From Computex 2024, mini PC purveyor Zotac has revealed the new Zotac Zone, a high-end handheld gaming computer that’s looking to take on the likes of other similar devices like the cheaper Steam Deck OLED and the upcoming ROG Ally X. It’s interesting how, even just a few years ago, this space essentially didn’t exist. Now it’s an all-out on-the-go war.
Zotac’s fresh offering is apparently arriving this September for $800, which aims it less at Valve’s latest portable gaming device (which starts at a slightly less offensive $549) and more at ASUS’ imminent Ally X (also priced at $800).
GamesRadar’s Phil Hayton voices his concern that with this newest wave of handhelds, we’re seeing prices very much drift up and away from the relative affordability of the Steam Deck line of products, floating more into expensive laptop territory, and I completely agree. It’s not a stretch to imagine next year’s iterations ballooning into the $1,000 range, as demand for portable gaming specs continues to drive better component inclusions. Those cutting edge internals cost a lot of dough, man.
PCWorld has a great walkthrough of the system’s details, and you can check it out below:
But back to the Zotac Zone: You’re getting an impressive 7-inch 800 nits 120Hz AMOLED display here, being fed graphics by a Ryzen 7 8840U APU, as well as 16GB of LPDDR5X memory, 512GB of M.2 storage and a rather paltry 48.5Wh battery. This is compared to the admittedly lackluster and recycled (from last year’s Ally, anyway) 1080p display on the new ROG Ally X, in addition to a whopping 24GB of LPDDR5X memory, a whole 1TB of M.2 storage and a much beefier 80Wh battery, ideal for those longer play sessions.
So already, from a purely specification perspective, ASUS and Zotac are bringing out significantly different handhelds. If you’re looking for the best possible screen, the Zone could be your best choice. If you’re seeking real horsepower, digital space and play session longevity, the Ally X presents an improved option: noteworthy RAM, storage and battery upgrades for the win. Luckily, both devices are set to use the more standard 2280 M.2 SSD size, so swapping out for increased drive space shouldn’t be a hassle.
The Zotac Zone itself additionally appears to be doing some creative things with its outer hardware, like including a front-facing webcam for Zoom calls and non-fingerprint Windows logins, a clicky d-pad perfect for fighting game fans, hall-effect joysticks plus triggers (which are adjustable), and even two touch pads, much like the Steam Deck touts. But most creative of all are the PS1 JogCon-esque dial wheels situated around the thumbsticks themselves, which can be programmed to do any number of things. Like say, play R4: Ridge Racer Type 4.
I’m only kidding…or am I?
In terms of which new handheld to invest in, the Zone would be a complete no-brainer for me if Zotac had bumped the RAM up to 24GB to compete with the Ally X. But even then, having an AMOLED display for PC gaming on the go is very tempting, even if I’ve got less memory, storage and battery life to contend with. What isn’t tempting, however, is the purported $800 price tag, which leads me back to the reasonably situated Steak Deck OLED. So many choices. So few conclusions.
Like I mentioned previously, the handheld PC space is really heating up these days and it’s exciting to see what hardware manufacturers are cooking in their innovation labs. Hopefully I can get my hands on a Zotac Zone sample closer to its September release so I can test out those nifty thumb wheels, and honestly, let’s hope we aren’t inching closer to a $1,000 Zotac Zone 2 next year.
