Summary
- New ROG Ally 2 handheld PCs are expected to compete with the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.
- The Z2 Extreme APU aims to provide super power-efficiency for longer handheld gaming.
- The potential for official SteamOS support on the new Ally consoles could improve the gaming experience.
While it should surprise no one, there’s been a pretty solid leak indicating that not only is a ROG Ally 2 on the way, but it’s probably going to be soon. Soon enough to likely overlap, or be near to the release of the Nintendo Switch 2. If you’ve been lucky enough to secure a preorder of Nintendo’s next handheld hybrid system, then there are some bits of info from the leak you might want to know.
As reported by Videocardz, the leaks from (what else?) FCC listings in the USA indicate that there are actually two Ally 2 models in the wings with not insignificant differences. Either of these purported handhelds are alternatives to the Switch 2, so why might you want to forego Mario in favor of these handheld PCs?
The New Z2 Extreme Is Likely to Be Super Power-Efficient
I’ve owned two PC handhelds using the Z1 Extreme APU at this point, and while it’s a great chip, it’s just not power-efficient enough for a proper handheld system. Compared to my OLED Switch, which offers 4.5 to 9 hours of battery life, my Z1 Extreme consoles are lucky to hit three hours even with aggressive settings. It’s why I always use a high-output power bank, which adds another 2-3 hours of play time, or just play with my handheld PC plugged in.
While the leaks suggest the Z2 Extreme will have a TDP of 36W, which will burn through any reasonable battery size that can fit in a handheld PC, that’s not the full story. Devices like the Steam Deck and even the Switch have a sweet spot between performance and power consumption, which means they can’t hit the same peak performance of a chip like the Z1,but at 10W or 15W, which gives you great battery life, they have great relative performance.
I know AMD has been working on this problem, and its Strix Halo chips with GPUs like the RX 8060S offer amazing performance per watt. I have a feeling the Z2 Extreme will offer significantly more performance at lower wattages than the Z1 Extreme and hopefully allow for a meaningful performance advantage over the Switch 2 at similar power levels. It’s not just about the GPU either; it’s actually the CPU that can be the biggest, hottest power hog in these devices, but both AMD and Intel have made huge inroads in lowering the power requirements for their x86 CPUs. Which is also why Lunar Lake MSI Claw devices and their successors should also be included in this conversation.
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There’s a Steam Deck Successor Variant in the Mix
What’s even more interesting, is that the Z2 Extreme isn’t the only variant of Ally that might be coming. The other unit in the leak is sporting an “Aerith Plus” APU, which YouTuber The Phawkx refers to as a “Super Steam Deck” because that chip is a successor to the Van Gogh APU in the Steam Deck. This silicon has fewer CPU cores, and a weaker GPU, but is almost certainly going to be the power-efficiency king of PC gaming handhelds when it launches.
This version of the Ally 2 might actually be closer to a true alternative to the Switch 2, since it will outperform the Steam Deck and likely the Switch 2 in handheld mode, while offering a much more compelling performance to watt ratio.
While I tend to care more about higher performance, I find myself more excited to see what Aerith Plus can at that all-important 15W mark that should help make three hours of play time feasible on AAA 3D games.
SteamOS Is Almost Guaranteed
I think one of the issues standing in the way of mainstream handheld gaming PC adoption is simply Microsoft Windows. All the irritating things about Windows PC gaming are present and correct on these handhelds, but the Steam Deck’s SteamOS has managed to solve just about all of them. It’s got the simplicity of a console mixed with the power and flexibility of a PC.
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Lenovo is already officially shipping a Legion Go model with official SteamOS support, and there will almost certainly be an official SteamOS option for the next generation of Ally consoles. If that’s the case, then much of the friction that would scare off someone used to a device like the Switch could be lessened. Even better, this is likely to improve power management and performance even more, if done correctly.
Windows Is Getting a Handheld Update
You might not have to choose SteamOS for these new handhelds in the end, because Microsoft has been promising a handheld revamp for Windows 11 for a while now. I have no idea when that update will roll out, but I’m hopeful that it will bring the best of the SteamOS experience to handhelds, without the compatibility issues that arise from running Windows games on Linux. Of course, this is still Windows we’re talking about here, but I want to give the folks in Redmond the benefit of the doubt and wait to see what they eventually cook up.
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So, About That Switch 2 Preorder
Let me be perfectly clear here—if you’re looking at getting a Switch 2 to play Nintendo-exclusive games, then hang on to that preorder for dear life. However, if you’re looking for the best handheld solution to play current-generation games, things aren’t as clear-cut as they were when the original Switch launched. Personally, I bought a Switch at launch because it was the only way I could play Skyrim on the go. Apart from the Fire Emblem games, I don’t care much for Nintendo’s own titles at all.
Since then, things have moved on and there are many ways to play decent games on the go. While I’m sure the Switch 2 will sell millions of units and be a great piece of kit, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be the right choice for me or anyone else who mainly wants to play multi-platform games on a handheld system.
If the next generation of AMD-powered handheld PCs fix the main paint points of the current models, and are priced fairly, there’s a compelling argument that you should be playing your multi-platform titles there instead. As always, wait for real-world reviews and testing, but if you’ve already preordered a Switch 2, I guess that ship has already sailed. After all, we don’t yet know if it’s actually worth our money yet.
