Asus ROG Ally X: Everything we know so far

❘ Updated: 2024-05-17T12:57:51

ROG Ally X teaser next to shelf with device on it

Dexerto, Asus

Asus has announced the ROG Ally X, which is poised to be revealed on June 2. It will be an incremental upgrade of the original ROG Ally handheld, sporting the same chip but with several crucial upgrades to help Asus keep up with competition from the Steam Deck OLED and the onslaught of Ayaneo devices.

Rumors of a new Asus ROG Ally have circulated for months following a comment by Asus executive Arnold Su which stated that “We [Asus] will most likely launch a second generation [handheld gaming console] this year. We still keep the Windows features, but we will focus more on gaming” in a comment made to publication Techlusive.

During a live stream held on May 9, 2024, Asus revealed that a new handheld, named the ROG Ally X would be coming in 2024, with several overhauls in tow, including several crucial upgrades.

Asus ROG Ally X specs: What we know

SoC: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
Base clock: 3.3 GHz
Boost clock: 5.1 Ghz
GPU cores: 12
TDP: 9-30W
Display: 7-inch LCD (48-120Hz)
SSD: M.2 2280 (1TB SSD)
RAM: Up to 24GB
Battery: More than 40Whr

The ROG Ally X is an incremental upgrade, offering the same Z1 Extreme chip and display as used on the original, with several improvements in several key areas, according to a report by The Verge. “It’s not a full redesign” an Asus representative Whitson Gordon said on a live stream announcement. He further clarifies that this is not an Asus ROG Ally 2. “It’s not a full redesign” and stated that “we’re not calling it an Ally 2”.

The handheld is targeted towards enthusiasts looking for more from a handheld experience, meaning that this going to be a premium device. The company details incoming upgrades to RAM, ports, and design of the handheld.

Big battery buffs

One of the biggest boosts will be in battery life, where Asus claims it has expanded capacity by “30 to 40 percent”. As it stands, the normal ROG Ally uses a 40Whr battery, so we could potentially see this skyrocket to around above 60Whr, if their claims hold.

The Steam Deck OLED was unbeatable for battery life, thanks to improvements in efficiency and the new OLED screen. However, Asus may be brute-forcing the battery life by simply making the battery pack bigger. We’ve seen in handhelds like the Ayaneo Kun that 54Whr batteries are possible, but it comes with a significant tradeoff.

Speaking to The Verge, Asus VP Shawn Yen said: “When we launched [the original Ally], we didn’t have such a clear understanding that the battery might be something people desire more than a lighter-weight device,”

So, the increased battery might significantly impact the device’s weight. However, as an already beefy handheld, being too heavy might also be a hindrance. The Steam Deck OLED achieved more battery life, while also reducing weight by 40 grams to just 640g, whereas the ROG Ally is 608g, but a larger battery means that this figure is likely going to go up by a fair amount for the ROG Ally X.

Major RAM upgrade

The Asus ROG X could ship with up to 24GB of RAM according to known-tech leaker MysteryLupin. While Asus has hinted at an expected RAM upgrade, MysteryLupin revealed in a X/Twitter post that the new ROG Ally X handheld will ship with double that of the 16GB of RAM available on the current ROG Ally model.

Leaker MysteryLupin also suggested that the Asus ROG Ally X will use LPDDR5X technology, to allow for faster memory speeds. As well as the ability to reallocate VRAM in a bid to improve the overall performance of the handheld.

Asus ROG Ally X design changes

The ROG Ally X will also sport a redesigned SSD slot, which will now include support for full-sized 2280 SSDs, potentially making the possibilities for storage expansion much higher than the current 2230 form factor’s 2TB limitations.

The original ROG Ally’s SD card reader has caused headaches for Asus, having extended the ROG Ally’s warranty, ten months after it launched. Now, the SD card reader, which is the same part used on Asus’ gaming laptops, will now live somewhere else on the handheld. “We had to move things around the board to make them fit.” Asus product manager Gabriel Meng stated to The Verge.

There could also be several design changes for the ROG Ally X, such as a slight change in design, in addition to landing in a black colorway, as opposed to the standard white ROG Ally.

Asus ROG Ally X price speculation

The Asus ROG Ally X is suspected to cost $799, according to known-tech leaker MysteryLupin, as mentioned previously. Posting to X/Twitter, MysteryLupin shared some brand-new reveals about the upcoming handheld. This included some specs we already had confirmed from The Verge, however, they were followed by the newly revealed $799 price point, which is $100 more than the current ROG Ally model.

Previously, it was assumed the brand-new handheld would cost $699, similar to the original MSRP for the Z1 Extreme variant of the original, according to The Verge’s report. We should expect a more solid price to be revealed after Asus lifts the lid on what to expect from the Ally X in detail on June 2.

Asus ROG Ally X release speculation

The ROG Ally X could be launched in July 2024. With a June reveal, we should expect the product to come to market around a month after an initial announcement. The original ROG Ally was announced in May 2023, and was available for sale a month later in June 2023.

Asus ROG Ally X software

Asus will launch the Ally X with a redesigned version of Armory Crate, named Armory Crate SE 1.5. This redesign will offer a revamped UX, in addition to the ability to share button configurations between users, much like Valve’s community layouts for the Steam Deck.

The upgraded software was shown off on a live stream.

Windows is also slated to make the handheld experience a bit easier, with the launch of new features for its “compact mode” which will allow users to navigate the Xbox app easier on Windows handhelds, which will soon feature a new function named “jump back in” which will allow you to access recently played games via a shortcut while in compact mode.

Will the ROG Ally X be better than the Steam Deck OLED?

The ROG Ally X will have a faster chip than the Steam Deck OLED, but it will not have a screen that’s on par with the visual quality that the Steam Deck OLED will be able to muster. At above a $699 MSRP, the Steam Deck OLED will also be cheaper than the ROG Ally X. However, you have to consider that both devices run on wildly different operating systems.

SteamOS offers a slick UX, but comes with the tradeoff that you will not be able to play certain titles like Fortnite natively, as well as a stronger CPU for tasks like emulation. So, it ultimately depends on how much tinkering you intend to do with the device.