ROG Xbox Ally Review: Great to Hold, Hard to Justify
6/10 — ASUS ROG Xbox Ally
Pros
- The same excellent controller-style grips as the Ally X
- Sharp, smooth 1080p 120Hz screen with VRR
- Good battery life in lighter games
- Xbox full-screen experience makes Windows usable
Cons
- Ryzen Z2 A chip is roughly Steam Deck-level
- Too expensive for its performance at £499 / US$599
- 16GB RAM and 512GB storage feel stingy
- Struggles with demanding modern games
The ROG Xbox Ally is the cheaper of Asus and Microsoft’s two Xbox-branded handhelds. On the outside, it looks almost identical to the flagship Ally X, with the same comfortable grips and the same 7-inch screen. Inside, it’s a very different machine, and that’s where its problems begin.
Design
The Ally’s best quality is how it feels in your hands. The sculpted, controller-style grips make it more comfortable than most rival handhelds for long sessions, and it’s a little lighter than the Ally X. The 7-inch, 1080p, 120Hz IPS screen is sharp and bright, and variable refresh rate helps smooth out frame rate dips.
Performance
The trouble is the AMD Ryzen Z2 A chip. It’s based on an older, more modest design, and in testing reviewers found it performs roughly in line with the Steam Deck. That’s a device that launched years earlier and costs a lot less. It’s fine for indie games, older titles and lighter modern games, often with settings turned down, but demanding new releases are a struggle. Pair that with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD and it feels underpowered for the price.
Software and battery
Like the Ally X, it runs Windows 11 with Microsoft’s Xbox full-screen experience on top, which brings your games from different PC stores into one console-style launcher and frees up resources. Because the chip is less power hungry, battery life is good in lighter games, and some reviewers managed more than five hours with careful settings.
Verdict
The ROG Xbox Ally is comfortable, has a great screen and makes PC gaming on the go feel more like using a console. But at £499 (US$599), its performance is hard to justify when the Steam Deck delivers similar results for less, and the Ally X is so much more capable. If you can find it heavily discounted, and mostly play older or indie games, it’s a pleasant handheld. Otherwise, save up for the Ally X or look elsewhere.
