ASUS ROG ALLY X review: The best Windows handheld gaming system gets even better

ASUS’ first gen ROG ALLY was a great piece of kit, offering a Windows based handheld gaming option with access to all the gaming services.ASUS announced the second generation ROG ALLY X back in June and we’ve gotten our hands on one for review. 

The latest model uses the same AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, and while I loved the original, the new model addresses some of the feedback offering upgraded storage, RAM, and battery life. There’s also been improvements in ergonomics including a more precise eight-way D-pad, easier to hit ABXY buttons and of course the new all-black colour scheme. 

Priced from $1,599 AUD through the ASUS E-shop or JB Hi-Fi, the ROG ALLY X promises a powerful gaming experience on the go. How does it perform? I spent the last couple of weeks with the ROG ALLY X and here’s how it went. 

Hardware

The ROG ALLY X is very comfortable to hold. The refinements in the ergonomics extend to the handles which are now deeper and easier to hold thanks to a more rounded shape. 

The D-Pad is a little more precise this timej and the joysticks have also been replaced with more durable options. The thumbsticks and other buttons have also been angled better to make it more comfortable.

On the rear, ASUS have used smaller macro buttons which means they’re harder to hit accidentally, and they’ve also angled the triggers downwards to make them a little easier to press.

It’s heavier than the original, going from just 608 grams on the original to 678 grams on the ROG ALLY X, but that additional heft doesn’t translate to a noticeably heavier device due to ASUS shifting the centre of gravity to balance better in your hands.

What the additional weight does do is bring all those great improvements including the battery which was 40Whr on the ROG ALLY, but has been doubled to a truly impressive 80WHr battery in the ROG ALLY X – almost the same size as the battery in their ROG Zephyrus G16 gaming laptop.

The ROG ALLY X also includes more RAM, jumping from 16GB to 24GB, and there’s also double the storage with a 1TB M.2 SSD included. ASUS has also moved to using M.2 2280 drives instead of the M.2 2230 in the ROG ALLY. The 2280 SSDs allow for larger capacity drives (above 2TB), and tend to be more common, which means it’s easier to upgrade.

The other noticeable difference is the new Black colourway which looks the business – and may be a little more suited to me long term given my ability to get white devices dirty.

The rest of the ROG ALLY X is the same. The display is the same IPS level 7” panel which works great but does fall behind when compared to the OLED panel in the SteamDeck, but offers the benefit of Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support which makes games run so much smoother. 

There’s is an additional USB Type-C port on the ROG ALLY X, with ASUS eschewing the ROG XG Mobile Interface from the original in favour of the additional USB-C port which is Thunderbolt 4 compliant offering more options for accessories and charging – including hooking it up to the TV with a wireless mouse and keyboard for some fun :).

The microSD card slot is still at the top alongside the power button which has a fingerprints sensor and is Windows Hello compatible, and you still get the big textured bumpers and easier to hit triggers. 

There are vents aplenty around the unit, though ASUS has used smaller fans with thinner blades to accommodate the larger battery. The new cooling system also incorporates new tunnels to direct air-flow, with the new cooling system offering a 6% cooler system overall than it’s predecessor.

The system does seem a little cooler but after an hour or two gaming you definitely get used to a bit of fan noise and heat from holding it – though it never got close to being uncomfortable.

Performance

The ROG ALLY X uses the same AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme platform, though ramping memory up from 16GB to 24GB and storage to 1TB as standard which is now using the M.2 2280 form factor offering more upgradability. 

There’s been improvements to cooling offering better performance during the longer sessions you can get with the larger battery. 

All in all there’s been jumps in the load times as well as smoother frame rates and it looks better even when dropped down to lower resolutions. 

The ROG ALLY X, like the original, has three performance modes you can access through the ASUS Command Centre: Turbo (25W), Performance (15W) or Silent (10W) – with the Turbo mode the highest performer, which also drains the battery the fastest.

The ASUS ROG ALLY X site also notes that Turbo mode can ramp up to 30W ‘Running game titles while plugged in with power delivery 65W’.

I am still playing the usual suspects, Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite and Sons of the Forest and got good frame-rates across the lot around 40-50fps. The frame-rates weren’t the whole story with  the games looking very smooth and fantastic – it really is a good experience.  

As usual I ran it through 3DMark, with the ROG ALLY getting  a 2370 in TimeSpy. The ROG ALLY X with more RAM scored a 3488, a solid bump in performance. I’ve also run it through the new 3DMark benchmark Steel Nomad though it’s fairly new, so we’ll see how any future models handle.

Battery and Charging

There’s an 80Whr battery in the ROG ALLY X – double the capacity of the original, and you get the same 65W USB Type-C charger that came with the original. 

On the original ROG Ally I was only able to get around an hour of gaming in Turbo mode – the only real mode worth hitting if you like smooth gameplay. On the ROG ALLY X with an 80WHr battery I was able to comfortably get two hours of gaming in Turbo mode – brilliant!

While an hour on the original was ok, the updated battery life on the ROG ALLY X  is where you start seriously considering this as a mobile gaming option. Add in a decent power bank and you can take this thing on the go for hours. 

In terms of charging though, you can get almost 40% charge in 30 minutes, with a full charge taking a little over an hour and a half.

Software

The ASUS ROG ALLY X, like the original, runs Windows 11 Home and offers all the advantages of a Windows based system – including running all the game stores like Steam, Epic Game Store, GOG Galaxy and Xbox – as well as GeForce Now and XCloud for streaming. 

The Windows environment offers a lot more freedom when it comes to gaming – especially if you’re not wanting to mod a Steamdeck. Windows also offers a more frustrating experience in terms of navigating the system when the Armoury Crate launcher doesn’t quite cut the mustard – and trying to set up software on the 7” display can be frustrating, even with a touch display. 

You do get some ASUS apps installed, primarily the MyASUS app for warranty and basic config. 

The shining star for the ROG ALLY X – and the rest of the ROG range – is the Armoury Crate launcher which has been updated to version 1.5. Armoury Crate SE 1.5 has a new customisable game library as well as offering unified system updates.

The Armoury Crate launcher is super easy to navigate with the thumbsticks – and launches at startup, though you can quickly launch it by hitting the dedicated button on the right of the screen. You can set up some game stores, including Xbox from Armoury Crate, but otherwise simply load Edge (then download Chrome lol) and download the install files and go for it.

Armoury Crate also lets you set and save custom key mappings and controls per game which is brilliant. There’s also the Command Centre button on the left you can hit to quickly access your controls. Overall iASUS has really refined the experience for handheld gaming and it works really well.

I do recommend you try out the Xbox app as you get a free 3-month Game Pass Ultimate trial which includes Xbox and PC gaming, as well as Xcloud Game Streaming. Always nice to get a freebie.

Once your game stores are loaded, you can just load the games from the launcher which makes having a Windows based system far less of a chore – though you get Windows low battery alerts no matter what. 

Should you buy it?

As far as things go, with the Steamdeck still not officially available in Australia, and the ASUS ROG ALLY X offers more with its Windows based system affording access to a wider range of game storefronts. 

The Windows setup itself can be a pain, but it’s over with soon enough and the Armoury Crate launcher lets you jump into the game launcher of your choice easily. 

The system itself is more comfortable to hold, and comes with better cooling. The enhanced smoothness from the additional RAM and longer battery life are more than enough to make the ROG ALLY X the best Windows based handheld gaming system out there. 

If you want to check out the ASUS ROG ALLY X, you can get your hands on it for $1,599 AUD through the ASUS E-shop or JB Hi-Fi