The gaming handheld space has arguably seen some huge leaps in 2025 already, with the Nintendo Switch 2 about to launch next month. But another handheld, the Asus ROG Ally 2, a powerful rival to Valve's Steam Deck and pseudo Xbox handheld, may finally be making its long-awaited appearance with some big hardware improvements.
According to 91mobiles (via Videocardz), two models of the Asus ROG Ally 2 are set to launch in a matter of weeks, featuring minor design improvements and more significant hardware upgrades to what is already a top pick from our guide to the best handheld consoles. The black model also reportedly features a dedicated Xbox button, which could hint towards a partnership with Microsoft for the new gaming handheld.
There are some slight hardware differences between the black and white Ally 2 models as well. The black model will allegedly feature an AMD Z2 Extreme CPU with eight cores, alongside 64GB LPDDR5-8533 of memory. The white model will reportedly feature an AMD AERITH Plus CPU with four cores. Both models are also expected to feature a 120Hz display, beating the 90Hz display on the Steam Deck OLED.
These specs, if true, leapfrog Valve's handheld massively thanks to the display and CPU improvements, potentially making some of the best Steam games shine on the ROG Ally 2. They could also make the gaming handheld a great way to play demanding games like GTA 6 on the go if it ever arrives on PC.
In our review of the ROG Ally X, we mentioned how gorgeous the design and the display were, cementing it as one of the best Steam Deck alternatives. Although no release date was mentioned, we could see a ROG Ally 2 reveal at Computex later this month, given that the PC hardware trade show heralded the launch of the ROG Ally X last year.
As someone who swapped his gaming PC for a Steam Deck in 2022, as well as pre-ordering the Switch 2 in April, the ROG Ally 2 makes me curious. Realistically, there simply won't be every game available to play on the Switch 2, but PC gaming handhelds like the Ally 2 let me tinker with some to work on them, such as Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire or the PC version of Onimusha 3. With my Steam Deck almost three years old, I may wait to see how big of an upgrade the Ally 2 is and whether its improvements justify replacing my PC handheld.
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