Sometimes, it’s nice to take a break from the breakneck pace of retro handhelds to enjoy the larger devices. Of course, this time around, I’m taking a look at the ROG Ally X. However, if you’re looking for our full review, I ask that you wait just a little bit longer so that I can formally put this beast through its paces.
ROG Ally X: Specs
Seeing as I’ve only been able to spend a few hours using it, I’ve managed to gather a few thoughts. But first, let’s take a step back and glance at what the ROG Ally X is bringing to the market.
- Display: 7-inch 120Hz IPS w/ Gorilla Glass Victus / 100% SRGB FreeSync Premium
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (FHD)
- Peak Brightness: 500 nits
- Processor: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Up to 5.10GHz)
- GPU: AMD Radeon, RDNA 3
- RAM: 24GB (2x 12GB) LPDDR5
- Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 2280 SSD
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 / Wi-Fi 6E
- I/O: 1x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DisplayPort and Power Delivery; 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C; microSD card slot;
- Audio: 3.5mm Audio Combo Jack; Dual speakers; Built-in microphone
- Battery: 80WHrs
On paper, it’s akin to what Valve did with the Steam Deck OLED, with the major exception being the screen. Which is honestly fine, because the VRR-capable display is still pretty impressive. Even still, I can’t help but wish ASUS made the switch to OLED.
ROG Ally X: Ergonomics
The biggest reason why I fell in love with the original Steam Deck over the ROG Ally isn’t related to Windows vs. SteamOS. That doesn’t bother me as I’m platform agnostic. Instead, it was the grip as the Ally really just wasn’t comfortable, especially for longer playing sessions.
So far, it does seem like ASUS has at least partially answered the call with the ROG Ally X. There’s just enough of a bump that it feels like I’m holding a controller in my hand and not a hunk of plastic and glass. Again, I haven’t been able to put a whole lot of meaningful playing time into this, but things are looking good so far.
It’s clear that ASUS didn’t want to go “full Steam Deck” or Legion Go with the grips. So instead, the company opted for a happy medium, with the Ally X falling somewhere between the original Ally and the Steam Deck.
I was almost finished writing this piece when I remembered something. The D-Pad is just not great. Maybe it’s a “me” thing, but I felt like it was similar to using the RG40XX H, even though they are using two different styles. I really quite put my finger on it, but yeah, I figured it was worth mentioning.
ROG Ally X: Software and Armoury Crate
Along with releasing a “new” handheld, we’re also getting a completely revamped version of Armoury Crate. It still falls a bit short compared to what Valve has done with SteamOS, but this new version is already growing on me.
I love the option of being able to add my own apps and games to the Library. While at the same time, reducing the need for me to go to the Windows interface to do things like check for updates. As long as you know where the .exe file is, you can add it to Armoury Crates library.
Outside of that, the Ally X is still a Windows handheld. If this is your first, you’ll need to get used to knowing when to switch between the Gamepad and Desktop control modes. For what it’s worth, “Auto” still doesn’t work the way that I would expect. But, this is the best that we can get in a handheld that solely relies on thumbsticks for navigation.
ROG Ally X: Gameplay and Performance
I haven’t run the full gamut of benchmarks on the Ally X just yet, but I have started and will offer those with the full review. That being said, I was able to play a few games, namely Cyberpunk 2077 along with enjoying a bit of emulation.
While I’d love to sit here and tell you that the Ally X blows everything else away, we all know that’s not the truth. ASUS is still relying on the same Ryzen Z1 Extreme here, but it’s now paired with 24GB of RAM. So while there’s a little bit of a boost here and there, it’s not game-changing.
The only problem that I’ve run into so far was when I was trying to run some benchmarks using Red Dead Redemption 2. Even though I own the Steam version, you still have to install the Rockstar Games Launcher. And for whatever reason, the Rockstar launcher continues to freeze, making it impossible for me to actually get into the game. I have yet to find a remedy for this yet, but, I suspect a workaround might be in order.
ROG Ally X: A Quick Word About Battery
While writing this, the ROG Ally X has been in my possession for less than 72 hours. That’s hardly enough time for me to come to any kind of absolute conclusion.
BUT
I have noticed the standby time is incredible. I charged it to 100% this morning at around 9 AM, expecting to be able to at least spend some time with it throughout the day. Then, life happened, and those hopes never came to fruition.
However, when I turned it on a little ago to try and get RDR2 running, it had only dropped by 3%. I’d say a 3% drop over the course of 13 hours is pretty damn good. And, it has me excited to see how long I can actually get this thing to last on a single charge.
ROG Ally X: What’s Next?
Well, besides the obvious things like performing more benchmarks and actually playing a game for more than 30 minutes, I have a few ideas for the full review. Some of these may or may not include performing some upgrades, and others may or may not (but definitely do) include modding in a way that would make Ban proud. Oh, and yeah. I’m definitely planning to put Bazzite on here at some point, it just might not be for the final review.
That being said, we want to know what you want to see in our final review. Do you want to play the numbers game and see a bunch of graphs and charts? Are there specific games that you’d like to see me try out? Or maybe you have an idea but don’t have an x86 handheld of your own.
Let us know in the comments below, and chat with us in our Discord!
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