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ASUS announced the ROG Ally X on June 2, 2024, as a hardware refresh of its handheld gaming PC—not a new processor generation. The X keeps the Ryzen Z1 Extreme but adds more memory, a larger SSD and a battery ASUS says has double the previous model’s capacity. Original Ally owners got a different benefit: Armoury Crate SE 1.5 was announced for both devices, bringing new software features without changing the original Ally’s hardware.
ROG Ally X versus the original Ally: announced specifications
The figures below compare ASUS’s launch-era original Ally Z1 Extreme with the Ally X announced in June 2024. They are manufacturer-published specifications and claims, not independent performance or battery-life test results.
| Feature | Original ROG Ally Z1 Extreme | ROG Ally X |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme. ASUS also offered the original Ally with a lower-tier Ryzen Z1. ASUS’s 2023 launch announcement | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, retained from the original Z1 Extreme model. ASUS’s June 2024 announcement |
| Memory | 16 GB LPDDR5. ASUS’s 2023 launch announcement | 24 GB LPDDR5X-7500. ASUS’s June 2024 announcement |
| Internal storage | 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD. ASUS’s 2023 launch announcement | 1 TB M.2 2280 SSD. ASUS’s June 2024 announcement |
| Battery | Capacity not stated in the cited original launch announcement. | 80 Wh. ASUS described this as double the capacity of the previous model; that comparison does not establish gaming runtime. ASUS’s June 2024 announcement |
| Weight | Reference point for ASUS’s comparison. | 70 g more than the original Ally, according to ASUS. ASUS’s June 2024 announcement |
| Chassis and controls | Original Ally design. | Revised grips, joysticks, D-pad and face buttons, plus a black finish. ASUS’s June 2024 announcement |
| USB-C connectivity | Included an XG Mobile connector. | Two USB-C ports; ASUS identified one as Thunderbolt-compatible, and its comparison describes USB4 speeds and Thunderbolt device support. This does not guarantee compatibility with every dock or external GPU. ASUS’s June 2024 announcement and ASUS’s comparison |
What original Ally owners got: Armoury Crate SE 1.5
In July 2024, ASUS announced Armoury Crate Special Edition 1.5 as a centralized hub for both the ROG Ally and Ally X. The original Ally’s software benefit was therefore separate from the X’s hardware upgrades.
- A more console-like interface, with library views, search and favorites.
- Per-game profiles, including options to import and export profiles.
- Gyro support and a manual-mode TDP slider.
- Calibration tools and a centralized place for BIOS and driver updates.
These are features ASUS listed for the 2024 software announcement, not a statement about the current software version or present-day update status. Armoury Crate SE 1.5 does not add the X’s battery, memory, SSD or revised physical controls to the original Ally. ASUS’s Armoury Crate SE 1.5 announcement
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Is the Ally X a major performance upgrade?
ASUS kept the Ryzen Z1 Extreme, so the announcement does not describe a move to a new processor generation. The X’s higher-capacity and faster-specified memory, larger SSD and changed cooling are hardware differences, but ASUS’s cited announcements do not provide independent comparative benchmarks or measured battery-runtime results. The specifications alone cannot establish a particular frame-rate increase or number of hours of play.
The larger battery capacity is a meaningful change on paper, while the 70 g increase is a portability trade-off stated by ASUS. The 1 TB M.2 2280 SSD also uses a more common drive form factor than the original Ally’s launch configuration; anyone considering a replacement drive still needs to check compatibility with the specific device and part.
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- 💾 24GB LPDDR5X RAM & 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD: Equipped with 24GB high-speed LPDDR5X onboard memory and a 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD for lightning-fast boot times, quick game loading, and seamless multitasking across demanding applications.
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What that means if you already own an Ally
The case for considering the X is strongest if its combination of greater announced battery capacity, more memory, twice the launch-era built-in storage, revised controls or expanded USB-C connectivity addresses a specific need. Those advantages must be weighed against the added weight, and the cited material does not establish how much longer it lasts in games or how much faster games run.
If your main interest is the 2024 Armoury Crate improvements, ASUS announced those for the original Ally too. That software update offered new library and control features without requiring an Ally X, but it did not turn the original device into the X’s hardware configuration.
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- [Xbox experience brought to life by ROG] : The Xbox gaming legacy meets ROG's decades of premium hardware design in the ROG Xbox Ally. Boot straight into the Xbox experience just like a console.
- [Xbox Game Bar integration] : Launch Game Bar with a tap of the Xbox button or play your favorite titles natively from platforms like Xbox Game Pass, Steam, Epic Games, or Windows games on the go.
- [All your games, all your progress]: Powered by Windows 11, the ROG Xbox Ally gives you access to your full library of PC games from Xbox and other game stores. With Xbox Play Anywhere, you can pick up right where you left off on your PC or Xbox and jump back into the game anytime.
- [Never stop gaming]: Powered by ultra-efficient AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, the ROG Xbox Ally offers console-caliber performance and can game for hours, even away from a wall outlet.
- [Game-ready storage and fast memory]: Store your full library and multitask seamlessly with 512GB SSD and 16GB of LPDDR5 6400MHz RAM. The ROG Xbox Ally makes playing any game in the palm of your hand possible.
ASUS’s original 2023 announcement listed US$699 as the US launch price for the original Ally Z1 Extreme. That is historical launch pricing, not a current price, and the cited sources do not establish the Ally X’s current retail price or availability. ASUS’s original Ally announcement
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- [Xbox experience brought to life by ROG] : The Xbox gaming legacy meets ROG's decades of premium hardware design in the ROG Xbox Ally. Boot straight into the Xbox experience just like a console.
- [Xbox Game Bar integration] : Launch Game Bar with a tap of the Xbox button or play your favorite titles natively from platforms like Xbox Game Pass, Steam, Epic Games, or Windows games on the go.
- [All your games, all your progress]: Powered by Windows 11, the ROG Xbox Ally gives you access to your full library of PC games from Xbox and other game stores. With Xbox Play Anywhere, you can pick up right where you left off on your PC or Xbox and jump back into the game anytime.
- [Never stop gaming]: Powered by ultra-efficient AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, the ROG Xbox Ally offers console-caliber performance and can game for hours, even away from a wall outlet.
- [Game-ready storage and fast memory]: Store your full library and multitask seamlessly with 1TB SSD and 16GB of LPDDR5 6400MHz RAM. The ROG Xbox Ally makes playing any game in the palm of your hand possible.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
