In 2023, Asus dropped their handheld gaming PC, which is considered a competitor to the Steam Deck. It runs on the latest AMD Ryzen Z1 processors and RDNA 3 graphics. Asus ROG Ally allows gamers to play demanding PC games on high settings.
The ROG Ally has a display of 7-inch 1080p touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth gameplay. The device can last 2-3 hours for most demanding games. In contrast, it can last about 5-6 hours for light gaming. The ROG Ally also has a dual fan to keep the device cool while you are gaming heavily.
Unlike Steam Deck, the Asus ROG handheld runs on Windows 11 instead of a Linux-based operating system. Having Windows as an OS gives ROG Ally an advantage. Gamers have access to games which may not be available on Steam or other platforms. So, compared to Steam Deck, gamers have better access to a vast catalog of games.
Within this short time, Asus ROG Ally has sold around 450,000 to 500,000 units worldwide. These numbers do reflect gamers’ interest in the powerful handheld gaming PC.
Their success is becoming more prominent, which creates the perfect scope for Asus to roll out their successor of ROG Ally.
On 24th January 2024, Arnold Su, the VP of Asus India, gave an interview with Techlusive. According to the interview, Arnold said the second generation will be launched later this year. Moreover, the ROG Ally 2 will continue to have the Windows OS while heavily focusing on gaming.
“We most likely will launch a second-generation [handheld gaming console] this year. We will still keep the Windows features, but we will focus more on gaming.” (via Techlusive)
What to Expect from the Asus Rog Ally 2?
So far, we know that the ROG Ally 2 will come out later this year, around Summer or November. Arnold heavily implied that there would not be any changes in the operating system.
Instead, they will focus more on improving the gaming experience for the users. Most gamers expect Asus to fix the overheating issue of microSD in the second generation of ROG Ally.
In the original ROG Ally, the heating vents are near the microSD, which results in the card overheating and eventually malfunctioning. So, this design improvement is the most anticipated among gamers.
Secondly, another issue that Asus might improve in ROG Ally 2 is the battery life. Currently, if you are playing intensive games, it will last around 2-3 hours. It is decent, but Asus can push those numbers more. Moreover, a longer battery life will be more appealing to the gamers.
What We Don’t Know Yet About Asus Rog Ally 2
Arnold only talked about the possibility of releasing the successor of ROG Ally. However, there isn’t any proper lead about what the specs will be for the ROG Ally 2. The hardware details like processor, graphics card, and RAM are still under wraps.
Moreover, the design is also not known yet. Asus may still stick to a similar design, or they can even make significant changes. However, they are highly expected to improve the design of heating vents, so we might see some changes there.
Lastly, we also do not know the price range or if there will be a pro version of it. The ROG Ally sells for $1,299, which is more expensive than the Steam Deck. So, assuming there will be an upgrade in the hardware and possible design improvement, it is safe to say the price will definitely increase quite a bit.
Rumors and Speculation
Right after the announcement made by Arnold Su, people are jumping on the rumor train. There is much speculation surrounding ROG Ally 2.
One of the most interesting rumors is that ROG Ally 2 may use a Ryzen 7 7800U processor and RDNA 3 to improve their graphics significantly and provide gamers with much better performance.
Moreover, rumors exist about increasing storage options and potentially a dock similar to Steam Deck. However, these are just speculations and rumors. Until Asus officially announces the Ally 2, take everything with a grain of salt.
Conclusion
So far, we are sure that Asus is working on the successor of ROG Ally. The name ROG Ally 2 is not official, but it is just the name given by the internet. There hasn’t been any proper official announcement regarding the second generation of ROG Ally. However, we will soon get a proper statement from Asus regarding the specifications and features of the new successor.
Can’t wait for the ROG Ally 2? Check out the ROG Ally on Amazon, where it’s currently on sale, with a huge discount.
As a affiliate I get a small fee from Amazon.
