ROG Xbox Ally X vs. Original Ally: Real-World FPS and Power Efficiency

ROG Xbox Ally X delivers significant improvements in frame rates and memory management compared to the original Z1 Extreme model.

Hardware by Tanvir Kabbo on Oct 20, 2025

Newly released Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, equipped with the AMD Z2 Extreme chip, brings a series of notable performance and efficiency improvements compared to the original ASUS ROG Ally from 2023, featuring the Z1 Extreme.

Both handhelds were tested across 10 modern games in two performance modes—17W and their respective turbo modes. Both systems used the most recent AMD drivers and BIOS versions, and the identical test conditions were employed for a fair comparison. This included RAM allocations and display settings.

ROG, Xbox Ally X, Original Ally, Real-World FPS, Power Efficiency, NoobFeed

Test Setup and Configuration

Both devices were set in the same way for the 17W performance mode. The first ROG Ally usually used 15W of power. We changed it to 17W, though, to make it more like the ROG Xbox Ally X for comparison. In turbo mode, the original Ally ran at 30W, while the new Xbox Ally X reached 35W when plugged in.

The ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) used 6GB of VRAM pre-allocation, leaving 10GB of system memory. In comparison, the Xbox Ally X (Z2 Extreme) had 8GB of VRAM allocation, leaving 16GB of system memory.

Both systems were tested in standard Windows mode, as the new Xbox-style full-screen mode didn't show any measurable effect on performance.

Gaming Performance

Assassin's Creed Shadows

At 1080p with low settings and FSR 2 set to performance, the original ROG Ally struggled at 17W, averaging 23fps with 1% lows at 16fps—essentially unplayable. The Ally Xbox X, on the other hand, achieved 34fps with 1% lows at 26fps, marking a 48% improvement and transforming the experience into a playable one.

At turbo mode, the original Ally reached 30fps on average, with occasional dips into the mid-20s. The Xbox Ally X, now running at 35W, delivered 44fps with 1% lows of 33fps—a 47% gain and significantly smoother performance thanks to its larger memory pool.

Cyberpunk 2077

At 1080p medium settings with FSR on quality, the original Ally achieved 29fps at 17W, while the Xbox Ally X managed 40fps—a 38% improvement.

In turbo mode, the original model reached 42fps. In contrast, the Xbox Ally X produced 53fps, narrowing the difference to 26% but maintaining a more fluid gameplay experience.

Counter-Strike 2

This test produced unexpected results. Both systems achieved nearly identical frame rates at 17W, despite the Z2 Extreme's superior single-core performance.

Even at turbo mode, the original Ally slightly outperformed the Xbox Ally X by a few frames, likely due to a driver or BIOS inconsistency. Nevertheless, both versions remained perfectly playable, and this was the only game where the Z1 Extreme pulled ahead.

ROG, Xbox Ally X, Original Ally, Real-World FPS, Power Efficiency, NoobFeed

Diablo 4

At 1080p medium settings with FSR on quality, the original Ally scored 38fps with 1% lows at 28fps. In comparison, the Xbox Ally X achieved 59fps with 1% lows at 45fps—a 55% improvement. At turbo settings, the difference reduced to 22%, with 54fps on the original Ally and 66fps on the Ally X. Both provided a smooth experience. However, the Ally X clearly benefited from its increased RAM.

Forza Horizon 5

Running at 1080p on high preset with MSAA×2, the original Ally delivered 44fps at 17W, while the Xbox Ally X reached 60fps—an improvement of 36%. Turbo mode produced 58fps on the original and 73fps on the Xbox Ally X, a 26% gain. Both were fully playable, though Ally X allowed for higher presets or smoother gameplay.

Hogwarts Legacy

At 1080p medium settings with FSR on quality, the original Ally struggled with 27fps at 17W due to its limited 16GB system memory. At the same time, the Xbox Ally X achieved 38fps—a playable result. In turbo mode, the original hit 34fps, whereas the Xbox Ally X averaged 44fps (29% improvement), providing far smoother frame pacing and fewer stutters.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

At 1080p low settings with FSR balanced, the original Ally averaged 28fps, and the Xbox Ally X scored 34fps—a 21% improvement. Turbo mode delivered 35fps and 43fps, respectively, improving by 23%. The Xbox Ally X handled VRAM-heavy workloads more efficiently, avoiding stutters and providing a steadier frame experience.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

At 1080p medium settings with FSR on quality, the original Ally ran unplayably at 24fps (1% lows at 13fps). The Xbox Ally X achieved 36fps—a 50% boost—even in 17W mode. At turbo, the original reached 35fps while the Xbox Ally X hit 46fps (31% improvement), making it fully enjoyable on the 7-inch 1080p display.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

At 1080p medium settings, the original Ally produced 31fps with 1% lows at 25fps. The Xbox Ally X reached 44fps and 31fps lows—a 42% jump. In turbo mode, the original averaged 39fps, while the Xbox Ally X achieved 50fps, a 28% improvement, and a consistently smoother experience.

The Last of Us Part Two

At 1080p medium settings with FSR balanced, the original Ally managed 26fps with 1% lows at 19fps, making it unplayable. The Xbox Ally X delivered 36fps with 1% lows at 30fps—a 38% gain, crossing into playable territory.

Turbo mode boosted the original to 34fps, while the Xbox Ally X reached 43fps (26% improvement). The larger 24GB system memory made the gameplay far more stable.

Overall Performance Summary

The ROG Xbox Xbox Ally X has an average performance boost of 36.9% over the original ROG Ally at 17W. Without the strange Counter-Strike 2 results, the gain went up to 41%. The 1% lows were much better, showing that the frames were delivered more smoothly and consistently.

When the parameters were set to turbo, the average improvement was 25.5%, or 28.7% if you don't count Counter-Strike 2. The Xbox Ally X still works better and is more stable in the long run, even though the gap gets smaller at higher power settings. This is mostly because it has 24GB of RAM instead of the original's 16GB.

ROG, Xbox Ally X, Original Ally, Real-World FPS, Power Efficiency, NoobFeed

Final Thoughts

In general, it's evident that the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X makes a big difference in how well and how stable games run in the real world. The increase in memory and small increase in watts make a big difference, especially in newer games that need a lot of memory.

Both devices are still good, but the Xbox Ally X has smoother gameplay and fewer stutters, making it the better choice for anyone in the US market who wants to upgrade or get a handheld gaming device that will last longer.

Also, check our other ROG Ally Xbox articles below: