The Asus ROG Ally X is the most powerful handheld on this test: the fastest chip, a bright 120 Hz 1080p screen and a genuinely big battery for a Windows device. Here is what that extra power buys you, and where Windows still gets in the way.
Asus learned a great deal from the first ROG Ally, and the Ally X is the result: same fast Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, but with a much larger 80 Wh battery, better ergonomics, improved cooling and a redesigned SD card slot. At £799.99 it is the handheld to pick if you want the highest frame rate and the flexibility of full Windows, and you are willing to pay for both. It is not the easiest console to live with, but it is the most capable.
| Model | Price | Display | Chip | Battery | Rating | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ★ Top pick Asus ROG Ally X (Z1 Extreme) | £799.99 | 7 in IPS, 1920 x 1080, 120 Hz | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme | 80 Wh | ★ 4.4 | View → |
£799.99
7 in IPS, 1920 x 1080, 120 Hz · AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme · 80 Wh
The verdict from Kofi Mensah, handheld gaming tester
The pick if you want raw power. The ROG Ally X pairs the strongest chip on test, the Ryzen Z1 Extreme, with a bright 120 Hz 1080p panel and a genuinely large 80 Wh battery. In our standard Cyberpunk 2077 run it pushed 58 fps, the highest frame rate here, and it never thermal-throttled across a 30 minute session. The catch is Windows 11, which remains awkward to drive with thumbsticks, and the £799.99 price. If you want the most frames per pound and will tolerate Windows, this is the one.
Plenty of headroom for demanding games, with a fan that stays composed even in Turbo mode.
| Display | 7 in IPS, 1920 x 1080, 120 Hz |
|---|---|
| Chip | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme |
| Battery | 80 Wh |
| Storage | 1 TB NVMe SSD + microSD |
| Weight | 678 g |
| Operating system | Windows 11 |
| Measured frame rate (Cyberpunk 2077, low + FSR) | 58 fps |
| Measured battery (same test) | 2 h 35 min |
| RAM | 24 GB LPDDR5X |
| Typical UK price | £799.99 |
The ROG Ally X is the right console if raw performance and flexibility are your priorities. The Ryzen Z1 Extreme is the strongest chip on test, the 120 Hz 1080p screen is the sharpest 7 in panel here, and because it runs full Windows 11 it plays everything: Steam, Epic, GOG, Game Pass and Battle.net all work exactly as they would on a laptop. For the player with a wide library spread across stores, or who wants the most frames per pound and will manage Windows to get them, it is the obvious pick.
It is less suited to two groups. Anyone who values an easy, console-like experience and the best battery efficiency is better served by the Steam Deck OLED, which is simpler and lasts longer despite being slower. And budget-conscious buyers will find the £799.99 price steep when the Steam Deck LCD plays most of the same games for £419. The Ally X earns its money on power and flexibility, not value. Our Steam Deck vs ROG Ally guide weighs the two directly.
In our Cyberpunk 2077 run the Ally X pushed 58 fps, the highest of any console on test, and crucially it never thermal-throttled across a 30 minute session in Turbo mode, holding that figure steadily. The 7 in 120 Hz 1080p IPS screen is bright at around 500 nits and noticeably sharper than the Deck's 800p panel, and the high refresh rate makes fast games feel fluid. It is an LCD rather than OLED, so blacks are greyer than the Steam Deck's, but the extra resolution and refresh suit demanding 3D games.
The big upgrade over the original Ally is the 80 Wh battery, double the first model's. Under our heavy Cyberpunk load it lasted 2 hours 35 minutes, and with lighter games or a 30 to 40 fps cap we comfortably saw 4 to 5 hours. That makes it the longest-lasting AMD Windows handheld here, though the more efficient Steam Deck OLED and MSI Claw 8 still beat it on the same heavy test. For a powerful Windows device, though, its stamina is genuinely good.
Asus improved the grips and weight balance over the original, and at 678 g the Ally X is comfortable to hold for long stretches, more so than the heavier Legion Go. The first Ally was notorious for a microSD slot that overheated and killed cards; Asus moved and re-engineered it on the Ally X, and across our testing we saw no issues. The fan can spin up in Turbo mode, but it stays composed and never became a distraction.
There are two real ones, and both come from Windows. First, the Windows 11 interface is still awkward on a 7 in handheld screen: Asus's Armoury Crate front end helps, but you will occasionally drop to the desktop and reach for a touchscreen or mouse, which never feels as clean as SteamOS. Second, it is expensive at £799.99, a clear step up from the Steam Deck. Neither undermines the hardware, which is excellent, but they are the price of choosing power and flexibility over simplicity.
Best for: the player who wants the highest frame rate and the flexibility of full Windows, and will manage the interface to get them. Not the pick if you want the easiest experience and best efficiency (try the Steam Deck OLED) or are on a budget (try the Steam Deck LCD).
It is more powerful: the ROG Ally X hit 58 fps in our Cyberpunk test against the Steam Deck OLED's 46, and its 120 Hz 1080p screen is sharper. But it runs Windows, which is clunkier on a handheld, and it costs £799.99 against the Deck's £569. For raw frames the Ally X wins; for an easier, more efficient experience the Steam Deck OLED is the better buy for most people.
Much improved over the original Ally thanks to a large 80 Wh battery. In our demanding Cyberpunk test it lasted 2 hours 35 minutes, and with lighter games or a capped frame rate we saw 4 to 5 hours. It is the best-lasting AMD-powered Windows handheld here, though the SteamOS Decks still edge it on pure efficiency.
Yes. Because it runs full Windows 11, the Xbox app and PC Game Pass work exactly as they do on a laptop, as do Steam, Epic, GOG and every other PC storefront. This flexibility is the main reason to choose a Windows handheld over a Steam Deck.
The original ROG Ally had a well-publicised fault where the SD card slot could overheat and kill cards. Asus redesigned the slot and thermals on the Ally X, moving it away from the hottest components, and we saw no issues across our testing. It is a far more reliable design than the first model.
The ROG Ally X is the most powerful handheld on this test and the best Windows device for raw performance: 58 fps in our Cyberpunk run with no throttling, a sharp 120 Hz screen and a big 80 Wh battery that holds up well. The catch is Windows, which remains awkward to drive on a handheld, and a £799.99 price that the cheaper, simpler Steam Deck OLED undercuts comfortably. If frames and flexibility are what you want, the Ally X delivers; if you would rather have the easiest, most efficient handheld, the Deck is the better buy. For an even more battery-efficient Windows option, see the MSI Claw 8, and read our buying guide before you choose.