What's the difference between the Asus ROG Ally Z1 and Z1 Extreme?

"I'm considering purchasing the ROG Ally, but I'm still unsure between the Z1 and Z1 Extreme models. I've noticed a significant performance difference between them. Would the Z1 still meet my requirements if I choose it? How does it compare to the Steam Deck?"

The ASUS ROG Ally Z1 and Z1 Extreme gaming devices have taken the market by storm with their sleek designs. If you're torn between the two, this article offers a comprehensive comparison. We'll dissect the ROG Ally Z1 vs Z1 Extreme based on their specifications and help you decide which one is a better buy. In this tool article, you'll also learn how to easily upgrade your Ally SSD.

(Picture: ROG Ally Z1 compared with Z1 Extreme)

ROG Ally Overview

The ROG Ally is a handheld gaming device developed by ASUS. It falls under the ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) lineup and was officially released to the market on June 13, 2023. Designed to compete with the Steam Deck, this device runs on Windows 11 and is powered by an AMD Zen 4 processor.

ASUS splits the processor into two models: the AMD Ryzen Z1 and the Ryzen Z1 Extreme. The Ryzen Z1 comes with a 6-core/12-thread CPU and a GPU with four compute units. The ROG Ally's Ryzen Z1 Extreme variant, on the other hand, features an 8-core/16-thread CPU and a GPU with 12 compute units.

ASUS primarily envisages the ROG Ally as a handheld device for playing games from Steam, Xbox Game Pass, and the Epic Games Store. It features a 7-inch, 1080p touchscreen LCD with a variable refresh rate that tops out at 120Hz. The controls resemble those of an Xbox Wireless Controller, complete with:

• Two analog joysticks.
• Two shoulder buttons.
• A D-pad.
• Two customizable buttons (located on the back).
• A/B/X/Y buttons.

Both the Asus ROG Ally Z1 and the Z1 Extreme come with 512GB of SSD storage and 16GB of onboard LPDDR5 memory. The Z1 is priced at $600, while the Z1 Extreme costs $700. What accounts for the extra $100 difference in price? What sets them apart?

If that's something you're looking out for, read on as we compare the ROG Ally Z1 and Z1 Extreme in terms of specs.

ROG Ally Z1 vs Z1 Extreme: Specifications Compared

If you're torn between choosing the ROG Ally Z1 and Z1 Extreme, this section will guide you through a comparison of their various specifications. We'll be looking at price, performance and speed, battery life, configuration, design, and display for each.

Price

The price difference between the Z1 and Z1 Extreme is $100. The ROG Ally Z1 is priced at $600, while the Z1 Extreme costs $700. We attribute this price disparity to the superior performance of the Z1 Extreme, which boasts a more powerful CPU and GPU, resulting in a 50% boost in gaming performance compared to the Z1.

For those who care less about hardware specifications and still want a quality product, the Z1 offers better value.

Performance and Speed

Both handhelds run on AMD Ryzen APUs. The Z1's CPU has six cores and 12 threads, while its integrated Radeon graphics have four compute units. The Z1 Extreme's CPU packs eight cores and 16 threads, and its integrated Radeon graphics have 12 compute units.

In terms of performance, the Z1 scores 1478 on 3DMark's Fire Strike benchmark, while the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme achieves a higher score of 2245. Additionally, in the game Cyberpunk 2077, the Z1 manages 29 fps at 720p resolution, whereas the Z1 Extreme reaches 43 fps at the same resolution. Overall, the gaming experience with the Z1 Extreme is deemed smoother than that of the ROG Ally Z1.

Battery life

Both ROG Ally models come with a dependable 40Wh battery. That's a decent capacity for a handheld gaming device and should last you between two to three hours. However, when running resource-intensive games like Cyberpunk 2077, the battery life drops to less than two hours.

For longer battery life, switch to “Silent mode,” but note that this may decrease gaming performance.

Configuration

Both handhelds feature AMD's Ryzen Z series CPU, a customized tuning of the 7040 series. These CPUs boast advanced V/F curves tailored to the demands of gaming on a portable device. The ROG Ally Z1 Extreme packs an octa-core Zen 4 CPU with 16 threads, 24 MB of cache, and a boosted clock speed of 5.1 GHz.

The Z2 features an RDNA 3 GPU with 12 compute units, while its counterpart, the Z1, is equipped with a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 4 CPU, 22MB cache, and a boosted clock speed of 4.9GHz. The Z1's RDNA 3 GPU has 4 compute units. Both devices boast 512GB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe solid-state storage and 16GB of onboard LPDDR5 memory.

Prospect Design

The ROG Ally Z1 and Z1 Extreme are identical in terms of design. They share similar build quality, appearance, and feel. Both measure 11.04 x 4.38 x 0.84 inches and weigh 608 grams. Both ROG Ally models feature an all-white design with ample RGB lighting beneath the joystick.

Both sport an ABXY button layout, with two joysticks on each side. On the left of each handheld is a D-pad. They also come with standard triggers and shoulder buttons. In addition, both devices have two customizable grip buttons on the back.

？ Display

Both devices come equipped with a 7-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display with 100% sRGB color gamut for vibrant and sharp visuals. ASUS has equipped both with Gorilla Glass DXC and Gorilla Glass Victus for durability and resistance to drops.

Both also have responsive touch screens that support up to 10 touch points. And both devices' displays have a refresh rate of 120 Hz, for smooth visuals, with a brightness of 500 nits on the Z1 and Z1 Extreme to ensure clarity and readability.

How to Upgrade the ROG Ally SSD for Better Performance

While the ROG Ally comes with 512 GB of SSD storage, you might eventually run out of space over time. Upgrading to a larger SSD can help expand your storage, which will benefit your handheld's overall performance in the long run, especially if you have many games installed.

We'll outline the preparations needed before upgrading the ROG Ally SSD and how to carry out the process using a reliable third-party tool, Disk Copy.

Preparations for the Upgrade

Before starting the ROG Ally SSD upgrade, make sure you have the following items on hand.

Next, we'll begin the ROG Ally SSD upgrade process.

How do we upgrade?

Before starting the SSD cloning process, having a reliable cloning software is one of the last things you need. Disk Copy Tool is the most recommended tool to accomplish this task. It allows you to transfer data from your old SSD to the new SSD bitwise without losing any data.

Instead of upgrading your ROG Ally SSD with a clean install of Windows, Disk Copy lets you migrate everything, including your games and saved data. It allows you to transfer all your files to the new SSD before installing Windows. Disk Copy removes bad sectors during cloning, ensuring only the good parts are migrated.

Disk Copy highlights include:

• Clone SSD sector by sector.
• Copy Windows to a new drive without reinstallation.
• Upgrade from a smaller HDD/SSD to a larger one.
• Resize SSD partitions during cloning.
• Migrate files from an old drive to a new computer.

Ready to effectively upgrade your ROG Ally SSD? Be sure to download the Disk Cloning Tool now and get started right away. The process with this tool is straightforward and easy to follow.

Advance notice:

• Sector-by-sector clone requires the target disk to be the same size or larger than the source disk. Uncheck this option if you want to clone a larger hard drive to a smaller one. • All data on the target disk will be erased. Proceed with caution.

Step 1: To start copying/ cloning an entire disk to another, select the disk under “Disk Mode” here and click “Next”.

Step 2: Select another disk as the target disk.

Step 3: Check the disk layout of two hard drives. You can choose to “Auto adjust the size of target disk”, “Keep the same as source disk” or “Edit disk layout” to manage the disk layout of target disk.

Next, we just need the translation in American English:

• "Auto-Adjust for Disk" makes some modifications to the layout of the target disk by default, so it can be in the best state. • "Copy As Is" doesn't change anything on the target disk, and its layout will be the same as the source disk. • "Edit Disk Layout" allows you to manually adjust/move the partition layout on the target disk.

Check the box for If target is SSD, choose this option to ensure that the SSD runs at peak performance.

A warning message appears, telling you that your data will be lost. Click OK to acknowledge the warning, and then click Next.

Step 4: Click “Proceed” to actually carry out the task.

Bottom line

This article has extensively compared the ROG Ally Z1 and Z1 Extreme. If you're looking for a device with superior performance, the Z1 Extreme is the way to go. If you have budget constraints and don't mind a slight dip in performance, the Z1 is a decent choice.

A hard drive cloning tool is the best utility for upgrading the SSD storage on your handheld device. This cloning tool enables you to conveniently transfer data from your old SSD to the new one. It supports sector-by-sector data transfer. Make sure to download a free version of a hard drive cloning tool and give it a try to see how it works.

Frequently Asked Questions about the ASUS ROG Ally Z1 and Z1 Extreme

1. Is the ROG Ally more powerful than the PS5?

While the ROG Ally doesn't quite match the PS5 in terms of performance, it's still very capable. One factor in its less potent power is its power supply, which isn't as robust as the PS5's – the latter of which enables its high-flying performance.

Is the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme worth buying?

The ROG Ally Z1 Extreme, at $700, is worth the price because it delivers superior performance and overall gaming experience, with an 8-core/16-thread CPU and a GPU with 12 compute units. And it's 50% faster than its ROG Ally counterpart, the Z1.

What is the difference between Ryzen Z1 Extreme and Aerith?

The ROG Ally Z1 Extreme offers better specs than the Aerith (Steam Deck). It features 8 Zen 4 cores, 16 threads, an RDNA 3 GPU with 12 compute units, and a TDP of 15-30W. In contrast, the Aerith has 4 Zen 2 cores, 8 threads, an RDNA 2 GPU with 8 compute units, and a TDP of 4-15W.