Asus recently launched the Asus ROG Ally X, and it's quickly becoming one of our favorite PC gaming handhelds on the market. There's a lot to be excited about where this mid-cycle refresh is concerned, but the biggest improvements come in the way of battery life and charging. The battery is about double the size of the original Asus ROG Ally, and there's a second USB-C port for charging and connecting to useful handheld accessories. It also has a higher maximum charging speed, even though there's only a 65W power adapter in the box.

Evidently, Asus has the solution. The company is selling an ROG 140W GaN charger that's capable of giving you the power you need to maximize the ROG Ally X's 100W fast charging. The problem is, at $110, it's a tough sell. The charger works fine, powers up devices fast and simultaneously, and comes with an excellent 240W braided USB-C cable in the box. But it's bigger, heavier, slower, and more expensive than some alternatives.

The target audience for this pricey power adapter seems to be Asus ROG Ally X owners, and I'm not a huge fan of that. Those buyers already spent $800 on Asus' flagship PC gaming handheld, and now they need to spend $110 more to take advantage of fast charging speeds?

About this review: Asus provided an ROG 140W GaN charger for review. The company had no input in this article, and didn't see its contents before publishing.

Pricing, specs, and availability

Asus' ROG GaN charger supports up to 140W total power output, and a feature called Smart Port Balancing divides up that wattage among the available ports. It has three USB-C ports and one USB-A port, and the full 140W power can be supplied to the USB-C1 port when necessary. It retails for $110 and is available at Best Buy and on Asus' website. This versatile charger supports devices with the following standards: PD 3.1, QC 3.0, PD PPS, or a 20V 6.5A input.

• USB-C1/USB-C2:140.0W;USB-C3:100.0W;USB-A:30.0W
• USB-C1+USB-C2/USB-C1+USB-C3/USB-C2+USB-C3:65.0W+65.0W/100.0W+30.0W/30.0W+100.0W
• USB-C2+USB-A:100.0W+30.0W
• USB-C3+USB-A:15.0W+15.0W
• USB-C1+USB-C2+USB-C3/USB-C1+USB-C2+USB-A:45.0W+45.0W+30.0W/65.0W+30.0W+30.0W/30.0W+65.0W+30.0W
• USB-C1+USB-C3+USB-A/USB-C2+USB-C3+USB-A: 100.0W+15.0W+15.0W
• USB-C1+USB-C2+USB-C3+USB-A:45.0W+45.0W+15.0W+15.0W/65.0W+30.0W+15.0W+15.0W/30.0W+65.0W+15.0W+15.0W

The above list outlines the possible Smart Port Balancing power delivery configurations when multiple ports are used to power devices simultaneously. Remember that the 140W specification represents the total power and using all four ports at the same time will reduce the available wattage for each one.

What I like

This is a first-party charger that'll power your Asus ROG Ally X at top speeds

I have some reservations about recommending a $110 solution from Asus to a problem it could've avoided in the first place. With that being said, it's impossible to deny that this is an excellent four-port power adapter. It uses Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology, and that has a few benefits. Notably, this technology allows for power adapters to deliver a lot of power in a small form factor with great efficiency and reasonable temperatures. For many, the ROG 140W GaN charger might be the smallest 140W power adapter they've ever seen.

That translated to real-world usage pretty quickly when I tested this charger in action. In about 25 minutes, it charged my ROG Ally X review unit by about 26%. Considering that the ROG Ally X has a massive 80Wh battery, gaining a percent charge per minute is impressive. The extra power really comes in handy while using the ROG Ally X for gaming — the ROG 140W GaN charger has more than enough power to keep the handheld running in 30W Turbo mode and charge it at the same time.

The build quality is solid and there are plenty of ports

You'll want to keep in mind that, to use 100W or more power to charge up one device, you'll be limited to using one or two ports. Although the ROG 140W GaN charger has three USB-C ports and one USB-A port, only the main USB-C1 port can deliver the full 140W to one device. Start adding more cables and devices, and each one will get fewer watts. Scroll up to the pricing, specs, and availability section for the full breakdown on how Smart Port Balancing will divide up the power when using multiport charging.

Still, the build quality is solid. This charger isn't made of metal, but not everything has to be. It features a sturdy and dense plastic build, and comes with an impressive 240W-capable braided USB-C cable. While other power adapters will try and undercut Asus' price point, many of them cheap out on the included charging cable. Props to Asus for including one of my favorite in-box charging cables here.

What I don't like

It's arguably too big and too expensive

Although the company claims the ROG 140W GaN charger is "10% smaller than similar chargers in its class," I'm not sure if that's the case. I happen to have a Ugreen 160W Nexode Pro charger that seems to match up with the ROG 140W GaN power adapter quite well. Both have three USB-C ports and one USB-A port, and have a similar form factor. However, Ugreen's charger is smaller, provides 20W of extra power, and features an aluminum casing.

Does size really matter that much in practice? To me, it does. If you've ever used a public wall outlet, you'll know that many of them get quite loose over time. That makes it hard for heavy and large power adapters to stay secured and charge your devices. Just in the last week, I've gone to a few Starbucks cafés and public spaces that had outlets too loose or oddly-positioned to work with the ROG 140W GaN charger. This power adapter might be great for at-home charging, but it'll fall short — literally — in public during travel.

The price makes this ROG 140W GaN charger a tough sell. All chargers with 140W and GaN technology are pricey, but at $100, Asus' offering is one of the most expensive out there.

Should you buy the Asus ROG 140W GaN charger?

You should buy the Asus ROG 140W GaN charger if:

• You have an Asus ROG Ally X and want to power it up at 100W speeds
• You need a first-party power adapter
• You're willing to pay extra for a reliable charger that comes with a fantastic 240W braided cable

You should NOT buy the Asus ROG 140W GaN charger if:

• You care about portability
• You want the best value charger on the market
• You don't have an Asus ROG Ally X

I think the Asus ROG 140W GaN charger is a great Asus ROG Ally X accessory, and certainly one of the best chargers. However, it would've been better to include the power adapter in the box with the ROG Ally X than to sell it as a standalone accessory. If you buy the ROG Ally X and the ROG 140W GaN charger, you're spending nearly $1,000 out of the gate. Still, I can see people willing to pay extra for a first-party accessory enjoying this charger. Just remember that going with a third-party charger instead could save you money and provide a better experience in some cases.