Asus ROG Ally X

Ultimately, we can't tell you whether the extra investment is worth it, because it's going to depend a lot on how you use the hardware. In a way, the Ally X and Steam Deck serve somewhat different niches. If you are primarily keen on indie games and emulation of older systems, then the Steam Deck might be a better choice.

But if you must have Windows or play the latest games on the go, the Ally X is the best Windows handheld yet. I hope it normalizes bigger batteries and VRR screens, and I hope Asus will seriously consider a SteamOS version, too. I hope to test it with Bazzite, an unofficial SteamOS clone, later this year.

The Asus ROG Ally X is a neat addition to the brand’s range, and the top handheld in the lineup, but it’s far from the best value for money. Every upgrade in here is warranted, and worth it if you can spring the cash, but the core experience remains relatively similar throughout. These new features are worth the extra $100 compared to the original device’s $699 MSRP, but the Ally still has its place on the shelves with its now reduced $549.99 sale price.

The Asus ROG Ally X not only fixes big complaints with the original Ally, but propels it to the top of the handheld gaming console pack with a serious boost to battery life, plenty of storage and RAM and top-end performance.

The Asus ROG Ally X is simply the best handheld gaming PC on the market right now. With more and faster memory and double the battery as the original Ally, the Ally X will run any modern game without dying in an hour and a half.

The Asus ROG Ally X has Steam Deck-beating frame rates, a punchy speaker system, a two USB-C ports, and more battery life than its predecessor, but I can't help but miss the Steam Deck's easy-to-use OS.

Asus is putting genuine effort into making its handhelds as good as they can be. There are some things only Microsoft can fix, and it might take years for that to happen. But if you want a handheld that can play all your games—not just the ones on Steam—then the ROG Ally X is one of the best options you can get. Just be ready to deal with some jank.

More performance, improved ergonomics and much longer battery life: The new ROG Ally X offers the best overall package among gaming handhelds and Asus managed to fix pretty much every complaint we had with the original ROG Ally. The higher RRP is therefore justified.