At this point, it’s safe to say: if you’re a PC gamer, you’ve heard of the Asus ROG Ally. It has climbed the ranks and come alongside the Steam Deck as one of the go-to choices for handheld gaming PCs. Like most first-generation products, it wasn’t perfect so Asus is back with the brand new Asus ROG Ally X. It has more memory, a bigger battery, newer processor, better cooling, and more. At $799, it’s more expensive than the original, but for what you’re getting, it’s definitely worth it.
Specifications
Current Price: $799 (Best Buy, Asus Direct)
Asus ROG Ally X - New and Improved
On the surface, the Asus ROG Ally X could pass for an original ROG Ally in a new black colorway, but it doesn’t take long to see how many small updates Asus has made. It has the same 7-inch 1080p screen and same layout, but it’s clear that the Ally X is designed to address nearly all of the concerns customers levied against the original.
Its ergonomics are largely the same, which is a good thing since it was one of the most comfortable Windows handhelds you could buy. They’re not untouched, however, as the grips are slightly larger which improves its feel further. The way it balances seems designed around lap or tabletop play, which isn’t the case on larger handhelds like the Ayaneo Kun.
The joysticks, D-pad, and macro buttons have also seen upgrades. While it didn’t go all in and incorporate Hall Effect joysticks with this version — disappointing, I know — the sticks now use tighter springs for better responsiveness and are more durable with twice the lifespan rating. Asus says that these can also be upgraded with third-party Hall Effect kits, though I have been unable to locate any official options as of this writing. The new D-pad is completely different. Instead of four raised ledges for the directionals it now has a full cross and has eight indicators to include directionals for fighting games. The macro buttons are also smaller while still being easily accessible and are harder to press by mistake.
The buttons themselves feel snappy, tactile, and are responsive to the touch. The triggers are Hall Effect and have that telltale smoothness and an impressive throw distance. And the joysticks, while still using potentiometers, also feel great thanks to their tighter springs.
Many of the biggest upgrades are internal, but there are a few other small touches that are worth mentioning first. Compared to the original, you’ll find an additional USB Type-C port that supports USB4 for external GPU support. You’ll also discover that there’s more venting across the unit. There’s an additional vent along the top (bringing the total to three) and larger vents along the back to improve thermals.
The microSD reader finds itself in a better location too. It’s now set in the upper right, further away from the hottest points on the motherboard. This was a big concern with the original as some users found their card readers malfunctioning due to heat. It wasn’t an issue at all in my testing.
The biggest boosts come from the upgraded internals. The ROG Ally X boasts the upgraded Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, just like its predecessor. Asus could have bumped to the Ryzen 7 8840U but there would be little benefit for gaming since it’s mainly an AI-based refresh of the 7840U, which is very similar to the processor being used right now. No matter, the Z1 Extreme is an exceptionally capable processor for a Windows machine, featuring eight cores and sixteen threads with a boost clock of up to 5.1 GHz.
This is paired with 8GB of additional memory, bringing the total to 24GB. The higher capacity is important on a handheld because you’re able to allot more to VRAM for better gaming performance. Just as importantly, the memory is now clocked to 7500 MHz, a 17% bump from the original and one that does improve performance in many games.
Keeping these things cool is a newly refined “Anti-Gravity” cooling system. It uses a refined heat pipe structure and vapor chamber design to more efficiently draw heat away and shed it out the exhaust vents. It uses two fans with 77 blades each, up from 47 on the original, that are both smaller and thinner to allow for greater airflow with less noise. Across the board, this is a cooler system, whether you’re measuring CPU temps or screen temps, and it does so while running up to 5dB quieter in Turbo and Performance modes. It does run slightly louder (2dB by Asus’s measurements) in Silent and Performance modes, but such a difference is pretty negligible and hard to perceive.
And despite weighing only 70 grams more than the original, the Ally X comes with a massive 80 wHr battery, double the capacity we had before, and the biggest battery in a handheld thus far. It doesn’t necessarily translate to double the battery life but it’s a big improvement, and often does mean double the uptime. On battery, playing AAA games, you could previously expect the battery to run dry in one to two hours. Now, I’ve been able to get closer to four. If you’re playing less demanding games at lower TDPs, you can push that further indeed.
TDP is another area where the Ally X earns some of its performance gains. Turbo and Max TDPs are the same (30 watts steady, 53w peak) but Silent and Performance have both seen boosts to improve FPS in each mode. Silent mode can now run steadily at 13W and peak at 23W in short bursts, up from 10W and 17W. Performance mode bumps that to 17W and 30W, up from 15W and 25W. Higher TDP, especially in these ranges, tends to have a direct impact on in-game frame rates.
The last big improvement is that it now comes with a full-size 1TB NVME SSD. This is double the capacity of the original, which is always welcome, but it's more easily upgraded thanks to its standard, desktop 2280 size.
The screen is also worth mentioning, though it’s the same we saw last time. But still, it’s great. It runs natively at 1080p with a 120Hz refresh rate and VRR support. This is huge for the smoothness of the gameplay experience and something we’re still waiting on from Ayaneo. It’s bright and vibrant, and though it features an IPS panel, offers excellent contrast. Asus rates it at 500 nits but I measured it at 512 with my SpyderX Elite colorimeter. This new version also comes with Corning Gorilla Glass DXC coating for improved visibility in challenging lighting conditions and increased hardness for scratch resistance.
Asus ROG Ally X - Performance and Gaming Impressions
Since we already have a review up of the Ally, I won’t go too deeply into navigating Windows and such. All of that is pretty much the same. Where I do have to give Asus kudos is its Armoury Crate software. It has come a long way since launch and is full featured now. If you’re familiar with it from your laptop or gaming PC, you’ll have a one-up on learning to navigate it, but it’s not difficult to wrap your head around.
With that in mind, if this is your first handheld gaming PC, you will have a learning curve. Learning to navigate Windows without a keyboard and mouse takes time. There are built-in quick commands tied to holding the back buttons and pressing directionals and face buttons, and the software does a workable job of getting important configuration options and commands in front of you easily. Compared to Ayaneo and its AyaSpace 2 software, which I’m most familiar with, Armoury Crate gave me access to everything I would hope for to have full control over the system and was less confusing to configure.
Moving onto gaming performance, we see some respectable results. I didn’t have an original Z1 Extreme on-hand to test but given its similarity to the 7840U and how multiple handhelds I’ve reviewed have performed in comparison, I have a good idea of what these improvements actually are.
Here’s how it performed in my suite of games, tested in Performance mode:
These results, on average, are around 5-10% higher than the original Asus ROG Ally and other 7840U handhelds around the same TDP. This is to be expected since the chip and integrated GPU are so similar. Where we find the uplift is from the higher TDP and, even more so, the faster RAM. If sheer FPS is what you’re after and you don’t mind plugging in to get it, you could easily increase your performance by stepping up to the Turbo power mode, which can boost the FPS by 10-15 more. Alternatively, dropping to 720p provides a major boost to performance and still looks good on its screen.
The system feels great to play games on. The refinements to the sticks, triggers, buttons, and grips make a great ergonomic system even better. I especially like the increased tension on the sticks. I was also impressed by the gyro controls for motion aiming in first person shooters. Asus did a good job with its calibration options too, as the amount of sensitivity games require isn’t always constant.
The screen is excellent. I really can’t say it enough. I’ve spent most of my handheld time playing on Ayaneo consoles — and really enjoying it, for the most part — but only one of its Windows handhelds supports 120Hz and none support VRR. Those make a massive difference in the smoothness of gameplay, especially when you’re playing at these frame rates. Experiencing it first-hand really drove that point home. Add in its vibrant colors and surprisingly great contrast and this display winds up one of my favorites of any handheld.
And, to the credit of the new cooling system, it genuinely doesn’t get as hot. Temps vary from game to game, but the most noticeable improvement is that it simply doesn’t get as hot to the touch. Well done, Asus.
Final Thoughts
The Asus ROG Ally X isn’t a big leap forward in frames per second, but we didn’t expect it to be. It’s also not a simple refresh, which, well, we did kind of expect it to be. The amount of updates and improvements this model offers is surprising and refreshing. Don’t call it a sequel, call it a Definitive Edition. If you already own an Ally and only want a performance bump, it’s probably safe to wait for the inevitable Ally 2. If you don’t have one or just want to take advantage of its massive battery for a better portable experience, it’s a safe and satisfying buy for high-compatibility PC gaming.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
