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Rog Ally X | Review Thread

Draugoth

Draugoth

Gold Member
ally-x-1-1721422488015.jpg

Pros​

  • +Smaller back buttons make the device easier to grip
  • +Black casing looks nice
  • +Games seemed to run smoothly overall
  • It was still comfortable to hold despite being larger and heavier
  • Battery life is more than 50% longer than the original Ally

Cons​

  • Still doesn't have amazing battery life
  • No touchpads


IGN: Taking handheld PC gaming to the X-treme. (9/10)
The Asus ROG Ally X is simply the best handheld gaming PC on the market right now. With more and faster memory and double the battery as the original Ally, the Ally X will run any modern game without dying in an hour and a half.
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WIRED: I still can't stand Windows on a handheld gaming console. But if you can, the ROG Ally X is leagues better than its predecessor.

I still struggle to say whether or not I explicitly recommend the ROG Ally X. But at least now the answer depends on who's asking. If you're a parent looking to buy a handheld for your kid—or you want one for yourself so you can chill with a game after work with minimal frustrations—then you probably want to skip this one.

However, if you're comfortable fiddling with settings and aren't bothered by user interface annoyances, then the ROG Ally X can give you a nicer experience (in some ways) than other handhelds on the market. Once I got into the game, Hades II felt nicer to play on the Ally X's 120-Hz screen than on the Steam Deck OLED. I had to reach for the charger more often, but at least I didn't feel like I had to be tethered to the wall all the time.

Asus is putting genuine effort into making its handhelds as good as they can be. There are some things only Microsoft can fix, and it might take years for that to happen. But if you want a handheld that can play all your games—not just the ones on Steam—then the ROG Ally X is one of the best options you can get. Just be ready to deal with some jank.
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Digital Trends: I haven’t put down the Asus ROG Ally X in the past two days
I've only had a few days with the ROG Ally X, and I'm not comfortable flat-out recommending it right now. Here's what I can tell you for sure.

It's a clear improvement over the original. Battery life is better, some games see a performance uplift, and the ergonomics are massively improved. It's also a lot more expensive. The Ally X is coming in at $800, while at the time of writing, you can pick up the original ROG Ally with a Z1 Extreme for $550 on sale. The Ally X is better, but I'm not sure that it's $250 better.

Then, there's the Steam Deck OLED to deal with, of course. Asus wins with compatibility, and the Ally X is much closer to the true handheld experience than the original model was. But the quirks of Windows still remain, and the Steam Deck OLED provides a much more seamless experience for $200 less. And, as you can see from my benchmarks, the Steam Deck OLED isn't far behind at its native resolution despite sporting a weaker chip on paper.
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Tom's Guide: here’s why it’s the best Windows gaming handheld (4/5)
So after successfully avoiding any DMX references, it's fair to say that with everything taken into account, the ROG Ally X is the best Windows gaming handheld. Microsoft tried damn hard to take that away with a subpar OS experience, but Asus has cracked it.

This is a story of listening to player feedback and responding directly — doubling the battery capacity, upping the RAM for better performance, fine-tuning the ergonomics and making it look a whole lot better in its black finish.

Like I said, if you already have a Windows gaming handheld or a Steam Deck, hold off until the next generation for those more significant internal upgrades. But whether I was on a plane, a train or ignoring the weirdos in the bar by playing games, this mini marvel was able to keep up and keep me entertained.

Because the truth is the ROG Ally X is a blessing to whoever gets to really play it…damn it, I couldn't resist!
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Windows Central: There's no denying that the ASUS ROG Ally X is a better handheld than the original in many ways, but perhaps not in the way that counts the most (4.5/5)
There is no denying that the ROG Ally X is better than the original Ally in several different ways. The battery lasts much longer, the black casing looks better, the handheld has better ergonomic grips without being too heavy, and the updated buttons and joysticks are responsive. Plus, games run smoothly on the handheld, and the IPS screen still displays imagery really well, thanks to its color gamut and VRR support. But just because something is better doesn't mean it's always the right choice for you.
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GamesRadar+: "a needed boost, but not for everyone" (4.5/5)
The Asus ROG Ally X is a neat addition to the brand's range, and the top handheld in the lineup, but it's far from the best value for money. Every upgrade in here is warranted, and worth it if you can spring the cash, but the core experience remains relatively similar throughout. These new features are worth the extra $100 compared to the original device's $699 MSRP, but the Ally still has its place on the shelves with its now reduced $549.99 sale price.
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Videos




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reinking

reinking

Gold Member
Draugoth said:
No touchpads
Click to expand...

Is this a big deal with a touch screen? I am asking because this kind of put me off a bit but then I realized I might be over thinking it. On my iPad, I still use the touch screen much more than I do the touchpad on the keyboard.
 
OppaiNinja

OppaiNinja

Neo Member
reinking said:
Is this a big deal with a touch screen? I am asking because this kind of put me off a bit but then I realized I might be over thinking it. On my iPad, I still use the touch screen much more than I do the touchpad on the keyboard.
Click to expand...
It's really not. In fact, I prefer it without touchpads since they would have added to the size of the device, and I also hate touchpads on anything (including laptops).
Besides, you can either use the touch screen or the analog stick and they are better than having to use a touchpad.
 
wipeout364

wipeout364

Member
It’s great that it’s so much improved but I do feel bad for those who invested in the first gen. Seems like it just launched to be honest.

Edit : Holy crap it launched only 12 months ago.
 
CrustyBritches

CrustyBritches

Gold Member
Looks nice. Hopefully they addressed the SD overheating issue. Phawx said it's been ok on that front for his unit, at least. Looks to have much better battery life.

I mean, depending on the long-term stability and ASUS support going forward, this might be the best overall handheld from a purely hardware point of view. I don't think it's compelling enough to get a Deck or Ally user to upgrade. Steam Deck 64GB still offers best bang-for-buck imo. You can get a refurb with 1yr warranty for $279 and upgrade to 512GB 2230 for a $332 total price or 1TB for $367(drive, usb-c flash drive, small screwdriver set), or just get a 512GB for $359.
 
ReBurn

ReBurn

Gold Member
reinking said:
Is this a big deal with a touch screen? I am asking because this kind of put me off a bit but then I realized I might be over thinking it. On my iPad, I still use the touch screen much more than I do the touchpad on the keyboard.
Click to expand...
I rarely use the touchpads on my Deck. If I have to choose stuff on a config screen before I start a game I just use the touchscreen. I could see people who like alternatives to gamepad controls wanting them for things like fine/fast aiming, but since I typically don't play games that require that level of twitch I don't see lack of touchpads as an issue.
 
Tams

Tams

Member
It looks good, but AMD's next APUs are going to be a significant improvement, especially in efficiency, so it's not worth getting one of these.

That said, they will 'only' have RDNA 3.5, which while looking much better then RDNA 3, is not RDNA 4. RDNA 4 in APUs is a while away though.
 
StereoVsn

StereoVsn

Member
CrustyBritches said:
Looks nice. Hopefully they addressed the SD overheating issue. Phawx said it's been ok on that front for his unit, at least. Looks to have much better battery life.

I mean, depending on the long-term stability and ASUS support going forward, this might be the best overall handheld from a purely hardware point of view. I don't think it's compelling enough to get a Deck or Ally user to upgrade. Steam Deck 64GB still offers best bang-for-buck imo. You can get a refurb with 1yr warranty for $279 and upgrade to 512GB 2230 for a $332 total price or 1TB for $367(drive, usb-c flash drive, small screwdriver set), or just get a 512GB for $359.
Click to expand...
Depending on Asus support considering their treatment of previous model’s owners is a dicey proposition to depend on.

Also, we are probably just a few months away from some significant upgrades based on AMD’s upcoming APUs.

So YMMV as usual with this stuff.
 
FingerBang

FingerBang

Member
Tams said:
It looks good, but AMD's next APUs are going to be a significant improvement, especially in efficiency, so it's not worth getting one of these.

That said, they will 'only' have RDNA 3.5, which while looking much better then RDNA 3, is not RDNA 4. RDNA 4 in APUs is a while away though.
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I agree that those chips should offer at least a 25-30% upgrade, but in the LTT review, he says they might be more expensive than the Z1 Extreme to produce. I'm tempted by the ROG X, but I'll wait to see what comes out later this year.
 
Tams

Tams

Member
FingerBang said:
I agree that those chips should offer at least a 25-30% upgrade, but in the LTT review, he says they might be more expensive than the Z1 Extreme to produce. I'm tempted by the ROG X, but I'll wait to see what comes out later this year.
Click to expand...

If you're spending that much, a $100 or so increase isn't going to make much difference.

If a budget device is what you want, then the Steam Deck exists.
 
BobbyColtrane

BobbyColtrane

Member
Waiting on mine to be delivered, I use my Ally every day.

The upgraded RAM, battery life, sticks and ergonomics are a nice improvement. I'm selling my current Ally with a 2TB ssd upgrade to fund this
 
A

Aguero9320

Member
Just about finished setting mine up, came a day later than expected. It's really nice - I'm coming from an LCD Steam Deck (which I love(d)) and I mostly stream to it through Remote Play (XBS and PS5), Moonlight and Geforce Now.

It feels more premium than the OG Steam Deck, and it's so nice to not have to worry about compatibility. The wifi seems better too, which is really nice when streaming and one of the main reasons I wanted it - Moonlight and GFN are definitely smoother (Remote Plays were always good on the Deck). Using Armory Crate so far, which is okay, but I might switch to Playnite when I have a bit more time. Haven't setup Chiaki yet...

When it's not so stupidly hot outside I'm going to take it in to the garden and see if it works as well - the Steam Deck always started stuttering.

Got some transatlantic travel coming up, so will install a couple of things for the plane I imagine. So far, no buyer's remorse at all from me. Using Windows on it isn't the nightmare some have made it out to be...
 
Hohenheim

Hohenheim

Member
I sold my Ally when this was announced, and my Ally X is here tomorrow.
BUT, i'm kinda considering canceling/returning it unopened and stick with the Steam Deck OLED until the real Ally 2 or Steam Deck 2 arrives, and then spend that money on one of those.
The performance on the Ally X is of course better than the Steam Deck, but looking at the games I play on these handhelds I don't really see a reason to have both this and the Oled SD..

When I want to play the demanding AAA stuff I use my desktop anyway, but its very tempting to get it because of all the great reviews and the "new and shiny" factor.. hmmm.
 
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Hohenheim

Hohenheim

Member
I cancelled my Ally X order, although I really wanted it.
Gonna stick with the Steam Deck and wait for a version with new chip.
Considering the fact that i'm on a YS and Trails-bender, it felt ok. Those games works fine on the Deck.
My current fomo would pretty quickly turn to buyers remorse I think!

Very happy to see this thing getting so much positive feedback. The future for these handhelds seems very bright!
 
MacReady13

MacReady13

Member
Just got my Ally X a few days ago. Considering Windows is a fuck of a thing to have on a handheld like this, it is a brilliant little handheld with an amazing amount of power!

Gaming is incredible on here. Playing Forza Horizon 5 on such a small device is just incredible to witness (although I only tested it on here and much prefer playing it on my PC/Series X).

Great unit to play whilst the TV is occupied by the wife and kids, and the fact it allows you to use Windows 11 on here is actually not too bad (again though, for a gaming device it isn't the best).

Still, a very highly recommended unit. Battery life is fine. Charging is relatively fast. Screen looks good. Sound is fine. Controls work well. I think I may be in love to be honest!
 
Klosshufvud

Klosshufvud

Member
MacReady13 said:
Just got my Ally X a few days ago. Considering Windows is a fuck of a thing to have on a handheld like this, it is a brilliant little handheld with an amazing amount of power!

Gaming is incredible on here. Playing Forza Horizon 5 on such a small device is just incredible to witness (although I only tested it on here and much prefer playing it on my PC/Series X).

Great unit to play whilst the TV is occupied by the wife and kids, and the fact it allows you to use Windows 11 on here is actually not too bad (again though, for a gaming device it isn't the best).

Still, a very highly recommended unit. Battery life is fine. Charging is relatively fast. Screen looks good. Sound is fine. Controls work well. I think I may be in love to be honest!
Click to expand...
Being able to boot up a game and knowing it has perfect OS compatibility is a luxury you'll come to appreciate more and more down the line. Windows is cumbersome in the set up phase but when you're just in the "launch game and play" phase, it doesn't cause much headache IMO.
 
MacReady13

MacReady13

Member
Klosshufvud said:
Being able to boot up a game and knowing it has perfect OS compatibility is a luxury you'll come to appreciate more and more down the line. Windows is cumbersome in the set up phase but when you're just in the "launch game and play" phase, it doesn't cause much headache IMO.
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Oh I love it, don't get me wrong! Windows is a nuisance but knowing that EVERYTHING works on this little beast is incredible!
 
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