- ASUS ROG previously teased the "new ROG Ally" known as the ROG Ally X, but said that exact specs for the gaming handheld wouldn't be announced until June 2.
- Today, ROG Ally X specs were officially revealed at Computex 2024.
- The new Ally X has a redesigned motherboard that allows for double the battery capacity of the original handheld as well as 24GB RAM and up to 1TB SSD.
- Additional changes include a second USB-C port (Thunderbolt-capable), improved joysticks, a different microSD card reader location, slightly different dimensions, and heavier weight.
- It comes in black and sells for $799.99 and preorders are currently open at Best Buy.
As promised during the ROG Ally X teaser announcement, ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has finally revealed ROG Ally X specs today, June 2, 2024.
We now know that this upcoming Windows 11 gaming handheld features double the battery capacity of the original ROG Ally with increased memory and storage — 24GB RAM and up to 1TB SSD. It's black rather than the white casing of the original ROG Ally. There are also a few other changes, which I'll dive into later in this article. The new ROG Ally X sells for $799 at Best Buy and preorders are currently open. That makes the ROG Ally X MSRP $100 more than the ROG Ally (2023) with an AMD Z1 Extreme processor.
If you want to learn more, check out our ROG Ally X FAQ or our ROG Ally X vs ROG Ally comparison.
ROG Ally X: Improved storage, RAM, battery life, and thermals
MSRP: $799
OS: Windows 11 Home
CPU: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
Display: 7-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 touchscreen, 500 nits, 120Hz, 7ms response time, AMD FreeSync Premium
Memory: 24GB LPDDR5-7500
Storage: Up to 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 64x4 Value SSD
Battery: 80Whr
Power supply: USB-C 65W AC Adapter
Ports: 1x USB-C Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x microSD card reader, 1x audio combo jack
Audio: 2-speaker system with Dolby Atmos, AI noise canceling, Hi-Res Audio certification, built-in array mic
Dimensions: 11.02" x 4.37" x 0.97” (279.9 x 111.0 x 24.6mm)
Weight: 1.49 lbs (678g )
This is the "new ROG Ally" model. As ASUS ROG Senior Manager of Content Marketing Whitson Gordon said, rather than being the next-gen ROG Ally 2, it serves as an "ROG Ally built for the enthusiasts who wanted a bit of X-tra goodies."
One of the first things to note is that the Ally X has the same AMD Z1 Extreme processor and 7-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 touchscreen as the original. Even so, there are plenty of other improvements to get excited about. Besides, the AMD Z1 Extreme is still the best gaming handheld processor out there right now. Plus, while the 7-inch display doesn't reach OLED levels of perfection, it is very good (see my OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED display comparison to learn more . If anything, choosing to keep the Z1 Extreme for the ROG Ally X rather than going with an OLED display has likely been a huge factor in keeping the ROG Ally X price down.
So what about the ROG Ally X's other specs? As previously noted, the ROG Ally X offers an 80Whr battery whereas the original only has a 40Whr battery. In theory, this could mean that battery life is twice as long, but we'll have to do some testing to see if that's accurate.
The 24GB RAM is a nice step up from the original handheld's 16GB, and should help the system run games a little more smoothly. Meanwhile, having the ability to go up to 1TB SSD is ideal for people who tend to play a lot of games. The original ROG Ally only launched with 512GB SSD, so this roughly doubles that game storage space.
ASUS ROG also says that the Ally X has an improved thermal design where "new fans push up to 24% more air through a third vent, while keeping the panel up to 6°C (~42.8 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler to the touch." This is accomplished thanks to the gaming handheld featuring "50% thinner fan blades." At any rate, this should help the system run more efficiently while players game on.
ROG Ally X: Upgraded design and controls
Looking at the above pictures, you'll see that the ROG Ally X has slight design differences from the original gaming handheld. However, many of them are so subtle you wouldn't even notice them without being told or doing a side-by-side comparison with an original ROG Ally.
The two biggest changes are the fact that the Ally X does away with the XG Mobile connection for its ASUS ROG eGPUs in favor of using that space for a second USB-C port. That way, you can plug an accessory into one port and use the other port to charge the Ally X up. One of the ports is actually Thunderbolt 4 compatible while the other is simply a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, so that gives users more connection options. Another thing to note is that the microSD card reader, headphone jack, and volume buttons have been moved around.
The joysticks, unfortunately, have not been upgraded to Hall Effect like I had hoped. However, 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." Meanwhile, the improved D-Pad offers "more precise 8-direction input for fighting and retro games."
You'll also note that the M1 and M2 buttons on the back of the ROG Ally X are smaller than they were on the original ROG Ally. This should hopefully make it so I don't accidentally press them when I don't mean to.
Now, if you have been paying attention to news surrounding the original gaming handheld, you likely know that many people have said ROG Ally has a microSD card overheating issue, so the fact that the microSD card reader has been moved could fix this problem.
To be clear, ASUS ROG has never acknowledged that the Ally has a microSD card problem. While talking about the ROG Ally X microSD card reader placement in an interview with The Verge, ASUS ROG Senior Product Manager Gabriel Meng even went so far as to say, "We don’t want people to think that’s what we had to do [move the microSD card reader]. We had to move things around the board to make them fit.” Whether there actually is an issue or not, this change could alleviate it in the new Ally X model.
As previously revealed during the ROG Ally X teaser announcement, this new gaming handheld will feature the new Armoury Crate SE 1.5 software, which offers more gaming library customization options and the ability to save and share button mapping profiles with other Ally users. So that's yet another improvement to look forward to.
Overall, the ROG Ally X is shaping up to be a very nice upgrade from the original ASUS gaming handheld. I'll be getting an ROG Ally X review unit at some point and will do plenty of benchmark testing and analysis to see how well the device really works. So, check back soon for additional ROG Ally X information. In the meantime, you can check out one of our dozens of ROG Ally guides and accessory reviews.
