The original Asus ROG Ally has been my go-to PC gaming machine over the last year, for its novel portability and surprisingly high performance. I’ve run through so many games for review using this machine, while also taking time to experience some of my favourite games of the past decade – from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor to the Kingdom Hearts series. In every test, this device has performed smoothly and admirably, sometimes even better than my (slightly old) gaming laptop.
But as I mentioned in my review of the ROG Ally in 2023, it’s not perfect by any stretch. The battery life on the original ROG Ally isn’t fantastic, and it’s best used in tethered mode. It’s also got some issues with gummy buttons that stick at the worst possible times in gameplay. With the release of the upgraded Asus ROG Ally X, I was keen to see how the device has advanced – and thankfully, it does appear my biggest bugbears have been addressed in this iteration.
Like its predecessor, it still has light flaws, but the ROG Ally X is a significant leap forward, to a future where handheld gaming is mainstream.
Table of Contents
Asus ROG Ally X: Battery life
The biggest upgrade for the ROG Ally X is undoubtedly improvements to battery life. The original console lasts around two hours in active use, meaning you can only go for longer stretches of gaming when you’ve got your charger handy. It’s still portable, but not in a meaningful, useful way.
Using the ROG Ally X, I was getting closer to 3-4 hours of battery, depending on the games I was a playing. Funko Fusion, a newer release, ate up the battery so that it only just missed the three hour mark. Playing lighter games like Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo and The Crush House, I was going over three hours on battery. This variability should be accounted for when considering your own potential use.
Read: Asus ROG Ally Review – Flawed but fantastic
I do think the ROG Ally X crosses a threshold, where you can genuinely sit down on a couch and enjoy a relatively long gaming session without worrying about the battery. The original ROG Ally doesn’t quite go that far, and I’ll always have the charger handy when I’m playing games on it.
Performance
Another major draw for this upgraded device is its increased RAM (24GB vs. 16GB) and SSD (1TB vs. 512GB) capacity. While that suggests increased performance, in practicality, I didn’t notice much difference between the devices. They both perform very well with new games, and pull off consistently smooth gameplay.
That’s thanks to the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip which appears in both devices. It’s a hardy and hard-working chip that serves the devices well. Playing higher-spec games like Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 (remakes) is a breeze on the ROG Ally, and remains so on the Ally X. It makes sense that Asus wouldn’t tweak performance too much with this release. After all, it’s not a fully-fledged refresh, but more of a minor revision.
ROG Ally X: Button improvements
Even with it being a revision, the ROG Ally X still boasts meaningful tweaks worth noting. After months of using the original ROG Ally for daily gameplay, I’ve found the XYBA front buttons have sunk slightly into the console, so that the X occasionally slips under or gets stick in its housing.
The ROG Ally X features buttons that are slightly more elevated, and in the long term, this will likely mean they avoid being depressed or stuck, even with long-term use. They also feel less gummy, and have a bit more bounce.
The other noticeable change is to the back M1 and M2 buttons. Previously, these were set into the device’s handles, so you could accidentally click them while playing games. Now, they’re much smaller and set higher up, so it’s less likely you’ll input a rogue command while in the heat of battle.
Across multiple games, I’ve also noticed the shoulder LT and RT buttons also feel more precise, with input better matching game output. In Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, I previously had trouble inputting the sneak command, as the ROG Ally LT and RT buttons don’t maintain the right pressure, without needing to constantly calibrate my input. That problem appears to be solved now, which should make playing games much easier, and more comfortable.
Asus ROG Ally X: Weight comparison
That said, there is a minor obstacle to comfort in the revised design of the ROG Ally X. Due to the larger battery in the chassis, this device is noticeably heavier than its predecessor.
It’s heavier to the point where it’s slightly less comfortable to play, if your reference is the original machine. Unfortunately, that’s an unavoidable side effect of having that bigger battery. If you want longer-lasting gameplay, you’ll need to put up with a heavier, more unwieldy device.
Overall verdict
Despite this minor complaint, I do believe the Asus ROG Ally X is a significant leap above its predecessor. Many of the changes made here directly address issues with the original iteration, for a device that feels well-rounded, well-designed, and much improved.
Improvements to battery life are particularly appreciated, and they make the ROG Ally X much more viable as a handy, convenient portable gaming device. You can comfortably sit for a few hours without needing a charge, and that makes all the difference.
Paired with improvements to the console’s buttons and overall usability, the ROG Ally X is a clever mid-gen upgrade that should suit new users well. While it’s less essential for those who already have a ROG Ally, fresh adopters will find this device a strong and refined handheld gaming companion.
An Asus ROG Ally X was provided on a two-week loan for the purposes of this comparison review.
