Starting this week, Best Buy is taking $200 off the Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme gaming handheld, now only $499.99. That's the lowest price I've seen for a brand new unit, even during Black Friday. This is an excellent gaming handheld for those of you who want to play your PC games anywhere without being tied to Steam's ecosystem.
Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Gaming Handheld for $499.99
The Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is a Windows 11 based gaming handheld PC. This is the higher end of the two Asus ROG Ally models with an AMD Zen 4 based Z1 Extreme CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It boasts a 7" screen size with a sharp 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.
Whereas its main competitor, the Steam Deck, runs off a Linux-based Steam OS, the ROG Ally uses the tried-and-true Windows 11. The benefit is that the ROG Ally is compatible with pretty much any Windows-based game launcher, including Steam, Battle.net, Xbox Games Pass, Epic Games Store, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, and more. Obviously that makes it more attractive to gamers who like to play games that aren't available or are harder to install on the Steam Deck.
In our Asus ROG Ally review, Robert Anderson wrote that "the Asus ROG Ally truly feels like the portable Xbox Game Pass machine that many fans have been clamoring for. While a frustrating user experience, poor battery life, and a lack of Steam Deck-style touchpads do hold it back a bit, it’s undeniable how much fun this handheld is to use when it really gets ticking. With a beautiful 1080p screen that’s marvelously bright and perfect for playing on the go in any condition, alongside its powerful set of specs and a fierce price tag, it might actually be the Steam Deck competitor we’ve been anticipating."
Note that CES 2025 is here and there's even more competition in the hot handheld gaming PC market. The more compact and updated Lenovo Legion Go S has been announced and it's already up for preorder now. If you want to get your hands on the Lenovo Legion Go S, the Windows 11 version with an Z2 Go and 32GB of RAM will launch in January 2025, starting at $729. However, a more affordable version is launching in May 2025, with the same Z2 Go chip, but with 16GB of RAM and your choice of Windows 11 or SteamOS for $599. The Asus ROG Ally X was also released in 2024 and it's an all-around better gaming handheld, albeit at a $300 higher price point.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
