The New ROG Ally X Fixes the Handheld Console’s Biggest Issue

Asus has announced the ROG Ally X, the successor to 2023’s ROG Ally. It boasts several improvements, but arguably one of the best changes is its increased battery capacity.

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The ROG Ally X Doubles The Original’s Battery Capacity

Announced at Computex 2024, the ROG Ally X improves the original handheld’s formula in many ways. One of the biggest differences is its battery capacity, which has been doubled. Rather than the 40Wh batteryfeatured on the ROG Ally , the ROG Ally X includes an 80Wh battery.

Battery life was one of the biggest pain points for owners of the original ROG Ally, with the console lasting about 1.5 hours for AAA games. The increased battery capacity on the ROG Ally X means you will see a significant boost to its battery life, depending on how the other upgrades affect power usage. But with the same display and Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU, the improved battery life is a major bonus.

Since portability is a major selling point for handhelds and one of thekey considerations when buying a handheld console , the improved battery life will give owners of the device more freedom of movement, for longer. After all, if you’re constantly tethered to a power outlet, you’re missing out on one of the biggest advantages of the handheld format.

Other ROG Ally X Improvements

Asus

The battery capacity is not the only improvement seen with the ROG Ally X. Asus has also improved the handheld console’s RAM, storage, design, and thermals.

It features up to 24GB of LPDDR5X-7500 RAM, along with a 1TB SSD. In terms of cooling, the console houses smaller fans with thinner fan blades to help improve airflow. This translates to 24% more air volume flowing through the device, according to Asus. This improved airflow results in the display being up to 6 degrees Celsius cooler than its predecessor.

You may also notice that the chassis has undergone a redesign, most notably the new black colorway. Asus introduced the new color based on feedback from customers. The company has also replaced the XG Mobile port with two USB-C ports (one of which is Thunderbolt), improving compatibility with third-party docks.

These improvements do, however, come with a higher price tag. The console is available for pre-order from theAsus online store at $799.99. The original ROG Ally Z1 Extreme was launched at $699.99.

While the improvements may not necessarily make you switch from a ROG Ally to a ROG Ally X, the new features and hardware definitely make it an appealing option in a competitive handheld market.

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