Design and Build Quality

Zotac's Zone gaming handheld embraces gentle curves, slopes, and angles, resulting in an attractive design that fits well in most hands despite its massive footprint, as long as you don't game while lying down.

The dark gray plastic used here features a matte finish and feels pleasant to the touch. A nice, grippy yet gentle texture around the outer side of the grips improves the overall grippiness. I like the color choice and find the plastic used for the housing to be of high quality.

Screen bezels are pretty thick but aren't that noticeable when using the device. Regarding the placement of the thumbsticks, trackpads, and buttons, Zotac has managed to neatly stack them at the front without the whole setup feeling cramped. I would've preferred the Xbox layout of the D-pad and the left analog stick, but other than that, I really like Zone's design.


Two USB4 ports are available on the Zone, one of which is located at the bottom of the device, significantly improving the gaming experience while charging. The microSD card slot is also located on the bottom, allowing for easy access. No complaints here.


When placed next to an ROG Ally, you can notice the extra width and height of Zotac's handheld. The Zone is also noticeably thicker than ASUS's handheld, with more pronounced grips that allow the device to fit better into your hands.


Next to a Steam Deck, the Deck looks like the more compact of the two, which is a rare sight. While the Deck is wider, it's also shorter and has a slimmer middle part of the shell. Its grips are more pronounced since the middle is more slender, but that doesn't make Zone's grips less comfortable. In fact, I prefer the Zone over the Deck in that regard.


As for the built-in kickstand, it's got a sturdy mechanism made of metal, making it super stable but also relatively hard to adjust.


The mechanism made of metal allows the kickstand excellent stability when deployed.

The Zotac Zone has phenomenal build quality. There are no creaks, there's zero flex, and everything feels well-made and quite robust.