The ROG Ally PC handheld is down to $599 in the US for the powerful Z1 Extreme 512GB model
That's after a $100 Best Buy discount.
It seems like just yesterday that we were reporting that the Asus ROG Ally had dropped to £539 in the UK, and now we have a similarly good deal for the US market: the same Z1 Extreme 512GB model for just $599 following a $100 discount at Best Buy.
As I mentioned last time we covered the ROG Ally, this is generally considered to be the best Windows-based gaming handheld, offering improved performance over the Steam Deck as well as easier access to non-Steam launchers - plus Steam, of course. As you're running Windows apps natively rather than running them through an emulation layer like Proton, more games are compatible, especially those with anti-cheat software. The ROG Ally also comes with a better screen than the LCD Steam Deck, with a 7-inch 1080p screen that runs at an impressive 120Hz.
The downside to the ROG Ally is that you don't get the slicker interface of SteamOS that's on the Steam Deck, though you can at least activate the Big Picture mode in Steam to access your library conveniently. Microsoft are at least working on a special interface for gaming handhelds, so perhaps we'll see this improve over time - but for now, you have access to Asus' Armoury Crate application which works well enough to launch games and change the handheld's settings as needed.
Overall, if you'd prefer a Windows-based handheld PC over the Linux-based Steam Deck, then this is the best deal going - and definitely the better choice if you want to maximise performance and visuals in older games that can hit the full 1920x1080 120Hz spec of the screen.