r/ROGAlly • u/Special_Tennis5082 • Jul 03 '26
Question Thinking of getting a rog ally handheld gaming pc
Hi everyone,
Very new to the pc gaming side of things. Long time PS guy but with the latest news of no physical discs I am wanting to boycott Sony.
I want to get one of these but I don’t want to drop over $1k on the ally x. I’m thinking that games that have pc ports on steam I will buy and then some other games I’ll have to get emu deck and emulate them. My question is, will it run all the way up to the latest releases such as hogwarts legacy?
For emulating or high powered older games e.g. GTA4, uncharted and god of war 3? Would these play well on the one I’m looking at? (Image attached)
EDIT: this is Australian dollars
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u/SwordfishDapper7178 Jul 03 '26
Z1e can still do things believe me
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u/Competitive-Cycle-52 ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Jul 04 '26
I wanna know what I'm missing.. care to share?
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u/chochi__ Jul 03 '26
You can get a used ally x for this price
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u/Special_Tennis5082 Jul 03 '26
It’s Australian dollars
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u/chochi__ Jul 03 '26
Ahh so 625 kangaroo coins would be like 430 bald eagle coins. Good deal with the 5 year warranty if it’s the z1e model, a little expensive if it’s just the base model tho.
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u/735ur ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Jul 03 '26
To answer your question, yes, you'd be able to emulate pretty much anything and play whatever you want, granted you're alright with turning down settings and sometimes res. Hogwarts Legacy is a little on the iffy side from what I know, you'd have to crank down settings and go to 720p to play it at 50+ FPS.
As a Canadian (our currency is close to yours in value), try to aim for $500-550 used locally if you can, but if the price you're looking at is the best you can get, go ahead if you're alright with that. It's well worth it in my opinion. Just make sure it's the Z1E model and not the Z1.
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u/Special_Tennis5082 Jul 03 '26
Thank you! Yeah well currently I’m using a ps2 on an old tv and a r36s so I don’t mind if it not looking the best as long as it runs fine
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u/735ur ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Jul 03 '26
Alright cool, also consider Retrobat, automatically downloads emulators (sans Switch) for you and it has a bunch of cool themes. Pretty simple to get up and running!
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u/treys620 Jul 03 '26
+1 for Retrobat! I'm running an Ally X 2024 and have Steam go big screen on boot up then have Retrobat as a non Steam game to launch it from the library with all the Steam native stuff, it's a pretty slick setup. I'm emulating all the way up to PS3, XBox 360 and WiiU and it works great.
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u/Krazor8xx Jul 04 '26
U can find the ally x z1 extreme on ebay for 6-700 used...i sold mine on there earlier
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u/chance_of_grain Jul 04 '26
Z1e is still great I use mine almost everyday. There are so many slightly older or less demanding games it can play, you’d never run out of content.
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u/_2cantat2_ Jul 03 '26
Would the non-z1e you won’t even be able to emulate half the ps2 library. Forget ps3 and over. Triple A games are also super hit or miss even with setting as low as possible. You should look at retroid pockets if your wanting a cheap emulator device
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u/Special_Tennis5082 Jul 03 '26
I think this is a Z1? I like this shop because I can go in and trade in stuff and get it for under $350
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u/_2cantat2_ Jul 03 '26
I originally bought the regular z1. After not being able to play nearly anything I got it for I returned it and spent the extra on the z1e. The difference is MASSIVE!!! If you’re truly looking for a powerful emulator device for under $300 (can also run moonlight for steam) definitely check out the retroid devices. If you want the PC handheld though, pay the extra for the extreme or X.
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u/linkrulesx10 Jul 03 '26
This is likely the Z1E as Australia only had the Z1E released, we didn't get the Z1. If possibly go check it out on person and Google the model number.
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u/NaturalSelecty ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Jul 03 '26
Damn, I wish I could trade mine in for that value. Best Buy and GameStop stopped accepting these apparently.
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u/Head_Consequence7903 Jul 03 '26
Small creen than the legion go....7" v 8.8"....only have one device????
You want it for all or only for gaming?
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u/eorkanstein Jul 03 '26
Hi OP, I can’t offer much on emulating but seems like others have provided some answers.
I can say that if you are at the CEX website - I actually bought the same one a few weeks ago, this is the z1e model.
From my research on FB marketplace / eBay the price was pretty good, the fact you get warranty was what made me buy it from this website rather than from private sellers.
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u/Hippo8524 Jul 08 '26
CEX can be hit or miss, I got mine for £250 from there, discounted due to a faulty sd slot, wasnt available online it was an instore only deal, (my guess is the "technician" who originally tested didnt test the slot and it was caught later when they sold it to someone else), I've seen others get theirs grade A/B and get screwed over.
Also the 5 year warranty is a scam, if you actually look into the contract itself you'd see why, they can deny the warranty at any time they want, for any reason including microscopic dust particles on the intakes 🤣
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u/MFCK Jul 03 '26
Not for that price.
I got that base model on eBay, refurbished for $400 and a warranty.
Depends on your level of gaming I guess. I can play dead by daylight with no issues on the base model.
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u/ricorick Jul 03 '26
The Z1E will not play the newest games but I play a lot of indies and older games so for me it was life changing even after 2 years
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u/LittleFirefIy Jul 04 '26
Nah I did D2 raids and played Monster Hunter Wilds on my Z1E. Thing’s a beast 🤣
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u/RAF2018336 Jul 03 '26
You want the black one of any of the Ally models
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u/linkrulesx10 Jul 03 '26
Not true for the first round. There was no black one, the Z1E is white just like the Z1.
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u/RAF2018336 Jul 03 '26
yea and the black one is still easily better than the original Z1E
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u/linkrulesx10 Jul 03 '26
And costs more and at least in Australia, is a lot less available second hand.
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u/lyfeizfones Jul 03 '26
I got one that have I haven’t been using for a while. It’s in excellent condition. I’ll sell it to you for super cheap. DM me if you’re interested.
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u/EstablishmentOwn6942 ROG Xbox Ally X Jul 03 '26
I just sold mine for half of it in good condition. It is not worth this price
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u/Bananapokeman2 Jul 04 '26
Z1e plays games well enough for me but the short battery life kills me. Definitely wish i wouldve got the ally x
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u/Prestigious-Ebb-3845 Jul 04 '26
Yes it can but you may need to heavily learn to tweak settings Xbox 360 and PS3 emulation especially have problems with the Sun's brightness or as an example retorarch/mupen sucks on n64 games (problem with reading the old-school expansion pack) so expansion pack games id reccomend Simple 64 terrible UI but by far runs the games better
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u/GlorpedUpDragStrip Jul 04 '26
Look for them on Facebook marketplace man, I got mine with a 512 a card for $500au. There is one nearby me for $450au currently and it also has the battery upgrade done to it but the SD port is cooked. I'm in Brisbane
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u/Heinrich_Hyper Jul 04 '26
Yes to all of your questions but,
the Ally Z1E has a tiny battery (you really should mod it).
The Ally Z1E's screen brightness kind of sucks for gaming outside in summer.
Using it with an eGPU is limited to XG Mobile on Windows which doesn't really work.
And 16GB of system RAM is a big limit to it.
M.2 2230 SSDs are silly expensive right now.
The SD Card slot doesn't work
The Ally X (if you can somehow get it) fixed most of those issues (other than the screen).
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u/gamingquarterly Jul 04 '26
Get it. One of the best purchases I have made in a while. I use it everyday. If not retro gaming, then I'm watching TV on it.
If you do modern gamer though, make sure you either get one with a large SSD, or upgrade it along with the battery.
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u/Certified_GSD ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Jul 04 '26
This looks like a Z1E, which is the way to go. I got one recently and it's great for playing games in bed or on the go. RetroDECK is much better than EmuDeck, do NOT use EmuDeck unless you absolutely have to. I can locate some BIOS files for you if you need to as well.
I usually play lower end titles at 1080p and then AAA games at 720p for maximum framerates; it still looks great. The SD card slot on these tend to go out so it's best not to gamble and either get a larger 2230 SSD (or get an adapter for a 2280 SSD), or get some sort of USB-C to SD adapter.
These are also powerful enough to use as a PC replacement. I recommend a good, high quality dock like the official Steam Deck dock that can output high refresh rates to an HDMI monitor. You can plug in any external drives, a keyboard, a mouse, and a monitor and use it like any other desktop PC.
if you don't need anti-cheat games like BF6 or Fortnite, I really recommend using Bazzite's Steam OS fork. It works very well and has all the power settings and tools integrated and it is much easier to use with proper sleep mode function. It's almost exactly like using a Steam Deck, but with more powerful hardware.
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u/justashy_guy Jul 04 '26
I regret not getting a Z1e :( i just bought the regular one and its sick asf but not good enough for the games I want to play forza6/POE2, they run but on low low settings, spend the money get a Z1E
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u/Pleasant-Champion616 ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Jul 04 '26
z1e is 300 2nd hand not worth buying as new imo
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u/rethilgore-au Jul 04 '26
Absolutely get at the z1 Extreme model. I got mine about a year or so ago and it’s my favourite pc. Use it hooked up at home as a desktop and can take it with me anywhere. It’s crazy powerful considering how small it is.
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u/rainvee Jul 04 '26
The z1e ally is still very capable. I've had mine for 2 years and it plays FF7 remake on stable 60fps 900p
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u/Wrong-Efficiency-248 Jul 04 '26
I’m excited you want to join the rog family and gladly welcome you aboard butyou do realize that your boy cot doesn’t hold water since you’re going from one system that doesn’t have a disc drive to another.
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u/TursKia Jul 04 '26
If it’s your first handheld, you need to be aware the screen is ridiculously small.
Also if you just want to enter pc gaming, just buy a pc, these things are pretty weak for the price to run big games, most people play at 30 fps 720p low settings and call it a beast, you need to be aware of that also
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u/tello59 Jul 04 '26
For the z1 extreme gen the legion go s is probably the best, but the ally wasn’t horrible, I would try Best Buy to just try it out. Way easier to return
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u/Lower-Silver3569 Jul 04 '26
As an owner of rog ally,I'd say you better off with other handheld. No doubt it's fun to have it but at the same time I had to tinker too many settings. Not to mention I had uninstall GPU driver to solve issues with freezing then reinstall the driver again. Unless you can get a steamos installed device or you are ok with troubleshooting, otherwise I'd advice against it
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u/cosmitz Jul 04 '26
Do not get a Z1 version, and do not get a White Ally, you want the black Ally X (without the xbox grips) with 24GB ram, USB4 and the doubled battery. Find good lightly used deals but don't pay 600 even AUD for a white Ally.
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u/Zeroshifta Jul 04 '26
Paid less than that for a used Z1E and a xg mobile gpu. Def looked at the used market
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u/Bookkeeper-Empty Jul 05 '26
I’ve had one of these they’re not great in the hands to hold not very ergonomic, I’d get a Xbox ally also get them off fb marketplace not cex they are ripoffs
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u/CheemsOfRegret Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
PS3 emulation is a case by case basis thing. Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3 and Armored Core 4 run fairly well, while God of War 3 and Infamous can chug a bit. You can forget about PS4 emulation for the moment. PS2 emulation and older should run perfectly fine.
As for ported games, anything that came out on the PS4 or older, the Ally should be able to run reasonably well. I own a Z1E Legion Go which isn't that much more powerful than the original Z1 ROG Ally, and I can run stuff like FF15, RDR2, Samurai Warriors 4, and Ace Combat 7 at medium to high settings.
For latest games that came on PS5, my Z1E Legion Go is starting to slow down a bit, but with tweaking I've been able to run most games at a reasonable framerate. FF16 is rough around the edges but is playable. Stellar Blade and Dynasty Warriors Origins, and FF7R1 runs fairly well at lower settings. Of course, an original Z1 ROG Ally is a bit weaker than Z1E devices, but it should be able to play the latest games if you're willing to do some tweaking. Just keep a charger and power bank handy since 1st gen PC handhelds tend to have smaller batteries and the latest games are fairly power hungry.
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u/Solid_Violinist_1392 Jul 06 '26
yes the games you want to play will run very well on it (just make sure to get the z1e and not the z1 version).
I have one since about a year and only had some performance issues for very demanding new games but lets say about 2020 and earlier everything will run very well. mainly it has problems running demanding UE5 games. they do run but are stuttery.
if you can find one and are on a nudget, I see good deals for used units all the time. just don't be scammed and.
also in general the website rogallylife is great to check how well a game runs on it and also directly lists the used settings (I would guess the listed ones just run fine at 1080p with max settings, except hogwarts legacy at lower settings)
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u/IcyLaugh2772 Jul 06 '26
Great choice! I just picked one up a few days ago and it's been treating me nicely. The battery life is pretty solid (especially for my indie titles) and the screen is gorgeous. It's pretty powerful but just a small recommendation, it comes standard with a setup for 6GB of ram to be dedicated to your GPU, I'd bump that up to 7GB just to help out with stronger titles a bit.
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u/Mightyberty Jul 06 '26
Its an amazing piece of kit but the battery life is god damn awful If your able to save the money i reccomend the rog ally x The battery is way better !
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u/B00stedHD Jul 06 '26
You had me in the first half, but boycotting Sony because they’re going digital only while moving to ASUS’s digital only device is low key kinda wild 😝
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u/BXBomberX Jul 07 '26
I picked up the z1 on Mecari for 280.00 and put steamOS on it. It runs great except the battery not great. Thinking of replacing the battery but runs good
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u/Johnism Jul 07 '26
By the screen shot I can see you’re in Australia. Just go to FB marketplace. A lot of people sell for around $600, but I’ve seen them go for as low as $350. Feel free to ask people about the price. Make sure it’s the Z1 Extreme and not the Z2.
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u/Special_Tennis5082 Jul 07 '26
Yeah I had a look and saw some rog ally x for $900. I think I’ll just wait until I’m ready to pull the trigger and get one for that price
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u/DarkNightRJ Jul 07 '26
From my understanding these would be better for older games and indie games. I've seen people run modern games on it but at like 720p 30fps on low - medium settings.
The price seems good. I'm thinking of getting one for indies and lower spec games.
Is that like sure that sells used? Do they insure it at all?
I think best I've seen new is JB at like $850 or so
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u/TheHuskyHideaway Jul 03 '26
Surely you appreciate the irony of protesting Sony by going to a platform that did the same thing over a decade ago.
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u/Special_Tennis5082 Jul 03 '26
Haha yeah but I was avoiding it because I like buying games and trading them and if I can’t do that I’ll get something that is built specifically for that purpose and not limited to just ps games
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u/Youngemanly Jul 05 '26
Would you rather play cheap game discount AAA games and crack game of ps5 with epensive game ?
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u/Helpful-Work-3090 ROG Ally Z1 Extreme Jul 03 '26
Get a used Z1 Extreme off of ebay if you can. If you can find one with a dead SD card slot, you can get them for 300 bucks or so