The ROG Ally X is an incremental upgrade of the original ROG Ally handheld. It sports the same chip but with several crucial upgrades to help Asus keep up with competition from the Steam Deck OLED and the onslaught of Ayaneo devices.
Asus unveiled the new Asus ROG Ally X during Computex 2024 in June, with several overhauls, including crucial upgrades. The company launched the handheld for consumers in July.
Where to buy the Asus ROG Ally X
You can order the Asus ROG Ally Z handheld through Best Buy, or via Asus directly on their website.
Asus ROG Ally X release date
The Asus ROG Ally X was released on July 22, 2024.
Pre-orders for the brand-new ROG Ally X handheld were available from June 2, 2024, in conjunction with the handheld’s unveiling at Computex 2024.
Asus ROG Ally X price
The Asus ROG Ally X is available for $799. Available for $100 more than the previous ROG Ally 2023 model, the brand-new ROG Ally X handheld will only be available in 1TB at launch.
Asus ROG Ally X specs
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home |
| Display | 7” FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9, 120 Hz |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme |
| GPU | AMD Radeon Graphics (AMD RDNA 3, 12 CUs, up to 2.7 GHz, up to 8.6Teraflops) |
| Memory | 24 GB LPDDR5X (7500 MHz dual channel) |
| Storage | Up to 1 TB M.2 2280 NVMe |
| I/O Ports | 1 x Audio combo jack1 x Micro SD Card reader 1 x USB-C supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 1 x USB4 |
| Audio | 2-speaker system with Smart Amplifier Technology, Dolby Atmos support, AI noise-canceling technology, built-in microphone |
| Battery | 80 Wh |
| Power Supply | USB-Cm 65W AC Adapter, |
| Dimensions | 28.0 x 11.1 x 2.47 cm |
| Weight | 678g |
The ROG Ally X is an incremental upgrade. Offering the same Z1 Extreme chip and display as used on the original, with several notable improvements in several key areas. These are battery and RAM.
“It’s not a full redesign,” an Asus representative Whitson Gordon said on a live stream announcement. He further clarifies that this is not an Asus ROG Ally 2. He then added: “We’re not calling it an Ally 2.”
The handheld is targeted towards enthusiasts looking for more from a handheld experience, making the ROG Ally X a more premium device. Asus explains that after “user feedback” the brand-new iteration of the handheld comes with upgrades to the battery life, RAM, ports, and design.
Big battery buffs
One of the biggest boosts for the ROG Ally X comes down to its battery life. Asus has doubled the capacity of the previous model.
As it stands, the previous ROG Ally model uses a 40 Wh battery, whereas the brand-new ROG Ally X comes with an upgraded 80 Wh battery.
The Steam Deck OLED was unbeatable for battery life, thanks to improvements in efficiency and the new OLED screen.
However, Asus decided to brute-force the battery life by simply making the battery pack bigger. We’ve seen in handhelds like the Ayaneo Kun that 54Whr batteries are possible, but it comes with a significant tradeoff.
This 80 Whr battery will provide a lot of playtime, but the trade-off is that the Ally X now weighs 678g. For reference, the original ROG Ally weighs 608g, while the Steam Deck OLED weighs 640g.
Thermal upgrade
To make up for these big battery buffs, the ROG Ally X features new fans. These fans are 23% smaller than the previous ROG Ally handheld and feature 50% thinner fan blades to improve airflow.
According to Asus, the new thermal system of the ROG Ally X provides 24% more air to be pushed throughout the device. This aids in helping cool down the touch-screen display, and internals of the handheld.
Whether this will have a knock-on effect on the previous handheld’s supposed heating problems remains to be seen. Even after our review, we’re keeping a careful watch on the heating situation.
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During the lifespan of the previous ROG Ally handheld, there were multiple reports of the device getting noticeably hot during use. This caused concern over the placement of the SD card slots, due to the positioning of the handheld’s ventilation.
Unlike the previous ROG Ally, the ROG Ally X features two new tunnels in the fan housing to direct air up and out an additionally placed third vent. Hopefully, this will help rectify any heating concerns with the handheld.
Major RAM upgrade
The Asus ROG X ships with 24GB of LPDDR5X-7500 RAM, 8GB more than the 16GB of RAM available on the current ROG Ally model. With LPDDR5X in tow, the ROG Ally X can make way for faster memory speeds.
According to Asus, this 24 GB boost in RAM allows the ROG Ally X to allocate more memory to both the system and the GPU for a better performance playing AAA games.
Asus ROG Ally X design changes
The ROG Ally X comes in a black colorway, similar to that of the Steam Deck. This is opposed to the white design of the previous ROG Ally handheld models. The new handheld also sports a slightly redesigned chassis, which leans into its ergonomic design with its rounded shape and deep handless for better comfort.
The location of the joysticks to the d-pad has also been altered, to make moving from each easier and more efficient, while minimizing accidental button presses. While Asus didn’t decide to incorporate Hall Effect sticks, both sticks of the new ROG Ally X have been replaced with “durable module” sticks with stiffer springs.
According to Asus, these newly improved sticks are now rated for 5 million rotation cycles, twice that of the 2.5 million of the previous ROG Ally handheld. While the sticks have been upgraded, the RGB halo surrounding each stick of the new ROG Ally X model remains the same.
The D-pad has also been updated with an eight-directional input, to make it better suited for fighting game fans.
Asus ROG Ally X software
Asus has launched the ROG Ally X with a redesigned version of the Armoury Crate platform, named Armoury Crate SE. This redesign will offer a revamped UX, in addition to the ability to share button configurations between users, much like Valve’s community layouts for the Steam Deck.
Named Armory Create SE (ACSE), the updated software platform will also offer new customization options. This allows users to change their preferred way of viewing their PC handheld gaming library, from grid-based to a dedicated favorites tab.
In our review, we found Armory Crate didn’t live up to its potential.
Will the ROG Ally X be better than the Steam Deck OLED?
As of right now, we’ve settled that the Steam Deck OLED offers a better overall experience compared to the Ally X.
The ROG Ally X will have a faster chip than the Steam Deck OLED. However, it will not have a screen that’s on par with the visual quality that the Steam Deck OLED will be able to muster.
At above $699 MSRP, the Steam Deck OLED is also cheaper than the ROG Ally X. However, you have to consider that both devices run on wildly different operating systems.
SteamOS offers a slick UX but comes with the tradeoff that you will not be able to play certain titles like Fortnite natively, as well as a stronger CPU for tasks like emulation. So, it ultimately depends on how much tinkering you intend to do with the device.
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