NvidiaAmpere, 40 SMs, up to 1.72 GHz, up to 17.6 TFLOPS (ROG XG Mobile 2021 eGPU) (RTX 3070 Laptop/Mobile) NvidiaAmpere, 48 SMs, up to 1.81 GHz, up to 22.2 TFLOPS (ROG XG Mobile 2021 eGPU) (RTX 3080 Laptop/Mobile) AMDRDNA 2, 40 CUs, up to 2.58 GHz, up to 13.2 TFLOPS (ROG XG Mobile 2022 eGPU) (RX 6850M XT) NvidiaAda Lovelace, 76 SMs, up to 2.58 GHz, up to 50.1 TFLOPS (ROG XG Mobile 2023 eGPU) (RTX 4090 Laptop/Mobile) ~$ 1200-$2000 (price varies by ROG XG Mobile model) (ROG XG Mobile compatible with ROG Flow X13(GV301/GV302) /ROG Flow Z13(GZ301)/ROG Flow X16(GV601)/ROG Ally (RC71L-ALLY.Z1_512/RC71L-ALLY.Z1X_512)
(Ally models only) or 1x USB-C port with Thundebolt 4, USB4 & DisplayPort 1.4 alt-modes & Power Delivery 3.0 & 1x USB-C port with USB 3.2 Gen 2 & DisplayPort 1.4 alt-modes & Power Delivery 3.0 (Ally X models only) (with 3rd Party eGPU support)
Power
TYPE-C, 65W (Ally) or 140W GaN (Ally X) AC Adapter & Charger , Output: 20V DC, 3.25A, 65W, Input: 100~240V AC 50/60Hz universal 40 WhLithium-ion battery 4S1P, 4-cell (Ally) 80 WhLithium-ion battery 4S1P, 4-cell (Ally X)
Dimensions
280×111×212~324 mm(Ally) 280x111x247~369 mm (Ally X)
Asus began developing a handheldgaming computer in 2018 to compete with handheld computers such as the GPD Win 2.[2] Development slowed down over the next few years but was accelerated after Valve's 2021 announcement of the Steam Deck, which quickly led to a renewed public interest in handheld gaming computers.[3] The device was announced on April 1, 2023, leading many to believe it was an April Fools' Day prank,[4] with Asus clarifying its legitimacy three days later.[5]
Asus revealed the ROG Ally's release date, technical specifications and price on June 11, 2023. Two models were announced, one retailing for US$599 and implementing a Ryzen Z1 Processor, and another retailing for US$699 and implementing a Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor.[6] The latter was released on June 13, 2023, and the former was released during the third quarter of 2023.[7] At Computex 2024, Asus announced the ROG Ally X, an updated Z1 Extreme model with 1 TB of NVMe storage using an M.2 2280 slot instead of M.2 2230, 24 GB of LPDDR5X-7500 RAM, a larger battery, and other improvements, retailing for US$799.[8]
Hardware
The ROG Ally implements an AMD APU, based on AMD's Zen 4 and RDNA 3 architectures. Two different models of the ROG Ally were released, one with a Ryzen Z1 processor and another with a Ryzen Z1 Extreme.[9] The Z1 CPU runs a six-core/twelve-thread unit and the Z1 GPU runs on four compute units with a total estimated performance of 2.56 TFLOPS.[10] The Z1 Extreme CPU runs an eight-core/sixteen-thread unit while its GPU runs on twelve compute units at an estimate of 8.6 teraflops. Both processors use variable timing frequencies, with the Z1 running between 3.2 and 4.9 GHz and the Z1 Extreme running between 3.3 and 5.1 GHz. The main unit of the Ally is designed for handheld use. It features a 7-inch touchscreen LCD display with a 1080p resolution and variable refresh rate that goes from 48Hz up to 120 Hz.[11] Controls resemble those of an Xbox Wireless Controller, including two thumbsticks, a directional pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, two shoulder buttons on each side, and two configurable buttons on the back of the unit.[12]
The initial response to the ROG Ally was mixed. Tony Polanco of Tom's Guide described it as "solid but imperfect", complimenting its display and ergonomics but criticizing performance and battery life.[19] In contrast to Polanco's review, Sean Hollister of The Verge praised the device's performance but criticized Asus' choice of Windows 11 as an operating system, calling Windows "largely foreign" on a handheld form-factor.[14] Writing for Eurogamer, Richard Leadbetter wrote: "Various issues conspire to lend the impression that the ROG Ally isn't fully baked quite yet, while the Windows underpinnings may well be a limiting factor that may never be overcome."[20]
A criticism highlighted by multiple reviews is the battery life. Hollister reported a 53-minute battery life playing The Last of Us Part I on the 25W TDP profile, while Kevin Purdy of Ars Technica measured an 88-minute life playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on the 15W profile.[21] Writing for Windows Central, Rebecca Spear described battery life as "pretty atrocious",[22] while Anyron Copeman of Tech Advisor commented that the device's fast 65W charging capability makes up for its poor battery life.[23]
Controversy
In May 2024, YouTube tech channel Gamers Nexus sent a ROG Ally in for warranty repair due to a faulty thumbstick. Asus denied the warranty repair, claiming that the thumbstick issue was due to "customer-induced damage". Furthermore, Asus demanded a repair fee of US$191.47 for replacement of the LCD panel and the top case because of a "small mark" on the casing, despite it not being related to the original issue that the device was sent in under warranty for. Asus also stated that it would send the device back to Gamers Nexus in a "disassembled state" if it did not pay the repair fee.[24] Several days later, Asus honoured the warranty and performed the repair of the original issue under pressure from Gamers Nexus,[24] as well as subsequently apologised for the poor service.[25][26]
Notes
^Zen 4 with 4 nm process, 6-cores/12-threads, 22 MB cache, up to 4.90 GHz boost
^Zen 4 with 4 nm process, 8-cores/16-threads, 24 MB cache, up to 5.10 GHz boost
^Only when utilizing dual-issue instructions; de facto performance ~1.28 TFLOPS
^Only when utilizing dual-issue instructions; de facto performance ~4.14 TFLOPS
