The Definitive Review: ASUS ROG Ally X—A Mature Windows Handheld for the Discerning Gamer

 Executive Summary: The Evolution of Excellence and the 80WHr Imperative

The ASUS ROG Ally X does not represent a revolutionary jump in silicon performance but rather a crucial and targeted maturation of the high-end Windows handheld category. ASUS has clearly focused its engineering efforts on solving the structural deficiencies that plagued the first generation of Windows handhelds and were often cited as the chief frustrations of the original ROG Ally: limited endurance and subpar ergonomics during long sessions.

The Ally X addresses these issues through two critical, defining upgrades. First, the battery capacity has been doubled, moving from 40WHrs to a massive 80WHrs capacity, fundamentally shifting the device’s usability from a tethered machine to a genuinely portable powerhouse. Second, a complete ergonomic overhaul introduces thicker, more contoured grips, achieving a level of comfort that industry experts now recognize as best-in-class.

Beyond these foundational improvements, the device sees strategic architectural shifts that future-proof the hardware: the inclusion of 24GB of faster LPDDR5X 7500MHz RAM and the much-demanded transition to the standardized M.2 2280 storage slot. Positioned at a premium price of $999.99 , the Ally X is explicitly designed for the PC enthusiast who demands superior quality-of-life improvements and enhanced endurance, justifying its cost through long-term value and sustained usability rather than purely focusing on marginal raw Frame Per Second (FPS) gains. This iteration establishes the Ally X as the current benchmark for a premium, long-session Windows gaming experience.

II. Design, Ergonomics, and Input Fidelity: Holding the Next Generation

II. A. The Grip Advantage and Aesthetic Refinement

Ergonomics are universally acknowledged as the single most important factor for any handheld gaming device, determining the sustainability and enjoyment of extended play sessions. The ROG Ally X delivers an overhaul that moves its comfort profile from acceptable to exemplary. The device features substantially taller and more substantial handgrips with a carefully contoured curvature. This adjustment, achieved with a minor height increase of just 4.5mm , results in grips that reviewers frequently rate as the "Best grips on a handheld". This significant improvement directly addresses the criticism that the original Ally was too thin, a design choice that sacrificed comfort for perceived sleekness.

The design team ensured that this ergonomic improvement did not significantly compromise portability, nor did it introduce the structural awkwardness seen in some competitors, which suffer from "edgy controllers". The design maintains a sleek, modern aesthetic, featuring a unique ROG-themed texture on the rear of the handgrips, providing a slip-resistant surface that ensures rock-solid stability even during intense moments of gameplay. The build quality feels solid, successfully counteracting the increased weight necessitated by the doubled 80WHrs battery capacity. Despite the battery increase, the device maintains a balanced weight (678 g) , avoiding the "brick" sensation reported with some larger rivals. Tasteful RGB halo lighting surrounds both joysticks, integrating with Aura Sync for customizable flair.

The success of these ergonomic refinements means that the increased endurance offered by the new 80WHrs battery is fully realized. A handheld with a large battery is only useful if it remains comfortable to hold for the 2.7+ hours of heavy gaming it now provides. By perfecting the grip profile, ASUS has created a device where the hardware and physical design work in concert to maximize continuous play.

II. B. Input Refinements and Durability

ASUS incorporated several key quality-of-life updates to the control scheme. The D-Pad has been meticulously redesigned to improve usability, specifically targeting the reduction of "stickiness" that can occur during circular movements, thereby improving clean actuation across the 8-axis wheel. While this refinement is crucial for fighting games and complex menu navigation, some initial user reports noted minor creaking noises when pressing the D-pad's right side.

A major structural confidence improvement comes in the form of enhanced joystick durability. The joysticks are rated for 5 million rotation cycles, which is precisely double the 2.5 million cycle rating of the previous Ally model. This strategic move is intended to reassure high-end consumers investing nearly $1000 in a PC handheld. By significantly improving the durability threshold, ASUS proactively addresses reliability concerns related to hardware degradation and stick drift, offering greater long-term confidence in the device's component integrity. This focus on durability aligns the device's build quality with its premium price point.

Other subtle adjustments include slightly stiffer face buttons and minute offsets in the joystick placement relative to the D-Pad and face buttons, designed to make it easier for hands to transition between inputs. The rear macro keys (M-keys) have also been refined with flatter surface angles to ensure they are easier to reach and actuate.

III. Core Hardware and Architectural Upgrades: The Efficiency Engine

III. A. Processor and Display Characteristics

The computational heart of the ROG Ally X remains the highly capable AMD Ryzen™ Z1 Extreme Processor. This chip features the "Zen4" architecture, offering an 8-core/16-thread configuration with up to a 5.10 GHz boost clock and a 24MB total cache. The system operates within a configurable Thermal Design Power (TDP) range of 9W to 30W. Although some marketing materials mention the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme , the core performance characteristics and architecture are rooted in the proven Z1 Extreme platform. The performance gains realized in the Ally X stem from superior component tuning and memory upgrades, not a fundamental change in the core silicon.

The device retains the high-quality 7-inch IPS-level display featuring FHD resolution (1920 x 1080) in a 16:9 aspect ratio. This display is notable for its exceptional motion clarity, thanks to a high 120Hz refresh rate and 7ms response time. Crucially, it features AMD FreeSync™ Premium (VRR), which allows the display refresh rate to synchronize dynamically with the frame rate output of the GPU. This synchronization is paramount for a high-performance Windows handheld, as the Z1 Extreme often generates framerates that fluctuate significantly, particularly in demanding AAA titles. The VRR capability is vital for smoothing out game experiences when frame rates drop into the 40–60 FPS range, making the experience feel significantly more fluid than the raw FPS count might suggest. The screen is bright (500 nits) and color-accurate (100% sRGB).

III. B. Memory, Storage, and I/O Flexibility

The most impactful internal performance upgrade is the radical increase in memory capacity and speed. The Ally X is equipped with 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM clocked at an ultra-fast 7500MHz. This is a 50% increase in capacity and a significant frequency boost compared to the 16GB of 6400 MT/s RAM used in the original Ally. This strategic move is designed to alleviate memory bottlenecks, which are a common limitation for integrated graphics processors like the AMD Radeon™ Graphics (RDNA™ 3).

The added capacity directly enables superior VRAM management. Up to 8GB of the 24GB pool can be reserved for the integrated graphics. This ample VRAM allocation ensures that modern AAA games—which often demand large pools of video memory for high-resolution textures—can run optimally without starving the core system (which generally requires 16GB for Windows 11 and background processes). This architectural change results in tangible benefits, including improved 1% low framerates and enhanced texture stability, contributing to the Ally X being anywhere from a couple of frames to about 10% faster than its predecessor when running at 25W.

Regarding storage, ASUS has resolved a major point of consumer frustration by upgrading the SSD slot to the standard M.2 2280 form factor (PCIe® 4.0 NVMe™). The device ships with a 1TB base capacity. This shift to the standard 2280 size is a massive quality-of-life improvement that increases the device's long-term viability. Standard 2280 SSDs are widely available, generally more affordable, and offer significantly higher capacity options (including consumer drives up to 8TB), allowing users to seamlessly and cost-effectively upgrade their storage as their game library grows.

Finally, the connectivity has been enhanced with a dedicated USB 4 port that features Thunderbolt™ 4 compliance. This is typically reserved for high-end notebooks and confirms the Ally X's status as a serious PC hybrid. This port supports DisplayPort™ 1.4 with Freesync and Power Delivery 3.0. Crucially, the Thunderbolt 4 compliance enables high-speed docking solutions and supports external GPU (eGPU) enclosures, allowing the Ally X to function credibly as a powerful desktop replacement when docked, expanding its versatility beyond its primary handheld role.

IV. Endurance and Thermal Mastery: The Zero Gravity 2.0 System

IV. A. The 80WHr Endurance Benchmark

The most transformative single upgrade to the ROG Ally X is the 80WHrs, 4-cell Li-ion battery, which precisely doubles the capacity of the original model. The limited battery life of first-generation Windows handhelds frequently forced them to be tethered to a wall socket, negating their "handheld" purpose. This 80WHrs capacity fundamentally alters the device's usage profile.

ASUS reports that this massive increase provides approximately 2.7 hours of heavy AAA gaming and up to 14.5 hours of video playback on platforms like Netflix. This shift moves the Ally X into a competitive endurance class, finally making it a genuinely practical device for extended travel or sustained couch gaming, thereby eliminating the "battery anxiety" that plagued its predecessor. To maximize the performance benefit derived from this greater endurance and the improved cooling system, ASUS has subtly adjusted the default 'Performance' power profile from 15W to 17W.

IV. B. Zero Gravity Thermal System 2.0

To manage the increased thermal load associated with higher sustained power draws and the larger battery, the Zero Gravity thermal system has been comprehensively redesigned. The system incorporates Anti-Gravity Heat Pipes, which use an improved capillary structure to boost thermal transfer efficiency by more than 15%, ensuring cooling effectiveness regardless of the device's orientation.

The new thermal solution incorporates several key structural improvements. New, slimmer fans were engineered, allowing ASUS to fit the substantial 80WHrs battery while simultaneously increasing the overall internal airflow by 10%. To further enhance heat dissipation and maintain lower air resistance, the device utilizes two heatsinks with ultra-thin aluminum fins (0.1mm thickness), totaling up to 102 fins and a surface area of 12,173 \text{mm}^2.

A crucial innovation is the design of the fan shrouds, which divert a small amount of air internally between the motherboard and the display panel. This feature helps to keep the display surface cooler to the touch. This attention to detail on reducing chassis and screen heat improves the long-session comfort factor, reinforcing the ergonomic improvements. The diverted air exhausts through a new third vent strategically placed on the top of the chassis, contributing to the device’s efficient cooling and quiet operation, often resulting in "Silent sound and efficient cooling" under typical loads.

V. Performance Deep Dive: Quantitative Gaming Analysis

V. A. Benchmarks and Optimization (Z1 Extreme at 30W)

The ROG Ally X achieves its peak performance in the 30W Turbo mode, especially when plugged in, leveraging the benefits of its faster 7500MHz LPDDR5X RAM and enhanced cooling system. Quantitative testing indicates that the Ally X is up to 10% faster than the original ROG Ally at 25W. This improvement is directly tied to the superior memory subsystem, which accelerates data access for the integrated GPU. However, it is important to note that performance gains are marginal at lower TDP profiles (e.g., 15W), where the Z1 Extreme chip is primarily limited by power efficiency rather than memory bandwidth.

The goal of the Ally X is to make 1080p gaming viable, which necessitates the use of AMD's scaling technologies. The high-resolution display is primarily made functional by the combination of the 120Hz VRR panel and features like FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) and AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF). The following benchmarks illustrate performance in the most demanding configuration: 30W Turbo mode, plugged in:

ROG Ally X Gaming Benchmarks (30W Turbo Mode, 1080p)

Game Title

Native 720p Avg FPS

Native 1080p Avg FPS

1080p + AFMF Avg FPS

Source

Cyberpunk 2077

83

44

89

Forza Horizon 5

92

81

121

Diablo IV

75

47

N/A

Call of Duty: MW II

124

109

N/A

These figures demonstrate that native 1080p performance in heavy AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 (44 FPS) typically falls below the desired 60 FPS target. However, the inclusion of AFMF radically improves the perceived experience, effectively doubling the framerate to 89 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 and pushing Forza Horizon 5 to a smooth 121 FPS. This reliance on AMD’s software advancements, particularly AFMF, is the bridge that makes the 1080p screen truly meaningful. The Ally X is engineered to showcase RDNA 3 features, making stable, continuous GPU driver support a critical long-term factor for maintaining optimal performance.

VI. Software Experience: Windows, Xbox, and Control

VI. A. The Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) Revolution

The greatest operational hurdle for all Windows handhelds has historically been the clunky and frustrating necessity of interacting with the Windows desktop using thumbsticks and small touch targets. The ROG Ally X, built in partnership with Microsoft, introduces the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE), which is heralded as a "revelation".

FSE is a true gaming-first mode, designed from the ground up to be easily navigated using a controller, effectively minimizing the visibility and necessity of the standard Windows 11 desktop. It provides a centralized library view, aggregating games from various launchers, including Steam, Epic, and the Xbox collection (supporting Xbox Play Anywhere titles).

Crucially, FSE deeply integrates ASUS's proprietary controls. The critical Armoury Crate SE (ACSE) Command Center, which allows instantaneous switching of performance modes, wattage control, and other vital adjustments, is built directly into the Xbox interface, ensuring rapid access without needing to revert to the desktop. Furthermore, Microsoft has initiated a "Handheld Compatibility program" within FSE, labeling games with badges (e.g., "Handheld Optimized") to inform users about expected performance and control mapping, addressing the lack of a standardized rating system seen in competitors.

VI. B. Armoury Crate SE (ACSE) Excellence

Even before the introduction of FSE, ASUS’s dedicated control software, Armoury Crate SE, was consistently rated as the superior software package on the Windows PC handheld market. ACSE is lauded for being reliable, extremely feature-rich, and intuitive to use. It offers a robust selection of functions assignable to the custom buttons and includes advanced features highly valued by power users, such as a robust menu for creating custom fan curves.

The stability and comprehensive nature of the combined software stack (FSE handling the console layer, ACSE handling the PC layer) constitute a significant competitive advantage over rivals. While some competitors struggle with "janky" or buggy native software that requires multi-hour troubleshooting sessions , the Ally X offers a stable foundation that drastically reduces setup friction.

Despite these advancements, the experience is not entirely seamless. Because the Ally X is still running a full Windows 11 PC underneath, underlying OS components still cause occasional interruptions. Actions like User Account Control (UAC) pop-ups or certain non-optimized launchers (like Epic Games) may still require touch input or present scaling issues at 720p resolution, illustrating the "last mile problem" in achieving true console convenience on the Windows platform.

VII. Competitive Landscape and Value Assessment

The ROG Ally X enters a highly competitive handheld sector, positioning itself at the premium end of the market against two primary rivals: the efficiency-focused Steam Deck OLED and the screen-focused Lenovo Legion Go.

VII. A. Analysis Against Key Competitors

ROG Ally X vs. Steam Deck OLED

The Steam Deck OLED is championed for its console-like simplicity, maximizing efficiency at low TDPs, and its seamless SteamOS (Linux-based) experience, leading to the assessment that with the Deck, users "make no compromises" on usability. While the Ally X is dramatically faster at higher power levels (e.g., 66% faster than the original Ally in Forza Horizon 5 at 25W) , the Deck often maintains performance parity or even leads the Ally X in extremely low-power modes (e.g., 9W). The Ally X offers superior raw power and, critically, full native Windows compatibility, which is essential for certain competitive multiplayer games and enterprise applications that do not function well on the Deck’s Linux-based Proton layer.

ROG Ally X vs. Lenovo Legion Go

The Legion Go differentiates itself with a massive 8.8-inch, 1600p display and detachable controllers. However, the user experience of the Legion Go is frequently marred by hardware and software drawbacks. It is significantly heavier, often described as holding a "brick" , and its ergonomics are criticized due to "edgy controllers". Furthermore, its proprietary software stack is frequently described as "incredibly janky" and unstable, demanding excessive driver updates and troubleshooting time. The Ally X’s superior software stack (FSE + ACSE) and refined ergonomics provide a vastly more polished and comfortable user experience, prioritizing stability and comfort over sheer screen size.

VII. B. Pricing Justification and Market Positioning

The ROG Ally X is priced at $999.99. This premium tier deliberately positions it above the core handheld market, exceeding the price of the base ROG Ally ($599.99) and the Steam Deck OLED ($549–$649).

This premium is justified by a cumulative suite of quality-of-life and architectural improvements that dramatically enhance the ownership experience:

The Doubled Battery Capacity (80WHrs): This is the costliest single component upgrade and directly addresses the fundamental mobility flaw of the platform.

Enhanced Memory Configuration (24GB LPDDR5X @ 7500MHz): This provides higher sustained performance, better 1% lows, and crucial capacity for modern AAA game textures.

M.2 2280 Storage Standardization: This provides exceptional long-term user value by enabling seamless, low-cost, high-capacity storage upgrades.

ASUS is not seeking mass-market dominance—a segment where devices like the Xbox Series S ($299) still capture high consumer preference. Instead, the Ally X targets the discerning niche that requires uncompromising access to the full Windows PC ecosystem coupled with the best possible handheld endurance and comfort available today.

The comparative strengths of the ROG Ally X relative to its main competitors can be synthesized as follows:

Detailed Comparison Table

Feature

ROG Ally X (Premium)

Steam Deck OLED (Efficiency)

Lenovo Legion Go (Screen Size)

Processor

AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme

AMD Custom APU (Zen 2/RDNA 2)

AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme

RAM (Capacity/Speed)

24GB LPDDR5X @ 7500MHz

16GB LPDDR5 @ 6400MHz

16GB LPDDR5X @ 7500MHz

Battery Capacity

80WHrs (Double)

50WHrs

49.2WHrs

Display

7" FHD (1080p) IPS 120Hz VRR

7.4" HD (800p) OLED 90Hz

8.8" QHD+ (1600p) IPS 144Hz

Storage Form Factor

M.2 2280 (Standard)

M.2 2230

M.2 2242

Software/OS

Windows 11 + Xbox FSE/ACSE

SteamOS (Linux)

Windows 11 + Legion Space (Janky)

Ergonomics

Excellent (Thicker Grips)

Excellent (Molded Chassis)

Acceptable (Heavy, Edgy)

Base Price

$999.99

$549 - $649

Varies (Approx. $650-750)

VIII. Conclusion and Recommendations

The ASUS ROG Ally X is the definitive response to the demands of the enthusiast PC gaming handheld market. It successfully moves the category beyond the experimental phase by systematically addressing the most critical user pain points. The device is not defined by its core processing power—the Z1 Extreme remains competent—but by its ability to sustain that power and deliver a significantly better end-user experience.

The implementation of the 80WHrs battery and the refined, best-in-class ergonomics fundamentally transforms the Ally X into a genuinely portable device suitable for extended gaming sessions. This is complemented by the architectural intelligence of the 24GB 7500MHz RAM and the standardized M.2 2280 slot, ensuring future-proof storage flexibility and superior in-game performance stability, especially for texture loading. Finally, the partnership between ASUS's robust Armoury Crate SE and Microsoft's new Xbox Full Screen Experience has largely mitigated the historically problematic usability of Windows 11 in a handheld form factor.

Recommendations:

For the First-Time PC Handheld Buyer (Seeking Full PC Access): If the budget allows for the $999.99 price tag, and native Windows compatibility (required for specific applications, launchers, or games unsupported by Linux) is a necessity, the ROG Ally X is the current benchmark. It offers the best combination of power, battery endurance, and user-friendly software integration within the Windows ecosystem.

For the Existing ROG Ally Owner: The decision to upgrade should be based on whether endurance and ergonomics were primary limitations. The incremental 10% performance gain alone is insufficient justification. However, the doubled 80WHrs battery, the superior grips, and the ability to use standard, cheaper, high-capacity M.2 2280 SSDs offer substantial long-term value and usage improvements that warrant the investment.

For the Console-Minded Gamer (Seeking Simplicity and Efficiency): Users who prioritize a frictionless, "it just works" console experience, maximum battery life in low-power scenarios, and are willing to accept the limitations of the Linux-based SteamOS should still prioritize the Steam Deck OLED. The Ally X is better, but it remains a PC, complete with the occasional complexities inherent to Windows.