Asus ROG Ally X is finally coming with improved specs and hardware – a PC gamer’s dream
The ROG Ally X is coming in July 2024
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
After asomewhat disappointing revealthrough an official Asus livestream, the Asus ROG Ally X has finally been fully announced. While not a full successor to the originalROG Ally, it’s an updated re-release with substantial quality-of-life changes and improvements stemming from buyer feedback.
The ROG Ally X still comes with theAMDRyzen Z1 Extreme processor, but features upgraded storage, RAM, battery life, and an updated chassis for improved ergonomics, cooling, and connectivity. It also uses Armoury Crate SE 1.5, an updated version of the UI from the original ROG Ally with new menu options and tools to simplify organizing your video games across PC storefronts.
The ROG Ally X’s new list of specs includes a 1TB M.2 2280 SSD, 24GB LPDDR5X-7500 RAM, an 80Wh battery, improved joysticks with stiffer springs and a five-million-cycle lifespan, and a more precise D-pad. It also has a redesigned motherboard featuring an M.2 2280 form factor slot for easier upgrading, and two new USB Type-C ports (replacing the original’s XG Mobile port).
Thermals have also been enhanced to better serve the increased hardware. This includes new fans that are 23% smaller but push up to 24% more air through a third vent, while keeping the panel up to 6°C cooler to the touch.
Weight distribution, grips, buttons, and stick locations have also been reworked for a more natural hold for gamers. Interestingly, the ROG Ally X only weighs 70 grams more than the original, despite the much beefier specs and slightly larger chassis. This newer model also comes in black instead of the white color of the older version.
Right now it’s available for preorderexclusively through Best Buyin the US and Curry’s in the UK for a retail price of $799.99 / £799. In Australia, you can pre-order fromJB Hi-Fi for AU$1,599. It will officially launch on July 22, 2024.
The Asus ROG Ally X could be a serious contender
Despite Asus not calling it a true sequel to its PC gaming handheld (which makes sense as it still has the same processor, display, and general design), the list of QOL changes is still quite impressive. What impresses me the most is that these changes have all been made due to user feedback, even on certain aspects the manufacturer was set on previously, like the XG Mobile port being swapped for the far more practical and widely used USB-C ports.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Other upgrades, like nearly every spec being doubled or otherwise enhanced, were clearly based on the countless videos of buyers augmenting their own ROG Ally to add in more memory, a better motherboard, better storage, more ports, etc. It’s simple but refreshing that a massive corporation such as Asus is still paying such close attention to its userbase.
The Verge recently had ahands-on with the ROG Ally Xand, judging from that alone, this could be the PC gaming handheld that truly stands up to theSteam Deck, as well as theLenovo Legion Goin terms of both power and sheer quality.
You might also like
Named by the CTA as a CES 2023 Media Trailblazer, Allisa is a Computing Staff Writer who covers breaking news and rumors in the computing industry, as well as reviews, hands-on previews, featured articles, and the latest deals and trends. In her spare time you can find her chatting it up on her two podcasts, Megaten Marathon and Combo Chain, as well as playing any JRPGs she can get her hands on.
The PS5 Pro’s PSSR upscaling gives multiple games a huge visual upgrade – can it compete with Nvidia’s DLSS 3 successor?
I’m a Nintendo Switch expert, here are the best early Black Friday deals right now
This new malware utilizes a rare programming language to evade traditional detection methods
