Starting this week, Best Buy is slashing $200 off the Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme gaming handheld, bringing the price down to just $449.99. This is the lowest price I've seen for a brand-new unit, even beating Black Friday deals. And that's not all – you also get a free official ROG Ally travel case, a month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and two months of Crunchyroll Mega Fan!
The ROG Ally is a top contender in the handheld gaming market, particularly appealing to those who want more flexibility than Steam's ecosystem offers.
Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Gaming Handheld for $449.99
Asus ROG Ally AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme Gaming Handheld
$649.99 $449.99 at Best Buy (Save 31%)
The Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is a Windows 11 gaming handheld PC. This higher-end model boasts an AMD Zen 4 based Z1 Extreme CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. Its 7" screen offers a sharp 1080p resolution and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
Unlike its main competitor, the Steam Deck (which runs on Linux-based Steam OS), the ROG Ally utilizes Windows 11. This makes it compatible with virtually any Windows game launcher, including Steam, Battle.net, Xbox Game Pass, Epic Games Store, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, and more. This broader compatibility is a significant advantage for gamers who enjoy titles not readily available or easily installed on the Steam Deck.
In our Asus ROG Ally review, Robert Anderson noted that "the Asus ROG Ally truly feels like the portable Xbox Game Pass machine many fans have been waiting for. While a frustrating user experience, poor battery life, and a lack of Steam Deck-style touchpads hold it back somewhat, the sheer fun this handheld provides is undeniable. Its beautiful, bright 1080p screen is perfect for on-the-go gaming, and combined with its powerful specs, it might just be the Steam Deck competitor we've been anticipating."
Note that with CES 2025 behind us, the handheld gaming PC market is heating up. The Lenovo Legion Go S is the latest entry, but it's not necessarily superior to the ROG Ally and comes with a much higher price tag ($729 for the Windows 11 version with a Z2 Go and 32GB of RAM). A more affordable version launching in May 2025 will offer a choice of Windows 11 or SteamOS for $599. The Asus ROG Ally X, released in late 2024, is also a superior handheld, but at a $300 premium.
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