What comes with the ROG Ally?

The ROG Ally includes the device and a 65W charger in the box, along with a cardboard stand for you to set it on. Asus sells a ton of accessories for the device, including a carrying case and a charger that includes an HDMI output, but you’ll need to buy them separately.

　　

What version of Windows does the ROG Ally use?

The ROG Ally ships with Windows 11 Home, but you’re free to install any operating system you want. Keep in mind that the device is designed around Windows 11, though, so you might run into issues if you install a different operating system.

　　

Will the ROG Ally ruin my microSD card?

Since launch, we’ve seen several reports of the ROG Ally overheating microSD cards when they’re inserted into the machine. Although we haven’t experienced this problem (even with a microSD card installed for months), Asus has signaled it’s aware of the problem and released a firmware update to limit the heat around the microSD card.

　　With extensive testing, it’s hard to say if Asus has fully addressed the problem. It’s not clear if this only applies to some units or certain micro SD cards or a variety of other possible factors. What we can say for sure is that there’s a chance your microSD card will be ruined in the ROG Ally. This seems to be a heat issue, so we suspect you run a higher risk if you’re running the device plugged in while in Turbo mode.

　　

Is the ROG Ally upgradeable?

You can upgrade the SSD in the ROG Ally, but that’s it. It supports a standard M.2 2230 SSD size, which you can install by removing the back of the device. Keep in mind that you’ll have to get into the guts of the machine to do this, though, so it might be better to use an external SSD if you’re not comfortable.

　　

Can the ROG Ally run emulators?

The ROG Ally can run any emulator you could run on a standard Windows PC, and tools like RetroBat and EmuDeck make configuring several emulators at once a breeze. Unfortunately, though, you won’t be able to see your emulated games inside the ROG Ally’s main utility.

　　

How much storage does the ROG Ally have?

Asus has two models of the ROG Ally, one with the Z1 Extreme processor and 512GB of storage and another with a Z1 processor and 256GB of storage. However, you can expand storage by replacing the SSD, adding a micro SD card, or using an external hard drive.

　　

How much battery life does the ROG Ally have?

The ROG Ally sports a 40-watt-hour battery, and based on our testing, it lasts about two hours in a demanding game in its default Performance mode. That drops to only an hour of battery life in Turbo mode, while the Silent mode (in a less demanding game) can reach upwards of five hours.