We’ve spent enough time with the ROG Xbox Ally X to say this: it’s no longer just a novelty. It’s a handheld that finally knows what it wants to be.

The original ROG Ally from 2023 was exciting. It was a bold step toward making PC gaming portable. But after a few sessions, it started to feel more like a prototype for what was coming next.

This one? It feels a little more complete.

So, let’s talk about how the ROG Xbox Ally X grips better, plays longer, and why it feels like a proper sequel.

Built for real hands, not show floors

The first touch felt awkward — the kind of feeling you get when you’re not sure how to hold something new. But the longer you hold it, the more it starts to make sense.

The redesigned grips, patterned after Xbox controllers, give it a natural curve that rests well in your palms. It still doesn’t dig in as much as the Legion Go S – my personal preference as of writing – but it’s certainly an improvement.

It’s also subtly heavier than the original, yet the weight works in its favor. The balance feels right. The texture, more grounded. It feels made for long sessions, not quick demos.

This is where ASUS seems to have listened. What was once a bit slippery now feels like an extension of your hands. The matte finish stays clean, the edges no longer bite. It’s a small but significant shift — and one that changes how you use it.

There is one thing I found myself wishing for: a slightly larger, and better (maybe OLED?) screen. The size isn’t a deal-breaker, but with the improved grips and better weight distribution, it feels like the device could comfortably accommodate just a bit more display real estate

Buttons and controls that take some getting used to

The button placements might be an issue for some. You know how in controllers, the little top left and top right buttons closer to the middle — in this case, the screen — are universally the “Select” and “Start” buttons? That’s not how it goes on the ROG Xbox Ally X.

The top left button brings up a Quick Settings version of Armoury Crate SE, while the top right one opens your Game Library. The buttons that function similarly to “Select” and “Start” sit right beneath them. And as far as I’ve checked, there’s no way to remap.

That’s quite a puzzling choice, as any gamer with experience will tell you this runs counter to what most of us are used to. Even now, I still press these buttons by mistake.

For the rest of the controls, the ROG Xbox Ally X follows Xbox’s asymmetrical layout. The face buttons feel tactile and responsive enough, so there’s little to complain about. The joysticks feel good, too — though only time will tell if they’ll fall victim to the dreaded stick drift. Other ROG Ally variants had few reports of this happening, and hopefully that remains the case here.

A battery built for actual gaming

We tested it the same way we tested the original: unplugged, Turbo mode, 25W TDP, NBA 2K Quick Play and a few other titles.

Back then, we couldn’t finish more than a single game and a few minutes of freestyle practice before the battery flatlined.

This time, it’s double that.

Two full games before reaching for the charger — and that’s without dialing down the settings. The new 80Wh battery doesn’t just promise endurance; it delivers it.

The cooling system has also been reworked, quieter yet just as efficient. It’s the kind of update that doesn’t make headlines, but you notice it — or in this case, don’t notice it as much.

Together, these tweaks make the ROG Xbox Ally X something the original never quite managed to be — a handheld that lets you play longer unplugged.

Designed for the Xbox era

The Xbox influence is everywhere, and it’s not just branding. The ROG Xbox Ally X now boots straight into the Xbox app, with the familiar button logo acting as your home key. Press it to launch the game bar and help you navigate your device using just the built-in handheld controls.

It feels less like a PC pretending to be a console and more like a handheld that understands both worlds. Although, it is still very much a compact PC.

You can still jump into Steam, Ubisoft Connect, and back to the Xbox app with ease. The tweaks that Microsoft made certainly make it easier to navigate the device using just the handheld controls. But the feel is still more PC than Xbox console.

Don’t get me wrong — it is certainly better than what the original Ally had to offer. Back then, it felt like ASUS built the hardware and hoped the software would catch up. Now, it feels like both sides have somewhat met halfway.

Performance that respects your time

Under the hood, the ROG Xbox Ally X runs the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip, but ASUS focused on optimizing what surrounds it — thermals, battery management, and storage.

The internal layout has been reworked to accommodate a much larger 1TB M.2 SSD and 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM. These aren’t just specs on paper; they change how the device behaves over time.

Load times feel a tad shorter. Switching between games and platforms/apps is smoother. You spend less time waiting and more time playing.

The fans, too, are less intrusive. You’ll still hear them when pushing the TDP to max, but they no longer spin up as abruptly. The entire system feels calmer — mature, even.

That’s the word that keeps coming back when describing the ROG Xbox Ally X. It’s the same idea, refined by time and feedback.

Software that finally plays nice

Armoury Crate SE still serves a purpose. You can still tweak TDP, fan profiles, and button mapping. It’s the experience that feels most familiar coming from older versions of the ROG Ally.

Meanwhile, Xbox integration makes it easier for casual players to jump in without touching a single setting. The ROG Xbox Ally X adapts to both power users and those who just want to play their preferred games on the couch, in bed, or wherever, really.

The software is designed around how people actually use the device — not how engineers think they might.

Is the ROG Xbox Ally X your GadgetMatch?

What makes the ROG Xbox Ally X a proper sequel isn’t raw power or a single headline feature. It’s the way everything now feels more connected.

The new grip design complements the bigger battery. The improved cooling complements the quieter operation. The tighter Xbox integration complements the way it fits naturally into your gaming habits.

It’s not perfect — the ergonomics could still go deeper, Windows still feels like an awkward fit for small screens, and this particular 7-inch screen could probably use an inch more. 

Overall though, the ROG Xbox Ally X is a Swipe Right. It no longer feels like a prototype or a statement piece. It feels like a handheld built for everyday play.

If the first ROG Ally was the promising first installment, then this one is a proper sequel – one that could pave the way to a blockbuster franchise.

Learn more about the ROG Xbox Ally X here.

WHERE TO BUY.  (PhP 56,995/ USD 999.99)

Growing up, city builders were my guilty pleasure. It’s fun to build a sprawling empire and to tear it all down again with an assortment of artificial disasters. Over time, the art of city builders was lost to more battle-oriented strategy games. Today, Ubisoft is keeping the genre alive through the Anno series. The upcoming Anno 117: Pax Romana will now take players to second-century Rome to build their own Roman city.

Though the game won’t be out for quite some time, Ubisoft gave us a sneak peek of its full build, and it’s just what you’d expect from the historical city builder.

A time of peace

As the name says, this is Pax Romana. Despite being set during the Roman period, you won’t find yourself fighting in the Punic Wars or fighting off armies of barbarians. It’s a relatively laidback experience.

The preview had us going through an entire ecosystem of Roman goods from simple woodcutter’s huts to enormous fields of lavender. The ecosystem even has garum, the Roman version of patis.

A lot of times, the plethora of buildable products don’t do much, other than satisfying the wants of different social classes. It does, however, make the game feel more immersive. It also adds long-term complexity because you’ll need to balance out all your citizen’s different needs.

The economic balancing is relaxing because there’s not much pressure to build a huge army. That said, conflicts can still be resolved with force. However, in the limited time offered by the preview, amassing a huge force was not a primary focus.

Building your way into a conspiracy

Like all games of the genre, Anno 117 has a serviceable storyline. To be fair, it’s not a story I’d lose sleep over. But it’s enough to push the narrative along and help you learn the ropes.

At the beginning, you can pick between two characters: Marcia and Marcus. Though both characters have slightly different stories, they still end in the same place with a powerful figure getting murdered.

In terms of gameplay, furthering the story isn’t the most compelling. A good chunk of the preview involves sending your flagship to another island to pick something up. Essentially, it’s a series of fetch quests.

I’m not sure how else a strategy game like this can add variety to the narrative, so this might be asking too much. At the very least, it’s a decent story to keep you playing.

Learning the ropes

As a tutorial, the story works to introduce the complex system. However, it isn’t as direct as I’d want it to be. There are times when the game wants me to build a certain item but doesn’t tell me how. For the first few hours, your experience is likely just about getting used to the interface. Rather than offering all the buildings you can have in categories, the interface organizes them according to their social class. So, all the plebian buildings are found in only one menu. It takes a while to get used to this.

Additionally, when you want to build a more advanced building, the interface does show a tree that details which smaller buildings you’ll need first. One small issue I had is the lack of a clear means to easily track which of the prerequisites are already present in your city.

Getting past the mire into paradise

That said, getting into a rhythm is easy. Because it doesn’t spoon-feed players on what to do, there is an enduring allure in discovering what else you can do to improve your city.

If you had a past playing with city builders, Anno 117 can reignite that feeling. To be fair, the game does not reinvent the genre. This is a very similar game to what came before. But if you’re looking for a decent builder set in an era that doesn’t usually get a lot of love, Anno 117: Pax Romana might be the game for you.

Razer is taking PS5 competition to the next level with the Raiju V3 Pro. Razer built its latest wireless esports controller for serious players, officially licensing it for PlayStation 5 to deliver lightning-fast response, pixel-perfect precision, and full customization. And it comes in a sleek, tournament-ready form.

Built for performance

The Raiju V3 Pro introduces TMR (Tension Magnetic Resistance) thumbsticks, offering consistent tension, anti-drift performance, and pinpoint control. Whether you’re lining up headshots or pulling off combos, these symmetrical sticks translate every subtle movement into clean, accurate inputs.

Razer also added Pro HyperTriggers, letting you switch between rapid-fire clicks and full analog travel. Through Synapse 4, you can fine-tune trigger actuation points to match your playstyle. Use hair-trigger speed for shooters or full-range control for racing and adventure games.

Every press feels deliberate thanks to Mecha-Tactile PBT action buttons and an 8-way floating D-pad, built from doubleshot PBT materials that resist wear and shine even after hours of intense play.

Control, comfort, and customization

Designed with both traditional and claw grip players in mind, the Raiju V3 Pro comes with four removable mouse-click back buttons and two claw bumpers, all remappable for personalized layouts. Each button uses the same ultra-responsive switches found in Razer’s top-tier gaming mice, giving every tap that satisfying, tactile snap.

The controller connects via Razer HyperSpeed Wireless, ensuring ultra-low latency and seamless performance on PS5. Players can adjust sensitivity, remap buttons, and save up to four onboard profiles using the Razer Mobile App or Synapse 4.

For travel and tournament play, it includes a premium carry case and a detachable 2 m USB-C cable.

Price and availability

The Razer Raiju V3 Pro is available now for EUR 209.99 / PHP12,990 at Razer.com, RazerStores, and select retailers worldwide.