Daily Use Impressions

While I was annoyed by the lack of features and bugginess of the One launcher, I didn't reach for my ROG Ally often while testing the Zone. It was mostly smooth sailing after I connected a keyboard and mapped controller buttons to keys, to use in Desktop controller mode.

I missed some nifty features from Armoury Crate and ROG Ally's Quick Menu, such as showing the time in the Quick Menu, being able to force close an app right from the Quick Menu, or having access to a ton of system shortcuts (taking screenshots, summoning the keyboard, and more). Most of the time, though, I was fine.



The manual power mode slider was great to have, and the One launcher played the role of a universal game launcher serviceably. The bottom USB4 port was a godsend for gaming while charging. The quality of the controls, the awe-worthy OLED screen, and the best rumble I've ever seen on a handheld turned the Zone into my favorite device for playing racing games. I've clocked in dozens of hours in Forza Horizon 4, 5, and Rush Rally 3, and I've loved every moment.

The console is also great for games where you don't need extra buttons or keyboard inputs, such as 2D controller-friendly indie titles in the vein of Hollow Knight, Nine Sols, or A Highland Song. The Zone was also great for playing Spec Ops: The Line.



In general, aside from the One launcher-related bugs and trackpad-induced frustrations, I didn't encounter any major bugs during my time with the Zone. Windows functioned without hiccups, games didn't crash or fail to run (aside from going black screen when I tried changing the resolution in some titles), the device didn't restart without warning, and it was pretty stable overall.

That said, I mostly used the ROG Ally to stream games from my PC because it has a secondary function modifier button that allows me to use keyboard controls even when the gamepad mode is active. I don't have to switch to the Desktop control mode or press pause to quick save and open my inventory in Mass Effect Legendary Edition, disable the MSI Afterburner desktop overlay, grab screenshots, or summon the virtual keyboard.



In the end, the two things preventing me from falling in love with the Zone are the shoddy software and the trackpads, with the former being a major negative. The performance is amazing, and so is the screen. The thumbsticks and triggers are precise and with just the right amount of tension; they're grippy and feel great under the fingers. The face buttons provide satisfying feedback when pressed and have very low amounts of rattle, and the D-pad is one of the best I've ever used. The device is comfortable to hold, and while it induces wrist discomfort during longer gaming sessions, my wrists didn't start hurting like they do when using my Deck for longer than an hour. Lastly, while the battery life is poor I game almost exclusively while hooked to a charger, so this issue doesn't bother me much.