Asus Announces New ROG Ally X Gaming Handheld

Asus announced yesterday a refreshed version of its ROG Ally handheld gaming console, the ROG Ally X. The new Windows-based gaming handheld keeps the AMD Ryzen Z1 APU as the original model, but Asus has improved the storage capacity, the RAM, the battery, and the overall design of the device.

“The ROG Ally X features a redesigned chassis in a brand-new black colorway, with slightly deeper handles and a more rounded shape for improved comfort, without adding much thickness to the device,” Asus explained in the press release. “The buttons and sticks are arranged in a slightly more ergonomic angle, with a slant to the triggers that makes them easier to press.”

Under the hood, the Asus ROG Ally X now comes with up 1TB of storage instead of 512GB, 24 GB LPDDR5X-7500 RAM, and an 80 Wh battery, which is double the capacity of the original ROG Ally. Asus has also tweaked the thermal profile of the device and added a third vent to make the fans push up to 24% more air. Asus claimed that the device’s 120hz 1080p panel should be up to 6° cooler to the touch thanks to the improved thermals.

On the connectivity front, the ROG Ally now comes with two USB-C ports on the top including one Thunderbolt 4 port, and an SD card reader to increase storage. There’s also an M.2 2280 port inside allowing users to upgrade the internal SSD easily.

The ROG Ally X is available for pre-order for $799 on Best Buy, and it will start shipping on July 22. Even though Asus didn’t change the processor and display, the rest of the upgrades appear to be really solid.