Back when the ASUS ROG Ally launched in June 2023, it provided a solid Windows-based alternative to the Steam Deck, Valve’s handheld console. While it’s pretty safe to say that the Deck still rules the market to a certain degree, the Ally enjoyed some success, but it didn’t come without its shortcomings.
Namely, the battery life of the original ROG Ally was pretty disappointing. It comes fitted with a 40Wh battery, the same size you’ll find on the original LCD Steam Deck, limiting its lifespan as a ‘true’ handheld. The Steam Deck benefits from more modest hardware and SteamOS, a less power-hungry operating system than Windows 11, making the 40Wh battery a little more suitable.
DIY ROG Ally battery upgrade posted online
When comparing the ROG Ally vs 2024’s ROG Ally X, one of the defining upgrades is the battery. ASUS decided to fit the Ally X with an 80Wh battery, much to fans’ approval; the X also boasts more (and faster) 24GB LPDDR5X RAM. While the upgrade was welcomed by the community, the $799.99 price tag of the newer model doesn’t exactly sit within everyone’s budget.
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Well, the ROG Ally X is actually $699.99 at Best Buy right now as part of its Black Friday deals, but you get the idea.
In a recent Reddit thread, one user has taken the DIY approach and fitted their original ROG Ally with a 74Wh battery pack. Reportedly, the device works fine – “temperature is normal” with no issues so far. Running at 25W turbo mode, the second-most power-hungry setting behind Turbo+ (30W), the modder reports playtime of around 2.3-2.5 hours, depending on the game as per usual.
As seen in the image above, the newly installed battery features a ‘design capacity’ of 71,640 mWh, whereas the capacity when fully charged is 72,965 mWh. “ROG Ally X at home” writes one user.
Looking at the claimed performance stats (over 2 hours at 25W), the results are impressive and shouldn’t be far off the X. Again, there are a few factors that contribute to battery life, but these numbers are clearly ahead of the base ROG Ally, which could only manage around an hour, as demonstrated by this test by XDA Developers.
Now, all they need is a RAM upgrade and a black shell, then they’ve pretty much got a full transformation. Not that we’d recommend tinkering further; if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. According to the modder, the battery cost them just RMB 298, which translates to just over $40.
