Asus is expected to update the ROG Ally X with the new AMD Ryzen Z2 series APUs in the near future, to match up with the recently launched ROG Xbox Ally X. Of course, Asus could simply call this future handheld the ROG Ally 2, but Asus doesn't tend to go for numerical iterations on any of its existing laptop or desktop brands, so that feels unlikely.
However, before the second-generation ROG Ally or ROG Ally X is announced, Asus should examine the successes of the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X to learn a few key lessons before launching a new Ally handheld.
Ergonomics is key to handhelds
The original Ally and Ally X were great, but too flat to be comfortable
While the original Asus ROG Ally and ROG Ally X were two of the more popular choices for Windows 11 handheld gaming PCs, they did have a few major drawbacks. Namely, the ergonomics. The original ROG Ally and Ally X were relatively light, but felt heavy because they're so dense. Both handhelds are also rather flat and feature sharp angles in the design, which can cause you to lose sensation in your ring and pinky fingers during extended game sessions.
Though the Xbox-branded handhelds look a little dorky with those controller grips on the sides, they're significantly more comfortable to hold. And they even feel lighter due to the ergonomics of the Xbox Pro Controller-styled hand grips. People can hold console controllers for hours on end, and there's a reason for that. Not only are console controllers lighter because they don't have a built-in screen, mainboard, APU, or massive lithium-ion battery, but they're also designed to be held.
Whether it's the Xbox controller and Xbox Pro controller or Sony's Dual-Shock and Dual-Sense designs, console controllers have those rounded grips because they're comfortable to hold for hours and make the controller feel lighter than it is. And the Xbox-branded Ally handhelds benefit from that design choice in a truly incredible way. Despite its weight, I was easily able to hold on to the Xbox Ally for hours on end without feeling any strain in my fingers or forearms from the weight and ergonomics. And comfort is often in short supply when it comes to handheld gaming PCs.
The Ryzen Z2 A just isn't powerful enough for Windows 11
And the Xbox Fullscreen Experience isn't the light version of Windows we want, anyway
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally was powered by the lightweight AMD Ryzen Z2 A APU. This 4-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB RAM setup worked fine for the Steam Deck, but it struggles more with Windows 11.
Microsoft did design the Xbox Fullscreen Experience for the Xbox handhelds to avoid the Windows 11 desktop and all of its background telemetry, but if you need to run any kind of third-party launchers for your games, you'll get hit with the Windows 11 performance hit more often than not. While it is a step in the right direction, we need a proper lightweight version of Windows for handhelds that doesn't trigger the enhanced Windows 11 features and telemetry.
Because of this, the second-generation ROG Ally or ROG Ally X needs to feature a more powerful APU, such as the Ryzen Z2 Extreme or Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme. Four CPU cores and 16GB of RAM are simply not enough.
60 Watt-hours isn't enough battery life
Not for any kind of real gaming, anyway
Strangely enough, the ROG Ally X got this one right the first time around. While the original ROG Ally had a small, 40-watt-hour battery, the updated Ally X doubled the battery size to an 80Whr lithium-ion battery. It still wasn't the most long-lived handheld (that title belongs to the MSI Claw 8 AI+), but it was definitely the correct choice.
Games cost a lot of battery power, even when using an efficient APU. So, opting for a 60Whr battery for the two Xbox consoles must have either been forced by the price-point or design specifications of the Xbox-branded handhelds. It's unclear which was the ultimate deciding factor, but the 60Whr battery on the Xbox Ally X was especially a poor choice. While the base Xbox Ally has a lower-power APU, the Xbox Ally X is a more powerful handheld, which means it should get a larger battery capacity so you can keep gaming for longer periods between charges.
Obviously, throwing a 99Whr battery into a gaming handheld isn't going to be an ideal choice, simply due to weight and space constraints, but the Xbox Ally X should have never stepped down from an 80Whr battery to a 60Whr battery.
If a handheld is $1,000, it better be worth it
Pricing is another huge concern
The constantly shifting realm of US taxes and tariffs has made putting a price on any tech product difficult. And it has led to some major price hikes across the industry.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally costs $599 while the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X costs $999. These prices aren't exactly outrageous considering the overall tech market right now, but it is pretty steep for a pair of handhelds. And while you can justify the Xbox Ally at just under $600, it's more difficult to justify purchasing the Xbox Ally X considering its steep price tag.
While the US foreign tariff situation is an ever-evolving disaster, there's only so much of a price hike gamers can afford. And if a handheld gaming PC is going to cost $1,000 or more, it better be worth the price. And learning a few lessons from the Xbox handhelds is an easy way to ensure that gamers are more willing to pay a premium for the next-generation ROG Ally X.