If you’re looking to jump into the world of portable PC gaming, the ASUS ROG Ally handhelds are definitely something you need to check out. When I first tried to figure out which handheld was right for me, the ROG Ally kept popping up as a serious contender, especially if you’re deep into PC gaming or a fan of the Xbox ecosystem. These devices are basically full-blown Windows 11 gaming machines squeezed into a compact, handheld form factor, offering a powerful way to play your favorite titles anywhere.
The original ROG Ally, which launched with both a Ryzen Z1 and a more powerful Z1 Extreme processor, really shook up the market by giving the Valve Steam Deck some serious competition. Fast forward a bit, and ASUS dropped the ROG Ally X, an even more refined version that bumps up the battery, storage, and makes some key ergonomic improvements. Whether you’re eyeing the original or the updated “X” model, both are designed to deliver a robust gaming experience, but with Windows 11 at their core, they offer a versatility that other handhelds might lack, making them a fantastic choice for anyone who wants to play their entire PC game library on the go, including all those Xbox Game Pass titles.
Design and Ergonomics: Comfort in Your Hands
Holding a gaming handheld for long stretches can be a real make-or-break factor, and ASUS put a lot of thought into the ROG Ally’s design. The original ROG Ally has this sleek, angular white design that really catches the eye. It’s surprisingly light and easy to hold, making it comfortable for extended play sessions.
Now, when the ROG Ally X came out, they really honed in on making it even more comfortable. It sports a darker, all-black aesthetic, which, honestly, makes the screen bezels feel less prominent. But the real win here is the updated ergonomics. The Ally X features thicker, more substantial handgrips that have a nice textured plastic, dramatically improving how secure and comfy it feels in your hands. They also tweaked the macro buttons on the back, making them smaller and repositioning them so you’re less likely to hit them by accident during intense gameplay—something I definitely appreciate!
Let’s talk about the controls. Both versions of the Ally use an Xbox-style button layout, which is super familiar if you’re coming from a traditional controller. The face buttons on the Ally X sit a bit higher and offer improved tactility, giving you that satisfying clicky feedback. The thumbsticks on the original Ally were sometimes described as a bit “loose,” but the Ally X brings a huge upgrade here. These new sticks are stiffer, more durable rated for 5 million rotations!, and have a better grip, making them feel much more precise, especially in shooter games where every movement counts. While neither Ally model has trackpads, which can be a minor inconvenience when navigating the Windows desktop, the analog sticks do a decent job of mouse emulation, especially if you tweak the mouse acceleration settings. The D-pad on the Ally X is also improved, although some might still find it a tad loose for highly precise inputs in certain retro games.
The overall build quality on both devices feels solid. The original Ally weighed around 1.34 lbs 608g, while the Ally X is only slightly heavier at 1.49 lbs 678g, thanks to its larger battery and other upgrades, but the weight distribution is really well done, making it feel balanced in your hands. If you’re looking for a portable gaming handheld, the Ally X’s design changes truly make it a joy to hold for long periods.
Display: A Visual Feast on the Go
The screen is arguably one of the most crucial parts of any handheld gaming device, and the ROG Ally really shines here, especially compared to the original Steam Deck. Both the original Ally and the Ally X feature a crisp 7-inch Full HD 1080p IPS touchscreen display. This means you’re getting a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, which is a significant step up from the Steam Deck’s 1280×800 resolution.
But it’s not just about the resolution. The Ally’s display boasts a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and supports AMD FreeSync Premium VRR – Variable Refresh Rate. What does this mean for you? Well, games look incredibly fluid and tear-free, even when frame rates fluctuate. This is a massive plus for games where every frame counts. The panel also offers good brightness, typically around 476 nits cd/m2, which means it’s generally bright enough for indoor gaming and even some outdoor use, thanks to an anti-glare coating on the original Ally.
However, the display isn’t without its quirks. While the 16:9 aspect ratio is standard for most PC games, some argue it gives less vertical real estate compared to the Steam Deck’s 16:10, making the screen feel a bit more cramped, especially with the bezels. That said, the vibrant colors and sharp image quality often make you forget about the bezels once you’re immersed in a game.
When comparing it to the Steam Deck OLED, things get a bit more nuanced. While the Ally maintains its 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, the Steam Deck OLED offers deeper blacks, superior contrast, and better color accuracy thanks to its OLED technology. The Steam Deck OLED also has a slightly larger 7.4-inch display. So, if you prioritize vibrant, punchy colors and deep blacks for single-player, story-driven games, the OLED might edge out the Ally. But for competitive games where high resolution, refresh rate, and VRR are king, the ROG Ally still holds its own. One great feature: the ROG Ally’s display doesn’t use Pulse-width modulation PWM for brightness control, making it more comfortable for long gaming sessions without eye strain.
If you’re looking to get the most out of your ROG Ally display, considering an external portable monitor can also be a great idea for when you want a larger view.
Performance: Powering Your Game Library
This is where the ROG Ally truly makes its mark as a portable gaming powerhouse. Both the original ROG Ally and the Ally X are built around cutting-edge AMD Ryzen processors, giving them a significant performance edge over some competitors.
The original ROG Ally comes in two main variants: one with the AMD Ryzen Z1 processor and another, more popular version, with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme. The Z1 Extreme is a beast, boasting 8 Zen 4 CPU cores and 12 RDNA 3 graphics compute units. This setup is far more powerful than the Steam Deck’s custom Zen 2 and RDNA 2 chip. What this translates to is better raw performance in games. For example, in tests, the ROG Ally with the Z1 Extreme at 15W power could get around 33 FPS in Doom Eternal combat at 1080p High settings, jumping to a near-stable 58 FPS in Turbo 25W mode. In a demanding game like the Resident Evil 4 remake, you could expect mid-30s FPS in Performance mode and around 46 FPS in Turbo mode.
The newer ROG Ally X takes things up a notch. It’s powered by an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chipset, which includes an NPU for AI tasks like resolution scaling, and comes with a boosted 24GB of LPDDR5X-7500 RAM. This faster memory and optimized chip deliver even better performance, making the Ally X anywhere from a few frames to about 10% faster than the original Ally at 25W. For instance, the ROG Xbox Ally X has been shown to achieve “insane” FPS in games like DOOM: The Dark Ages, reaching around 83 FPS at 1080p Medium settings with FSR enabled. It also delivered a rock-solid 60 FPS in Gears of War: Reloaded at a mixture of Ultra and High settings, numbers that are reportedly “unheard of in gaming handhelds.”
The Ally lets you switch between different power modes Silent, Performance, and Turbo to balance battery life and performance. Silent mode is great for light tasks but makes most demanding games unplayable. Performance mode 15W or 17W on Ally X offers a good balance, while Turbo mode 25W or 30W when plugged in unlocks the chip’s full potential for the best gaming experience. 8bitdo pro 3 bluetooth gamepad review
Storage-wise, the original ROG Ally typically came with a 512GB M.2 2230 NVMe SSD. The ROG Ally X doubles this to a generous 1TB NVMe M.2 2280 SSD, giving you much more space for your game library. Both models also include a high-speed microSD card slot for expandable storage, which is super handy for holding even more games.
If you’re really looking to push the limits, both Ally models are compatible with ASUS’s ROG XG Mobile external GPUs. This allows you to dock your handheld and connect it to a powerful external GPU enclosure like one packing an Nvidia RTX 4090 laptop GPU, turning your portable handheld into a full-fledged desktop gaming rig.
Battery Life: How Long Can You Play?
Battery life is always a hot topic with portable devices, and it’s definitely a consideration for the ROG Ally. The original ROG Ally comes with a 40Whr battery. In demanding AAA games running at full tilt Turbo mode 25W, you might see as little as 57 minutes to just over an hour of playtime. However, for less intensive games or lighter use, it can last much longer, with some tests showing up to 5 hours and 51 minutes in non-gaming scenarios.
The ROG Ally X brings a significant improvement in this area, packing a much larger 80Wh battery—that’s double the capacity of the original! This upgrade translates directly into longer gaming sessions. In real-world gaming tests, the Ally X could last nearly two hours in demanding titles like GTA V, roughly twice the playtime of the original Ally. For 2D or indie games at lower power levels around 10-12W TDP, you can expect over four hours of play, and around two and a half hours for AAA games at 25W. When not gaming, the Ally X can last an impressive 8 hours and 19 minutes. Eufy E28 Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop Review: Your Ultimate Guide to a Spotless Home
When comparing battery life, the Steam Deck OLED often has an edge in efficiency. While the original Ally’s 40Whr battery matched the base Steam Deck, the Steam Deck OLED’s 50Whr battery combined with its more efficient processor and OLED panel can achieve up to 50% longer battery life, offering 4-6 hours for demanding games and 8-12 hours for less intensive titles. However, the ROG Ally X significantly closes that gap, making it a very strong competitor in terms of longevity.
The Ally also offers versatile charging options. It features two USB-C ports on the Ally X, with one being a full-fledged USB4 port 40 Gbit/s bandwidth with DisplayPort Alt Mode and the other a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port 10 Gbit/s with DisplayPort Alt Mode. This means you can charge and connect accessories or even an external GPU. The Ally X also supports up to 100W chargers for faster charging of its beefier battery. For longer sessions away from an outlet, a portable power bank is definitely a must-have accessory.
Software Experience: Windows 11 and Armoury Crate SE
One of the biggest differentiators for the ROG Ally is its operating system: full Windows 11. This isn’t a custom Linux-based OS like the Steam Deck’s SteamOS. it’s the same Windows you’d find on a desktop PC or laptop. This brings a huge advantage: native compatibility with virtually your entire PC game library. Whether your games are on Steam, Xbox Game Pass, Epic Games Store, GOG, or any other launcher, the Ally can run them without needing workarounds or compatibility layers. Plus, for games with anti-cheat software that often struggles with Linux, Windows 11 on the Ally means fewer headaches.
ASUS complements the Windows experience with its custom software, Armoury Crate SE. This acts as a centralized hub for all your games and essential settings. From here, you can launch games from various platforms, customize controls, adjust performance profiles, manage fan curves, and even grab BIOS and driver updates. The interface is designed to be user-friendly, with customizable game libraries and light/dark themes. Wyze cam pan v3 indoor outdoor security camera review
And speaking of Xbox, the original ROG Ally often came bundled with 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for free, making it an instant Xbox handheld. This integration is a massive draw for many gamers. In fact, Microsoft and ASUS are collaborating even further, with a “ROG Xbox Ally” series rumored for an October 2025 launch, featuring custom Windows 11 builds optimized specifically for Xbox Game Pass integration and a seamless “Xbox Experience for Handheld.” The good news is that this new software experience is expected to roll out to existing ROG Ally models in 2026.
While running full Windows 11 offers incredible flexibility, it does come with a slight learning curve on a handheld. Navigating the desktop interface without a touchpad can sometimes feel a bit “janky,” though the joystick can function as a mouse. However, many users report that after an initial setup and tweaking, the Windows experience on the Ally is surprisingly smooth for web browsing and general use, not just gaming.
Price and Value: Is it Worth It?
When you’re looking at a premium gaming handheld, price is a big part of the equation, and the ROG Ally has carved out a competitive spot.
The original ASUS ROG Ally launched with two main configurations:
- The Ryzen Z1 model 512GB storage was introduced at $599.99.
- The more powerful Ryzen Z1 Extreme model 512GB storage retailed for $699.99. This Z1 Extreme model has seen price drops, occasionally hitting as low as $449, making it a fantastic deal. It even came with 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, adding to its value.
Then came the ROG Ally X, which is positioned as a higher-performance update. It launched at $799.99. This price reflects the significant upgrades: a 1TB NVMe SSD, 24GB of faster LPDDR5X RAM, the larger 80Wh battery, and ergonomic improvements. Satechi USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure Review: Boost Your Storage, Mac Mini Style!
There are also rumors about a “ROG Xbox Ally” and “ROG Xbox Ally X” in collaboration with Microsoft. Leaks suggest the standard ROG Xbox Ally could be around $549.99, and the superior ROG Xbox Ally X around $899.99. These new models are expected to ship with AMD Ryzen Z2/Z2 Extreme chipsets, further enhancing performance.
So, how does this compare to the competition?
- The Steam Deck OLED starts at $549 for its base model, offering a polished Linux-based experience and great battery efficiency, but with weaker specs than the Z1 Extreme.
- The Lenovo Legion Go sits slightly higher around $699, boasting detachable controllers and a massive 8.8-inch display, though its size can impact portability.
- The MSI Claw, also around $699, uses Intel Core Ultra processors but has received mixed reviews, particularly regarding battery life and early optimization.
Considering the raw performance, the Windows 11 flexibility, and the high-quality display, the ROG Ally offers solid value. The Z1 Extreme model, especially when on sale, is a very compelling choice for its power. The Ally X, while pricier, delivers significant upgrades that might justify the cost for those seeking maximum performance and longevity in a handheld. It truly comes down to what you prioritize: raw power and Windows versatility ROG Ally or a slightly more curated, albeit less powerful, Linux experience Steam Deck. For Xbox fans, the deep Game Pass integration of the Ally is a major selling point.
If you’re looking for a good deal, keep an eye out for discounts on the original ASUS ROG Ally Z1 Extreme, as it often goes on sale and provides excellent bang for your buck.
The Verdict: Who is the ROG Ally For?
So, after deep into the ASUS ROG Ally and ROG Ally X, who are these handhelds truly for?
The ROG Ally is a fantastic piece of tech that successfully blends the power of a gaming PC with the convenience of a handheld console. Its Windows 11 operating system is a huge selling point, giving you unparalleled access to your entire PC game library, including all your Xbox Game Pass titles, right out of the box. The Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor and even more so, the Z2 Extreme in the Ally X delivers impressive gaming performance, letting you play AAA titles at respectable frame rates, especially on its vibrant 7-inch 1080p 120Hz VRR display. The ROG Ally X builds on this with a much-improved 80Wh battery, double the storage, and refined ergonomics, making long gaming sessions even more comfortable.
However, it’s not without its minor drawbacks. The battery life on the original Ally, while on par with similar Windows handhelds, can be quite short for demanding games in Turbo mode. While the Ally X significantly addresses this, it still won’t match the extreme longevity of some lower-power devices in certain scenarios. Navigating Windows 11 without a touchpad can be a bit clunky, and the speakers, while good, might get drowned out by the fan noise under heavy load.
Ultimately, the ROG Ally is an excellent choice if:
- You want a powerful, portable PC that can play all your games from various launchers.
- You’re a heavy Xbox Game Pass subscriber and want seamless access to that library on the go.
- You prioritize a high-resolution, high-refresh-rate display with VRR for smooth gameplay.
- You’re comfortable with Windows 11 and don’t mind a bit of tweaking to optimize performance.
- You’re looking for a device that offers more raw power than the Steam Deck for cutting-edge titles.
If you’re a gamer who loves the flexibility of PC gaming and wants to take that experience anywhere, especially with the enhancements of the ROG Ally X, then these handhelds are absolutely worth considering. They really let you play all your games your way.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the ASUS ROG Ally and the ROG Ally X?
The ROG Ally X is a refreshed version of the original ROG Ally with several key upgrades. It features a larger 80Wh battery double the original’s 40Whr, increased storage to 1TB from 512GB, more RAM at 24GB LPDDR5X-7500 from 16GB LPDDR5-6400, and improved ergonomics with thicker grips and refined buttons. The Ally X also has two USB-C ports, including a USB4 port.
Can the ROG Ally run Xbox games natively?
Yes, absolutely! The ROG Ally runs on Windows 11, which means it can natively install and run the Xbox app, allowing you to access and play any games from your Xbox Game Pass subscription or your purchased Xbox PC library. This is a major advantage for Xbox fans.
How does the ROG Ally compare to the Steam Deck in terms of performance?
The ROG Ally, especially with the Z1 Extreme or Z2 Extreme processor, generally offers superior raw performance compared to the Steam Deck. It uses newer Zen 4 CPU cores and RDNA 3 or Z2 Extreme graphics, while the Steam Deck uses Zen 2 and RDNA 2. This means the Ally can often achieve higher frame rates and run more demanding AAA games at better settings, especially at its native 1080p resolution.
What kind of battery life can I expect from the ROG Ally handhelds?
Battery life varies greatly depending on the model and how you’re using it. The original ROG Ally 40Whr can last as little as 1 hour for graphically intensive games in Turbo mode, but several hours for lighter tasks or less demanding games. The ROG Ally X, with its larger 80Wh battery, offers significantly improved longevity, providing around 2 hours for demanding AAA games and over 4 hours for indie titles. Apple M4 MacBook Air Review: Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Everyday Laptop
Is the screen on the ROG Ally better than the Steam Deck?
The ROG Ally features a 7-inch, 1080p 1920×1080 IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync Premium. This offers a sharper image and smoother motion than the original Steam Deck’s 7-inch 800p 60Hz LCD. However, the Steam Deck OLED offers superior contrast, deeper blacks, and better color accuracy due to its OLED technology, though at a lower 800p resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. So, it depends on whether you prioritize resolution/refresh rate or OLED panel quality.
Can I connect an external GPU to the ROG Ally?
Yes, both the original ROG Ally and the ROG Ally X are compatible with ASUS’s ROG XG Mobile external GPU enclosures. This allows you to connect the handheld to a powerful desktop-class GPU, like an Nvidia RTX 4090 laptop GPU, effectively turning it into a high-performance desktop gaming machine when docked.
What is Armoury Crate SE?
Armoury Crate SE is ASUS’s custom software interface for the ROG Ally. It acts as a central hub for managing your games from various launchers, customizing controls, adjusting performance modes like Silent, Performance, and Turbo, and keeping your device’s drivers and BIOS updated. It’s designed to streamline the Windows gaming experience on the handheld.
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