I’m tempted to turn the Asus ROG Ally into an RTX 4090 PC using this Prime Day deal

Prime Day just slashed the price of the wildest Asus ROG Ally add-on, ROG XG Mobile. Designed to provide the handheld with a more powerful external GPU, the docking station can practically turn the portable into a full-fledged system rather than a device for 1080p shenanigans. With Amazon’s sale chopping $300 off its original price, I think a few of you on-the-go players out there will want to check this one out, but perhaps not if you’ve just picked up the new ROG Ally X.

In a price cut that marks a new record low, this Prime Day Asus ROG Ally deal brings the ROG XG Mobile down to $1,699.99 from $1,999.99, which just so happens to be cheaper than full RTX 4090 graphics cards and gaming laptops with the same discrete GPU. That’s pretty spectacular considering you’ll be able to hit pretty high frame rates at 1440p and 4K even in the latest games, all while still using a Steam Deck rival that normally taps out at full HD. 

I’ve been watching Asus ROG XG Mobile pricing for a while now, and the ROG Ally dock usually only drops to the $1,900 mark. Weirdly, it somehow managed to jump all the way up to $2,100 back in February, which hammers home the fact that good discounts aren’t too common. So, I’m pretty delighted that Prime Day has knocked it down to a record low, even if it’s still admittedly an investment.

Should you buy the ROG XG Mobile for Asus ROG Ally?

(Image credit: Asus)

Before I dive into why hooking the Asus ROG Ally up to a ROG XG Mobile, I have some bad news for anyone planning to buy a ROG Ally X. While the new model has beefier specs, and would naturally benefit more from having an RTX 4090 GPU at its disposal, it’s actually incompatible with this add-on. That might be something that sways you on whether to buy the best gaming handheld contender or the OG from last year, as you’ll ultimately be capped when it comes to enhancing desktop performance.

As for you lovely portable PC fans with an Asus ROG Ally to hand, the core reason for picking up an XG Mobile ties directly to docked performance. I recall many of my friends being excited about the prospect of Steam Deck docks boosting fps before Valve’s handheld officially arrived, and this add-on actually makes that pipe dream a reality. Not only will you be able to tap into an RTX 4090 discrete GPU using a single cable, but you’ll also add all the ports you’d normally find on a docking station, including DisplayPort, HDMI, and full-size USB ports. 

That said, it’s worth reiterating that the Asus XG Mobile uses a discrete GPU, meaning it’s not armed with a full-blown Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll still see a massive performance jump compared to the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme within the handheld, as we’re talking RTX 3090 Ti levels of oomph. Still, it’s important to not let the green team’s confusing naming conventions get your hopes up too much.

(Image credit: Future)

Ultimately, there are two types of players who should consider the Asus XG Mobile. The first is anyone with a ROG Ally who is thinking about getting a desktop rig, as this could honestly turn the handheld into exactly what you’re looking for. The second is any of you eyeing up Prime Day gaming laptop deals with the intention of hitting high frame rates, as you might honestly benefit more from a handheld hybrid solution.

Of course, if you’re planning on doing anything else other than trudging through your Steam backlog, you’ll still want to swing by Prime Day laptop deals. I mean, I won’t stop you from trying to do spreadsheets on the ROG Ally when traveling, but I can imagine it’ll both look strange and result in some wonky-looking sheets.

Looking for more handheld offers? Swing by Prime Day Steam Deck deals for excellent accessories and add-ons. Alternatively, check out Prime Day TV deals and Prime Day monitor deals if you’re looking for screen savings.