ASUS - ROG Ally X 7" 120Hz FHD 1080p Gaming Handheld - AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme Processor - 24GB with 1TB SSD - Black

I owned the first Ally, and I absolutely love it. But one thing that was a huge downfall was the battery life. The Rog Ally X addresses that with a battery almost double the size. Now this device can get you through a long gaming session at the highest performance. You can play most AAA titles with no problem with this device. Also, 1080p on a screen this size looks fantastic. The joysticks are also upgraded on this over the original Ally. They tweaked a couple more things such as faster RAM and also uses a full size SSD (2280) which gives you more options for faster storage. This was a welcoming upgrade, and I think this is the best overall handheld device on the market at this time (01/2025). I bought this at launch, as I did with the original Ally, and since launch, many great accessories have become available, such as the Dbrand killswitch case and also 2 brands of hall effect joysticks, both of which I have installed and highly recommend. The hall effect joysticks are a great upgrade over the original so you can avoid (or fix) stick drift, I would recommend buying them right away to avoid drift, or you can wear out the originals and get these later on.

The ROG Ally X is undeniably powerful, with its 24 GB of RAM, and 1 TB SSD making it capable of handling even the most demanding games. The 1080p display with a 120 Hz refresh rate delivers impressive visuals, and the extended battery life is a welcome improvement. I also appreciate its versatility—running Windows 11 means I can access multiple game libraries without being locked into one ecosystem. However, my experience has been mixed. While Windows 11 offers flexibility, it’s not designed for handheld gaming, and navigating the interface can be frustrating. The device is also bulkier and heavier than I expected, which makes it less comfortable to use for extended periods. For something marketed as portable, it feels a bit cumbersome to carry around. The price is another sticking point. While the performance is impressive, I can’t help but feel that it’s overpriced, especially when other options like the Steam Deck offer similar functionality for less. Overall, while the ROG Ally X delivers in power and features, its awkward design and high cost leave me a bit underwhelmed.

Best handheld pc you can buy right now. Screen is nice and bright with decent color accuracy. The sound has been upgraded over the original. Ergonomics are greatly improved and the device feels great in my hands even during long gaming sessions. The extra ram at higher frequency allows you to play current triple A titles at low-medium settings at 720-900p resolution and get 30-60fps. The triggers and buttons feel better compared to the original rog ally, dpad is improved as well. The sd card issues are fixed with the move, the extra usb port is nice addition as well. Double the storage as well, I’ve currently got 22 titles downloaded to mine. Device is mostly quiet even under load, they can get a bit loud under heavy loads but that can be fixed and rarely happens to me. Finally the biggest improvement for a handheld system, the bigger battery and the improved battery performance. I’ve gotten 2-3 hours playing triple A titles and 4-5 playing smaller indie titles. All around a great iteration of the Rog ally and worth the purchase.