Portable PC handhelds are becoming a hot new option for gamers in 2024, a trend made possible by Valve’s Steam Deck, which launched two years ago. Hardware ages rapidly, though, and rival brands have since entered the scene with more powerful hardware and a fully-fledged Windows 11 operating system, like the ASUS ROG Ally Z1, down from $599.99 to $399.99 at Best Buy for a limited time.
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The best deal for a PC gaming handheld
I’ll be frank: Valve will continue dominating the portable handheld scene if it keeps the 256GB Steam Deck LCD priced at $399 without rivals attempting to match it. I’ve used it daily since it launched, but I’ve been craving an upgrade since our initial ASUS ROG Ally review. The price was always a downside because although the jump in price did net me a performance boost, it was hard to be sure if ASUS would support the handheld in the long term. Thankfully, after a six-month review with the ROG Ally, our Jez Corden laid those fears to rest. It really is that good.
Now is the time to jump ship to a Windows 11-based handheld and finally enjoy the complete list of the best ROG Ally games, regardless of whether or not they utilize anti-cheat software (something that often causes issues with the Linux-based Steam Deck.) If you’re heavily ingrained into the Steam ecosystem like I am, moving to ASUS’ “Armoury Crate” software environment might feel strange, but there are solutions for that, like booting the ROG Ally into SteamUI with EmuDeck.
Even common issues like dwindling battery performance when playing intensive games can be solved by picking up one of the best ROG Ally battery packs. It’s not tied to a proprietary connector, so you could use most of these to charge everyday devices like your smartphone and even some laptops, making the ROG Ally a perfect companion for getting through long, boring flights or train journeys. The deal won’t last forever, so grab it while you can and get started on your PC game backlog — we all have unfinished games!
