ASUS ROG Ally is an incredible handheld gaming PC, but after spending a solid amount of time with both ROG Ally Z1 Extreme 512GB and ROG Ally X 1TB, I can confidently say the upgrade was worth it. Both models deliver fantastic performance, but the Ally Xs improved battery life, additional USB-C port, and increased RAM make a real difference in daily use. If youre trying to decide between them, you cant go wrong with either, but if you're going for long gaming sessions or need more expandability, the Ally X is the one to get.ROG Ally Z1 Extreme vs. ROG Ally X Which One Did I Prefer?ROG Ally X (2024) RC72LASee it at ASUSROG Ally X (2024) RC72LASee it at Curry'sASUS ROG Ally Z1 Extreme 512GB579.00 at AmazonASUS ROG Ally Z1 Extreme 512GB599.00 at Curry'sASUS ROG Ally Z1 Extreme 512GB599.99 at ArgosThe Ally Xs better battery, extra port, and upgraded RAM make it a clear winner for me, but both models are fantastic handhelds. Obviously ROG Ally X is the most expensive, but the white ROG Ally is a cracking handheld for the money.ASUS ROG Ally Z1 Extreme 512GB SpecificationsStorage512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDBattery40WHrs, 4-cell Li-ionRAM16GB LPDDR5 (6400MT/s)PortsUSB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2) + XG MobileWeight608gGlass ProtectionGorilla Glass DXC + VictusASUS ROG Ally X 1TB SpecificationsStorage1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDBattery80WHrs, 4-cell Li-ionRAM24GB LPDDR5 (7500MT/s)PortsUSB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2) + USB 4 (Thunderbolt 4)Weight678gGlass ProtectionGorilla Glass VictusThe Ally Xs bigger battery means I actually get proper portable gaming, and the extra USB-C port has made docking a lot easier.Optimisation Guide How to Make the ROG Ally Even BetterThe first thing I did after setting up both models was check for updates. ASUS provides BIOS, firmware, and GPU driver updates right out of the box. Using Armoury Crate SE and MyASUS, I made sure everything was fully up to date. The difference was noticeablebetter power management and smoother performance across the board.Lossless Scaling (Steam App)Lossless Scaling (Steam App)Save 1.18 with a Humble Choice Membership5.89 at HumbleLossless Scaling is a game-changer. AMDs FSR 3 has too much motion blur, but Lossless Scaling gives crisper visuals and way better performance. Running games at a lower resolution in windowed frameless mode, then scaling them up, has doubled my FPS in some cases. There are occasional visual artifacts, but for single-player games, its absolutely worth it.Little AppsLittle AppsFree at Little AppsWindows 11 is full of unnecessary background apps that eat up system resources. Little Apps Suite took care of registry cleaning, disk cleanup, and privacy protection. Boot times got faster, RAM usage dropped, and the whole system just felt snappier.Winaero TweakerWinaero TweakerA tick box windows de-bloater programSee it at WinaeroWinAero Tweaker helped me disable all the bloat, including telemetry and copilot. It's all in a tickbox format with descriptions on all the features, so you're not going to deactivate something that you need. As always, if you're not sure, don't touch it and do your research.AvastAvastThe perfect all-in-one security suite.See it at AvastThe ROG Ally is still a Windows PC, meaning it's just as vulnerable to ransomware, phishing, and malware. Avast Premium Security is what I useit has real-time malware protection, a built-in VPN, and anti-phishing tools. Its lightweight, doesnt impact gaming performance, and provides far better security than Windows Defender.Best Micro SD Cards for ROG AllyPNY PRO Elite 1TB microSDXC Memory Card + SD Adaptor109.99 at AmazonSanDisk 1TB Extreme microSDXC card +SD adapterSamsung PRO Plus MicroSD Card, 512 GBPNY XLR8 Gaming 512 GB44.99 at AmazonPNY PRO Elite 256GB microSDXC Memory Card + SD Adaptor24.99 at AmazonStorage expansion is essential for handheld gaming, and Ive tested a bunch of microSD cards to see which ones are worth buying.SanDisk Extreme1TB190MB/s86.98 (Was 101.05)Fastest speeds for big game librariesNY PRO Elite1TB100MB/s109.99Reliable storage for 4K content and gamingSamsung PRO Plus512GB180MB/s49.99 (Was 73.99)Best balance of speed and pricePNY XLR8 Gaming512GB100MB/s44.99Budget-friendly gaming optionPNY PRO Elite256GB100MB/s24.99Cheapest reliable optionThe SanDisk Extreme 1TB has been the best performer, with fast load times and reliable performance. The Samsung PRO Plus 512GB is great for speed without breaking the bank.Best Power Banks for ROG Allysharge SHARGEEK 170 Power Bank, 170W OutputINIU Power Bank, 100W 25000mAh Portable Charger UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 25000mAh 200WAnker Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank (250W) with 100W Charging Base, 3-Port Portable ChargerA 65W USB-C power bank is a must-have, and these are the ones Ive tested.sharge SHARGEEK 17024,000mAh170W136.99 (Was 166.99)Best high-end choiceUGREEN Nexode25,000mAh200W74.99 (Was 98.99)Best mix of power and affordabilityINIU 100W25,000mAh100W50.99 (Was 79.99)Budget-friendly fast chargingAnker Prime 250W27,650mAh250W189.99 (Was 229.99)Ultimate performance for heavy usersI use the sharge SHARGEEK 170 the mostit charges fast and has a cool display. The UGREEN Nexode 200W is a great mid-range option with fast charging.Best Docks for ROG AllyJSAUX Steam Deck Dock, 6-in-1 Docking StationAsus 65W Dock Charger for ROG Ally59.99 at AmazonUGREEN Steam Deck Dock, 6-in-1UGREEN Steam Deck Dock, 9-in-1Docks are essential for turning the ROG Ally into a full gaming setup. Heres what I recommend.JSAUX 6-in-1 DockHDMI, Ethernet, USB-A27.99 (Was 39.99)Budget choiceAsus 65W Dock ChargerUSB-C, DisplayPort59Official ASUS optionUGREEN 6-in-1 Dock4K HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet24.69 (Was 39.99)Best value for moneyUGREEN 9-in-1 Dock4K HDMI, USB-C 10Gbps39.99 (Was 59.99)Best all-in-one dockThe UGREEN 9-in-1 Dock is what I use for docking to an external monitor. The Asus 65W Dock Charger is great for fast charging while docked.Do you know something I don't? Maybe a better Windows de-bloater or frame generation software for Window's AMD handhelds? Let me know in the comments!Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.