ASUS reveals a competitor to Steam Deck

[Rob_B]

From Ars, some hands on:

https://www.theverge.com/23695254/as...nds-on-preview

https://www.engadget.com/asus-rog-al...140054506.html

https://www.pcworld.com/article/1796...d-options.html

https://www.cnet.com/tech/gaming/asu...eld-pc-gaming/

https://www.pcmag.com/news/asus-rog-...the-steam-deck

And that’s before we talk about the eGPU. That’s right — you can plug the Ally into Asus’ XG Mobile docking station, which is available with a high-end RTX 4090 laptop GPU.

[AGTDenton]

Looks like that Z1 apu will be a general part anyone can build handhelds around:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023...m-deck-clones/

That's interesting. AMD are probably using ASUS as a launch partner.
Be interesting what Sony & xBox think of this.


I really hope they allow us to install our own versions of Windows. This would be perfect for the modified Windows environment; AtlasOS, or even just to create my own custom ISO.

[Saracen999]

That's interesting. AMD are probably using ASUS as a launch partner.
Be interesting what Sony & xBox think of this.


I really hope they allow us to install our own versions of Windows. This would be perfect for the modified Windows environment; AtlasOS, or even just to create my own custom ISO.

Right now, MS are probably too busy smarting over the CMA blocking their Activision Blizzard takeover to worry much about this. Ouch.

And Sony are still grinning, over the same thing.

[Rob_B]

https://www.theverge.com/23700094/as...amd-z1-extreme

Rumour the extreme version is $699....

[Saracen999]

If true, and if the usual !:! conversion (or something pretty close), then that's going to be very tempting indeed. Not long to wait to find out, I guess.

[DanceswithUnix]

I wonder when dropped to ~15W how they perform vs the Steamdeck? Or to reverse it, how would a 30W Steamdeck APU compete vs a Z1/Z1E ? I can't see batteries keeping up very well for portable gaming with 30W power usage.

So hard to know. From the Ars article above, giving the APU massively more graphics compute in the Extreme version results in... not much. So is the new APU going faster because it has faster DDR5 memory, or because the new Zen cores are more efficient to make more use of the available watts, or some combination of the two?

[Rob_B]

Well the extreme is 8C/16T (vs 6/12) with 2mb extra cache, that alone could explain a bit of the extra performance in certain games, it is weird that 4 > 12 CUs isn't that much extra performance though.

[Rob_B]

Reviews are out, just watching ETA Prime's now, I'm liking the endless customisation on this thing with fan speed, power, controls etc, performance looks good (15W is good, 30W is pretty damn great)

Forza Horizon
15W (package, not total) - 1080P Medium ~ 80fps
30W (package, not total) - 1080P Medium ~ 100fps

Cyberpunk
15W 1080P Low ~ mid 50s fps
30W 1080P Low ~ mid 70s fps

Horizon
~20W 1080P Med , FSR Performance ~ mid 60s fps

Red Dead 2
15W 1080P Low ~ 44fps
30W 1080P Low ~64fps


Battery
100% Brightness, 1080P Video playback = 8hrs

Gaming:
8W 3hrs
15W 1hr 40mins
25W 1hr

[Saracen999]

Due to go on sale in UK, reportedly, for £699 on June 13th.

Hmmm. Tempting.

[Rob_B]

How are you finding your Steamdeck? I've just spent £30 on 2 CODs (for single player) and Guardians of the Galaxy is £15, never spent so much on gaming since I bought this thing.

I do like the Ally as I can just use any launcher but then again I could just install windows on my Steamdeck..hmm

[Jonj1611]

Hmm indeed, might be interested in this

[[GSV]Trig]

Thats kinda tempting tbh..
I'm thinking of treating myself for my birthday end of September, was originally thinking iPhone 15 Pro or maybe a Framework laptop (even tho I don't really need one) this could be something else to put on that list that I could actually use when out and about with work..

[Saracen999]

One caveat re: Ally. Power draw. As per LTT, at lower power usage, Steamdeck wipes the floor with the Ally. But up the power a bit (10w to 15w) and the Ally beats, sometimes wipes the floor with Steamdeck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLVgr29NMA0

On the assumption that power draw reflects on battery life (between charges) it suggests some caution depending on when/how the Ally would be used.

But in just about all other regards, the Ally looks very promising. If you can get your hands on one, any time soon, without paying scalper prices. I just hope Asus have an absolute mountain of these ready to ship, or we may be in fo a re-run of how fun it was getting hold of Steamdeck for the, what, 9 months after launch.

At £700, this is not a whim purhase for me, so I certainly want to see a spread of reviews before adding an order .... or pre-order. By which time, they may well be sold out and on months-long back-order.

[[GSV]Trig]

Valid points with where things have been these last few years when it comes to getting stock of pretty much anything, I do like to treat myself at least once a year though..
I'd be interested to see how well it plays simpler games, World of Warships, CS, C&C, stuff like that..

[Saracen999]

Well, I'm seriously re-thinking the idea of buying. No, let me rephrase that I'm categorically NOT buying ANYTHING Asus, until the furore over the exploding AMD 7000X3D chips on very expensive Asus Crosshair Hero motherboards is .... clarified.

If anyone doesn't know what I'm on about, see theGamer's Nexus video at Scumbag ASUS: Overvolting CPUs & Screwing the Customer, and the video that preceded it that Steve refers to in his opening remarks.

Steve is pretty good at calling things as he sees them, but I can't remember him being this .... pointed, even over the Gigabyte exploding PSU farce, and it rather looks like Asus have topped Gigabyte in the 'Scumbag stakes', and some.

So, for now at least, that's Gigabyte and Asus off my personal "approved vendor" list. So, off to investigate MSI's mobo range, and hoping they don't turn out to be the same. And, no Ally for me at the moment, either.