The ROG Ally is Still Getting Better (Updated Review)

I've had the ASUS ROG Ally for six months, so let's check in and do an updated review based on my experience with both the Z1E and Z1 models, as well as the XG Mobile eGPU. Plus we'll take a look at the new firmware update that releases at the end of this month.

Previous ROG Ally videos:

This was a review unit sent to me by the manufacturer. All opinions are my own, they did not see this review ahead of time, and no money was exchanged in any way.

Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
00:54 what is the ROG Ally?
03:07 upcoming software updates
06:07 gyro controls!
08:09 screen, controls, audio, performance
12:11 XG Mobile eGPU
14:56 availability and accessories
17:16 black frame insertion
20:40 what I don't like about the Ally
24:06 my use case
25:18 recommendations and conclusion

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This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only.

#ROGally #SteamDeck #ASUS #pcgaming #handheldPC

[KarlRock]

I've had it for 10 months now. I love it. I'm mostly playing older games I missed over the years - like all the Souls games. But while travelling in Pakistan I used it to play new releases like Starfield and Baldur's Gate 3.

[xHIGHBALLERx]

Just FYI. If you set the joysticks to a static color you can make the color something that isn't as bright. In my case I made them white, but in Armoury Crate it's set to a color that is closer to dark grey. The result is a very dim white ring around the joysticks. This will also work with colors by selecting a darker version of the color.

[ronaldbondoc]

Seriously, why this channel is not in the million subscribers yet. This channel reignated my interest on gaming and introduce me to retro gaming and emulation. Really love the detailed reviews of handheld devices.

[kickconnection]

Picked up the Ally from a Best Buy Black Friday sale...all I can say is "wow." This thing is amazing. Having a high refresh rate with VRR on the go...playing PC games i never dreamt of playing in a hand held form factor...the speakers. Good Lord, the speakers are some of the best I've ever heard!

Something to add, though. Was super paranoid about the SD card issue...so, I have a massively aggressive manual fan curve. While it may be loud - it keeps things running cooler and so far no issues.

[MrTekSuggest]

Comprehensive and well articulated. I can attest as well. The ROG Ally is an incredible handheld.

[rabidrabbit]

One of the things I appreciated in this video is you talking about pricing. Lot of ppl only talk about retail price and not about fluctuations which can effect the value of something.

[zeronine-eightyfour]

The SD card issue is solved from R8 units, bad solder apparently has been the issue. Mine has been repaired and has been very strong since. (Repair overall went really well)

[ExecutionerDan]

I love that they added an anti-deadzone setting in armorycrate. The armorycrate software has been sigificantly more stable since i bought my ally back in june. Havent had any issues in a while with it freaking out. I also love being able to calibrate the triggers and sticks now. Command center used to get pretty buggy like armorycrate and they both work great now.

[andreasbrandstetter]

I love the fact that the gentleman in the video states he does not have space for a desktop, but has a huge CRT TV in the background. This speaks to a healthy set of retro-oriented priorities.

[mattb]

Great review as usual, Russ! Honestly, it seems like you can't go wrong with either the ROG Ally or Steam Deck. I do like the fact that you mentioned the Ally being available at Best Buy so you can just swing by and grab one, see if you like it, and return with little trouble if it doesn't suit you. I picked up a Steam Deck last year and have not regretted it for a minute. I do really like the console-like experience it provides. It is very easy to set up and start gaming!

[DennisMII]

Picked up the Z1 Extreme on the Best Buy $100 off Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal. Also a Steam Deck owner. I like the Steam deck, but I love the ROG Ally! I appreciate the smaller form factor, modern look, more power and familiarity of Windows 11. Looking forward to a lot of gaming enjoyment on it.

[Gamersparky]

Love my ROG Ally! I was thinking of getting a steam deck just before the Ally came out, but I’m not a big PC gamer. When the ally came out and i found out i could use Xbox game pass on it, i was sold.

[eeveekuroneko]

Quick PSA to those who are thinking of getting a open-box, please check them in-store if you are able to, some of the open-box ones have critical defects such as the triggers or buttons not working properly or at all, i experienced this twice and just opted for a new one, not all of them are returned because “people don’t know how to work Windows”

[shonen]

13:49 I liked my 3080 XG Mobile so much, I used the money I got from selling desktop, for a 4090 XG Mobile. It’s quite significantly more powerful, slightly bigger, and much quieter. But both of these models have been transformative for me as well, it’s amazing how much space the setup saves, and how portable everything is.

[rosaria]

I've owned the Ally since July when it came to the Philippines. It's so good ngl for my emulation and Genshin Impact handheld gaming, and thankfully the updates have really made it better.

[WillBeamon]

I have to drop a comment finally to tell you how incredible your channel and website are for people like me who aren't always the most "in tune" with things. My brother in law has an Ally and showed it to me, I was considering that or the steam deck. I loved the bit I played on his and your comprehensive reviews really helped me have confidence in my choice, especially since these aren't cheap. Since, I've discovered your channel I've learned so much and will keep learning as I slowly go through past videos. Thank you so much!!!!

[Phillyrider]

I've owned the steam deck legion go and odin 2 and i keep coming back to the ally (although the odin 2 is a amazing device in it's own right)

ROG Ally is literally everything I ever wanted in a handheld!.

[Chinoification]

I have in and picked up a ROG Ally (open-box) from Best Buy. After tweaks and updates I got this thing just where I want. Playing triple games on this thing is great! The Z1 extreme is amazing and I am glad I have this in addition to the LCD Steam Deck. Great 6 month review

[saltysteved]

So I went with the Ally Z1 because I was able to find one for only $300 and for my use case it’s fantastic. I mostly play retro/indie games on the go but even games like Cyberpunk still work well albeit with adjusted settings. Also, being able to get full controller support including gyro for Xbox Cloud gaming makes up for the lack of horsepower. Just because the Extreme is better does NOT mean the z1 is a bad system; at the end of the day it’s a portable PC and at $300 or lower it’s a steal.

[frankpatterson]

I returned my ROG Ally Z1 Extreme. Didnt enjoy being tethered to an outlet. The battery is terrible. I bought the AYN Odin 2 Max after watching your video on it.