ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X Puts Doom: The Dark Ages at 70 FPS, Even with Ray Tracing
From a test conducted by Cary Golomb on platform X, the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X showcases truly remarkable performance running Doom: The Dark Ages at around 70 frames per second. That includes ray tracing enabled and AMD FSR upscaling—a very impressive feat for a handheld device.
Hardware That Pushes the Limits
The powerhouse behind this performance is the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU. It features a Radeon 890M integrated GPU and a CPU architecture upgraded to Zen 5 and Zen 5c, complete with larger cache. Relative to the previous Ryzen Z1 Extreme in the original ROG Ally, this chip boosts stream processor count by 33 percent.
Gameplay Performance Details
The system rendered Doom: The Dark Ages at about 70 FPS with ray tracing turned on—and all while running mixed low-medium graphics settings. The base internal resolution was 540p, which was upscaled via FSR to 1080p, with FSR frame generation enhancing motion smoothness.
Efficiency and Thermal Performance
One of the biggest advantages of the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme is superior energy efficiency. The entire system drew only 26 W in Performance mode and maintained an internal temperature of about 57 °C at 18 W—showing remarkable power management that allows over three hours of gameplay.
A Slight Drawback for Existing Owners?
ETA PRIME’s benchmarks reveal that the CPU delivers only a 6–9% performance uplift compared to the older Z1 Extreme. That modest improvement may not justify upgrading for existing ROG Ally X users—especially while driver support is still ramping up.
What You’re Getting Inside the Device
Here’s a quick spec overview for the ROG Xbox Ally X:
| Feature | Specs |
| CPU / GPU | AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU (Zen 5 + RDNA 3.5 with NPU) |
| Graphics Enhancement | AMD FSR upscaling + Frame Generation |
| RAM | 24 GB LPDDR5X-8000 |
| Storage | 1 TB M.2 SSD |
| Display | 7-inch, 1080p, 120 Hz IPS LCD |
| Energy Efficiency | ~26 W total system draw; 57 °C at 18 W |
| Battery Potential | Over 3 hours of gameplay in tests |
Final Thought
The ROG Xbox Ally X truly raises the bar for handheld gaming PCs—delivering outstanding performance and efficiency that make Doom: The Dark Ages appear fluid even under demanding settings. The integration of advanced upscaling and frame generation shows how smart software can enhance hardware significantly. While the CPU uplift may seem modest on paper, the holistic experience—smooth gameplay, clever power balancing, and thermal control—makes it a worthy leap for those who crave high-quality gaming on the go. ASUS and AMD are redefining what handheld gaming can be, and this device leads the charge.
