Review Asus ROG Ally X
In our new review we will test the portable gaming console ASUS ROG Ally X, examining its performance and capabilities for mobile gaming. We will test it in various gaming scenarios and pay attention to key characteristics, including the screen, cooling system and battery life. In addition, we will compare it with the previous model ASUS ROG Ally, to highlight the improvements and differences, helping you choose between these devices.
Our review of the Asus Standard Edition ROG Ally available at the link.
| APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS |
In this part of our review we will focus on the key elements Asus ROG Ally X, including its design and equipment specifications.
| APPEARANCE |
ASUS ROG Ally X is an advanced portable gaming console that combines stylish design and powerful gaming capabilities. The device was created for those who value mobility without compromising on performance. Let's take a look at the appearance and key features of this model.
The console comes in a sturdy, stylish box, designed in dark colors with a holographic ROG logo and the inscription "ROG Ally X". This design immediately emphasizes the premium status of the device and creates a sense of anticipation before opening.
The case is made of durable black plastic with a matte texture, which prevents fingerprints and scuffs. The black color of the case gives the device a strict, modern look, making it ideal for both gaming and professional use.
The console's ergonomics are carefully thought out. The handles are enlarged and have smooth curves, making them comfortable to hold even during long gaming sessions. The back of the handles features small ROG letters, which not only add style but also improve grip, preventing slippage during play.
The control buttons are tactilely responsive, and the D-pad supports eight-way control, which is especially useful in games that require high precision. The buttons are positioned so that they are convenient for quick and intuitive control.
The console display is a 7-inch IPS panel with a Full HD resolution (1920x1080 pixels) and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The high refresh rate ensures smooth gaming, and the resolution guarantees a clear picture and rich colors. The screen is framed by thin frames, which makes it visually larger and helps to fully immerse yourself in the gameplay.
The top of the case has ventilation holes that provide effective cooling of components even during intensive work. Thanks to the optimized cooling system, the console does not overheat, which allows you to maintain stable performance.
The back panel of the device is decorated with texture and the ROG logo, which adds to the uniqueness of the design. Overall, ASUS ROG Ally The X looks like a high-tech, well-designed device designed for a comfortable and immersive gaming experience.
| Comparison with ASUS ROG Ally |
ASUS ROG Ally X comes in black, giving it a more formal and professional look than the original white ASUS version. ROG AllyThe black case makes the model more versatile and less susceptible to dirt, which may be important for those who often take the device with them.
Both models feature the ROG logo on the back, but the surface texture and design are slightly different. On the ASUS ROG Ally The X logo and texture elements are in black, matching the overall design of the device, while on the white version the texture and logo have a more contrasting, standout design.
Compared to the original model, ROG Ally X received the following improvements:
-
Increased RAM: 24GB vs 16GB, which improves multitasking and overall performance.
-
More capacious storage: 1TB SSD vs 512GB, providing more space to store games and data.
-
Increased battery capacity: 80Wh versus 40Wh, doubling the battery life.
-
Improved ergonomics: Larger handles and improved grip for more comfortable use.
-
Additional USB-C port: USB 4.0 support for enhanced connectivity.
ASUS ROG Ally The X comes with an 80Wh battery, double the original model's 40Wh. ROG AllyThis increase allows ROG Ally X runs for up to 2,7 hours of AAA gaming and up to 14,5 hours of Netflix streaming.
Overall, ASUS ROG Ally X offers significant improvements over its predecessor, making it a more attractive choice for gamers looking for a powerful and portable gaming console.
| ASUS Command Center ROG Ally X |
The command center interface provides access to a range of settings that make it easy to tailor the device's performance to different usage scenarios, whether it's work, video viewing, or intense gaming sessions. All settings are conveniently grouped and visually separated for better visibility.
Modes of operation
The command center interface offers several device operating modes, each of which offers optimal settings for different scenarios:
- Silent mode — designed to save energy and keep noise to a minimum. The device's power is limited to achieve longer battery life, which is especially convenient in situations where maximum performance is not required.
- Productive mode - Balanced mode that provides enough power for all-day tasks while maintaining a moderate level of power consumption.
- Turbo mode — maximum performance mode, which increases the device's power to 30 W, allowing all resources to be used for intensive games and demanding applications. This mode may require a network connection to prevent rapid battery drain.
Control mode
The command center provides the ability to switch between control modes:
- Game console — a mode in which control is carried out using built-in controllers. This mode is convenient for games, as it allows you to use all the functions of the console as a full-fledged gamepad.
- Desktop - switches control to using the keyboard and mouse, which makes ROG Ally X a full-fledged device for working with documents and other professional tasks.
Settings and additional features
The Command Center also allows you to configure various settings such as:
- Screen brightness - allows you to adapt the brightness to current lighting conditions for comfortable use.
- Game Profiles — the ability to create and use unique settings for each game. The user can set individual parameters for different projects, including graphics settings, FPS limits, etc.
- Built-in controller - Activate or deactivate the built-in gamepad for convenient switching between different control methods.
- AMD RSR and FPS Limiter — Radeon Super Resolution feature for improving gaming performance by dynamically scaling resolution. FPS limiter allows you to adjust the frame rate, which can reduce the load on the device and extend battery life.
Update Center and Additional Modules
The command center interface also includes an update center where you can install the latest software and driver updates to keep your system up to date. The user can configure updates manually or automatically.
Recommendations and content platform
The screens show the integration of the ASUS content platform, where gaming offers, exclusive promotions and recommendations are available. This also includes promotions for ROG VIP members and the latest news on ASUS products.
| SYNTHETICS |
Asus ROG Ally
Asus ROG Ally X
Processor
Both models are equipped with AMD Ryzen Z1 processors Extreme on the Zen 4 architecture, with 8 cores and 16 threads, which provides powerful multitasking. The maximum power consumption reaches 28 W. In single-core performance mode, the models demonstrate similar results, but ROG Ally X shows a slight advantage in the tests, which may be due to subtle differences in architecture or BIOS settings.
Asus ROG Ally
Asus ROG Ally X
Graphic adapter
Both models use integrated AMD Radeon graphics on the Phoenix architecture with a 4nm process technology. The Ally X uses 768 unified shaders with a frequency of up to 2700 MHz, which provides high pixel and texture performance. The amount of LPDDR5 video memory in both models is 8 GB, which is ideal for modern games and multimedia.
Asus ROG Ally
Asus ROG Ally X
Memory performance
In AIDA64 tests, both models show high memory performance. The Ally X sees an increase in read speed to 58.894 MB/s compared to 50.321 MB/s for the standard Ally. Write speeds are also higher for the Ally X, improving overall system performance in memory-intensive scenarios.
Asus ROG Ally
Asus ROG Ally X
Data storage tests
In CrystalDiskMark tests ROG Ally X demonstrated improved read and write performance compared to ROG Ally, which can provide a noticeable advantage in the speed of loading applications and games. Ally X also features improved random read and write performance, which has a positive effect on system responsiveness when working with large amounts of data.
| TEST PART |
| Test configuration | |
| test stands | Asus ROG Ally Kingston XS2000 Portable SSD 1 TB- optimal solution for testing different configurations |
| Multimedia equipment | |
| Software configuration |
|
| Operating system | Windows 11 |
| Graphics driver |
AMD Graphics Driver Version V32.0.11021.3002 |
| Monitoring programs |
MSI Afterburner |
For testing Asus portable devices ROG Ally и Asus ROG Ally X Modern games used the maximum performance mode with power consumption of up to 30 W. Power saving modes were not effective enough for comfortable gaming in new demanding games, so the tests were conducted at maximum performance settings.
In some games, such as Horizon Forbidden West, standard version ROG Ally failed to pass shader compilation, which excluded it from this test. Dragon's Dogma 2 on ROG Ally It is not possible to activate FSR and frame generation, which also limits its performance.
| Black Myth Wukong |
The testing settings are shown in the screenshots above.
- Asus ROG Ally X in mode FSR Quality + Frame Generation It delivers 50 FPS at minimum and 59 FPS on average, making the gaming experience smooth.
- Asus ROG Ally with the same settings it reaches 32 FPS on average, which is noticeably lower.
- Native mode shows that Ally X reaches 28 FPS, while the standard version only runs at 11 FPS.
For Black Myth: Wukong ROG Ally X provides a noticeable advantage in FPS stability.
| Call of Duty Black Ops 6 |
The testing settings are shown in the screenshots above.
- Asus ROG Ally X с FSR Quality + Frame Generation shows 60 FPS at minimum and 69 FPS on average, which provides smooth and stable playback.
- Asus ROG Ally with the same settings - 59 FPS at minimum and 65 FPS on average, also showing good performance, but slightly inferior in stability in some scenes.
- In native resolution Ally X reaches 29 FPS on average (minimum 25), while the standard version is limited to 27 FPS (minimum 24).
Ally X shows a noticeable advantage in FSR and frame rate generation, delivering a more consistent gaming experience.
| Dragon's Dogma 2 |
The testing settings are shown in the screenshots above.
- ROG Ally X using FSR и frame generation shows a minimum FPS of 60 and an average FPS of 69. This provides a smooth and stable picture, with virtually no freezes or frame drops.
- Standard ROG Ally with the same settings it shows a minimum FPS of 59 and an average FPS of 65. The result is close to the Ally X, but the stability is slightly lower, which can be felt in more intense scenes.
- At native resolution (without enhancements) Ally X delivers 29 FPS on average and 25 FPS on minimum, while the standard version drops to 27 FPS on average and 24 FPS on minimum.
ROG Ally X with FSR and frame generation technologies provides smoother gaming experience in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 vs. regular version. Even at native resolution, Ally X shows a slight stability advantage.
| Dragon Age The Veilguard |
The testing settings are shown in the screenshots above.
- ROG Ally X с FSR shows a minimum FPS of 41 and an average FPS of 47. In this mode, the console allows you to play without serious FPS drops, which improves the perception of dynamic scenes.
- Standard ROG Ally with FSR it reaches a minimum FPS of 39 and an average of 44. With similar settings it runs a little less smoothly.
- Native mode shows 29 FPS on average on the Ally X (minimum 25), and 27 FPS on the standard version (minimum 24), which makes it difficult to maintain an acceptable frame rate.
В Dragon Age: The Veilguard ROG Ally X shows more stable FPS due to more efficient FSR operation than the standard version.
| Horizon Forbidden West |
The testing settings are shown in the screenshots above.
- Asus ROG Ally X in mode FSR Quality + Frame Generation shows 33 FPS at minimum and 40 FPS on average, which makes the game smooth enough for a portable device.
- standard version ROG Ally failed to pass shader compilation and did not show results in this test.
For Horizon Forbidden West It is preferable to use ROG Ally X, because it supports the game better.
| Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut |
The testing settings are shown in the screenshots above.
- Asus ROG Ally X using FSR Quality + Frame Generation reaches 56 FPS at minimum and 62 FPS on average, making the gameplay smooth even in complex scenes.
- Asus ROG Ally with the same parameters shows 50 FPS at minimum and 57 FPS on average. Although the result is close, Ally X shows a slight advantage in stability.
- Native mode on Ally X it gives 31 FPS on average (minimum 26), while the standard version is limited to 27 FPS on average (minimum 24).
Ghost of Tsushima It goes better on ROG Ally X thanks to additional FPS stability.
| Silent Hill 2 |
The testing settings are shown in the screenshots above.
- Asus ROG Ally X с FSR Quality + Frame Generation It delivers 35 FPS at minimum and 39 FPS on average, making the gaming experience smooth.
- Asus ROG Ally with similar settings it reaches 33 FPS at minimum and 35 FPS on average, which is a bit lower, but still comfortable.
- Native mode On Ally X it shows 17 FPS on average (minimum 15), while the standard version is limited to 16 FPS (minimum 14).
In Silent Hill 2, Ally X delivers better results by supporting FSR and frame generation technologies.
| God of War: Ragnarok |
The testing settings are shown in the screenshots above.
- Asus ROG Ally X in mode FSR Quality + Frame Generation shows 41 FPS at minimum and 44 FPS on average, which allows you to play comfortably in most scenes.
- Asus ROG Ally with similar settings it reaches 38 FPS at minimum and 42 FPS on average, which is slightly inferior to Ally X.
- Native mode On Ally X it gives 20 FPS on average (minimum 18), while the standard version shows 18 FPS (minimum 16), which makes the game almost unplayable.
In God of War: Ragnarök, Ally X shows more stable FPS, especially when using FSR and frame generation technologies.
| CONCLUSION |
Asus ROG Ally X - This is an improved version of the portable console ROG Ally, which significantly outperforms the base model in performance and capabilities. The main improvement is the increase in RAM to 24 GB, which gives a significant advantage in games with high system requirements and allows the console to more efficiently handle modern textures and complex gameplay.
Thanks to the support of FSR and Frame Generation technologies, ROG Ally X delivers higher FPS and improved image quality, making gaming smooth and stable. In games such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, the console showed noticeably better results compared to the standard version, allowing you to play at high graphics settings even at a resolution 1920x1080.
An additional 8GB of RAM allows the Ally X to handle more complex tasks, including multitasking. Users who simultaneously play games and use background apps will experience improved performance, making the Ally X a versatile device for gaming and other tasks.
Asus ROG Ally X is ideal for modern titles that require high power, while still providing stability that the base version can't compete with. If you want to play modern games at maximum settings, ROG Ally X, with its improved performance and support for new technologies, will be the optimal choice.
