ASUS has teased that its first Windows gaming handheld could almost be upon us, only a few weeks after teasing the device. The ASUS ROG Ally is also now expected to be priced at Steam Deck levels, despite featuring an AMD Zen 4 and RDNA 3-based APU.

Barely two weeks have passed since ASUS teased the ROG Ally, a Windows gaming handheld that was initially thought of as an April Fools’ Day joke. Subsequently, Dave Lee and Linus Sebastian revealed various ROG Ally details courtesy of pre-production units, with ASUS positioning the device as an improved Steam Deck.

At the time, Sebastian reported that ASUS would confirm availability and pricing within a few months. It seems that ASUS is keen to bring the device’s release forward, which The Phawx estimated was scheduled for October. While a release date still remains unknown for now, ASUS has hinted via its ROG Global Twitter account that the ROG Ally could arrive sooner than expected.

Additionally, the company has outlined that the ROG Ally will receive a worldwide release. The same post implies that ASUS has prioritised a North American launch ahead of others, with Best Buy perhaps an exclusive launch retailer. According to The Phawx, ASUS is now targeting a US$650-US$700 launch price and not up to US$800 as was previously expected. In other words, it seems that ASUS plans to undercut equivalent Windows gaming handhelds like the GPD Win 4 and AYA NEO 2 while making it price competitive with the most expensive Steam Deck configuration.

Leaked official ASUS ROG Ally carry case. (Image source: @_snoopytech_)
Leaked official ASUS ROG Ally carry case. (Image source: @_snoopytech_)
Leaked official ASUS ROG Ally carry case. (Image source: @_snoopytech_)
Leaked official ASUS ROG Ally carry case. (Image source: @_snoopytech_)