ASUS Computex line-up leaks: ROG Ally, gaming laptops, and peripherals on the way?
ASUS is gearing up for Computex 2024 in June, which is set to include some big gaming hardware announcements. Thanks to a recent leak, we might know what those announcements are.
Held annually in Tapei, Taiwan, Computex is one of the world's leading technology expos. It features dozens of new product reveals from top brands. This year's event will run from June 4 to June 7, right before Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference kicks off on June 10 at Apple Park in Cupertino, California.
According to a leaked list of product announcements, ASUS, which is also based in Tapei, could reveal a slew of new products during Computex, including a mid-cycle refresh of the handheld ASUS ROG Ally, new TUF gaming laptops, and a collection of ROG gaming peripherals.
Highlights from the leaked ASUS Computex 2024 announcements
On Saturday, a leaker sent an image to the popular news and rumors site VideoCardz showing ASUS's line-up of product announcements for Computex 2024.
The list includes more than a dozen products, but there are a few that stand out, especially what appears to be a mid-cycle refresh of the ASUS ROG Ally handheld gaming PC.
The leaked list includes a product titled "ROG Ally 2024," not to be confused with the ROG Ally 2. Rumors have been circulating that ASUS has plans to unveil a sequel to the Ally this year, but the Ally 2024 appears to be a mid-cycle refresh with minor spec improvements rather than a true sequel. The ASUS ROG website already hints at different versions of the original Ally, with the current model listed as "ROG Ally (2023)."
In addition to a new version of the Ally, ASUS also appears to be launching two new TUF gaming laptops, the TUF Gaming A14, and TUF Gaming A16.
ASUS's TUF line-up tends to be the more budget-friendly counterpart to its ROG laptops, which are some of the best gaming laptops you can buy.
However, TUF laptops can offer great value for gamers on a budget. In fact, the ASUS TUF F15 earned an Editor's Choice award from Laptop Mag. So, it will be interesting to see how ASUS refreshes its TUF laptop line-up at Computex.
ASUS's Zephyrus line-up is also getting a minor update, with a new AMD version of the ROG Zephyrus G16. ASUS previewed a new version of the G16 earlier this year at CES, but that model featured an Intel processor. This version could feature one of AMD's new AI chipsets, but we'll have to wait and see.
We're also getting some new productivity laptops, including the ASUS Vivobook S15 and ASUS Zenbook S16. The Vivobook and Zenbook line-ups have consistently scored well in reviews and testing, with models like the Vivobook Pro 16 rivaling the Macbook Pro.
Lastly, it looks like ASUS is launching a new line of ROG gaming peripherals, including a keyboard, a headset, and two different gaming mice. The keyboard and one of the mice each have the term "Extreme" in their names, so ASUS may be trying to capitalize on the recent boom in pro-tier gaming gear from competitors like Razer and Alienware.
Should you buy the ASUS ROG Ally 2024 or wait for the Ally 2?
A new ROG Ally is among the most exciting highlights in ASUS's leaked Computex announcements. While a full sequel to the Ally would have been ideal, a mid-cycle refresh could indicate that the Ally 2 is at least another year away. That begs the question: should you pick up the ROG Ally 2024 or wait for the Ally 2?
If you already have the 2023 version of the Ally, you should probably wait. The mid-cycle refresh will likely have similar hardware but with a few tweaks for optimization and a fix for the notoriously faulty Micro SD card reader on the current model. Unless Micro SD card issues have ruined your Ally experience, the 2024 model likely won't offer a significant upgrade since software updates could still improve performance on the 2023 model while you wait for the ROG Ally 2.
If you haven't purchased an Ally yet, the 2024 model will likely be the superior choice. We already loved the original Ally, so the mid-cycle refresh edition will hopefully make it even better. The Ally is one of the top competitors to the Steam Deck and a fantastic option if you're shopping for a handheld gaming PC. If you don't want to wait another year or two for the ROG Ally 2, this could be the perfect time to pick up the updated original model.
We'll better understand how the 2023 and 2024 ROG Ally models compare when we get an official announcement from ASUS at Computex 2024. Stay tuned until then, as we'll cover all the latest news and rumors surrounding the ASUS ROG Ally and Computex 2024.
