Asus’ ROG Ally X is soon to be launching in Canada and global markets. The refreshed gaming handheld is poised to address some major concerns the community had regarding the base model. With some notable tweaks to the design, upgraded RAM, and improved battery, Asus aims to make the ROG Ally X the gaming handheld in its arsenal.
The base ROG Ally was pretty impressive when it first debuted in 2023. As a strong competitor against Valve’s Steam Deck, Asus entered the fray with a compelling piece of hardware. However, upon entering the market, some notable oversights emerged. One of which revolved around its microSD card reader. Launch models were reported to be damaging or failing to use microSD cards. Asus quickly moved to extend the warranty on the card reader from one to two years (in the US only). There were also complaints regarding its battery life. Even when using its 10W Silent mode, it’s a struggle to squeeze more than four hours of use. Asus assures that the new model addresses both pain points alongside other refinements.
All of this is to say that the ROG Ally X is an investment made to unlock better performance, comfort, and usability. Launching at $1,099 in Canada, the ROG Ally X comes with a higher price tag than the $899 attached to the base model. With a roughly $200 difference, one has to wonder if these differences are truly impactful to the player experience. Ahead of the official launch of the ROG Ally X, I’ve spent many hours with the device to get to the bottom of this very question.
ROG Ally X isn’t just an updated version of the base model. Asus has gone in and revamped many aspects of its PC gaming handheld. Compared to the stark white colourway of its predecessor, ROG Ally X launches with a stunning black design. The overall look of the ROG Ally X is very similar. Sure, it still supports the same 7-inch 120Hz FHD touchscreen. However, the devil is in all the details. For instance, the new model measures 11 x 4.4 x 0.97 inches. While the overall size and shape are the same, the thickness is increased to accommodate the larger 80Wh battery. While accommodating the improved battery, ROG Ally is only 70 grams heavier than the original.
Earlier this year, iPhone in Canada spoke to Asus and saw the ROG Ally X in person. At the time, the company spoke highly about its initiatives to double the battery capacity of the device. Last year’s model features a 40Wh battery We’re currently working on battery and performance benchmarks for ROG Ally X and will publish those later this month.
Other design refinements include new handles to support better ergonomics while playing for longer periods. The chassis also features additional cutouts to remove weight but also improve ventilation. Heating was an issue with the ROG Ally, causing some microSD issues at launch last year. Now, Asus has built new fans that are 23 percent smaller, improving airflow.
It may not be the end all be all, but Asus also tweaked many of the inputs. For instance, the face buttons are now easier to reach. In over 50 hours of use, I’ve never experienced the face buttons sticking, which is an issue with the base model. Thumbsticks are also built for durability and a longer lifecycle while continuing to feature their RGB rings. The D-Pad also supports a new eight-axis design, perfect for platformers. The triggers are also more angled, making them more comfortable to use when playing FPS games. One of my favourite changes is the new back paddles. Designed to be smaller, they retain a great amount of response yet I don’t find myself accidentally hitting one while playing or laying the device down.
Overall, the ROG Ally X is extremely comfortable, more so than its predecessor. Despite the slightly heavier design, it feels good in my hands. My wrists don’t ache or get tired after extended periods of use.
Cosmetic changes aren’t the only thing ROG Ally X is aiming to provide. The most substantial improvement made to the internals is the new 24GB of LPDDR5-7500 RAM. Compared to last year’s 16GB LPDDR5 6400MHz RAM, ROG Ally X users should see a nominal performance bump. This is complemented by the fact that ROG Ally X ships using the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor. The new handheld also features an improved 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe SSD. The differences here aren’t as drastic as those expected to come from a theoretical ROG Ally 2. However, the refinements are pretty apparent across day-to-day uses.
ROG Ally X has been able to consistently run any installed or streamed game without any noticeable hiccups. Between Diablo 4, Forza Horizon 5, Ghost of Tsushima, and other titles, the experience has been effortless. Unlike Steam Deck where users have to tinker with some titles, playing games on ROG Ally X is a pretty streamlined experience. While I’m still working on translating hardware refinements to practical benchmarks, I can confirm that overall performance in gameplay and navigation has improved.
One of the gripes I’ve had with the original ROG Ally was the unreliable use of the Armoury Crate SE and Command Center. Oftentimes, tiles of installed games were unresponsive. I also found navigating from menu to menu to be sluggish. On the ROG Ally X, navigation and response are improved. It’s now a more manageable experience to jump in and swap between the 30W Turbo mode, Performance, and Silent. With the ability to toggle other settings like brightness, Asus continues its support of customizing the user experience while playing games. Asus’ Armoury Crate SE helps simplify the Windows 11 user experience. While providing an authentic Windows 11 experience, the Armoury Crate makes it infinitely easier to access and boot up your installed games across the many supported platforms.
Asus also listened to the wider community and replaced the XG Mobile port with two USB-C ports. One of which is a Thunderbolt-compatible port, thankfully. This allows users to take advantage of third-party docks and external GPUs if desired. Other ports provided are the microSD card reader and 3.5mm audio jack.
ROG Ally X isn’t the major hardware leap many were hoping for following the launch of the base model. It merely addresses many of the issues and concerns users have had over the past year. Asus has shown a pretty strong commitment to coming out hat in hand and listening to its community. It’s a pretty rare case that a major tech company will admit its shortcomings and make it a point to address them in short order. Now, of course, that all comes at a cost. With an improved battery, upgraded RAM and an increase in storage, users will be paying more than $1,000 for these tweaks and changes.
Work is still being done to conclude my final thoughts on the ROG Ally X. If there are any glaring questions or concerns, drop a comment below and I’ll be sure to address them in the final review later this month.
The ROG Ally is available to purchase now for $1,099 via Best Buy and the Asus eShop.
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