The Ideal Console for Mac Users
When the first Asus ROG Ally was announced, I didn’t hesitate for a second before pre-ordering it. As a video game enthusiast and a Mac user, it was frustrating not being able to enjoy PC-only titles. With the ROG Ally, I had found the perfect solution for playing my favorite PC games in portable mode, while also accessing Xbox Game Pass titles. Despite its merits, the first Ally had its flaws, and over time, I put it aside. So, when Asus unveiled the ROG Ally X, I jumped at the chance to test this version promising notable improvements.
A Redesigned Design for Better Handling
Right from the start, the differences are striking. The ROG Ally X is more rounded, with redesigned ergonomics for enhanced comfort, even during extended play sessions. Though slightly thicker and 10% heavier, this difference is unnoticeable in use thanks to better weight distribution. Honestly, it’s even more pleasant to handle, and the difference is quite apparent.
The reinforced joysticks and widened triggers are also welcome improvements, as is the matte directional pad, more precise and very enjoyable for fans of retro games or fighting games. The M1 and M2 buttons at the back are now smaller and better positioned to avoid accidental presses. At the back, the textured grips provide better grip, ideal for long sessions. And I assure you that’s not a minor detail; you can tell that Asus listened to the feedback from users of the first edition.
Asus also added a second USB-C Thunderbolt port, allowing for the connection of eGPUs, including those from other brands, or additional peripherals. This is a significant advantage for users who really want to push the device to its limits, although it’s probably a niche use.
Improved Performance
Under the hood, the ROG Ally X retains the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, but it’s supported by 24GB of LPDDR5 RAM, which is 17% faster than the 16GB in the previous version. With storage that doubles to reach 1TB in SSD M.2, the console offers ample space for large modern games, while still allowing for the disk to be swapped without voiding the warranty. Asus also redesigned the motherboard to improve repairability, a rare and appreciated choice, which we would like to see on some of our Apple products, if you catch my drift.
The performance is there, even for demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077, which run at acceptable framerates at 1080p thanks to the console’s optimizations and support for technologies like FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR). Whether you play locally or via the cloud, the experience is smooth and immersive. And that’s actually one of the console’s strong points, in my opinion. Yes, you can install your PC games in the most traditional way, but you can also play via the cloud without any issues. If you have a good internet connection, you don’t waste time downloading and installing the game; it starts immediately, and the loss of display quality sometimes associated with cloud gaming is less bothersome here, given the screen size. We would have appreciated if the screen had gained an extra inch, but maybe that will come with the next edition, who knows (though it would probably have a significant impact on the battery).
As for me, I mainly play games like Diablo IV or Forza Horizon, which run smoothly, even if, in the case of Diablo IV, the screen size I just mentioned is a bit limiting, but I put on my glasses and all is well. It should be noted that, for fans of retro gaming, this is clearly the ideal console, allowing you to run most of the emulators on the market without breaking a sweat. In my case, a big fan of NeoGeo, everything runs perfectly, but that’s the least you’d expect.
Finally Convincing Battery Life
Battery life, a weak point of the first ROG Ally, is greatly improved thanks to an 80Wh battery. You can now play up to 10 hours on light games and about 3 hours on demanding titles in turbo mode. These figures almost double those of the original version and make the console much more suitable for travel. It should also be noted that the heat dissipation has been revised, and especially, the issue of the microSD reader heating up is indeed resolved, and will save you some unpleasant returns to customer service.
Some Limitations
Despite these improvements, not everything is perfect. The Wi-Fi remains unchanged compared to the first version, and we might have liked Wi-Fi 7. But the biggest problem with this machine, and perhaps the only one, is of course the Windows 11 operating system, which is still a hurdle for a smooth experience on a portable device. Although Asus has improved its Armoury Crate software, navigating through Windows with a touchscreen or sticks is frankly nightmarish. For this reason you’ll quickly tend to use Cloud Gaming more often, which partly saves you from wasting a lot of time under Windows, and its hellish updates.
Note that soon, it is very likely that SteamOS will be installable on the console as a replacement for Windows, and this officially supported by Valve, a thrilling prospect that we discuss here.
Verdict: A True PC in Your Pocket and a Superb Console
With the ROG Ally X, Asus offers a console that corrects most of the flaws of its older sibling while adding significant improvements in terms of performance, battery life, and ergonomics. If you’re looking for a powerful machine capable of playing recent games locally or via the cloud, it’s hard to beat, despite a price tag of €799 that positions it in the high-end. Keep in mind that at this price you also get a complete modern PC, which you can easily connect to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse for full multimedia and office use. I even tested a few Photoshop sessions, and it’s really quite usable, even if Windows remains the absolute evil compared to macOS.
We therefore recommend this machine without hesitation if you miss playing PC games, keeping in mind that this console is not a Switch, and you must therefore accept to coexist with Windows, its regular updates, and its sometimes annoying ergonomics. But if you’re okay with these concessions, it’s a resounding yes!