Asus ROG Ally X vs ROG Ally: Hands-on with the new, improved handheld

Asus recently announced the ROG Ally X – a refresh of last year’s Ally. It’s been criticized for not offering any kind of performance improvement, but based on my experiences testing a variety of Windows PCs, I think it’s a solid improvement in many ways. The move from 16GB to 24GB of memory addresses issues affecting a small but growing number of new games, while doubling the battery size goes a long way toward solving the number one problem affecting any Windows device: terrible battery life. battery.

It’s true though, the Asus ROG Ally X is using the same Z1 Extreme processor as the non-X model. The Zen 4 octa-core CPU configuration, paired with a 12 CU RDNA 3 GPU, remains the same, running at the same clock speeds. However, there is a small performance improvement, thanks to the fact that Ally X not only increases the memory capacity, but also the bandwidth. 16 GB LPDDR5 with 6400 MT/s LPDDR5 is replaced by 24 GB LPDDRX 7500 MT/s. These processors thrive on bandwidth, as we saw with the Steam Deck OLED, where I saw anything from a two-percent to nine-percent performance boost in games from that faster RAM — without getting into specs at the preliminary stage, it should expect much of the same when switching from ally to ally X.

There are also scenarios where having more memory provides a giant improvement in gaming performance – I refer you to Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, which is a mess on the original Asus ROG Ally, but is almost stutter-free on the Ally X This is for because the game requires a good amount of system memory and video RAM and while this can be configured in the Asus Armory Crate software, neither option provides an acceptable gaming experience. The Ally X just works perfectly fine as it is in its default setting, which splits 24GB of RAM into 16GB of system memory and 8GB of VRAM.

Another example is Remedy’s Alan Wake 2. It can run on the original Ally, but memory checks at launch suggest the game requires 12GB of system RAM and 6GB of VRAM – a total of 18GB not available on the older model. You can ignore the prompts and plow through, but it’s hardly ideal. This might seem a little strange in a world where Ally has the same amount of memory as the Xbox Series X and PS5 (in fact, given that consoles reserve RAM for system tasks), but the split memory pool configuration on PC is a limiting factor – something the Ally X overcomes thanks to the excess capacity.

Beyond the memory, there are further improvements, and I’d say that barring the inclusion of an OLED screen or a massive 8.8-inch screen like the Lenovo Legion Go, these changes put the Ally X up there with the best handhelds. .

First, let’s talk about battery life. For me, this is by far the weakest component of the original Ally with its 40 Whr battery. The thing is, to get the most out of the Z1 Extreme, 25W consumption on the APU is the sweet spot. Add other system components and you’re looking at power consumption north of 40 watts. It’s very, very easy to see the battery life on the original Ally used up in an hour – or less. While doubling the battery size won’t give you Steam Deck OLED-like longevity, around two hours of triple-A gaming (or slightly less) using the 25W APU power setting isn’t too bad. It worked for me.

The larger battery allows Asus the change to redesign the internals of the device. The change from a white coating to a black one is noticeable, but in the hand, it’s the weight that stands out the most. At 678g, it’s beefier than the original Ally’s 608g – but that’s a price I’d easily pay for such a massive battery. Otherwise, the basic form factor of the car remains largely unchanged – and that’s a bit wonderful actually. The AyaNeo Kun, for example, has a slightly smaller battery than the Ally X, but is obviously a much larger unit and weighs 900g – 222g more.

Inside the case, the new battery sees Asus significantly revamping the internals. The fans are smaller – which usually means noisier – and yet the new Ally has a claimed up to 24 percent increase in airflow while actually being quieter. All I can really say from a user perspective is that the 25W mod I like to use is definitely quieter than the original Ally. The internal redesign means that the smaller Steam Deck-like 2230 form factor SSD gives way to a more standard 2280, opening the door to more drives, cheaper drives and access to higher capacities – up to 8 GB. We’re also getting a 1TB SSD now, up from the 512GB on the original Ally, which always felt too restrictive to me.

Returning to the exterior, there’s more weight to the analog sticks, larger triggers, and more movement on the face buttons. There are also grippier handles. These are minor improvements, and I haven’t had any issues with any of these things on the standard Ally, but it’s still all welcome.

The port situation has changed, and for the better, the controversial SD card port – which caused a number of problems for users of the original Ally – has been moved to a completely different location, as has the headphone jack. The single USB-C on last year’s model, fitted at the same time as an XG Mobile eGPU connector, has also been revised on the Ally X. There are now two USB-C ports, one of which is compatible with USB- 4, which means you have access to a wider range of eGPU options or, simply, more I/O – always a problem spot on the original Ally.

However, for many people, this will not be what they expected. No significant performance boost over last year’s model means the Asus ROG Ally X generally offers the same gaming experience as the Lenovo Legion Go and the wide range of Chinese handheld brands out there, based on the Z1 Extreme or Ryzen 7 7840 very similar. or 8840U. Also, it still has the same 7-inch 1080p LCD when OLED would be much better. However, it remains the only camera with variable refresh rate support – and that’s a goldmine as you can count on more stable and smooth gameplay without having to lock in refresh rate or clean screen resolution. that refresh rate (30 fps at 60 Hz, 40 fps at 120 Hz, etc.). VRR is worth its weight in gold.

It’s a bit of a shame that the price has risen to $799 – and that’s a big chunk of money considering how many Asus ROG Ally discounts we’ve seen over the past year. However, with that said, we’re still looking at a price point that’s significantly cheaper than premium devices with 32GB of storage. I don’t think the Asus ROG Ally X is the ultimate Windows laptop, but of all the equivalent handhelds I’ve tested so far, this is the one I’d pack in my travel bag based on my testing so far .