Launched at Computex 2024, the Rog Ally X is a more expensive and updated alternative to the Rog Ally.
So how does the pricier Rog Ally X compare to the Rog Ally? Are the updates worth the splurge?
We’ve reviewed both models and compared the key features below, so you can see for yourself which is the best handheld.
Design
Overall Asus has fixed the biggest design complaints of the Rog Ally with the Rog Ally X, as it not only boasts a new colour scheme and improved ergonomics but it’s equipped with extra connectivity ports too.
Both are made of plastic with textured grips either side, however the Ally X features a deeper curve to the handles that makes the device nicer to hold and play with for longer periods of time. Even so, the Rog Ally is lighter at just 608g compared to the Ally X’s 678g.
Asus also rejigged some of the ports and controls with the Ally X, moving the microSD card away from the fan exhaust and pushing the power button closer to the built-in fingerprint scanner. The Ally X also includes a second USB-C port, allowing it to be powered and use USB-C accessories simultaneously.
Controls
The Ally X includes all the same controls as its predecessor but these have been tweaked to improve the overall gaming experience.
The Ally’s ABXY buttons on the right hand side have been nudged down and the LED-backed analogue sticks have been moved to make them easier to reach on the Ally X. Like its predecessor, the ABXY buttons on the Ally X still feature haptic feedback.
That’s not all. The standard four-direction D-Pad of the Rog Ally has now been swapped with an eight-direction D-Pad, allowing for better control.
Finally, the two Macro keys have made a return in the Ally X, although they’re much smaller than the larger Ally offerings. Even so, these keys can still be customised for any desired input.
Display
Both the Asus Rog Ally and Rog Ally X have the same 7-inch IPS LCD touchscreen panel, which can reach 120Hz and 400 nits peak brightness. The level of peak brightness allows for both handheld devices to be used outside in bright light, the contrast ratio of just 1000:1 means neither are particularly capable of displaying darker shades.
Both handsets also allow you to output the display to an external monitor or TV but the Ally X has an extra USB-C port that supports Thunderbolt 4, which means you can plug the device into a gaming monitor for a better at-home gaming experience.
Performance and Software
Both the Ally and Ally X are powered by the Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, which is built on Zen 4 architecture with eight cores and 16 threads. Not only that but both have integrated RDNA 3 graphics, which also offers support for FidelityFX Super Resolution. This is all unsurprising as the Ally initially performed well in our benchmark tests.
Having said that, the Ally X instead sports 24GB of RAM compared to the 16GB found in the Ally, which results in a boosted CPU performance and a slight increase in benchmark results.
Asus did an impressive job with the cooling for both handheld models, although the Ally X boasts smaller and thinner fans that improve airflow along with two small tunnels to direct air and a third exhaust vent to expel hot air.
We benchmarked both handhelds across multiple games in both Performance (17W) and Turbo (25W) modes and found the latter makes a big difference to gaming performance, resulting in higher fps for compatible games.
Finally, both the Ally and Ally X run on Windows 11, which although can be quite fiddly to use on a touchscreen, allows you to install games from any PC storefront including Steam and Epic Games, as well as use cloud gaming.
Battery Life
While we were disappointed with the 40Wh battery capacity of the Ally, the Ally X does a great job of improving our experience. Now boasting a whopping 80Wh battery, the Ally X delivers a battery life that can’t be matched by competition.
When set to Performance mode, the Ally lasts around 90 minutes before needing to be plugged in and this dropped to a measly hour when set to Turbo mode. The Ally X, on the other hand, can hit just shy of three-hours in Performance mode and two hours and 15 minutes when Turbo mode is enabled.
Even so, the Ally does boast faster charging and is able to get from 1-100% in just over an hour, whereas it takes the Ally X one hour and 46 minutes.
Final Verdict
Thanks to the improved ergonomics, redesigned controls, increased RAM and double the battery capacity, the Asus Rog Ally X is undoubtedly the better choice of handheld gaming device.
Not only has Asus fixed some of the biggest complaints found in its predecessor, but the Ally X also boasts a battery life that can’t be matched by any competitor.
