Save $150 on the Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Windows Gaming Handheld – Ideal for Dorm Room Play

Oh, man. So here we go, right into the wild world of gaming handhelds. I mean, seriously, have you seen how crowded this space is lately? I was just sipping my coffee when the news of the Nintendo Switch 2 hit me like a splash of cold water. Talk about setting the bar sky-high. And then there’s Asus with their ROG Ally—cranking it up with the Z1 Extreme processor. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, look at me!” So, you need to drop $499 at Best Buy to snag one of these gems, by the way. Not bad, huh?

The ROG Ally kinda fits between the sibling versions—Z1 and X. It’s like having the middle child syndrome but in a cool tech-y way. Oh, and let’s not forget the competition! You’ve got Valve’s Steam Deck (which reminds me of my buddy’s potato PC, but better), MSI Claw, and Lenovo Legion Go joining the digital showdown. Asus is even hinting at an Xbox version of their Ally. Maybe it’ll drop when pigs fly, or not, who knows? But hey, fingers crossed for some juicy price drops when all those new gadgets hit the shelves.

Now, talking specs, the Z1? It’s like the nerdy kid who aces the math test every time. Efficient little dude, saves on power, and keeps the battery life happy. You tweak the screen settings just right, and bam—you’re set for hours of fighting virtual dragons or trying to fix that inexplicably wobbly plank in your digital farm.

But here’s where things get spicy. Plug this baby into mains power and it’s like feeding a mogwai after midnight. Framerates soar, and the gameplay? Smooth as my grandma’s pudding. Compared to the Steam Deck, well, let’s just say the Ally has some moves.

We gave this thing a whirl—it’s light, vivid display and all. Like, surprisingly light! You’d think it’s on a diet compared to the Steam Deck. Plus, with Windows 11 onboard, it’s like carrying a mini gaming PC in your jeans pocket. Almost like magic.

Oh! Almost forgot—if saving cash lights up your world, and it should, go rummage through our Best PC Hardware deals. SSD, storage, graphics—you name it, we probably have a deal hidden somewhere in there. Okay, ramble over. Catch you in the digital aisles!