The ROG Ally X: Great, But Could Zen 5 Have Made It Even Better?
The Asus ROG Ally X is out, and it's a powerhouse! It's easily the best Windows gaming handheld on the market right now. But despite its amazing features, it still uses the tried-and-true Zen 4-based Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor. We all know the new Zen 5 chips are out there, so what would happen if the Ally X got a Zen 5 upgrade?
Let's get this out of the way: the Ally X is fantastic. It's a huge step up from the original Ally, with improved ergonomics, better battery life, and a ton of awesome features. But it's not a huge leap forward in terms of raw gaming performance. It runs the same Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4) and Radeon 780M combo found in the original Ally, just with slightly faster memory and some tweaks to its power limits.
Zen 5: The Performance Boost
So, back to Zen 5. We wanted to see how much of a difference it would make, and to do that, we tested the Ally X against a brand-new Asus ProArt P16 laptop with a Zen 5 Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and Radeon 890M.
Benchmark Tests
To see the potential of Zen 5, we started with some benchmark tests. We ran 3DMark's Time Spy and Steel Nomad Light at various power levels (17 watts, 25 watts, and 30 watts) to simulate the Ally X's performance modes.
| Benchmark | Ryzen Z1 Extreme/Radeon 780M | Ryzen AI 9 HX 370/Radeon 890M | Performance Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel Nomad Light | 17W: 2,168 points, 25W: 2,601 points, 30W: 2,753 points | 17W: 2,757 points, 25W: 3,175 points, 30W: 3,283 points | 27%: 22% : 19% |
| Time Spy Graphics | 17W: 2,427 points, 25W: 2,857 points, 30W: 2,987 points | 17W: 2,838 points, 25W: 3,222 points, 30W: 3,300 points | 17%: 13% : 10% |
These benchmark results show a clear advantage for Zen 5, even at lower power levels.
Real-World Gaming Tests
Then we moved on to actual gaming tests, running a variety of titles at 1080p/high settings. Again, we tested at 17 watts, 25 watts, and 30 watts to mimic the Ally X's performance modes.
| Game (1080p/High Settings) | Ryzen Z1 Extreme/Radeon 780M | Ryzen AI 9 HX 370/Radeon 890M | Performance Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Cry 5 | 17W: 36 FPS, 25W: 44 FPS, 30W: 45 FPS | 17W: 42 FPS, 25W: 51 FPS, 30W: 53 FPS | 17%: 16% : 18% |
| Witcher 3 | 17W: 39 FPS, 25W: 45 FPS, 30W: 47 FPS | 17W: 43 FPS, 25W: 51 FPS, 30W: 54 FPS | 10%: 13% : 15% |
| GTA V | 17W: 57 FPS, 25W: 65 FPS, 30W: 67 FPS | 17W: 64 FPS, 25W: 75 FPS, 30W: 77 FPS | 12%: 15% : 15% |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 17W: 19.8 FPS, 25W: 24.5 FPS, 30W: 25.6 FPS | 17W: 24.9 FPS, 25W: 28.4 FPS, 30W: 29.7 FPS | 26%: 16% : 16% |
| CoD MW3 | 17W: 26 FPS, 25W: 33 FPS, 30W: 35 FPS | 17W: 33 FPS, 25W: 38 FPS, 30W: 45 FPS | 27%: 15% : 29% |
| CoD MW3 (FSR) | 17W: 41 FPS, 25W: 51 FPS, 30W: 54 FPS | 17W: 54 FPS, 25W: 60 FPS, 30W: 65 FPS | 32%: 18% : 20% |
Why Asus Didn't Go Zen 5 (Yet)
It might seem like a no-brainer to put Zen 5 in the Ally X, right? More power, more fun! But the reality is a little more complex.
- Power Efficiency: Zen 5 is still a new technology, and it hasn't reached the level of power efficiency seen in the Ryzen Z1 Extreme. So, while it offers a performance boost, it would likely drain the battery faster, potentially requiring a significant compromise in battery life for the Ally X.
- Price: The Ally X is already a premium device. Adding a Zen 5 chip would bump up the price even more, making it less attractive to gamers on a budget.
The Ally X is Still the Best
For now, the Ally X is the perfect balance of performance, battery life, and price. But Zen 5 is a powerful technology, and it's only going to get better. It's likely that future versions of the Ally, or other gaming handhelds, will eventually adopt this new chip.
It'll be interesting to see how the future unfolds!
