ASUS announces "Ally" handheld

[sugarhigh 519]

It seems like this is not a joke since Best Buy has a waiting list:

 

Very cool device imo, and exactly what I hoped to see when Steam Deck was announced. Hopefully they beat Valve to good dual boot support. I don't really believe in ASUS' ability to make a good gaming frontend for Windows.

 

Skipping the touchpads makes this fundamentally less interesting to me than the Deck, but I know a lot of people prefer the simpler gamepad design.

 

The future is going according to plan. Handheld PCs will be a lasting category from a variety of vendors. Deck pointed the way, but top tier laptop vendors like Asus, Samsung, Lg, Alienware, maybe even Sony will make sleeker premium options on a rolling basis. The Switch 2 will launch in a market where it really has no point. Solid, simple device for irresponsible kids, but any adult will want the unlimited PC library.

 

TSHBO Nintendo has no "blue ocean" left. Time to go 3rd party.

 

 

[TLHBO 2,162]

The Deck32 looks even better

 

 

 

[Twinblade★ 3,935]

Windows on a handheld really leaves a lot to be desired. Its such a clunky, unintuitive experience and I think these companies need to move away from it.

[Goukosan 2,258]

36 minutes ago, sugarhigh said:

It seems like this is not a joke since Best Buy has a waiting list:

 

Very cool device imo, and exactly what I hoped to see when Steam Deck was announced. Hopefully they beat Valve to good dual boot support. I don't really believe in ASUS' ability to make a good gaming frontend for Windows.

 

Skipping the touchpads makes this fundamentally less interesting to me than the Deck, but I know a lot of people prefer the simpler gamepad design.

 

The future is going according to plan. Handheld PCs will be a lasting category from a variety of vendors. Deck pointed the way, but top tier laptop vendors like Asus, Samsung, Lg, Alienware, maybe even Sony will make sleeker premium options on a rolling basis. The Switch 2 will launch in a market where it really has no point. Solid, simple device for irresponsible kids, but any adult will want the unlimited PC library.

 

TSHBO Nintendo has no "blue ocean" left. Time to go 3rd party.

 

 

 

Switch 2 in year 1 will outsell all those handheld PCs combined. 

[-GD-X★ 7,760]

20 minutes ago, Goukosan said:

 

Switch 2 in year 1 will outsell all those handheld PCs combined. 

Man…I can’t wait for switch 2. I don’t even need ridiculous power. Ps4 graphics undocked = perfection. Also, fixed joycons would be nice. 

[TLHBO 2,162]

1 hour ago, Twinblade said:

Windows on a handheld really leaves a lot to be desired. Its such a clunky, unintuitive experience and I think these companies need to move away from it.

Agreed, but windows on a desktop is also a terrible experience, 10 was one of the worst pieces of software ever written. Its just spyware now designed to make ms even more money and serve the user more sponsored content. 7 was the last one worth using. The industrt as a whole needs to move away.

[sugarhigh 519]

3 hours ago, Twinblade said:

Windows on a handheld really leaves a lot to be desired. Its such a clunky, unintuitive experience and I think these companies need to move away from it.

100% agreed. I'm sure this thing will run SteamOS tho.

[Twinblade★ 3,935]

 

Double the performance of a steam deck

twice the refresh rate

twice the resolution

 

Yeah this thing is gonna be like $1000. A niche device for a specific group of people and not really a deck competitor

[jehurey 3,243]

People think that other companies can take down Nintendo in the handheld market.

 

Other, better companies have tried and failed in previous decades.

 

Think about how stupid you have to be to openly peddle this idea in the year 2023.

[Cooke 2,031]

All these PC handhelds do is cut into SteamDeck. Nintendo is 10 tiers above these Chinese mini PCs 

[sugarhigh 519]

1 hour ago, Cooke said:

All these PC handhelds do is cut into SteamDeck. Nintendo is 10 tiers above these Chinese mini PCs 

There's no cutting into Steam Deck, there's only broadening the category. It doesn't hurt Google when more companies make Android phones. The best thing that can happen is there's like 6 name brand handheld PCs coming out every year.

[Cooke 2,031]

2 minutes ago, sugarhigh said:

There's no cutting into Steam Deck, there's only broadening the category. It doesn't hurt Google when more companies make Android phones. The best thing that can happen is there's like 6 name brand handheld PCs coming out every year.

Google is selling ads through its services. Valve is not. Android phones are partners with Google. Handheld PCs are competion to valve. 

 

 

[sugarhigh 519]

9 minutes ago, Cooke said:

Google is selling ads through its services. Valve is not. Android phones are partners with Google. Handheld PCs are competion to valve. 

 

 

Valve is selling videogames on the most popular digital storefront for PC games.

[Cooke 2,031]

5 minutes ago, sugarhigh said:

Valve is selling videogames on the most popular digital storefront for PC games.

It's a windows device. People can use whatever store they want. 

[Twinblade★ 3,935]

Some leaker reportedly just leaked the prices

 

$650 for the 512gb unit

$900 for the 1tb

 

$650 is expensive but isn't that the price of the most expensive steam deck? If so then the Ally is very much in the same ballpark while offering better hardware

 

Also this tidbit is VERY interesting

 

Quote

Not only that, but the individual explained that the Asus employees he demoed the unit alongside were discussing the ‘secret Sony handheld’ that’s in development. This has been up in the air since the death of the PlayStation Vita, so it’s about time Sony produced something in that market.

 

 

https://insider-gaming.com/rog-ally-pricing-release-date/

 

Gimme that Vita 2  

 

 

[Casual 732]

30 minutes ago, Twinblade said:

Some leaker reportedly just leaked the prices

 

$650 for the 512gb unit

$900 for the 1tb

 

$650 is expensive but isn't that the price of the most expensive steam deck? If so then the Ally is very much in the same ballpark while offering better hardware

 

Also this tidbit is VERY interesting

 

 

 

https://insider-gaming.com/rog-ally-pricing-release-date/

 

Gimme that Vita 2  

 

 

Sony getting back in the handheld game seems dumb at this point. Depends on the specs I guess, but AAA development takes so long these days that I'm not sure splitting your game across platforms in the play.

 

If anything I can see this being some handheld that plays the PS4 library and you can stream PS5 to. At which point, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[TLHBO 2,162]

I don't get why people get into fanboy wars over these.

 

Imo they aren't competing with Switch in the sameway we don't consider desktop PC to be a Switch competitor. Especially not Steamdeck since it isn't even being sold at retail.

 

Secondly the best thing about PC is that its open, just like desktop PCs companies will make a range of premades for all tastes. Want the best bang for your buck? Steamdeck, want the most power no matter what? Asus Ally, want portability over all? Ayaneo Air.

 

Yes some of these are niche but thats the point. Its like people are complaining because they have choice of a PC form factor.

 

What matters most is that Valve did what Sony and Microsoft couldn't do - one library for every device. Sony tried it with PS3/PSP/Vita but it was only for their own published games mostly, Microsoft had it for their own games and maybe others? But nobody wanted to use windows store. Valve is in a unique position to ignore all the redtape and just have the gakes available on any device which can run Steam, and now thanks to Proton, thats not just Windows devices either.

 

The hardware can be expensive sure but if you think if you bought a Switch 2 tomorrow, and you wanted 3 games to play on it, thats $210 right there added onto the price. $70 per new game. At least with Steamdeck I had an existing library to tap into and an existing marketplace and library which was rife with sales.

[sugarhigh 519]

16 minutes ago, TLHBO said:

I don't get why people get into fanboy wars over these.

 

Imo they aren't competing with Switch in the sameway we don't consider desktop PC to be a Switch competitor. Especially not Steamdeck since it isn't even being sold at retail.

 

Secondly the best thing about PC is that its open, just like desktop PCs companies will make a range of premades for all tastes. Want the best bang for your buck? Steamdeck, want the most power no matter what? Asus Ally, want portability over all? Ayaneo Air.

 

Yes some of these are niche but thats the point. Its like people are complaining because they have choice of a PC form factor.

 

What matters most is that Valve did what Sony and Microsoft couldn't do - one library for every device. Sony tried it with PS3/PSP/Vita but it was only for their own published games mostly, Microsoft had it for their own games and maybe others? But nobody wanted to use windows store. Valve is in a unique position to ignore all the redtape and just have the gakes available on any device which can run Steam, and now thanks to Proton, thats not just Windows devices either.

 

The hardware can be expensive sure but if you think if you bought a Switch 2 tomorrow, and you wanted 3 games to play on it, thats $210 right there added onto the price. $70 per new game. At least with Steamdeck I had an existing library to tap into and an existing marketplace and library which was rife with sales.

Any one of these doesn't compete with Switch. Valve can't do Nintendo volume on their own. But like you said, there's a range of options. Future hybrid handhelds from Nintendo will be launching into a field where there are already handhelds with a bigger library at all price points. They'll still have the kid audience, but for most people over 10, PCs will be more compelling because it is one library.

 

I think Valve needs to entice vendors like ASUS to use SteamOS over Windows. Some kind of "affiliate" program where OEMs get a cut of the store revenue could help a lot to draw in more hardware at competitive pricing, and more developer support.

[Goukosan 2,258]

37 minutes ago, TLHBO said:

I don't get why people get into fanboy wars over these.

 

Imo they aren't competing with Switch in the sameway we don't consider desktop PC to be a Switch competitor. Especially not Steamdeck since it isn't even being sold at retail.

 

Secondly the best thing about PC is that its open, just like desktop PCs companies will make a range of premades for all tastes. Want the best bang for your buck? Steamdeck, want the most power no matter what? Asus Ally, want portability over all? Ayaneo Air.

 

Yes some of these are niche but thats the point. Its like people are complaining because they have choice of a PC form factor.

 

What matters most is that Valve did what Sony and Microsoft couldn't do - one library for every device. Sony tried it with PS3/PSP/Vita but it was only for their own published games mostly, Microsoft had it for their own games and maybe others? But nobody wanted to use windows store. Valve is in a unique position to ignore all the redtape and just have the gakes available on any device which can run Steam, and now thanks to Proton, thats not just Windows devices either.

 

The hardware can be expensive sure but if you think if you bought a Switch 2 tomorrow, and you wanted 3 games to play on it, thats $210 right there added onto the price. $70 per new game. At least with Steamdeck I had an existing library to tap into and an existing marketplace and library which was rife with sales.

 

Took you a while to come around on the steam deck not competing with Switch... I was saying that from day 1.

 

Anyway... If Nintendo sticks to the the orginal vision of the Switch and if they stick to their past history with handhelds... When you buy a Switch 2 day one your entire switch 1 library should come with you like how all their previous handhelds did. 

[TLHBO 2,162]

16 minutes ago, Goukosan said:

 

Took you a while to come around on the steam deck not competing with Switch... I was saying that from day 1.

 

LOL, fuck.off.

 

I said on earpy on I wasn't sure why the sheep were getting so butthurt about Steamdeck because it wasn't competing with Switch, it was you and Jerry who were feeling threatened like it was a direct threat. Don't revise history now.

 

Its hard for it to be competition when its not sold at retail