The ASUS ROG Ally X is the latest handheld gaming device that promises major improvements over the original ROG Ally. ASUS entered the handheld gaming space right after the highly successful Steam Deck, and it was a tough act to follow. However, with the ASUS ROG Ally, it let gamers know that the Steam Deck is not the only option when it comes to gaming on the go, and the response that the Ally got was a testament to that.
Asus ROG Ally X
The ASUS ROG Ally X is the successor to the ROG Ally, and it comes with a host of improvements. It is powered by the same Z1 Extreme APU but comes with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage with the M.2 SSD being a standard 2280 form factor. There is an additional exhaust vent to keep the mainboard cool.
- Dimensions
- 28x11.1x2.47 to 3.69 cm
- Brand
- ASUS
- Weight
- 678 grams
- Chipset
- AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
- RAM
- 24GB LPDDR5
- Storage
- 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD (2280)
- Wireless Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- Display
- 7-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
- Ports
- 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1x Type C Thunderbolt 4, 1x UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC)
- Battery
- 80Wh
Now, a year after the ROG Ally, ASUS has released a successor, which is called the ROG Ally X, and it improves on a lot of features that the original Ally offered. One of the features that stays the same, however, is the processor, as the ASUS ROG Ally X comes with the same AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip that was present in the 2023 offering, but there is no Z1 option this time around. That being said, here’s everything you need to know about the ASUS ROG Ally X.
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ASUS ROG Ally X: A Worthy Successor?
The ROG Ally X is the follow-up to the ROG Ally that stood its ground against the Steam Deck, despite its higher price tag. With the higher price tag came overall better performance thanks to a faster chip and the higher wattage it can operate at. Now that the Steam Deck has an upgraded version available, in the form of the Steam Deck OLED, the Ally X is meant to compete with it, as well as other handheld devices that came out after the original ROG Ally, such as the Lenovo Legion Go and offerings from GPD, Ayaneo, and others.
But before it competes with other brands, it must outshine its predecessor and, despite having some of the same specifications, the ROG Ally X is a decent upgrade for 2024.
Asus ROG Ally
The Asus ROG Ally is the ultimate handheld system for PC gamers. Relying on the new AMD Ryzen Z1 series of processors, the ROG Ally can handle any game thrown at it. The 7-inch 1080p Full HD display with FreeSync Premium on the system provides gamers with a crystal clear and smooth gaming experience. The advantage of the ROG Ally is that it can run most Windows-compatible games and is compatible with Xbox Game Pass titles. It also comes with 3 months of Game Pass Ultimate. The ROG Ally also features an ergonomic design that makes gaming for long periods enjoyable.
- Dimensions
- 2 Speakers with Dolby Atmos
- Playing Time
- 1.3-4+ hours
- Brand
- Asus
- Weight
- 1.34 lbs
- Chipset
- AMD Ryzen Z1 / Z1 Extreme
- RAM
- 16GB LPDDR5
- Storage
- 512GB NVMe SSD (PCIe 4)
- Wireless Connectivity
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- Headset Compatibility
- Wired, Wireless
- Display
- 7-inch LED IPS
- Output resolution
- 1080p
- Graphics
- 2.8 GHz AMD RDNA 3
- Ports
- USB-C, Custom Asus PCIe Port
- Battery
- 40Wh / 1.5 to 3 hours
ASUS ROG Ally X Specifications: Does it Beat the Original Ally and Steam Deck OLED?
For the sake of maintaining a similar form factor, ASUS decided not to increase the screen size, display type, refresh rate, or resolution with its ROG Ally X compared to the ROG Ally. It comes with the same 7-inch FHD (1920x1080) IPS-level touchscreen that has 500 nits peak brightness and 100% coverage of the sRGB color space, and it refreshes at 120 Hz. As mentioned earlier, it is powered by the Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU that can operate at 9W to 30W, but that’s where the similarities end.
The ROG Ally X gets 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe SSD instead of 512GB, and 24GB LPDDR5 instead of 16GB. This also means you can upgrade the storage if need be. ASUS has managed to double the battery size without changing the dimensions too much and the Ally X comes with 80Wh, which adds an extra 70 grams to the total weight as well as some thickness. In terms of connectivity, the PCIe port on the ROG Ally has been replaced by a USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port, along with a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, and a microSD card reader.
Specification | ASUS ROG Ally X | ASUS ROG Ally | Steam Deck OLED |
Display | 7-inch FHD (1920x1080) 16:9, Touch Screen, 120 Hz, 500 nits brightness | 7-inch FHD (1920x1080) 16:9, Touch Screen, 120 Hz, 500 nits brightness | 7.4-inch (1280x800) HDR OLED, 90 Hz, 1000 nits peak brightness |
Processor | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme | AMD Ryzen Z1/ Z1 Extreme | 6 nm AMD Zen 2 APU |
RAM | 24GB LPDDR5 | 16GB LPDDR5 | 16GB LPDDR5 |
Storage | 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD (2280) | 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD (2230) | 512GB NVMe SSD/ 1TB NVMe SSD |
Battery | 80Wh | 40Wh | 50Wh |
Ports | 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPort/ power delivery 1x Type C supports USB 4 (Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort 1.4 with Freesync support, Power Delivery 3.0) 1x UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC) | 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack 1x ROG XG Mobile Interface and USB Type-C combo port (with USB 3.2 Gen2, supporting DisplayPort 1.4) 1x UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC) | 1x 3.5mm stereo headphone / headset jack 1x Display port over USB 3 gen 2 Type C (up to 8K @60Hz or 4K @120Hz) 1x UHS-I microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC) |
Audio | 2-speaker system with Smart Amplifier Technology, Dolby Atmos | 2-speaker system with Smart Amplifier Technology, Dolby Atmos | Stereo with embedded DSP |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 | Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Dimensions | 28x11.1x2.47 to 3.69 cm | 28x11.1x2.12 to 3.24 cm | 29.8x11.7x4.9 cm |
Weight | 678 grams | 608 grams | 640 grams |
In terms of raw specifications, the ROG Ally X is better than the Steam Deck OLED as the Valve offering is powered by a slower 6 nm AMD APU that operates between 4W and 15W. The Steam Deck OLED also has lower 16GB LPDDR5 RAM. The display specs are also arguably better on the Ally X, even though it is slightly smaller and less bright than the Deck’s screen which is a 7.4-inch 1280x800 display capable of 1,000 nits peak brightness (HDR) and 90Hz refresh rate.
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ASUS ROG Ally X: Design and Color Options
The ROG Ally X keeps mostly the same design as its predecessor, but still manages to look different, primarily because of its more rounded grips. At the back, the two extra buttons are much smaller this time around and the D-pad has a more segregated design. The face ABXY buttons are slightly thicker, which improves the overall gaming experience. The Ally X also has a better feel than the original Ally, and even the Steam Deck OLED for that matter. The Deck OLED is quite a bit chunkier than either of the ASUS offerings.
While the original ROG Ally was available in a single white color, the Ally X comes in a single black color. The Steam Deck OLED is also available in just black.
The newer ASUS handheld retains the RGB light ring under the joysticks but, unfortunately, they are not hall effect joysticks, like with the Steam Deck OLED. However, you should be able to swap them out for hall effect joysticks from Gulikit. The ROG Ally X is only slightly thicker than the original Ally. There is also a third exhaust vent that keeps the mainboard cool.
Steam Deck OLED
The Steam Deck OLED is the perfect handheld gaming console for gamers who wish to take their games on the go. It brings the entire Steam library in a handheld form factor that is ergonomic, grippy, and easy to use. The OLED model is an upgrade to the standard LCD model of the Steam Deck, and it boasts a slightly larger display that is brighter, sharper and refreshes at 90 Hz.
- Playing Time
- 3-12 hours
- Brand
- Valve
- Weight
- 680 grams
- Chipset
- 6nm APU
- Storage
- 512 GB
- Wireless Connectivity
- WIFI 6E
- Headset Compatibility
- 3.5mm, Bluetooth
- Display
- 7.4-inch OLED
ASUS ROG Ally X: Software
The ROG Ally devices run Windows 11 Home with ASUS’s Armoury Crate SE overlay on top. The newer version of the software offers improved customization and more seamless updates all through Armoury Crate. Furthermore, the updated version brings the ability to share your button mappings or use a community-created profile for more customizable controls. Fortunately for Ally owners who don’t plan on upgrading to the Ally X, these improvements will make their way to the 2023 ROG Ally as well, as it gets the Armoury Crate SE 1.5 update in July.
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Overall, it is said to be a major makeover for the UI compared to the previous version of the software, which should improve the user experience and make tweaking the settings on the fly much easier.
ASUS ROG Ally X: Price and Availability
There is only one variant of the ROG Ally X, and it is priced at $800, which is $150 more than the ROG Ally with the same Z1 Extreme APU. The slower ROG Ally is available for even cheaper, at $500. With the higher price tag of the Ally X, you do get more RAM, storage, and significantly higher battery life. Additionally, you get three months of Game Pass for free when you buy the ROG Ally X.
It is available for purchase via Best Buy and the ASUS website. The 2023 ROG Ally can be purchased from Amazon and Best Buy, while the Steam Deck OLED is available through Valve via the Steam Store and some other retailers.
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FAQ
Q: Does the ROG Ally X have expandable storage?
The ASUS ROG Ally X comes with a standard M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe SSD that is 1TB in capacity, but you can replace it with a higher capacity drive down the line.
Q: Can I play my Xbox games on Asus ROG Ally X?
Yes, you can play Xbox games on the ROG Ally X through Game Pass and the Xbox app.