Gaming

The ROG Ally X renews handheld gaming with a refined look

The preferred way to game on the go

Published

September 30, 2024

Gab Orlina

Handheld consoles have been around for the longest time. It offered such a unique way of gaming to younger audiences at the time. With every generation of handhelds, there was always a new way to play more demanding games either by yourself or with others. It didn’t take long before computer manufacturers looked at that and came up with this idea: the handheld PC!

The idea was simple: play all the hardcore games on the go. That’s complete with stunning graphics and competitive hardware for excellent performance. It harnessed the existing capability of any handheld console, but with the treatment and power of any gaming PC. With this, there were a few first movers that experimented on a gaming system like that, such as ASUS ROG.

This year, ROG unveiled the ASUS ROG Ally X, which looked to be an upgrade over the first ROG Ally. Compared to its predecessor, it’s nearly the same design-wise. However, it’s amplified in the performance department thanks to better hardware and storage options. Is it a good enough reason to purchase this one right off the bat?

Rearranged and retooled for gaming

At first, you would think that the ROG Ally X looks exactly like the 2023 version. Only with a different coat of paint. From the button and joystick layout to the length of the device, it maintained the same form factor with little compromises.

If there was a major difference to note, the back trigger buttons are placed a bit closer this time and the buttons are smaller!

There are also now two USB-C ports up top instead of ASUS’ proprietary XG Mobile port.

In terms of internal hardware, the ROG Ally X completely defines how powerful it wants to be. Unlike its predecessor, it comes in only one configuration. That’s an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. Instead of offering any lower internal configurations, ASUS ROG is giving the best only for those who dare to be the best.

For the most part, this device was designed primarily to be a gaming machine given all the inputs available to you. It is possible to still use this device as a PC, and a ton of the applications you use works well and responds pretty fast to your inputs. However, you will spend time configuring it on Armoury Crate unless you’re committed to bringing a mouse and keyboard everywhere.

Leveling up the game for more power

TEKKEN 8 running on the ROG Ally X

With the ROG Ally X only now coming in one configuration, the possibilities for gaming are near endless. Compared to its predecessor, the additional storage immediately allows you to put in more games. That’s even if the game requires additional steps to set-up. Also, with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme inside, most of the games will run with ease, and at high frame rates without sacrificing visual quality too much.

When applied to more competitive/high-end titles that benefit from a controller set-up, the ROG Ally X turns into a gaming powerhouse on the go. With the inputs set-up optimally, the experience on games like Rocket League, Forza Horizon and Motorsport were second to none. Even games with controller support like Fortnite and APEX Legends and Xbox Cloud Gaming work well for most casual playthroughs.

VALORANT on ROG Ally X

Now, it is also possible to play PC-optimized games on the ROG Ally X like VALORANT, and safe to say that it performs supremely well. Average frame rates at high graphics settings still range from 100-120 FPS, which is more than impressive. However, it does take a ton of time to set all the controls up, with the mouse controls being unreplicable. If you do plan on playing PC games here, you are better off bringing a mouse and keyboard to replicate the experience.

Gaming for longer hours

As a handheld PC, the ROG Ally X lasts pretty long depending on which performance mode you want it in. When used exclusively for gaming on Performance Mode, it can last for around 8-9 hours on a full charge — which is pretty long compared to most laptops. This is also considering that even in this mode, it maintains high frame rates on competitive titles.

When switched to Turbo Mode, battery life just gets reduced to around 5-6 hours on a full charge when gaming. It’s still quite impressive that the ROG Ally X could last this long, even as the lone exhaust chamber it has works overtime when in Turbo. As expected, gaming performance is as optimal as it could be!

Charging the device also doesn’t take too long either, with a full charge lasting about two hours to quickly get you back into the game. As a bonus, when you just let it charge without usage, the charge time feels a bit faster.

Is this your gaming GadgetMatch?

Overall, the ASUS ROG Ally X outshines its predecessor across every single aspect of handheld gaming out there. The upgrades proved to have made this a much better option for you to play more, for longer. Priced at PhP 56,990, it is a bit on the more expensive side but worth considering.

Whether you’re offline or online, gaming on the go never looked as good as this. If anything, one drawback to this machine is that it doesn’t encourage local multiplayer. Again, unless you have a separate controller or a mouse/keyboard combo, this is really more for the solo gaming run.

Regardless, it’s suited for the best. It has all the best you could put inside a gaming machine through and through.

Computex 2026

ASUS ROG XBOX Ally X20 debuts at COMPUTEX 2026

Powerful gaming handheld

Published

June 1, 2026

GadgetMatch

ASUS has announced the ROG XBOX Ally X20 bundle at COMPUTEX 2026, just in time to celebrate the gaming brand’s 20th anniversary.

Featuring a translucent black chassis with vibrant gold internal structure, the machine is both a throwback to gaming two decades ago and a vision of the future.

The translucence offers a peek under the hood to the high-performance cooling system and handheld silicon from AMD.

Premium hardware

The ROG XBOX Ally X20 brings a new Nebula HDR Display to the handheld for the first time, with a 7.4-inch OLED panel and Corning DXC glass and anti-reflective coating.

This slightly larger panel increases immersion and visibility. It has up to 120Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium of support, and 1,400 nits of peak brightness.

Furthermore, it has a VESA DisplayHDR 1000 rating, Dolby Vision, and 0.2ms response time.

Powering the portable device is the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor with ample gaming horsepower and the latest tools like Auto SR upscaling, as well as XBOX for seamless navigation and gaming.

It supports 24GB of DDR5 RAM and 1TB of PCIe 4.0 storage to accommodate a large library of titles.

Better ergonomics, controls

Inspired by iconic XBOX controller designs, the ROG XBOX Ally X20 has a transforming D-Pad. It’s designed with the standard four-way movement, but can easily be converted to eight-way control for fighting games.

The improved face buttons have also been adjusted, now sitting flush against the chassis to enable smooth and uninterrupted thumb sliding. On the rear of the handgrips is a rubberized coating.

Speaking of controls, the next-gen handheld levels up with a new TMR joystick technology, delivering pinpoint precision, smoother tracking, and longer-lasting performance.

Bundled with ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses

The bundle also features the ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses, making the set an absolute collector’s must-have.

The AR glasses feature a 171-inch virtual screen at four meters, 240Hz display that covers 95% of the field of view, and a 0.01ms response time, thanks to micro-OLED. These glasses plug directly into the Ally via USB-C.

Gaming

Latest BeastLink Open Beta offers optimizations, improvements

Grove Street Games’ monster-sized Kaiju mayhem

Published

May 30, 2026

GadgetMatch

Grove Street Games has kicked off another round of beta playtesting for the large-scale multiplayer destruction sandbox game BeastLink.

The latest round of open beta testing opened at 4:00 P.M. ET on May 29 and will end at June 1 at 10:00 A.M. ET.

This Open Beta weekend offers a fresh look at the massive optimization sand improvements from the past month of closed playtesting.

Players can join through the BeastLink Steam page here.

The latest Open Beta features the Horned Lizard, Mandrill, and Bull Shark as playable beasts.

The Kaiju battles come with more freedom of movement and improved fighting. All beasts have seen extensive updates and balance improvements for a more refined monster vs. monster combat.

Moreover, there is a new map available: Wharf, which urges players to utilize ziplines and cranes. New effects like dust, fog, and rubble also make the showdown feel more chaotic.

Meanwhile, selecting Battle Arena from the Deployment Menu lets players battle against friends, the CPU, or by themselves for fun. That’s on top of other modes like Tutorial, Hazard Pay, Beast Brawl, and Colony Purge.

BeastLink is built on Unreal Engine 5, and uses Grove Street Games’ proprietary SuperDestruction system to push environmental wreckage to a new level.

The system lets players reshape the map both as human or Kaiu, with over 250,000 destructible objects and millions of individual pieces.

An announcement trailer has likewise been unveiled.

Gaming

Acer unveils Predator Atlas 8 handheld with Intel Arc G-Series power

PC gaming on the go

Published

May 29, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Acer has unveiled the Predator Atlas 8, a new Windows 11 gaming handheld powered by Intel’s latest Arc G-Series platform. The device expands Acer’s growing handheld portfolio and targets gamers who want PC gaming performance in a portable form factor.

The Predator Atlas 8 pairs Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme processor with up to Intel Arc B390 graphics. It supports ray tracing and Intel XeSS 3 AI-powered upscaling to boost performance while maintaining image quality. Acer says the platform balances gaming performance and battery efficiency for gaming on the go.

Predator cooling comes to a handheld

Acer equips the Atlas 8 with a dual-fan cooling system inspired by its Predator gaming laptops. The setup includes what Acer describes as the first metal fan used in a gaming handheld. The company says the ultra-thin AeroBlade fan increases airflow by up to 10 percent. It works alongside a second fan and Acer’s Vortex Flow design to move heat out of the chassis more efficiently.

The handheld features an 8-inch WUXGA touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate and Variable Refresh Rate support. The panel reaches up to 500 nits of brightness and uses a 16:10 aspect ratio. Acer also protects the display with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and a DXC coating that helps reduce glare.

Acer complements the display with dual 2W speakers that support DTS:X Ultra audio. Dual microphones with PurifiedVoice AI noise reduction help improve voice clarity during multiplayer sessions and online chats.

Built around the Windows gaming ecosystem

The Predator Atlas 8 runs Windows 11 and supports Xbox Mode for quicker access to games and system functions. Acer also includes an Xbox Game Pass subscription, giving users access to hundreds of games from day one.

For connectivity, the handheld offers dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and UHS-II microSD expansion. The control layout includes full-size analog sticks and dual-mode triggers. Players can switch between instant-click microswitch controls for shooters and Hall-effect analog controls for racing and simulation titles.

A dedicated PredatorSense button provides quick access to performance settings, RGB lighting controls, and system monitoring tools. Acer has not yet announced pricing or local availability. The company says details will vary by market.