2024-07-24 09:15:41
After the first mobile console with very interesting promises, Asus has no intention of stopping and recently introduced its new ROG Ally X. We were able to try it for several days to give you our test.
Finally
If you’ve walked by a store like Fnac in recent months, you may have already come across the ROG Ally. This console launched by Asus in 2023 clearly ignores the Steam Deck area in order to conquer the portable console market. If the latter benefits from significant advantages (especially distribution in stores), unfortunately we are against the Valve console which is generally more beautiful.
However, Asus does not intend to stop there and presents its ROG Ally X with one watchword: power. Still equipped with the AMD Z1 Extreme processor, the new Asus console has a better battery and more RAM to run your favorite games… For a higher price. A game bet? This is what we will see immediately.
Editor’s Note: This test was conducted entirely using copy taken by the brand.
A few revisions and design improvements
Those familiar with the first ROG Ally model will quickly notice the differences with this new generation. Equipped with a much more “round” case, ROG Ally. There are also four buttons dedicated to the home console interface, “Armory Crate” but also to all the options already found on the first model in 2023.
The ROG Ally X (top) is slightly larger than the Steam Deck. ©Linternaute / Julian Madiot
In terms of handling, the ROG Ally X stands out on two fronts: its new, more resistant joysticks and the grip on the back of the console. The latter allows us to hold the console securely without ever removing it from our hands, even during particularly difficult game processes. Joysticks, for their part, are also fun to use and precise. Asus announces that it has also strengthened the resistance of the latter which will now support 5 million cycles (compared to 2 million for the 2023 model).
There is nothing to complain about in terms of the weight of the raised ROG Ally handles” without fear of a weight in the arms.
The handle of the ROG Ally X is pleasant in the hand and contributes to a good grip. ©Linternaute / Julian Madiot
On the connectivity side, say hello to two new USB-C ports on the top edge of the console. However, the latter are not the same because Asus has equipped its ROG Ally X with a UBC-C Type 4 port, a standard that has been around for several years now and which allows a better connection speed. The first ROG Ally model has been seriously under fire following the poor management of the console’s heat which made the SD cards not work from a heat. We can bet that this new layout, with a better console cooling system, will correct this error.
Significantly increased performance
Although ROG Ally. We tested the ROG Ally X next to a Steam Deck (Classic) and here are our results:
| Test game | Average FPS (Asus ROG Ally X) | FPS Moyens (Steam Deck) | Species quality |
|---|---|---|---|
So we noticed a real difference in performance between the two devices. The ROG Ally performed the Steam Deck on all the games we tested during our test week, and given their price difference, this tends to convince us.
Games like Elden Ring run well on the ROG Ally X. © Linternaute / Julian Madiot
In addition to the raw performance, we must also praise the heat management on the new Asus console. Even with games pushing hard on their graphics, ROG Ally doesn’t build its fans fast enough to hear them fully. If the console can sometimes be blown, this is anecdotal compared to the fans of the Steam Deck which can sometimes be very noisy.
Let’s also talk about the sound of the ROG Ally X. In its official press release, Asus just indicated that it has added more powerful speakers compared to the 2023 model without further details. The difference is felt immediately even though the audio performance of the old generation has been praised. Put side by side with the Steam Deck, the difference is even more noticeable. Hats off to Asus.
The console is still limited to Windows 11 for better and for worse
One of the biggest differences between the Asus ROG Ally X and the Steam Deck is the operating system. The Asus console runs on Windows 11, which will allow more “ordinary” users to find their way more easily on the desktop interface of the Asus console than on Steam, which is limited to Linux by default.
The “Armory Crate” pass allows you to display a lot of practical information such as the number of FPS in the game © Linternaute / Julian Madiot
During our testing of the 2023 model, we suffered from many bugs and crashes that came from the OS or from Asus’ in-house game overlay, “Armory Crate”. The latter forced us to restart the console several times in order to play the game successfully.
Fortunately, all of this seems to be a distant memory. During the entire week of our testing, we did not notice any issues with the Asus ROG Ally Ally X giving us complete satisfaction.
Let us congratulate you on the secret “Armor Crate”. The latter is full of options to activate or deactivate according to your needs and is fully customizable with the features you want to be fast when you are gaming in particular, it is possible to control the energy consumption of the console to share more or less power (and affect its performance), but to show different terminals to monitor the performance of the console. There is also an option to limit the FPS of your games up to 120 FPS, but we wish you luck finding a title capable of running beyond such a limit.
But the only problem with Asus ROG Ally ROG Ally can be confusing at times. The latter may not require some modifications to install certain games or use peripherals. If Microsoft is constantly making more efforts to make Windows compatible with Video Games, there is still some way to go. However, if you prefer the Windows environment – which makes sense – we still recommend the ROG Ally X.
Double suspension and one of the best on the market
When the Asus ROG Ally was released in 2023, many users and journalists expressed their disappointment with the autonomy of the console. In our test published in June 2023, we were still disappointed in being able to do large titles for 2 or 3 hours.
Asus seems to have listened to criticism once again by deciding to double the battery of the portable console and go from 40 to 80 W. The increase which is evident during the various tests where the Asus ROG Ally 4 hours on the graphics intensive games like Elden Ring, Helldivers 2 or The Witcher 3. Less demanding titles like Zenless Zone Zero or NEO The World Ends With You are also able to follow us for 5 hours! As a result, the Asus ROG Ally X becomes one of the portable consoles with the best freedom on the market (along with the Nintendo Switch OLED, but the latter does not play in the same league).
Asus ROG Ally X is full of small ergonomic options. ©Linternaute / Julian Madiot
Another good news is that Asus provides a charger with its new ROG Ally X. The latter has a power of 65 W, which is the maximum power of … Previous generations. Indeed, the new ROG Ally X is compatible with 100 W chargers, and it’s a bit of a shame not to have one supplied. The 65 W charger, however, is very useful and allows you to charge the console quickly.
Our conclusion to the test of the Asus ROG Ally
Is the new Asus ROG Ally X better than the Steam Deck? We will be tempted to answer yes in the face of our tests and the feelings of our other colleagues in the specialized publications. Asus seems to have listened to all the criticisms made to the first generation of the console to correct them one by one. A faulty SD card slot? It is replaced on ROG Ally X. Really total autonomy? The latter are doubled on the ROG Ally X. A bit more regular performance? ROG Ally X benefits from more RAM.
As it stands, the ROG Ally X is therefore one of the best mobile consoles on the market. But is it worth the 900 euros that Asus is asking? This kind of price makes it close to a small gaming PC and the Steam Deck OLED, in the highest configuration, is 220 euros cheaper. So we can strongly advise you to invest in ROG Ally X if its price suits you and the Windows 11 environment doesn’t bother you.
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