Customer Ratings & Reviews

Overall good and interesting portable system. I bought one for my trip over the summer and am so glad I did for the long plane ride and down time while I was there. Pros: Lightweight Screen resolution Expandable storage Ergonomic ( I've never used controller since i started gaming 9 years ago, so take that into consideration) Since it's windows based, any games you have on your favorite game store is available. Cool lights Cons: Storage space: if it were to be used only as a gaming system the 512 GB might be enough. If you want to use it as a computer, you'll need to buy micro SD cards or upgrade the SSD in order to have enough space. Minor software bugs that still need to be fixed: Power button sometimes does not wake up device from sleep, I've noticed this mostly when I place the device to charge. Only way to fix is to unplug charger and replug so the screen turns on. Games will stay in windows control mode when the device has been asleep for a period of time with the game open. Only way to fix this is to restart the game. Sound crackle, some games don't like the Dolby atmosphere for build in speakers. I've only tried hogwarts legacy so far. Meh: Batterylife: You can expect to get about 1hour 30 min- 2 hours of gameplay on performance mode in most games with a full battery and the cool lights turned off. Considering the size and weight of the Ally I wouldn't say it's a negative.

The display is great- clear, colorful, and super smooth at 120Hz. Everything looks great on it, whether I’m gaming, streaming, or browsing. Sadly it seems that getting external output at 4K 120 is difficult. So far I haven't been able to find a solution. Not so much for gaming since obviously this isn't a 4k gaming system, however it's really difficult to go back to a 60hz desktop, and this system is powerful enough to be a really impressive little desktop. But as a handheld gaming system, there are some major issues. The analog sticks have big deadzones, which range from being annoying to downright unplayable depending on the game. They make accuracy impossible. It is not a good experience. The battery life is abysmal compared to a system like the Switch. It's more suited to being a system you take with you for its portability so you can plug it in when you get there and play.

I'm incredibly impressed overall. If the device didn't have any hiccups, it would definitely be a 5 star review. Unfortunately, my first one was defective and had to be swapped, and apparently the entire batch has a chance for the sd card reader to fail and take your card with it, so it's currently not advised to use an sd card until Asus figures that out. I would also have liked for there to be a 32GB version, since it is a gaming pc with shared memory. 4GB VRAM is not enough for modern games, and if you bump it to 8, that only leaves you 8 for system memory which cuts it really close. 8 VRAM and 24 system would be so much more comfortable. It seems to work with any usb C dock that can take a 100W charger. I've been using mine like a console docked to my TV when at home and it works great. Upgrading the nvme drive is super easy as long as you use a 2230, mine is now 2tb internal storage no issues. Some folks have modded theirs to fit a 2280, and it fits, but i would not recommend as that will void any warranty or protection you have. Performance is really good, all things considered. Best handheld performance I've seen. Lightweight and comfortable to hold for long sessions. I would say best handheld on the market, but not until the hardware issues and Asus's QC get sorted out. If you don't mind a little hassle to get the best, grab the Ally. If you want to just get up and go without any fuss, the Steam Deck is still the better option for that. For now.

Pros: beautiful display, lightweight design, and reasonably cool temps even when running the most demanding titles. Wifi 6E onboard makes cloud streaming a great option if you want to save space on your local drive. Windows OS is quite snappy on this device. Cons: i wish the battery life were a bit better. Hopefully this will improve with firmware updates! Im sorry to hear that many prople have had some manufacturing issues with their device and have had to return it. However that has not been the story for me.

If you’re someone who really likes handheld gaming and is looking into getting into the PC side of gaming, the Ally is perfect for you. Had mine for a month now and I love it. I’ve had no issues with playing any title on this so far. The Ally is very user friendly and you can get to know how to use it no problem. The only complaint I know is of the micro sd card slot overheating and burning out, but if you upgrade SSD it takes care of that issue. So storage could be an issue for some depending and how much you download. Unfortunate but not the worst thing ever. Still recommend this to anyone.

This was my upgrade from a Gameboy & return to Windows after 20 years. Good news is Win11 is a lot more solid than Win7 & Win10. What were dealbreakers for me is joystick drift, a non functional SD card reader (nuked a high endurance card designed for high temps), intermittent screen blanking on my external USB-C monitor. Short battery was expected. I like the form factor - it is comfortable in my hands - using Windows on 7" makes me squint so I am ultimately returning this for a Legion Go: hall effect joysticks, bigger screen, easily replaceable controllers, same Z1X, kickstand, two USB4 ports & build quality I expect from Lenovo. If ASUS simply offered a $100-200 rebate on an Ally X to address all the issues & lack of features, I would have stuck w ASUS. As it stands, it was a good experience while it lasted.

This one of THE BEST purchases I’ve made in a long time. My boyfriend got me into gaming a year ago and I love it. Still just a casual gamer but I went from XBOX to PC. Recently, I have been having issues with games crashing and have been trying to fix it. But in the mean time I got one of these to game and bed, on the go and during my lunch break. It’s AMAZING, I even connected my wireless keyboard and mouse for InZOI. The only thing is it doesn’t have a great battery life so keep your charger on hand or get a battery pack.

Open box is a 5 star. Best Buy has done really well with giving us the consumer great/better then new items at a huge discount. Asus rogue Alley is really a dream come true. I know when I was a kid I used to wish for something like this. It runs AAA games but unfortunately not on ultra or sometimes even medium settings is to much. It does run Windows 11, which can be buggy slightly at times the battery does die pretty quick, so it does become a stationary item for the most part. Out of the box I usually have it at low settings at 720P instead of 1080P for the smoother experience. The screen is only 7” so the 720 isn’t hard to look at it works for it. It does cloud gaming really well. It’s also a very awesome retro emulator with upscaling to 1080p. This device makes me excited for the future. So Is it worth buying? Yes and no. For how powerful, beautiful, sturdy Xbox style controller to the compact on the go convenience it is worth $699. I personally really do like it. The Concept is amazing for me because I just had neck surgery. The only reason I would tell someone to pass on it would be you can get a laptop for the same to a little extra in price and have a smoother gaming experience.

As an ROG fanboy I have their 4090, their latest $1,000 Extreme motherboard (despite flaws), their Hyperion case, etc, etc. and when I saw the original April Fools trailer I hoped it would be a real product and naturally preordered. Having a baby, I thought this would be a good way to sneak my fix in which accessibility. You log in with the fingerprint reader fast and are instantly greeted with Asus's Armory Crate software...that's kind zof where it ends. A hiccup here or there will encourage you to update drivers, bios, or Windows which then leads to other things needing an update and a restart too- which then begets another thing needing an update and a restart. I just want to get into a stinking game for 20 minutes and instead I spend over 30 updating and resetting. And then the fun boat sets sail without me...but that's assuming everything works as intended. The SD card was fine at first but after a daisychain of updates and resets, all of the sudden things started happening- games take to long to load if at all, touch screen stops working, windows stops responding, plugging in the power or the official HDMI adapter leads to blackscreens and then I notice ejecting the SD card "fixes" everything. I tried updating the firmware "successfully" through intel since the geniuses at Asus posted for the wrong OS and same issue. It cant be formatted because inserting it bogs the system down so this $200 accessory investment felt like a slightly worse investment than the $40 official travel case that doesnt even have room for the AC adapter on a device that runs out of juice in about 90 minutes of updates and system resets...or maybe the occasional game if it works right. That aside, if you get to play a game, it does run quite well if you're flexible with settings and have realistic expectations. Gears 5, Stray, some of the Yakuza games, Doom, Tekken 7, amon others ger ran quite well although with some much newer games you may need to adapt and make concessions. Lies of P looked pretty good but the frame rate wasn't cutting it for me but lowering the visuals made it too much an eyesore despite the added fluidity. Aside from the lack of features, Armoury Crate runs and looks pretty clean and smooth conpared to its PC brother and is well planned out. There can be a learning curve for getting the most out the user experience because there can be a lot to learn but if you're lazy you will get by as well but the only oddity I feel is that there's a secondary Asus app for additional system downloads- most importantly the Bios updates. The controls feel solid although a little unnatural if you're transitioning from a console controller. IF the hardware or software was perfect (I'm inclined to think the hardware issues stem from software), then my biggest wosh would be for a better adapted Windows experience as the standard mode can be very hard to read and navigation can be quite inaccurate unless you have a mouse set and/or use larger screen. I only tried using this on my large screen TV after buying the HDMI adapter to disappointment. At first the bloated-proce Raikiri controller needed drivers installed but even after that the UI was unusable while the Ally was plugged in. To reiterate a previous mention, you will want the generously long AC adapter or a portable battery handy because you will burn through the small battery FAST and thus kind of defeating the purpose if you're expecting true "Gaming on the go". This product has so much potential but so many flaws at the same time. If I didnt have these catastrophic issues woth stability then I can easily overlook issues like the short battery life. Otherwise, I spent $700+tax to play 3 hours of games and 20 hours of updates, rests, more updates and resets, and failed troubleshooting

The ROG Ally with the Ryzen Z1 Extreme is a very capable handheld gaming PC, especially if you want true Windows flexibility in a portable form. Performance is strong for its size—many modern games run surprisingly well, and the 120Hz 1080p screen is one of the best displays you’ll find on a handheld device. It’s sharp, smooth, and makes games look great. That said, it does come with trade-offs. Battery life can be short when playing demanding games, especially at higher performance modes. You’ll often need to lower settings or stay plugged in for longer sessions. Windows on a handheld also has a learning curve—Armoury Crate helps, but it’s still not as seamless as a console-style experience. Ergonomics are good, but extended play sessions can feel a bit uncomfortable compared to a standard controller. Storage is another limitation; 512GB fills up quickly with modern PC games, so an SD card or SSD upgrade is almost necessary. Overall, the ROG Ally is a great option for PC gamers who want portability and don’t mind tweaking settings. If you’re expecting a simple, console-like experience, this may not be the right choice—but if you value performance and flexibility, it delivers.

I gotta say the ROG Ally. God, I love this thing. Way better than the Switch for me, no question. Don’t get me wrong, the Switch has its place, but the Ally just hits different. The power you get in such a small device is insane. I can run full PC games on the go, something the Switch just can’t do. The screen is crisp, the refresh rate feels buttery smooth, and the whole experience just feels premium.

Exceeded expectations! Only call-out would be that the sd card reader frys the cards so don't even use it lol

This device is super powerful for being portable, it’s really impressive! Of course with high performance comes high battery drain, so even on the lowest power setting provided within Asus’s Armoury Crate control software for this device, you’ll maybe get 1.5-2 hours playing a lightweight game on Steam. I just bought a 65w 20000mAH power bank, which gives me a full recharge and a half, so i dont have to worry as much about battery life anymore. Armoury Crate started out kinda iffy but i can say it’s at least improved over the last few months. The microSD card reader problem is still prevalent in many earlier models, but upgrading the internal SSD is super super easy, so using an external microSD to increase permanent storage isn’t even that necessary! Overall i enjoy this device a lot, maybe even a little too much lol

This thing was so cool. I know a lot of people were expecting a console like experience, but at the end of the day this is a Windows computer. I’ve used only Windows my whole life and have built plenty of gaming PCs and I work IT in an enterprise environment so I went in to it understanding there would be typical michaelsoft binbows issues. Now, the fact that I was able to play Destiny 2 and FF7 at 1080p 60fps at like 18 watts blew my mind. The build quality was super good too. Unfortunately I had to return it…the single reason I’m giving it three stars is that my SD card reader died and apparently it’s a huge problem. I returned it because I didn’t know what other underlying issues there might be if the SD card issue is already apparent with the device having just been released. Maybe in the future I will buy another one, but for right now I will have to say that anyone wanting to buy one should wait for future revisions. :/

Fantastic gaming handheld! I deeply enjoyed playing on the go with the Ally. It's a fantastic gaming handheld with a much more useful profile for Game Pass games, and a wide rangs of multiplayer titles that get locked out of playing on Linux based handhelds (e.g. BF6/COD). Even AAA shooters run solidly on this delightful handheld. If you had told me 20 years ago I'd be playing *THESE* games on something this small, I'd have never believed it. The fact BG3 runs smoothly at medium settings for hours is such a marvel of engineering. highlights below: Pros: -Performance. HD2, COD, Diablo IV, BG3, etc. You name it, the Ally can play it. This is a screamingly fast handheld with the ability to play 98% of games very well and anywhere. outside of the absolute bleeding edge of AAAA games on high resolution, this will handle anything with apolomb in a tiny, compact package. =Superb value, especially given the Z1E CPU which handles nearly every game easily. Very responsive and buttery smooth 120hz screen with some of the best motion I've ever seen, frankly better than some entry level 4k60 tvs i've played on given the sheer pixel density and instant response time (resolution is nice, but jumping without tearing is better). -FANTASTIC ergonomics. This is very light and comfortable in the hand and plays better than any other PC handheld for long gaming sessions. Others were much heavier. Cons: Navigation on Windows: I don't love the no-touchpad approach on a Windows device, though recent software updates have made this MUCH easier and in line with the newer trackpad-based ones. The touchscreen is solid, mitigating this a bit. -Tiny bit of fan noise at Turbo settings but this can be mitigated by adjusting fan curves in the software or playing with the power profiles. -battery. This is the key difference relative to the Ally X--40 w is a bit small and the 2 hours of gaming is much shorter, need ready acess to power cables/banks. -512 gb is smallish if you have a big library--but it's VERY easy to upgrade (2 minutes) and unneccessary for most users. TL:DR. This is a great alternative to far more expensive devices, especially given the (minor) hassles of battery and fans can be dealt with in the software.

This handheld device offers great functionality, though it may not suit everyone. If you seek a device for effortless gaming, this might not be the right choice. Achieving optimal performance for AAA games requires some tweaking, but the results are remarkable. The product provides access to various gaming ecosystems like Steam, Xbox Game Pass, Windows, Ubisoft, Epic Games, and more, offering diverse game options at competitive prices. However, the downside lies in its battery life, lasting around 45 minutes to an hour depending on settings. With additional adjustments, you can extend the playtime. Comparatively, using this device is akin to choosing between an Android and an Apple phone. If you're comfortable with tweaking and possess technical skills, this is the device for you. For a more straightforward gaming experience, consider a Steam Deck. Overall, it's an impressive device, but its suitability depends on individual preferences and technical comfort.

Let me start by saying I don’t usually write reviews for anything. But I felt a device like this could use my two cents. I am coming from a Steam Deck experience. I also own a few GPD devices, every kind of Switch, a desktop gaming rig, a few laptop gaming rigs, a PS5, and a XSX. I am stoked that devices like this are finally becoming mainstream. Not sure if it’s the new toy excitement or what, but I have not been able to put this thing down since my purchase a couple weeks ago. With that said let’s get into the details. As a precaution from all the horror stories on the internet regarding the heat output and the almost guaranteed MicroSD card reader failure rate. I decided to open the device and made some thermal modifications prior to even powering the device on the first time. (I’ve provided pictures for anyone who is curious) From what I can tell, the Ally has a major design flaw in regard to where the card reader is located. On literally any other device the SD card slot is usually at the bottom or side of the device, and nowhere near the exhaust. In the case of the Ally, the motherboard with card reader is nearly resting on the exhaust fins of the heat sink with no heat shielding whatsoever. It’s also located on what appears to be the hotter exhaust side of the two.(left side) For a company that has a decent amount of experience in PC manufacturing, this design oversight is rather unacceptable. While digging around inside the Ally. I also took the opportunity to create a factory never booted recovery image of the 512gb Micron SSD via the clonezilla Linux distribution. I also reapplied a more adequate amount of thermal paste to the APU. There was literally almost none on my device and it was already crusty and dry.(again unacceptable) Once the device was reassembled, I began my testing. Let me start by saying I am not a fan of Windows 11 by any means. I don’t use it on any of my machines. The Ally being no different. I feel Windows 11 is a buggy mess, not matured enough, and has no place on any device especially a handheld without the typical mouse/keyboard inputs. I did all the updates and made a dump of all the installed drivers, tested a few games such as GOW, Sackboy, GTA V, and Cyberpunk. Although the games played pretty well once finally running. The pick up and go experience I have grown accustomed to from the Steam Deck just simply wasn’t there. Especially with the typical Windows 11 shenanigans. So I ditched Windows 11 altogether on this device. My first alternative to test was ChimeraOS. It gave a near identical console like experience of the Steam Deck except with more power. However between the lack of a decent desktop mode to make any real changes and no ability to conveniently change the TDP settings, RGB settings, or run 100% of my game library. I found ChimeraOS to not be a good fit for me either. So I installed Windows 10. After getting all the drivers settled, changing the VRAM to 6GB in Armoury-Crate, and modding the minimum VRR threshold to 24fps with CRU. I felt the device finally started to open up and perform as expected. I immediately noticed the device not only ran much smoother and more responsive. But I was also running cooler. On Windows 11 the fans were always spun up pretty high with hot exhaust despite the device being idle on the desktop. Between the display panel actually being true landscaped, the amazing color gamut, and VRR. I have yet to find another handheld device that plays games like the Ally. Games are rendered at such a level of buttery smoothness that I have never seen in any handheld. I don’t feel even the Legion Go with it’s integer scaling instead of VRR will be able to perform like the Ally despite having the same exact APU. Which is unfortunate and a huge oversight on Lenovo’s behalf. I hope I am proven wrong when that device releases. Starfield on the Ally has been amazing! However I’m not sure I like the graphics driver (v31.0.21029.6002) Asus provideds in order to play Starfield. The previous driver (v31.0.14058.4001) to me was the better driver across the board. Almost every game I’ve tried on the previous driver ran at a much higher frame rate. The newer driver from Asus seems to restrict the Ally’s overall performance. So I manually installed the latest graphics drivers (v31.0.21031.1005) with HYPR-RX support directly from AMD. This didn’t bring back all of the performance I was getting on driver .4001 but it’s definitely better than the latest graphic driver from Asus. My verdict on the Ally is although not perfect, just like the Steam Deck there isn’t anything currently released that performs the way the Ally does. For this reason I decided to keep the Ally alongside my Deck. Currently there just isn’t THAT perfect device that checks all boxes as far as ease of use, amazing battery life, performance, screen, etc. The power efficiency, ergonomics, and console like experience of the Steam Deck is still unmatched. So it will always be the platform where all my childhood retro games via emulation are played portably in a console like fashion. But for those moments when I want to play a modern game at or over 60fps with better image fidelity on the go, I reach for the Ally. I hope whoever takes the time to read this review finds it helpful or at least insightful about the Asus ROG Ally.

So I've been in the market for a good handheld for a few years now. I bought a switch a few years back and while it got used, it just wasn't quite doing it for me. Probably due to the catalogue of Nintendo games. I tend to like more fps style of games, but I do occasionally like a good old rpg and even some indie platformers. A few months back I pre ordered a Steam deck but after reading some of the reviews about the steam decks odd resolution, I wasn't completely sold on it. So I decided to cancel my pre order. The Asus Ally does everything I need it too plus more. Also the fact I was able to install Escape from Tarkov on it is just amazing. I have a trip coming up where I plan to use it quite a bit more, but so far this thing is really awesome. The screen is clear and bright, the controls remind me of am Xbox controller. The only real negative I've found so far seems to be the battery life. When the Ally is in performance mode, the battery seems to drain in about an hour. After my trip I will update my review with a bit more info.

This was one of my best purchases of 2023. I absolutely love this handheld. You can do so many things with this one device. I can play Xbox Game Pass/Cloud, PlayStation Plus Premium Games via Streaming, Steam, Epic Games, GOG, etc. Also can be used as a small PC setup. Of course for playing AAA games it’s like any of the other handhelds; you would have to set mostly everything to low settings to get smooth gameplay. The only issue would probably be the battery life; you have to charge it pretty frequent but I have no issue having it plugged in while I game. For the less power/performance demanding games you can run them at the 15w performance mode or maybe even the 10w silent mode. The battery lasts a decent time when using those modes but for sure will eat the battery away in turbo mode when not plugged. Other than the battery I haven’t had any issues whatsoever.

It's a really solid handheld, but with the recent SD card reader issues, it makes me question the longevity of this device. Honestly? If you're on the fence about getting the Steam Deck or ROG Ally, and don't care much about the 1.25-1.5x performance uplift (at 720p) or the better IPS screen, I suggest getting the Deck due to it being a lot more refined (and cheaper!). You can install Windows on the Deck too if SteamOS isn't working out for you. The Windows experience on the Deck is a lot better than what it used to be. I'm hoping we'll get an XG Mobile to Oculink adapter for a bigger selection of GPUs, because paying $2000 for a mobile 4090 hurts. A lot. Do note that the XG Mobile port on the Ally is limited to PCI-E x4 Gen3 at the moment. Even the 4090 version runs at x4 Gen 3. Overall, I find the ROG Ally to be of a mixed bag that I am very satisfied with. Though I'm not sure if I can recommend this device to others. If you're dead set on getting one, don't plan on using the SD card reader until Asus fixes the issue.