Asus ROG Ally X: The Ultimate Upgrade in Handheld Gaming Excellence

The Asus ROG Ally set a new standard for Windows-powered gaming handhelds upon its release in 2023. Despite some shortcomings such as a notoriously unreliable SD card reader, the Ally quickly became the benchmark in its niche, even with rising competition from Lenovo and MSI. Earlier this year, Arnold Su, the Vice President of the company’s consumer and gaming PC division, shared with me that the company prefers not to delay product launches. Their approach of being first to market across various categories has been rewarding in India, so why hesitate when innovation is on hand?

Asus has seized the moment, intensifying its commitment to handheld devices. The ROG Ally X was revealed in June, just ahead of Computex Taipei 2024, and hit the Indian market last month. It’s offered in a sole 1TB SSD model with 24GB of RAM. It continues to utilize the same AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor as its forerunner and features the same 7-inch display. However, several modifications—internally and externally—have been implemented. The Asus ROG Ally X is also priced at Rs. 89,990 in India, making it more expensive than the original Ally.

But do the enhancements justify this increased cost? At Computex, when I first had a chance to try out the Ally X, it felt as though Asus had made the right decisions for a mid-generation update. After spending time with the device, it’s evident that the brand invested considerable effort into improvements.

The ROG Ally X outclasses the Nintendo Switch

Asus ROG Ally X Design: Enhanced Ergonomics

• Dimensions – 280mm (width) x 111mm (height) x 24.7 ~ 36.9mm (depth)
• Weight – 678g
• Colour – Black

Asus revisited its design plan to enhance the comfort of the new Ally. While the handheld’s appearance is largely similar to its predecessor—differentiated primarily by its black finish—there are numerous carefully considered adjustments throughout to improve its hand-held feel. The grips, for instance, have a more noticeable curve compared to the original ROG Ally—elevated by 4.5mm, enabling the rear to fit into your hands more comfortably instead of pressing against them. The grips also incorporate a textured surface to prevent slipping, though the texture may feel somewhat excessive. The ROG-themed finishes on the back caused a bit of friction against my palm during prolonged gaming sessions, leading to increased perspiration.

Conversely, the textured rubber used on the joysticks provides a reassuring feel, preventing your thumbs from slipping during high-intensity gameplay. The thumbsticks now feature deeper concave grooves on top for added comfort. Asus claims that the joysticks on the ROG Ally X are twice as robust as those on its predecessor, rated for 5 million rotations. The RGB halo around the sticks introduces a stylish element to the handheld.

The ROG Ally X’s design showcases improved ergonomics over its predecessor

The hall-effect triggers are broader and display a more curved shape. The D-pad has received a redesign to enhance responsiveness, resulting in clear, satisfying feedback. It’s among the best D-pads I’ve used on modern controllers or gamepads. The left and right bumpers and the ABXY buttons are also quite tactile. The two rear macro buttons are now smaller to minimize the risk of unintentional presses during gameplay.

Changes have also been made to the port arrangement. Asus has replaced the proprietary ROG XG Mobile Interface from the original Ally with an additional USB Type-C port. This change is welcome, but having one of the USB ports located on the bottom edge of the handheld would have been preferable rather than having both positioned adjacently on the upper spine. The ROG Ally X is somewhat thicker and 70g heavier than its predecessor, though it feels solid and secure in hand. Its construction is rugged, yet it maintains an elegant and minimalist design.

The grips feature a textured surface that’s slightly coarse for my liking

Asus ROG Ally X Display: If it Works, Keep It

• Size – 7-inch «IPS-level» touch display
• Resolution – Full-HD (1920×1080 pixels)
• Refresh rate – 120Hz

The ROG Ally X maintains the same display as the original Ally. The 7-inch multitouch LCD panel achieves a peak brightness of 500 nits. It delivers sharp visuals with accurate and vivid color representation. Asus also asserts that the Corning Gorilla Glass DCX layer on the panel reduces reflections, enhancing visibility in bright environments. However, the standout feature of the display is its variable refresh rate support, which mitigates screen tearing and stuttering, resulting in smoother frame rates while gaming.

Nevertheless, Asus missed an opportunity by not upgrading the Ally X to an OLED display. While the handheld’s LCD screen is impressive, an OLED panel would significantly enhance the gaming experience.

The ROG Ally X features two USB Type-C ports on the top

Asus ROG Ally X Software: Closing the Windows Gap

• OS – Windows 11 Home 
• Proprietary app – Armoury Crate SE 

The ROG Ally X operates on Windows 11 Home, but there is little new to discuss regarding Microsoft’s OS on gaming handhelds. The experience on a 7-inch touch interface is far from optimal, with the Windows environment on devices like the Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw remaining consistently frustrating. At this point, Microsoft should collaborate with its partners to enhance its OS for the handheld format, though this seems unlikely. Valve has recently announced that it will allow third-party handhelds to utilize its Linux-based SteamOS, yet it’s improbable that manufacturers will abandon Windows in favor of Valve’s OS out of the box.

This is where the enhanced Armory Crate SE comes into play. Asus’ software features an intuitive console-like interface that serves as a hub for your games and an entry point into handheld settings. Numerous refinements have made Armory Crate smarter and more user-friendly. The game library can be tailored to your needs, featuring a favorites tab for quick access to your preferred games. Additionally, deeper customization options are now available for settings. You can adjust custom TDP values and allocate more memory to the GPU—the Ally X defaults to 4GB of its memory for the integrated graphics, but I increased this to 8GB thanks to the enhanced RAM. The fan curve for both fans can also be manually adjusted.

Overall, Armoury Crate SE simplifies the Windows experience, and I found myself relying on the software frequently, whether for accessing games via platforms like Steam and Xbox or for tweaking performance parameters and customizing the Ally X. The Command Centre, accessible via a dedicated button on the left side of the display, offers a convenient way to quickly select power profiles, toggle between Gamepad and Desktop modes, capture screenshots, and more. Unlike the quick settings overlay found on the MSI Claw A1M, the command centre on the Ally is responsive and free from input lag and touch issues.

The joysticks feel robust, with a textured rubber top to prevent slips

Asus ROG Ally X Performance: Consistency is Key

• Processor – AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
• RAM – 24GB LPDDR5
• Storage – 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD + M.2 SSD (2280) slot for extra storage
• Graphics – AMD Radeon Graphics (RDNA 3, up to 8.6 teraflops)

The ROG Ally X is powered by the same Ryzen Z1 series processor as the previous model, functioning within a TDP range of 9-25W (which can drop to a minimum of 7W TDP in Manual settings) on DC power (and while using battery). You can modify the power limit adjustments in the Manual power profile, or “Operating Mode,” as referred to by Asus. Besides Manual, there are three preset operating modes—Silent (13W), Performance (17W), and Turbo (25W). On AC power (while charging), Turbo mode can increase up to 30W TDP, and even though it uses the same AMD chipset, the Ally X’s generous and faster memory and efficient power utilization coupled with the VRR-enabled screen lead to some of the most fluid gameplay I’ve experienced on a handheld.

When playing a demanding title like Shadow of the Tomb Raider at a 1080p resolution with Medium graphic settings on 17W (Performance mode), I recorded good frame rates, typically between 35-45fps, with performance dip during graphically intensive scenes that featured lush forests and busy settlements. The average frame rate recorded on the in-game benchmark was 39fps.

Playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the Ally X

Switching to 25W Turbo mode, the game’s performance clocked in between 40-50fps, with an average frame rate of 42fps. While plugged in, with the Turbo mode pushed to 30W TDP, the average rate improved to 44fps. Given the small screen, lowering the resolution for more frames is a viable option without significantly affecting image fidelity. For example, while maintaining the same Medium graphical preset at 720p, the average frame rate soared to 63fps.

On Forza Horizon 5, utilizing Medium settings at 1080p resulted in an average frame rate of 76fps on 30W Power mode while charging. When unplugged at 25W TDP, the racing game sustained an average of 72fps. On the 17W Performance profile, the average frame rate stood at 68fps. These are impressive performance figures for reasonably demanding games.

Windows continues to be a challenge on gaming handhelds

While handhelds are often designed for less demanding titles, the Ally X performs admirably on high-profile games. The smaller screen lends itself better to 2D platformers and side-scrollers, as expansive open-world 3D environments can feel constrained on a 7-inch screen. In more casual or indie games, the Ally X shines predictably. For instance, in Hollow Knight, playing at 1080p resolution with High settings on the 13W Silent mode consistently yielded frame rates exceeding 110fps.

In Hades, I observed similar performance, with consistent frame rates hovering around 120fps and minimal drops during fierce combat. When playing Jusant, a somewhat demanding puzzle-platformer, I experienced frame rates between 45-55fps at 1080p with Medium settings in the 17W Performance mode, with slight dips. However, in 25W Turbo mode on DC power, performance improved to the 55-60fps range, and with the charger connected at 30W TDP, performance peaked around 65fps.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the ROG Ally X

Asus ROG Ally X Battery: Leading the Pack

• Battery capacity – 80Whr
• Charger – 65W AC adapter

A major enhancement in the Asus ROG Ally X is the battery, which has increased to an 80Whr capacity compared to the 40Whr battery of the original Ally. This significant upgrade transforms the Ally X into a genuinely portable gaming device. Most Windows-based handheld consoles, including the first-gen ROG Ally, typically manage around an hour or an hour and a half of playtime on demanding titles. In contrast, the ROG Ally X, with its powerful 80Whr battery and effective power management, can last up to two hours even while playing modern games. I managed just over two-and-a-half hours of gaming on Shadow of the Tomb Raider before it ran out of charge. My gameplay mainly took place while unplugged in Turbo mode, but I switched to 13W TDP upon reaching the 20 percent battery level.

For less demanding older or indie games, you can utilize the Silent operating mode at 13W or reduce it even further manually to minimize battery consumption while securing excellent performance, enabling gaming sessions of up to four hours. On lower wattage, with brightness minimized, titles like Celeste, Hades, and Spiritfarer can be played extensively. The ROG Ally X’s impressive battery life gives it a significant edge over its competitors, ensuring it remains cool and quiet throughout lengthy gaming sessions, thanks to Asus’ advancements in thermal management.

Conclusion

When it debuted in 2023, the Asus ROG Ally established a high benchmark for Windows gaming handhelds. While it couldn’t quite match the Steam Deck OLED in terms of battery performance, its remarkable capabilities with modern games, coupled with a sleek and portable design and a 120Hz display, made it a tough competitor. With the launch of the ROG Ally X, Asus has notably improved upon its successful features while addressing previous concerns. The device now boasts a larger battery, increased and faster memory, and superior cooling, resulting in a reliable and high-performing handheld that excels across nearly all measurements.

However, the price of these essential upgrades is substantial. At Rs. 89,990, the ROG Ally X comes close to double the current pricing of the AMD Z1 Extreme version of the original Ally, which is available at Rs. 49,990 following price reductions. This considerable difference complicates the recommendation for Asus’ latest handheld; an OLED display could have made the offering more appealing. Yet, if you’re on the hunt for the best Windows-based handheld currently available, it’s challenging to suggest anything other than the ROG Ally X. With superior battery life and significant performance enhancements, the Ally X proves to be a versatile companion for gamers.

Pros

• Exceptional battery performance
• Reliable and consistent performance
• Enhanced ergonomic design
• Tactile, responsive buttons
• Improved heat management
• Smooth experience with Armoury Crate SE

Cons

• No OLED display
• Windows OS limitations
• High cost

Ratings (out of 10)

• Design: 8
• Display: 7
• Software: 7
• Performance: 9
• Battery Life: 9
• Value for Money: 6
• Overall: 8