The ASUS ROG Ally X is the best Windows gaming handheld you can buy in 2026, and the one to get if you want more raw power than a Steam Deck for the newest AAA games. Asus took the flawed original Ally and fixed almost everything that mattered: the battery doubled to 80Wh, RAM jumped to 24GB, the microSD slot moved away from the exhaust that used to cook cards, and the grips got deeper. At around $799 / £799 it is not cheap, and it still runs full Windows 11 with all the fiddliness that implies — but for performance and flexibility, nothing else in this class beats it.
We have not run our own lab bench. This review is expert analysis built from spec research, manufacturer documentation, current retail pricing, and aggregated owner feedback.
ROG Ally X at a glance
7in 1080p 120Hz IPS | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme | 24GB LPDDR5X | 1TB SSD | 80Wh battery | ~678g | Windows 11 | ~$799 / £799
Pros:
- 80Wh battery — roughly double the original Ally
- 24GB RAM gives real headroom in demanding games
- Strong AAA performance from the Z1 Extreme
- Full Windows flexibility (Game Pass, any launcher)
- Fixed the original’s cooked-SD-card design flaw
Cons:
- Windows sleep/wake still occasionally finicky
- IPS panel, not OLED
- Armoury Crate front end is clunkier than SteamOS
- Heavier and pricier than the base Ally
Design and build
The Ally X looks similar to the original at a glance, but the refinements add up. It is heavier at around 678g, and that weight buys the bigger battery — a trade most owners report is worth it. The grips are deeper and more contoured, which helps over long sessions, and the whole chassis feels more considered than the first attempt.
Crucially, Asus fixed the original Ally’s most notorious flaw: the microSD card reader that sat next to the exhaust vent and cooked cards under load. On the Ally X it has been relocated, and owner reports of dead cards have largely gone quiet. Small change, big deal for a device you are meant to expand cheaply.
The 7-inch 1080p 120Hz IPS screen is sharp, bright, and fast. It is not OLED — you do not get the deep blacks and HDR pop of a Steam Deck OLED — but it is a genuinely good IPS panel, and the higher 1080p resolution suits the more powerful chip driving it.
Performance and features
This is where the Ally X earns its keep. The Ryzen Z1 Extreme paired with 24GB of LPDDR5X delivers clearly higher frame rates in demanding games than the Steam Deck’s 2023-era APU. That extra RAM matters more than the marketing suggests — it gives the shared graphics memory real headroom, which helps in the heaviest 2026 releases and in multitasking.
The 80Wh battery is the standout feature. The original Ally’s biggest complaint was that a powerful chip drained a small battery fast; doubling the capacity directly addresses it. You still will not match the Steam Deck OLED’s per-watt efficiency — a hungry chip is a hungry chip — but the Ally X lasts long enough to be practical for demanding games in a way the original never quite did.
Running full Windows 11 is the double-edged feature. On the upside, you get Game Pass, every storefront, any launcher, mods, and non-gaming apps — the flexibility SteamOS cannot touch. On the downside, Windows on a handheld still needs tidying on first setup, and owner reports mention occasional sleep and wake quirks that SteamOS devices do not suffer. Armoury Crate, Asus’s front end, has improved but remains busier and less reliable than Valve’s console-style interface. A good Best Game Controllers 2026: PC, Xbox & PlayStation pick pairs well for docked play, where the Ally X doubles as a small desktop gaming PC.
Value
At around $799 / £799 the Ally X sits at the premium end, and prices crept upward through 2026’s component squeeze. What you get for the money is the most capable Windows handheld available, a big battery, generous RAM, and 1TB of fast storage as standard. Against the base Best Gaming Handhelds 2026: Steam Deck & Rivals field, it is the pick when performance and flexibility outrank software polish.
The value question really comes down to OS preference. If you want the newest games at higher settings plus Game Pass and total library freedom, the Ally X justifies its price. If you would rather have a device that just works with zero fuss, the Steam Deck OLED offers a calmer experience for less — you are simply buying different priorities.
Alternatives
Steam Deck OLED (~$789 / £569). The polish-and-efficiency pick. Better screen (OLED), better battery per-watt, and far smoother software, but a slower chip and less flexibility. See our Steam Deck OLED Review 2026: Still the One to Beat? for the full case. This is the main cross-shop.
Lenovo Legion Go (~$999 / £849). Same Z1 Extreme class of performance but with a much bigger 8.8-inch screen and detachable controllers, at the cost of weight, battery, and price.
MSI Claw 8 AI+ (~$899 / £849). The Intel alternative, with excellent battery life and a big 8-inch screen, though Arc drivers can be less predictable in some games.
Verdict
The ROG Ally X is the best Windows gaming handheld of 2026 and the clear pick if you want more power than a Steam Deck for the newest AAA titles. Asus fixed the original’s real problems — the tiny battery, the cooked SD cards, the cramped grips — and layered on 24GB of RAM and a large 80Wh cell. The result is a genuinely capable, genuinely flexible portable PC.
Buy it if you want maximum performance, Game Pass, and total library freedom, and you will tolerate Windows’ occasional quirks for it. Skip it if you would rather have OLED contrast and console-smooth software, in which case the Steam Deck OLED is the better fit. For Windows done right on a handheld, though, this is the one.
FAQ
Is the ROG Ally X worth it in 2026?
Yes, if you want the most capable Windows handheld. The 80Wh battery, 24GB of RAM, and Ryzen Z1 Extreme deliver strong performance in the newest AAA games, plus Game Pass and full Windows flexibility. At around $799 / £799 it is premium, and it still carries Windows’ sleep/wake fiddliness, but nothing else in the class matches its blend of power and flexibility.
ROG Ally X vs Steam Deck OLED — which should I buy?
Buy the Ally X for raw performance, 24GB RAM, Game Pass, and Windows flexibility in the newest games. Buy the Steam Deck OLED for a better OLED screen, superior battery efficiency, and far smoother SteamOS software. The Ally X is more powerful and flexible; the Deck is more polished and efficient. It comes down to whether you value power or polish more.
How is the ROG Ally X battery life?
Much improved over the original Ally, thanks to the 80Wh battery — roughly double the capacity. It will not match the Steam Deck OLED’s per-watt efficiency, since a powerful chip draws more power, but it lasts long enough to make demanding games practical on the go. For lighter titles you get comfortably longer sessions than the first-generation Ally managed.
What is different between the ROG Ally X and the original ROG Ally?
The Ally X doubles the battery to 80Wh, increases RAM to 24GB, adds a 1TB SSD, deepens the grips for comfort, and relocates the microSD reader away from the exhaust vent that cooked cards on the original. It is heavier as a result, but it fixes the first Ally’s biggest complaints — small battery and card overheating — making it the far more complete device.
Does the ROG Ally X run Windows or SteamOS?
It runs full Windows 11, using Asus’s Armoury Crate front end to launch games in a console-style interface. That gives you Game Pass, every storefront, mods, and non-gaming apps, but it also brings Windows’ occasional sleep/wake quirks and first-setup housekeeping. If you want SteamOS instead, the Steam Deck OLED or a SteamOS Lenovo Legion Go S is the alternative.
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