Asus ROG Ally X Review: The Windows handheld you’ve been waiting for

The original Asus ROG Ally, launched in 2023, was a solid entry into the handheld gaming market. Running on Windows, it served as a great starting point for ROG to compete with heavyweights like Nintendo and Sony.

Now, the new Asus ROG Ally X aims to build on that success with smart upgrades that enhance its appeal. We’ve spent two weeks gaming, streaming, and more with the new Ally X, and here’s what we found.

Unboxing

The Asus ROG Ally X sticks to the original’s unboxing experience. Inside, you’ll find the device, a charging cable, and some paperwork.

Design

The updated Ally X retains most of its predecessor’s design elements, with controls flanking the screen on both sides. On the right, there’s a joystick, two top-mounted triggers, and a rear trigger. The left side has the ABXY buttons, a joystick on the lower left, two top triggers, and a rear trigger as well.

Alongside the screen, you’ll find buttons for the view, command centre, Armoury Crate, and Menu.

Asus has improved the ergonomics of the Ally X making it easier to handle for long durations. | Photo Credit: Zeeshan Akhtar

Asus has made subtle but important changes to improve ergonomics. The bottom edges are now more rounded, making the device feel more comfortable in hand. The rear triggers are also better positioned, making them easier to reach during intense gameplay.

Weighing in at 679 grams, the Ally X is easy to get used to, thanks to its ergonomic design and sturdy build.

Display

The display is a full HD (1920x1080) panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate. It’s an IPS panel with up to 500 nits of peak brightness and 100% sRGB coverage. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and Gorilla Glass DXC, with 10-point touch sensitivity and gyro support.

With 500 nits of brightness, the display is perfect for indoor gaming, even in well-lit rooms.

All the ports are conveniently placed on the top of the device, allowing easy access during gaming.  | Photo Credit: Zeeshan Akhtar

All the ports are conveniently placed on the top of the device, allowing easy access during gaming. The ports include:

Performance

The original Ally wasn’t lacking in gaming performance, but the Ally X takes things up a notch with a better battery, faster processor, and an overall performance boost. It’s powered by the AMD Z1 Extreme processor, featuring 8 cores, 16 threads, and speeds of up to 5.10 GHz—ideal for serious gamers.

The graphics are handled by the AMD Radeon 780 RDNA3 with up to 8 GB of VRAM. There’s also 24 GB of LPDDR5 dual-channel RAM, which noticeably improves loading times compared to the previous model.

The graphics are handled by the AMD Radeon 780 RDNA3 with up to 8 GB of VRAM. | Photo Credit: Zeeshan Akhtar

These impressive specs really shine when playing AAA titles like The Witcher. The Ally X handles maxed-out graphics with ease, delivering between 30-50 FPS. First-person shooters like PUBG run exceptionally well.

We tested it with Steam and Xbox Game Pass, and the device maintained top-notch performance across both platforms. The gyroscope also makes for a good experience while playing racing games like Forza and NFS.

In short, the Ally X is a solid upgrade, with more than enough power to handle future games.

Battery, connectivity, and speakers

One of the major shortcomings of the original Ally was its battery life—something Asus has fixed with the Ally X. The new model packs an 80 Wh 4-cell lithium-ion battery, nearly double the capacity of the original.

During our tests, the battery lasted over four hours, even with online gaming and video streaming.

As for connectivity, the Ally X comes with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth v5.2. We had no issues when connecting it to various wireless headphones, and the internet connection stayed rock-solid during online gaming.

The Ally X is a capable handheld, offering the flexibility of Windows and improvements that make it worth considering for anyone who hesitated on the first version.  | Photo Credit: Zeeshan Akhtar

Asus has also upgraded the speakers. The Ally X is equipped with two 1W speakers with smart amp technology. Despite their small size, they deliver fuller, louder sound—another significant improvement over the original.

Verdict

Breaking into the gaming console market is no easy feat, especially with established competitors. Asus did well with the original ROG Ally, and the Ally X shows they’ve listened to feedback.

The Ally X is a capable handheld, offering the flexibility of Windows and improvements that make it worth considering for anyone who hesitated on the first version.

The Asus Ally X is priced at ₹89,990.

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