ASUS has announced local Australian pricing for its upcoming ROG Ally handheld PC.
The handheld, which has been positioned as a strong competitor to Valve's Steam Deck, is set to make waves in Australia. As Aussies know, the house that Gordon Freeman built is yet to launch its domineering handheld PC on Australian shores (though that hasn't stopped various grey importers and scalpers from bringing it over at inflated prices). The ASUS ROG Ally is, therefore, in an enviable position locally -- a market all of its own, unsullied by Valve's competing machine. Sure, it's got the Aya Neo to contend with, but even those devices haven't made significant inroads yet.
Right now, we've only got pricing for the Z1 Extreme 512GB model so far. We'll update this piece should other models receive local pricing.
Here's what you need to know right now:
June 13th, 2023.
Z1 Extreme 512GB Model: $1,299 AUD/$1,499 NZD
The official Australian stockists are JB Hi-Fi and ASUS. The official New Zealand stockists are JB Hi-Fi and PB Tech. Preorders went live at 3:00 PM AEST today, May 17th.
Processor: AMD RyzenT Z1 Extreme Processor
CPU: Zen 4 architecture, 8-core /16-threads, 24MB total cache, up to 5.10Ghz boost
GPU: 12 RDNA3 CUs, up to 2.7GHz, 8.6 TFLOP, default 4GB RAM capacity
APU Power: 9-30W
Display: 7-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 IPS-level touchscreen, 500nits, 100% of sRGB
Display Refresh Rate: 120Hz
Display Response Time: 7ms
Memory: 16GB LPDDR5 on board (6400MT/s dual channel)
Storage: 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD (2230)
I/O Ports: 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Row 12 - Cell 0: 1 x ROG XG Mobile Interface and USB Type-C combo port (with USB 3.2 Gen2, supports DisplayPort 1.4)
Row 13 - Cell 0: 1 x UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC)
Control and Input: A B X Y buttons, D-pad, L & R Hall Effect analog triggers, L & R bumpers, View button, Menu button, Command Center button, Armoury Crate button, 2 x assignable grip buttons, 2 x full-size analog sticks with capacitive touch
Haptics: HD haptics, Gyro: 6-Axis IMU
Dimensions: 28.0 x 11.1 x 2.12 ~3.24cm (11.02 x 4.37 x 0.83 ~1.27 inches)
Weight: ~608g (1.34 lbs)
Battery: 40hrs