and that might make my dream of a modular Steam Deck 2 more viable. Of course, we’ll have to test the Rog Ally first-hand before we know if the company can deliver anything truly new, so keep an eye on this space for more details.

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