ROG Xbox Ally X - a PC Gamer’s Perspective

Quick Overview

The ROG Xbox Ally X is a clear step up for PC gamers who accept non-subsidized PC pricing and value extended 1080p battery life over the original Ally, but the lower-spec NonX model is a massive disappointment priced too high compared to the Steam Deck.

Key Points: The ROG Xbox Ally X provides significantly better real-world play time in the 1080p gaming sweet spot, yielding similar performance to the older Ally X but at a lower 17-watt power profile, offering more hours from the same 80Wh battery. The Ally X features the new AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme CPU (8-core, 16-thread, 16 cores RDNA 3.5 graphics) and starts at $999 with 24GB LPDDR5 memory and a second Thunderbolt 4 compliant USB-C port. The Xbox Ally NonX uses an older Z2A chip, essentially a minor update to the original Steam Deck's processor (Zen 2/RDNA 2), which the reviewer deems a massive disappointment, especially at its $600 price point. The Xbox full screen experience software is surprisingly polished for launch, offering memory savings (2GB reclaimed) and console-like features like shutdown confirmation and near Quick Resume, though it still suffers from distinctly Windows issues like Steam pop-ups. A major caveat for both devices is that the vast majority of the old Xbox digital game library will not run on this device because it is essentially a Windows 11 mode, leading to the question: "how is this an Xbox then?" Ergonomically, the Ally X improves comfort significantly, featuring better thumb sticks and grips, although the angled screen's usefulness depends on the user's posture, and the flipped menu buttons are inconvenient. The Ally X charges very quickly, reaching full charge in just over 90 minutes compared to the LCD Steam Deck's 3 hours, and achieves an average temperature of just 69° even when peaking at 90° under heavy load.

Context: The video reviews the new ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X and the lower-spec Xbox Ally NonX, handheld gaming PCs that run Windows 11 but feature prominent Xbox branding and a new 'Xbox full screen experience' overlay. The reviewer approaches the device from a PC gamer's perspective, comparing it against the original ROG Ally and the Steam Deck, focusing on hardware, performance, and the confusing branding strategy by Microsoft and ASUS.