ROG Ally X FAQ: What exactly is this gaming handheld?

Rebecca Spear
·11 min read
ROG Ally X left view with Game Pass. .
ROG Ally X left view with Game Pass. .

Quick menu

• What is ROG Ally X?
• ROG Ally X updates
• Release date
• Design and color
• Specs
• Price
• UI and software
• Battery life
• ROG Ally X FAQ

On May 2024, John Kulinksi and Whitson Gordon of ROG Pulse officially announced the "next ROG Ally," officially called the ROG Ally X. While this isn't the next-gen ROG Ally 2 device that many people were hoping for, the Ally X will offer several improvements over the original gaming handheld.

So what exactly is this ROG Ally X about? I've gathered all of the information I could find to paint as complete a picture as possible for this upcoming gaming handheld. Let's dive in and discuss specs, release date, and more.

What is ROG Ally X?

Man lying down to play ASUS ROG Ally X.
Man lying down to play ASUS ROG Ally X.

What exactly is the ROG Ally X?

According to Asus ROG Senior Manager of Content Marketing Whitson Gordon, the ROG Ally X is not the next-gen ROG Ally 2. Rather, it's "the ROG Ally built for the enthusiasts that wanted a bit of X-tra goodies." This gaming handheld has several improvements over the original device including better battery, SSD, RAM, user interface (UI), and even some physical changes, which makes it "more than just a basic refresh."

ROG Ally X updates

June 2, 2024: ROG Ally X specs revealed — We finally learned that the ROG Ally X has 24GB RAM, up to 1TB SSD, and a few changes to the design.

May 9, 2024: ROG Ally X announced — During a stream, the ROG Pulse duo officially announced the ROG Ally X and stated that it will have several improvements over the original ROG Ally.

ROG Ally X release date

Woman playing ASUS ROG Ally X.
Woman playing ASUS ROG Ally X.

When will the ROG Ally X release?

The improved ROG Ally X releases on July 22, 2024. You can currently preorder it at Best Buy.

ROG Ally X design and color

ROG Ally X front and top view.
ROG Ally X front and top view.

ASUS ROG has explained that the new ROG Ally X comes in a black casing and has several improvements over the original ROG Ally (2023). These improvements have required the ROG Ally X casing to be slightly thicker to accomodate larger internal components. Additionally, the placement of the volume buttons, microSD card slot, and headphone jack have been moved around.

There is also a second USB-C port rather than the XG Mobile eGPU slot that the original device has. This second USB-C port is also Thunderbolt compatible and will make it possible to charge the device back up while also having an accessory connected. Another significant change is that the M1 and M2 back buttons are smaller and tucked further toward the center of the device, which should make the device easier to grip.

In the week leading up to the official ROG Ally X teaser announcement, the ROG Global X account posted a picture with several ROG Ally devices in it and encouraged people to "find'em all." The thing is, it seems a black gaming handheld — which we assume was the ROG Ally X — was actually hidden in plain sight as a Phil-Spencer-shelf type of Easter egg.

Outside of color variants, what other design changes can be expected? Considering how bad the microSD card overheating issue is with the original ROG Ally, I would assume that ROG has taken time to redesign the ROG Ally X, so this is no longer a problem. To be clear, Asus has said that the microSD card slot has been moved in order to make ROG Ally X's internals fit. But we won't know for certain that there aren't any overheating issues until the device launches. Outside of that, I assume the casing will be mostly the same, but with slight tweaks.

ROG Ally X specs

AMD Ryzen 1 processor
AMD Ryzen 1 processor

ASUS ROG Ally X specs

MSRP: $799
OS: Windows 11 Home
CPU: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
Display: 7-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 touchscreen, 500 nits, 120Hz, 7ms response time, AMD FreeSync Premium
Memory: 24GB LPDDR5-7500
Storage: Up to 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 64x4 Value SSD
Battery: 80Whr
Power supply: USB-C 65W AC Adapter
Ports: 1x USB-C Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x microSD card reader, 1x audio combo jack
Audio: 2-speaker system with Dolby Atmos, AI noise canceling, Hi-Res Audio certification, built-in array mic
Dimensions: 11.02" x 4.37" x 0.97” (279.9 x 111.0 x 24.6mm)
Weight: 1.49 lbs (678g )

While the ROG Ally X has the same 7-inch display and AMD Z1 Extreme processor as the original ROG Ally (2023), the upcoming device does offer some nice improvements over what's inside the base handheld. For one thing, it comes with 24GB RAM rather than the 16GB RAM of the original. Additionally, while the initial device only came with 512GB SSD, the Ally X comes with up to 1TB SSD to better handle large gaming libraries locally on the device.

I was very impressed by the speakers on the original ROG Ally when I first reviewed it, so it's not at all surprising to see that the new ROG Ally X has Hi-Res Audio certification with AI noise-canceling and Dolby Atmos. Just like the original device, ROG Ally X runs Windows 11 and can be used much like a small laptop that has controllers attached.

What are ROG Ally X specs?

The ROG Ally X has the same AMD Z1 Extreme processor as well as the same 7-inch LCD, 120Hz, VRR display that the original ROG Ally utilizes. Asus ROG has improved upon the original by also including a larger 24GB RAM and up to 1TB SSD. Additionally, the battery capacity is doubled to an 80Whr one rather than the original device's 40Whr battery.

ROG Ally X price

ASUS ROG Ally X specs chart
ASUS ROG Ally X specs chart

How much does ROG Ally X cost?

The ROG Ally X has an MSRP of $799.99 making it $100 more than the base ROG Ally (2023) with a Z1 Extreme processor.

ROG Ally X UI and software

ROG Pulse Armoury Crate X
ROG Pulse Armoury Crate X

The ROG Ally X will have an updated user interface called Armoury Crate SE 1.5. This software provides more customization options including:

  • Grid vs list view for gaming library

  • Horizontal or vertical scroll direction

  • Cover art alignment

  • Cover art size

  • A favorites list

  • A game store services tab that is separate from your game library tab

  • Create and share button mapping profiles

I personally hope that Armoury Crate SE 1.5 also incorporates more AMD Software features so we don't have to constantly hop back and forth between the two programs in order to get the device working the way we want it to. As I learned when writing our ROG Ally AFMF guide, some tools are currently only available in one software or the other, and sometimes you have to adjust settings in both to get things working properly.

ROG Ally X battery life

ASUS ROG Ally X played on the go.
ASUS ROG Ally X played on the go.

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As previously mentioned, the ROG Ally X's 80Whr battery capacity is double that of the original ROG Ally's 40Whr battery capacity. In theory, this could mean that battery life lasts twice as long, but we won't know this for sure until we can do our own battery life testing.

In an interview with The Verge, Asus SVP Shawn Yen said that the ROG Ally X offers a significant battery life increase. "We’re not looking at 30 to 40 percent more capacity,” he says. “We’re looking at way more than that.”

While testing for my ROG Ally review, I found that the battery typically only lasts about 1 hour and 38 minutes when playing games. So, a 40% increase from that is about 2 hours and 17 minutes. This means that we should expect the ROG Ally X to last even longer than that on average, based on what Yen has said.

Now, gaming handhelds and gaming laptops have historically not had great battery life. So I don't expect the ROG Ally X's battery to last super long, but if it can at least last three to five hours while playing games, then it will be a decent improvement.

ASUS ROG Ally X

The ROG Ally X is ready to run your gaming library with its improved RAM, SSD, and battery capacity.

Buy at: Best Buy | ASUSView Deal

ROG Ally X FAQ

ROG Ally X backside.
ROG Ally X backside.

We know you might be bursting with other ROG Ally X questions, so here is a list of FAQs to provide answers.

Will ROG Ally X be better than Steam Deck OLED?

Better is a very relative term here. Both the ROG Ally X and the Steam Deck OLED offer perks that the other doesn't have. The ROG Ally X is a Windows 11 device that has a more powerful processor and allows people to easily access various game services right out of the box. However, people also need to navigate through Windows and potentially do some troubleshooting from time to time. Additionally, the ROG Ally X just has a 7-inch, 120Hz LCD screen, but it is very colorful and has great contrast. Meanwhile, the Steam Deck OLED has a far superior display and a simpler interface to navigate, while also being less expensive than the original ROG Ally. However, the Steam Deck OLED isn't as powerful as the ROG Ally X.

In other words, if you value powerful performance and more freedom out of the box you'll want to go with ROG Ally X. If you care more about having an OLED display, simpler interface, and lower price point then you'll want the Steam Deck OLED.

Does the ROG Ally X have a microSD card overheating issue?

Asus has specifically stated that the ROG Ally X microSD card slot is in a different position from the original ROG Ally, which might prevent whatever issues were happening with the OG device. However, while speaking on the subject of the Ally X microSD card, Senior Product Manager Gabriel Meng said, "We don’t want people to think that’s what we had to do. We had to move things around the board to make them fit.”

Source: The Verge

Will the ROG Ally X have better battery life than ROG Ally?

Yes, Asus SVP Shawn Yen has specifically said that the ROG Ally X will have more than "30 to 40 percent more capacity" than the original ROG Ally.

Will ROG Ally X have better screen?

No. While it would be nice to see an ROG Ally X with an OLED screen, the ROG Ally X just has the same 7-inch LCD display as the original ROG Ally. However, this screen is very good, offering VRR and a max refresh rate of up to 120Hz, so it's not like it's a bad display.

What color is the ROG Ally X?

The ROG Ally X has a black design whereas the original ROG Ally is white.

Does the ROG Ally X have a better processor than the original ROG Ally?

No. The ROG Ally X has the same AMD Z1 Extreme SoC that the original ROG Ally has.

Will the cost of the original ROG Ally go down when the ROG Ally X launches?

It's hard to say. Asus has made it very clear that it will continue to support the original ROG Ally after the ROG Ally X releases, so it's not like they'll put the OG Ally on clearance. Still, the ROG Ally has frequently gone on sale, so it won't be surprising at all if that happens again when ROG Ally X launches.