We are starting to learn a bit more about the upcoming ASUS ROG Ally portable Windows 11-based gaming PC, thanks to some hands-on previews of the device that popped up online today. We are even learning a bit about the device's earlier development up until today.
Engadget China posted up an image from an ASUS press event that showed off a number of prototype designs for the ROG Ally. As you can tell, there were quite a few proposed looks for the gaming PC before we got to the final form factor.
PC Gamer has another look at some of these different versions of the ROG Ally, and a few of them are just plain odd. There are a couple that look like a smartphone display that has been merged with some sort of brown mudpack and another looks like a big tooth with a screen put in front.
ASUS has apparently been working on a portable gaming PC design for five years. However, Galip Fu, the global marketing director for ASUS, did admit that Valve's launch of the Steam Deck portable PC in 2021 helped encourage the company to release the ROG Ally. He stated:
It inspired us to accelerate our collaboration with AMD to develop something even more advanced—something that is powerful and efficient enough for modern PC handheld gaming.
AMD will provide the newly revealed Ryzen Z1 CPU for the ROG Ally, which will power the seven-inch portable PC. We will learn more about the device, including its price tag and release date, on May 11.
