I can’t believe I want to Buy an XBOX.... - XBOX ALLY X Unboxing

Quick Overview

The ROG Ally X is a significant upgrade over the original ROG Ally, featuring a larger 80Wh battery (up from 60Wh), a faster AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor (8-core, 16-thread vs. Z2A's 4-core, 8-thread), and an RDNA 3.5 integrated GPU with 16 cores, all while maintaining the same 7" 120Hz FHD IPS display and a similar physical design, though it is slightly heavier at 719g compared to the original's 672g.

Key Points: The ROG XBOX ALLY X features an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor (8-core, 16-thread) compared to the original Ally's Z2A (4-core, 8-thread). The Ally X upgrades the battery capacity to 80Wh, significantly larger than the original Ally's 60Wh battery. The Ally X integrates an RDNA 3.5 Integrated GPU with 16 cores, an improvement over the original's RDNA 2 Integrated GPU (8 cores). Both devices share the same 7" FHD (1080p) IPS display with 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The Ally X is slightly heavier, weighing 719g compared to the original Ally's 672g. The Ally X includes a dedicated Xbox button on the face buttons cluster and features improved, grippier rumble motors in the triggers and handles. The Ally X's IO ports include one USB4 Type-C port (Thunderbolt 4 compatible) and one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, an improvement over the original's two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports (one of which supported DP 2.1/PD 3.0).

Context: This video provides an unboxing and initial comparison between the original ASUS ROG Ally handheld gaming PC and the newly announced ROG XBOX ALLY X. The host skips the full setup process for the white Ally, as he had previously reviewed it, focusing instead on the physical differences, included accessories, and the key internal specification upgrades found in the black Ally X model, particularly the processor, battery, and port configuration.

Detailed Analysis

The video unboxes the new black ROG XBOX ALLY X and compares it directly to the original white ROG XBOX ALLY. The host notes that the Ally X packaging is similar but black, and it includes a 65W charger and a useful kickstand, which he praises as a nice inclusion that was missing from the original Ally's packaging. The host points out that the Ally X features detachable grips that are more comfortable and grippy than the original's, and the rear shell features detailed ROG branding with a textured pattern. Physically, the Ally X is slightly heavier (719g vs. 672g) but retains the same 7" 1080p 120Hz IPS display. The major internal upgrades are the CPU, which moves from the AMD Ryzen Z2A (4-core, 8-thread) in the Ally to the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme (8-core, 16-thread) in the Ally X, and the GPU, which upgrades from RDNA 2 (8 cores) to RDNA 3.5 (16 cores). The battery is also significantly larger at 80Wh versus the original's 60Wh. A key IO upgrade is that one of the USB-C ports on the Ally X is now USB4 Type-C and Thunderbolt 4 compatible, while the original only had USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports. The host demonstrates that the Ally X boots directly into the Xbox app interface, bypassing the Windows desktop initially, providing a smoother user experience compared to the original. Performance testing in Skate shows the Ally X running much smoother, achieving around 80-90 FPS at 720p low settings, compared to the original's 60-75 FPS at the same settings, demonstrating the significant power increase from the new chip.