ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has officially announced the ROG Ally X, a new model of its popular ROG Ally handheld game console.

Designed for Windows 11 gaming on the go, the ROG Ally X features the same AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, but adds upgraded storage, RAM, and battery life, alongside an updated chassis for improved ergonomics, cooling, and connectivity. Combined with Armoury Crate SE 1.5, which features a new customisable game library and unified system updates, the ROG Ally X is designed to #playALLYourgames better than ever.

Bradley Howe, Head of Consumer, Systems Business Group, ASUS Australia, said: “We’re excited to launch the new ROG Ally X in Australia and New Zealand after receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from users on the ROG Ally last year. We have continued to listen to our customers’ feedback, resulting in the new ROG Ally X, which offers great improvements to battery, thermal cooling and storage. We are delighted that this best-in-class handheld console will now be available for individuals looking for a powerful yet portable on-the-go gaming experience.”

Built with user feedback at its heart, the ROG Ally X amps many of its crucial internal components. A new 1 TB SSD ensures users have room for all their games, up from 512 GB on the original Ally. In addition, the ROG Ally X uses a redesigned motherboard featuring an M.2 2280 form factor slot, allowing users to more easily upgrade their storage to larger drives than previously possible.

Accompanying this storage upgrade is 24 GB of LPDDR5X-7500 RAM for more flexibility. As an APU, the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme shares its video RAM with the device’s system RAM. With modern games using more VRAM for high-resolution, lifelike textures, 24 GB of system memory allows users to allocate more memory to both the system and the GPU for better performance in the next generation of AAA titles.

Finally, the ROG Ally X has also been outfitted with an 80 Wh battery, double the capacity of the previous model, so users can game longer away from the wall. Despite a sizeable improvement in battery life, the ROG Ally X only weighs 70 grams more than the original ROG Ally, with the weight distribution perfectly centred where the gamer’s thumb and forefinger lie while gripping the device. This keeps it feeling lighter than its 678 g weight, ensuring comfortable play and portability for all.

The ROG Ally X features a redesigned chassis in a brand-new black colourway, with slightly deeper handles and a more rounded shape for improved comfort, without adding much thickness to the device. The buttons and sticks are arranged with more ergonomic angle, with a slant to the triggers that makes them easier to press. The macro buttons on the back are also smaller, to reduce accidental presses while keeping them easily accessible.

The joysticks have been replaced with a new, more durable module rated for a 5-million-cycle lifespan, with stiffer springs for a more familiar response curve to longtime controller gamers. The D-Pad has been similarly improved, with more precise eight-direction input for fighting and retro games.

Users overwhelmingly requested more universal I/O, so the original XG Mobile port has been replaced with two USB-C ports on the ROG Ally X, one of which is Thunderbolt-compatible for wide interoperability with third-party docks and external GPUs.

To accommodate the new battery, the ROG Ally X features new fans that are 23% smaller, but utilise 50% thinner fan blades to improve airflow. Two new tunnels in the fan housing direct air up and out toward an additional, third exhaust vent on the upper edge of the ROG Ally X. This new thermal solution provides 24% more air volume to be pushed through the device, cooling not only the internal components but also the touch screen, which measures up to 6°C cooler for more comfortable long-term usage.

ASUS ROG Ally X is now available for pre-order.

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Gamers get another way to play with the ASUS ROG Ally.

ASUS has entered the portable gaming console ring with its Windows 11-based, AMD-powered ROG Ally. I spent an afternoon trying out this new handheld gaming device.

When it comes to PC gaming, ASUS is at the top of the game. The company’s PC components and gaming laptops are about the best you will get. I find the ASUS TUF and Republic of Gamers (ROG) brands are synonymous with quality gaming PC components. ROG gaming laptops squeeze a tremendous amount of PC gaming power in impressively small devices.

But, with the ROG Ally, ASUS has gone one better.

I was invited, along with a select gathering of local media, to check out the ROG Ally Windows 11 handheld gaming device in advance of its 13th June 2023 release in Australia and New Zealand. ASUS promises AAA PC gaming in the palm of your hand via a device five years in the making.

I did, however, have some reasons to be apprehensive on my way to the product demonstration. I don’t really get on with “gaming on the go”. In the past, though, I’ve had a lot of fun with the PSP and PS Vita, and I have a Nintendo Switch. But they’ve all felt a bit awkward in the hand, especially the Switch, which feels like you are holding a slab.

The performance of portable gaming devices always seems to be too much of a compromise for my liking. Apart from the odd play on it now and again, my Switch is reserved for plane trips and when I’m away from my gaming rig, PS5, or Xbox Series X. I had similar fears for the ROG Ally.

The ROG handheld is based on an AMD Ryzen Z1 processor.

This is both a Ryzen CPU and an AMD RDNA 3 architecture-based GPU. The Ryzen Z1 is available as both an 8-core / 16-thread “Extreme” version and a 6-core / 16-thread standard version. The ROG Ally launching in June will utilise the 8-ore / 12-thread AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, with a lower spec version of the handheld based on the standard Ryzen Z1 launching at a later date.

Complementing the Ryzen Z1 processor the ROG Ally has 16GB LPDDR5 dual-channel RAM and 512GB of user upgradable PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD storage.

The display is a full HD 120Hz IPS touch-screen with a 7ms response time and a brightness of 500 nits. Audio is provided by front-facing Dolby Atmos dual speakers. There’s also a UHS-II MicroSD slot, which is likely only useful for media files and data transfer. The top of the device also has a USB Type-C port adjacent to the propriety Asus port used with the USB port to plug in an Asus ROG XG Mobile graphics extender- boosting game performance with the help of a top-of-the-range Nvidia RTX GPU.

I have no idea what the actual performance of a Ryzen Z1 compares to and I’m looking forward to benchmarking it. But it had no trouble running Halo Infinite. The device makes good use of AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution upscaling to increase game performance. I’m a little concerned about the 16GB of RAM, as it seems that this is shared with the GPU. 16GB or GDDR memory is pretty standard for a modern GPU, but I’d expect a PC to have at least 16GB of system memory as well. Unless there’s some dark magic going on, I’m apprehensive about just what the ROG Ally’s long-term capabilities are.

But, thank goodness that the rather paltry 512GB SSD is upgradable.

With the above in mind, it is a bit unfair to compare the ROG Ally to a desktop gaming PC.

Like gaming laptops, there are some compromises to be made for the luxury of portable gaming. Putting technical specs aside, the Ally is a rather spectacularly designed device. The device feels great in your hands the grips moulded like that of a game controller. There are two shoulder buttons on each side with triggers underneath. The seven-inch screen fills the centre of the device, flanked on both sides by the familiar thumbsticks, D-pad, and XYAB buttons you’ll find on an Xbox controller. There are also four menu/system buttons positioned on either side of the screen. The power button on the top is also a fingerprint reader compatible with Windows Hello.

It’s worth remembering that as a Windows 11-based device this is effectively a Microsoft portable gaming console. In theory, if it runs on a PC, it should run on the ROG Ally, which opens up all sorts of uses. To make the experience a bit more user-friendly, ASUS have overlaid Windows 11 with a special version of their ROG Armory Crate application. This will likely be particularly useful if you find using the Windows desktop a bit challenging on a 7-inch screen.

The device is loaded with all the main PC gaming clients such as Steam, Epic, Ubisoft Connect, the EA app, and GOG Galaxy 2.0. The device comes with a 3-month subscription to Microsoft Game Pass Ultimate unlocking hundreds of games via the included Game Pass app.

Not only can you download and play games from the Game Pass, but you can also stream games from Microsoft’s cloud gaming. This means instant access to many games regardless of their hardware performance requirements. I tested Forza Horizon 5 which worked well. As with all cloud gaming, your experience is very much dependent on your network and Internet connection.

The demo unit had a limited number of games installed so, as I mentioned above, I selected to play Halo Infinite, a game that I’m very familiar with. Performance-wise, the game looked great. The thumbsticks did feel a bit weird, but I think that is more to do with them being different from the Xbox controller that I’m used to. I also played Halo Infinite on the ROG Ally via the upcoming hub adapter plugged into a large TV / monitor. Using an Xbox controller, the game performance seemed at least on par with that of an Xbox Series S, if not an Xbox Series X. Quite impressive for a device that fits in your pocket.

At first, the AUD$1,299 / NZ$1,499 price tag made me gasp.

If the PS5 and Xbox Series X were not expensive enough, that’s a lot of money to drop on a tiny game console. But then I thought, realistically, what are you going to pay for a decent gaming PC?

You are not going to get much south of two grand and for a gaming laptop, you can add on another grand. The ROG Ally isn’t just a handheld gaming console, it is also probably the cheapest way to realistically play AAA PC games. Asus has stated that it is working with major game publishers to ensure that gamers get the very best experience with the ROG Ally.

There’s no doubt that the ROG Ally is a great-looking device and it performed very well during my short time with it. There are still a lot of blanks, however, that can only be filled with a good review / test and some benchmarking. I’d like to see where the Ally lands compared to a gaming desktop and a gaming laptop as well as how far I can push it, as not just a handheld gaming device but also a handheld PC.

The ASUS ROG Ally is available for pre-order now in Australia and New Zealand from JB Hi-Fi and PBTech (NZ only) and released on 13th June 2023.

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ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) is proud to announce the launch of the ROG Ally, an incredibly powerful new Windows 11 gaming handheld.

Driven by the cutting-edge AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, the Ally can breeze through AAA games and indie titles in 1080p with ease, whether gamers are playing alone or with friends.

With robust support and partnerships throughout the industry, the Ally is poised to be the ultimate handheld gaming machine.

Making this possible is the ROG Zero Gravity thermal system, which uses a dual-fan system with ultrathin heatsink fins and high-friction heat pipes to ensure the Ally stays cool in any orientation. The Ally also comes equipped with 16 GB of high-speed LPDDR5 6400 MHz memory, 512 GB of PCIe Gen 4 storage, and a UHS-II microSD card slot to further expand its storage capacity. WiFi 6E support ensures that the Ally stays on a rock-solid connection, even in congested networks, whether gamers are natively playing a multiplayer match or streaming a game via Xbox Cloud Gaming or AMD Link.

Flagship gaming performance demands a display to match, and the Ally does not disappoint. Equipped with a 120 Hz FHD (1080p) touchscreen with AMD FreeSync Premium technology gamers will enjoy supreme motion clarity in fast-paced games, with no tearing or stuttering. The display also has a maximum brightness of 500 nits, enabling gamers to easily keep track of the action in more challenging environments, like outdoors. This touchscreen display also acts to seamlessly allow navigation of Windows 11 when gamers need to change settings or install their next game.

The ROG Ally takes handheld gaming to new heights. With a 1080p screen and hardware capable of 60 FPS in many of the latest titles, the ROG Ally provides an on-the-go experience that will satisfy gamers of all stripes. Compared to the 720p resolution of competing devices, the Ally offers superior image and motion clarity thanks to its FHD touchscreen and AMD FreeSync Premium technology.

With the optional ROG Gaming Charger Dock, gamers can connect the Ally to a TV and charge at the same time, allowing for couch co-op and competition with extra controllers. The Ally can handle multiplayer games like NBA 2K23, Moving Out, and Street Fighter V with ease for a party that never stops.

When paired with an XG Mobile external GPU sporting up to an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, the Ally becomes a true gaming powerhouse for living room couch gaming or a high-end experience with mouse and keyboard. Gamers can play AAA games at 4K with ray tracing and DLSS 3, or take down the competition in high-frame rate esports titles.

All this versatility comes at an excellent price. The Ryzen Z1 Extreme-equipped model with 512 GB of storage will be available for pre-order open and available for AUD$1,299/NZD$1,499 on-shelf from June 13.

Gamers can also purchase ROG XG Mobile with an NVIDIA GeForce, or the XG Mobile with an AMD Radeon.

The ROG Ally was designed from the ground up with Windows at its heart, able to #playALLYourgames from any platform. ROG has collaborated with Microsoft, game publishers, and individual studios to ensure that gamers using the Ally have the best experience possible. Full support for Steam, the EA App, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, the Epic Games Store, GOG Galaxy 2.0, Android apps, and other game platforms ensures that no matter where users download their games, the Ally has them covered.

The Ally even comes bundled with a free three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate code, giving gamers instant access to Microsoft’s game library the moment they unbox the machine. “Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members have access to hundreds of games, including hits like Minecraft Legends, Grounded, Age of Empire IV and many more,” said Roanne Sones, CVP, Head of Xbox Hardware. “With the ROG Ally and Game Pass Ultimate, we can’t wait for people to discover and play their next favourite game on the go, whether it’s playing native PC games with Windows or streaming console games with Xbox Cloud Gaming.”

ROG is also proud to work with Xbox Game Studios, Capcom, HoYoverse, Level Infinite, 505 Games, Team 17, Nacon, Techland, Squanch Games, and Fatshark to provide the best gaming experience on the Ally.

“Before the ROG Ally, handhelds were limited, only offering certain games often at lower resolutions and framerates. We spent five years working to elevate that experience. The ROG Ally offers high performance in Full HD on a platform that can play all your games, anywhere you go,” said Shawn Yen, Vice General Manager of Gaming BU, ASUS.

The ROG Ally is a truly next-gen handheld, offering Full HD (FHD) gaming on the go, and able to run even modern AAA titles faster and smoother than any other handheld on the market. Since it runs Windows 11, it can play any game from any platform and includes three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate right out of the box. Gamers can play solo, connect to a TV to play with friends or kick into high gear with the ROG XG Mobile suite of external GPUs for a truly top-tier gaming experience.

The Ally is powered by an all-new Ryzen Z1 Series processor from AMD. Built on the “Zen 4” architecture combined with AMD RDNA 3 architecture-based graphics, the Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor rivals the prowess of game consoles, featuring 8 cores, 16 threads, and up to 8.6 teraflops of graphics processing power. An AMD Ryzen Z1 variant will be available later in 2023 with 6 cores and 12 processing threads, and both models support AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution and AMD Radeon Super Resolution upscaling technologies for excellent performance and stunning visuals in demanding AAA and indie titles.

“Our team has spent over a decade developing the technologies necessary to enable the Ryzen Z1 Series of processors. Working with visionary partners like ROG, we’ve designed a platform that redefines mobile gaming,” said Renato Fragale, senior director of product management for the Consumer and Gaming Client Business at AMD. “We’re excited for gamers to experience the first device powered by Ryzen Z1 Series processors with the launch of the ROG Ally.”

ROG Ally will be available on-shelf with 512 GB of storage in on June 13, 2023, with pre-orders open now at JB Hi-Fi and ASUS eStore.

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