Since the Steam Deck arrived in 2022, the handheld PC gaming market has been flooded with choice. Since then, some solid devices have arrived, including the original ROG Ally. The follow-up, the ROG Ally X, improves upon its predecessor in every way with a bigger battery, faster memory, and more storage, leading to the best Windows 11-based handheld PC gaming device out there.
All the under-the-hood changes Asus made elevate the Ally X into a must-own for anyone looking to take gaming on the go. While there will always be other devices, the only alternative is the Steam Deck. What sells the Ally X as a must-own device is the 80-Wh battery, the 1TB SSD, up to 24 GB of DDR RAM, and an extra USB-C port for extra peripheral usage.
Windows Is The Biggest Drawback
For all the good the ROG Ally X brings, it’s held back by Windows 11. I’ve used Windows tablets but never enjoyed my experience using them, especially when Windows 8 was a thing and it was seemingly everywhere. The thing is, though, while Windows did get better, Microsoft has struggled to make it a worthwhile OS for handheld use. It’s the same experience on a desktop, shrunken down. It doesn’t work, and I struggle to find one thing I like about using Windows on a handheld. The touchscreen alleviates some issues, but you need a keyboard and mouse to do anything meaningful.
I was setting up Steam and installing Phantasy Star Online 2 when the device prompted me to use a mouse to confirm several menus. Using a controller to do this is a nuisance, and it even led me to uninstall the game until I could figure out an alternative solution. Even the most essential things I do with a mouse at home on a laptop or desktop are more frustrating on a handheld.
The default controls on the Ally X include the right analog stick serving as your mouse pointer, with the right bumper/triggers mimicking the left/right clicks a mouse provides. You can even press down on the right analog to open new windows, and navigating becomes easier.
Asus’s Armoury Crate SE is a good bridge to streamline installers and logins, adding Ubisoft Connect, Xbox, Steam, and more game libraries into one place. The Command Centre overlay provides quick access to things like a gamepad, keyboard & mouse, frame limiter, battery, and more. The most remarkable thing I discovered in the Armour Crate SE is the impressive customization options you have at your disposal. Outside of one or two buttons (power, volume), you can customize every button on the device to fit your needs.
The ROG Ally X is the first handheld I’ve used where the battery doesn’t drastically drain when put in sleep mode. I’ve used it several times over my review period and noticed it works as intended without any issues. I’ve put Dark Souls 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and more to sleep, returned to them later at night or the following day, and was left impressed. For almost the entire time, where I stopped was where Ally X brought me back with nearly no delays. Sure, there was some battery drain, but it was never worrying, and I was impressed how smooth it was to pick up and play games I had paused.
The Ally X’s screen is a boon for many games. It’s a solid 7-inch, 1920×1080, and 120 Hz LCD screen, but a bit brighter than the Ally. However, nothing compares to the Steam Deck OLED, which is far and away my favourite screen of any handheld on the market.
The Asus ROG Ally X holds comfortably in your hands
The ROG Ally X features a slightly thicker design and increased weight, which may raise concerns about comfort. However, its more rounded grips help reduce fatigue during extended use. Despite the added bulk, the ergonomic improvements make it easier to hold than the original model. However, the increased size is incompatible with ROG Ally accessories, such as form-fitting carrying cases or protective shells, which is fine; why isn’t one included? The grips are a mere 4.5 mm, and I have larger hands, which makes it more comfortable to hold and use for longer gaming sessions. Coming from using the Switch as my daily driver, the increase in height is an excellent change.
In addition to ergonomic changes, the layout of the device’s ports and buttons has been adjusted. The volume buttons have been relocated to the left side from the right, requiring an adjustment period for users familiar with the original design. A significant upgrade includes an additional USB port—whereas the original ROG Ally had a single USB-C port, the Ally X consists of both a USB4 and a USB-C port. This allows users to charge the device using accessories such as a USB-C headset or a wireless keyboard dongle, enhancing overall functionality.
Most of the changes the ROG Ally X delivers make sense, like the microSD card moving away from the left side to the right. I’m still not a fan of where many handhelds place the microSD slot, which I feel the Nintendo Switch perfected years ago. However, there is an improvement here, and it’s better than most other handhelds on the market.
Some Smartly Implemented Changes
There’s also a noticeable change with the included M1 and M2 buttons on the ROG Ally X. Previously, the same buttons on the original Ally were bigger and clunkier, leading to sometimes mistakenly pressing them. Now, the same buttons are smaller and better positioned, and I never found myself pushing the buttons by mistake.
I also enjoyed the shoulder buttons’ responsiveness when playing Dark Souls 3. The LB and RB bumpers provide a distinct tactile click, though it remains unclear whether this results from an intentional hardware upgrade or simply the lack of wear compared to older models. The D-pad has also been enlarged and features increased resistance, allowing for more precise inputs during gameplay.
The ROG Ally X benefits from various performance-enhancing features powered by Radeon graphics. It fully supports Radeon Super Resolution (RSR) and FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), which help improve frame rates in demanding games. Lowering the resolution and enabling RSR is a simple way to enhance performance in most titles. While this may slightly reduce image quality, the difference is minimal on a 7-inch display.
Asus has also redesigned the device for improved comfort, introducing a more efficient cooling system that eliminates the overheating issues affecting the original model’s touchscreen. The core hardware remains essentially unchanged, with the same display and the AMD Z1 Extreme SoC, which continues to be the top processor for handheld PC gaming.
Verdict
The Asus ROG Ally X is one of the most capable handheld gaming PCs available. It features a capable screen with 120 Hz, 24GB of LPDDR5 memory, and a battery capacity twice that of the original model. It delivers extended gaming sessions and strong performance across various titles. However, running on Windows 11 still presents some usability challenges, particularly when navigating the desktop environment, but you can always install Bazzite if you want a SteamOS fork.
The ROG Ally X is quickly becoming my daily driver, and frankly, I’m having a hard time not wanting to use it for all my handheld gaming benchmarks. It’s easily one of the best and most desirable devices on the market.
[Asus provided a launch final retail unit for this review.]
