ASUS ROG Ally X hands-on preview: It's shaping up to be the best Windows 11 gaming handheld on the market, but it might also bring new challenges

Despite there being multiple competitors in the space, ASUS ROG became the foremost Windows 11 gaming handheld manufacturer over the course of the last year. This has largely been due to the efforts of the ASUS ROG team, which has repeatedly worked to improve the ROG Ally by bringing helpful new features to it via significant updates. A year later, we now have the new ROG Ally X. Rather than being a next-gen ROG Ally, it serves as an improved model with double the battery and SSD capacity but still employs the same processor and display as the original device.  

I spent a few hours playing with the ROG Ally X and noting its changes from the original ROG Ally for this hands-on preview. Here's what I think of the ROG Ally X so far. 

ROG Ally X: Price and specs

During the initial ROG Ally X teaser announcement, ASUS ROG explained that the new gaming handheld model has the same AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor and the same 7-inch FHD, 120Hz display as the original device. Many people were upset with this news. However, there really isn't a better gaming handheld processor on the market right now, and the display is still very good for what it is. If anything, sticking with these specs helps keep ROG Ally X's price down to a more affordable cost. That said, there are a few changes from the original device to help warrant the higher cost of the handheld.

For one thing, the Ally X comes with 24GB RAM and up to 1TB SSD, which is an improvement over the original device's 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD. Having more RAM typically means that a handheld can access game data faster, while having a larger SSD makes it so you don't run out of game storage space nearly as fast. 

The other huge change is regarding battery life. The original ROG Ally has a 40WHr battery, whereas the Ally X now has an 80Whr battery, which should lengthen overall battery life and allow you to have longer gaming sessions. 

Outside of component specs, the new ROG Ally X also has some upgraded buttons and joysticks. Plus, the location of some ports has been moved around. For instance, the microSD card is now on the top right of the device, which should hopefully do away with any alleged ROG Ally microSD card heating issues people have been reporting. Additionally, ASUS swapped out the ROG XG Mobile Interface port (meant for ROG XG eGPUs) for a USB4 port. This means that I can now charge the Ally X up with one USB-C port and plug one of the best ROG Ally accessories into the other USB-C port. It might seem small, but only having one USB-C port is rather limiting on the original ROG Ally. 

You can purchase an ROG Ally X for $799.99 at Best Buy or the ASUS website. In the past, Best Buy has frequently offered sales on the original ROG Ally, so I won't be at all surprised to see this happen for the ROG Ally X at some point. 

ASUS ROG Ally X | $799.99 at Best Buy

This newer gaming handheld model offers twice the battery capacity of the first device as well as nearly double the SSD capacity. The buttons and joysticks have also been upgraded to provide a better playing experience. 

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ROG Ally X: Design and build

Aside from the elegant black casing, the ROG Ally X doesn't look vastly different from ROG Ally at first glance, but the slight changes made to this newer device definitely improve upon the original design. 

One thing that I really appreciate is how comfortable the Ally X is to hold. I own several gaming handhelds and I love using them. However, many of them tend to put a lot of strain on my wrists, which causes my pinkies to go numb during gaming sessions. As such, I was so happy when doing my ROG Ally review to find that the original device was lighter than I expected, and the ergonomic design didn't give me as much wrist strain as the bulky Steam Deck or no-grip Nintendo Switch.

Before actually holding the ROG Ally X, I was worried that its slightly thicker casing and heavier weight would make it uncomfortable to hold. However, I didn't have any issues in this area. After initially turning the Ally X on, I played the device for several minutes before I realized I was holding it aloft with my elbows on my kitchen table rather than in my lap and angled up like I usually play the original device. Best of all, my hands weren't cramping at all. While it does feel heavier, the Ally X's thicker and more rounded grips effectively reduce fatigue, making it easier to hold the device for long stretches. But since the Ally X is slightly thicker, it won't fit the shape of some existing ROG Ally accessories, such as form-fitting carrying cases or protective casings. 

Outside of ergonomics, some of the ports and buttons on top of the handheld have been rearranged or swapped out. For instance, the volume buttons are now on the left side, so I had to get used to this new placement. Unlike the ROG Ally with its one USB-C port, the ROG Ally X has both a USB4 port and a USB-C port, and it is extremely convenient. I was able to play the Ally X while it was charging, and while also having my USB-C headset or wireless keyboard dongle plugged into the other port. Having two connections really does open up several more possibilities.

However, the new USB-C location does present one potential problem for ROG Ally X — docking station compatibility. Docking stations that are powerful enough for the original ROG Ally should be powerful enough for the Ally X. However, the fact that USB-C ports are on the far left side of the device means that many gaming handheld docking stations don't have a cable that is long enough to reach this area. I'm lucky enough to have three different docking stations that I share between my Steam Deck and original ROG Ally. However, I was only able to plug one of them in without straining the cable. Having a cable extension or small adapter will likely make my other docks compatible again, but I'll need to purchase them first. 

Another design change has to do with the microSD card reader. It is now on the right side of the device and has more distance between itself and the exhaust vent and ports. Many have assumed that this change was brought about in response to reports of ROG Ally microSD cards malfunctioning, allegedly due to an overheating issue that was more likely to happen when the device was at max TDP and plugged in. However, ASUS ROG Senior Product Manager Gabriel Meng said in an interview, "We don’t want people to think that’s what we had to do [move the Ally X microSD card reader]. We had to move things around the board to make them fit” (thanks The Verge). Even so, I found myself regularly touching the area near the microSD card slot to see if it got hot during my play sessions. It didn't seem all that warm, but I'll be doing more thorough thermal testing later to verify this.

Upgraded buttons and joysticks

One of the best changes to the ROG Ally X is in the form of the M1 and M2 buttons on the backside, which have not only been significantly shrunk in size but have also been moved toward the center. This means they no longer get in the way of the ergonomic slope of the casing. This also means that I only ever press the M1 and M2 buttons when I intend to, which is something I can't say for the huge back buttons on the original ROG Ally.

I also appreciate how responsive all of the controls and joysticks feel. The clickiness of the LB and RB bumpers, in particular, is very satisfying — but I'm not sure if they feel good simply because they are fresh and not overly used like the LB and RB on my original device, or if they have been upgraded to feel this way. Speaking of upgrades, I love the new D-Pad, which is larger than on the original Ally, and offers better resistance that gives way when I want it to. Because of this, I have better control over my games when using it. 

Sadly, the joysticks have not been upgraded to Hall Effect ones, as I would have preferred. However, ASUS says that they have been improved to a "more durable module rated for a 5 million cycle lifespan, with stiffer springs for a more familiar response curve to longtime controller gamers." Basically, this means they should have a longer lifespan before having issues. From my time spent with them, I can say they feel really responsive, and I appreciate the new rubber tips that feel like they give me more control thanks to their new textured design. 

ROG Ally X: Performance and thermals

I'll be taking an in-depth look at the ROG Ally X performance and thermals once the ASUS ROG team fully releases all of the handheld's drivers and updates. Doing any performance testing or frames per second (FPS) benchmarks right now would not accurately reflect what this device's true abilities will be at launch. 

That said, I did spend some time playing a few different video games on the ROG Ally X while at max TDP and 6G VRAM, and I can give an anecdotal account of the experience. To start things off, I played Horizon Zero Dawn for several minutes followed by Cyberpunk 2077, both of which ran smoothly enough to the point of me forgetting that I wasn't playing on my original ROG Ally. However, as with the ROG Ally, gameplay on the Ally X did sometimes get a little choppy. Adjusting game graphics settings appropriately usually fixed any issues I encountered, but some occasional lag did occur. I also found additional ways to improve the system by adjusting Windows 11 settings. 

As you likely know by now, one of the nice things about Windows 11 gaming handhelds like this one is that they work with various game services right out of the box. For instance, in addition to Steam, I can access Epic Games, Battle.net, GOG, and more. There was one odd thing, though. While checking out the ROG Ally X, I always encountered an error when attempting to play my Xbox Game Pass games. I couldn't get them to run even though I had installed them locally. My guess is this is some sort of driver issue that will be ironed out before the Ally X launches. 

After playing for... a while, I noticed that the device's back side and controls felt very cool to the touch, which gives me hope for how efficient the cooling system is. I'm particularly interested in whipping out my thermal camera and seeing how hot the area around the microSD card slot gets. As I previously said, I'll do more thorough performance benchmarks, FPS testing, and thermal analysis later on. 

ROG Ally X: Software and RGB

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ROG Ally X comes with Armoury Crate SE 1.5, an upgraded program from the original Ally that serves as a game launcher, performance tracker, and settings hub. Armoury Crate SE 1.5 is a mixture of familiar and new that balances out into helpful software that is easy to navigate. The new tabs along the top help divide things into different menus, making it easier for me to find the exact options I'm looking for. 

The Settings menu looks basically the same as it does on ROG Ally, which made it easy for me to access the tabs and options I was already familiar with. However, I still had to go into AMD Software to make certain adjustments that aren't offered in Armoury Cate, such as enabling AFMF (AMD Fluid Motion Frames). Hopefully, Armoury Crate will offer more options found in AMD Software down the line. 

Meanwhile, the game launcher menu now lets me determine how to filter my games, either in a list view or grid view. There's also a search feature and additional ways to customize the software, so I can get Armoury Crate set up the way I want it to. Of course, many people prefer to use alternative, third-party game launchers, so you're not stuck with this one if you'd rather use something else.  

Pressing the triangular Command Center button to the left of the screen brings up a quick menu, so I can adjust settings while in the middle of a game, such as the TDP level, FPS limits, Airplane Mode, resolution, and more. It's helpful being able to make these kinds of changes without having to minimize your game window. Additional settings options can be added to this menu from within Armoury Crate proper. Pressing the Armoury Crate button on the right side of the screen brings up the full Armoury Crate program.

Armoury Crate is also where I go to adjust the RGB lighting around the joysticks. I can change the effect, choose specific colors, or even turn the lights off entirely. The RGB lighting itself doesn't seem different from the original ROG Ally, but I do think it stands out more against the elegant, black casing.

ROG Ally X: Display

The ROG Ally X has the same 7-inch IPS touchscreen as the original ROG Ally. While not as beautiful as an OLED, I've been very impressed with the display on the first gaming handheld and was equally impressed with this one. Colors come through vibrantly, details and text are very crisp, and there is a decent amount of contrast to help make game visuals pop. Motion clarity is also very smooth, likely thanks to the fact that ROG Ally X supports VRR (variable refresh rate). 

Now, many people are upset that ASUS didn't include an OLED option with the ROG Ally X, and it definitely would be nice to have one considering they're arguably the best screen type for gaming right now (see my OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED comparison for more info). My guess is that the company chose to stick with the IPS display to prevent the device from getting too costly. If I was to bet money, I'd say we'll be seeing an OLED display on the ROG Ally 2 whenever that eventually launches. 

ASUS says the display only reaches a maximum of 500 nits of brightness, and this seems very likely. That being the case, it isn't the easiest thing to see the screen when out in bright sunlight. However, the screen has a decent viewing angle and gets dim enough that I would feel comfortable playing it in a darker room, like in bed before falling asleep. 

Overall, while the Ally X display isn't an improvement over the original Ally, I still think it's one of the best IPS displays on a gaming handheld. I'll come back later and do more thorough colorimeter testing on the ROG Ally X display.

ROG Ally X: Battery life

Since the ROG Ally X is not currently ready for launch, ASUS has asked that I not conduct any battery life testing yet. Once again, it's possible that additional updates and drivers that have yet to be released could help the battery last longer than it does right now, so it wouldn't be accurate for me to report on testing results at this time. 

But from my own experience, I did note that the gaming handheld did seem to last longer than the original ROG Ally can. That said, most gaming handhelds have pretty atrocious battery life, so while I'm hoping for a significant improvement percentage-wise over the previous ROG Ally, I don't think battery life will be incredible. If anything, I'm certain that anyone who enjoys long gaming sessions will want to play Ally X while it's plugged in or will benefit from having one of the best ROG Ally power banks. I'll do thorough Ally X battery life testing as soon as possible and will update this section when I do. 

ROG Ally X: Speakers and microphone

I remember being happily surprised by the speakers and microphone on the original ROG Ally, and the same is true here. Game sounds come through very clearly and get plenty loud from the ROG Ally X speakers, to the point that I do not need to go higher than 50% to hear all I need to. The microphone also seems to be decent. But, as with any gaming handheld or laptop, you'll get a better audio experience if you use one of the best gaming headsets. 

ROG Ally X: Competition

I've been comparing the ROG Ally X to the original ROG Ally all throughout this page, so it should come as no surprise that the best alternative to the ROG Ally X is the original device. The battery might not last as long, but I've still sunk dozens, if not hundreds, of enjoyable hours into it. The AMD Z1 processor model has a $499.99 MSRP while the Z1 Extreme processor model has a $649.99 MSRP. That said, both often go on significant discounts at Best Buy. At the time of writing, the ROG Ally Z1 was selling for $399.99 at Best Buy, while the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme was selling for $549.99 at Best Buy. Of the two, I recommend getting the Z1 Extreme model because it does a better job of running games locally, whereas the Z1 model is better for cloud gaming. 

If you don't want anything to do with Windows 11 and want a simpler device that makes it easier to access your Steam library, then you will be better served with the Steam Deck. It runs SteamOS, which is based on Arch Linux. Plus, the Steam Deck costs less than ROG Ally, making it a better budget option. The base Steam Deck LCD has a starting price of $349.00 at Steam, while the more expensive Steam Deck OLED has a starting price of $549.00 at Steam.

Outside the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, arguably the biggest PC gaming handheld competitor is the Lenovo Legion Go. It stands apart by having the largest screen of any mainline gaming handheld, detachable controllers (similar to Nintendo Switch), and a built-in kickstand. The IPS touchscreen is 8.8 inches and can reach up to a 144Hz refresh rate. However, it doesn't support VRR (variable refresh rate), so game visuals don't always look as smooth as on some other competitors. It has a starting MSRP of $699.99 at Best Buy.

ROG Ally X: Should you preorder it?

Now that I've spent some time with it, do I recommend the ROG Ally X? That depends. On one hand, the gaming handheld looks and feels really good. The updated joysticks are very responsive, while the new D-Pad gives a lot better control than the original's does. It's also nice having a larger battery capacity, which, in theory, should let the device run longer. Not to mention, having double the SSD capacity means I was able to install more games on the ROG Ally X right out of the box before needing to uninstall and make way for other programs (which can be very tedious). 

I also love that there are now two USB-C ports, as this gives me more freedom to use an accessory while also playing plugged in. Prior to doing more intensive performance and battery life testing, ROG Ally X seems to be a powerful little device that should last longer than the original gaming handheld. 

On the other hand, the ROG Ally X is considerably more costly than some other handhelds, while still having the same screen and processor as the original device. If you feel comfortable making the changes yourself, you can even upgrade the ROG Ally SSD to 1TB or higher, which could save you some money until you're ready to upgrade. 

In the end, if you are really excited about the ROG Ally X or don't have an original ROG Ally yet, then I do recommend getting this newer model. However, if you're on a budget or already have an ROG Ally, this expensive device might not be the best fit for you. That said, I've enjoyed my time with ROG Ally X so far and am excited to keep using it. I think I'll go play it right now.