Key takeaways
- Pick XeSS over FSR for upscaling; TechPowerUp found it clearly sharper on this hardware.
- Avoid frame generation in multiplayer. It smooths motion but adds latency. In the campaign, FSR 3 Frame Generation is a reasonable way to reach a smoother feel at 17W, as Pure Xbox suggests.
- Set Textures to Medium; the shared memory pool fills quickly at High.
On the ROG Xbox Ally X, Black Ops 7 is the easiest of the three to run: 1080p with XeSS Quality, the Balanced preset and Medium textures at 30W gets you around 60 FPS, per TechPowerUp. Battlefield 6 needs 900p, mostly Low settings, FSR Performance and the full 35W Turbo mode plugged in for a roughly 60 FPS experience. Borderlands 4 is the hardest: plan on 900p, Low settings, FSR Performance and 35W for around 50 FPS, or 720p if you want steadier frame rates. All three need CPU Boost on and extra memory set aside for the GPU.
Verdict at a glance
| If you want… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A locked 60 FPS shooter on the go | Black Ops 7 at 1080p, Balanced preset, XeSS Quality, 30W | TechPowerUp measured around 60 FPS average with these settings |
| Big-team warfare that still feels responsive | Battlefield 6 at 900p, Low with High textures and lighting, FSR Performance, 35W | ROG Ally Life reports roughly 60+ FPS, varying by map |
| Looter-shooter sessions without big dips | Borderlands 4 at 900p Low, FSR Performance, 35W | ROG Ally Life reports 50+ FPS average with dips in busy areas |
| Longest battery life | Black Ops 7 at 900p, Basic preset, 18W | TechPowerUp’s battery profile gives around 50 FPS and roughly two and a half hours |
| Best image quality | Black Ops 7 at 1080p with XeSS Quality | TechPowerUp found XeSS looks much better than FSR 1 and FSR 3 in this game |
What the ROG Xbox Ally X is working with
The ROG Xbox Ally X launched on October 16, 2025 with AMD’s Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme: eight Zen 5 cores, 16 RDNA 3.5 graphics compute units and a 50 TOPS NPU. It has 24GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory shared between CPU and GPU, a 1TB M.2 SSD, an 80Wh battery and a 7-inch 1080p IPS display at 120Hz with FreeSync Premium, according to ASUS and Tom’s Hardware.
Power modes matter more than any single graphics option on a handheld:
| Mode | Power | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Silent | 13W | Indie games, menus, streaming |
| Performance (default) | 17W | Lighter games, battery play |
| Turbo on battery | 25W | Demanding games unplugged |
| Turbo plugged in | 35W | Battlefield 6, Borderlands 4 |
Tom’s Hardware lists those modes, and Club386 notes the 35W maximum only applies with the 65W charger connected. Digital Foundry’s review cautioned that the jump over the previous ROG Ally X is modest, and argued that a 720p target makes more sense than full 1080p on a power-constrained portable. ROG Ally Life’s settings guides reach a similar conclusion for CPU-heavy shooters, noting the Z2 Extreme does not change its Battlefield 6 recommendations much compared with the older Ally X.
The good news is that software has improved since launch. Notebookcheck reported a YouTuber measuring roughly 15 to 20 percent higher frame rates without extra power draw after ASUS and Microsoft updates, so update Armoury Crate SE, the AMD driver and Windows before tuning anything.
Universal setup before you touch game settings
- Update everything. Windows, Armoury Crate SE, the AMD graphics driver and the MCU firmware. Performance gains since launch are significant.
- Raise the GPU memory allocation. In Armoury Crate SE, increase the memory reserved for graphics. ROG Ally Life recommends 8GB or more for Battlefield 6 and 10GB or more for Black Ops 7. With 24GB total, you can spare it.
- Enable CPU Boost. All three games can be CPU-limited on a handheld. ROG Ally Life recommends CPU Boost on for each of them to steady frame times.
- Plug in for Battlefield and Borderlands. The 35W Turbo mode is only available on the charger. On battery, the ceiling is 25W.
- Use the Xbox full screen experience. It trims background Windows processes and gives a console-like launcher. Keep the desktop for troubleshooting.
- Let VRR do its job. Pure Xbox found small dips below 60 FPS are hard to feel thanks to the variable refresh screen, so a 50 to 60 FPS range is very playable.
- Keep Secure Boot and TPM on. Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6 both require them for anti-cheat. They are enabled by default on the handheld; do not turn them off.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 best settings
Black Ops 7 is the best-optimised of the three on handhelds. TechPowerUp ran a dedicated handheld performance review on both the ROG Xbox Ally X and the earlier ROG Ally X and published three profiles, all aiming for 60 FPS. The game’s presets are Extreme, Ultra, Balanced, Basic and Minimum; Minimum drops render resolution to 50 percent, while the others keep it at 100 percent. Dynamic Resolution can target a frame rate between 30 and 300 FPS, and frame generation is a separate toggle from upscaling.
| Profile (TechPowerUp) | Power | Resolution | Preset | Textures | Upscaler | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best visuals | 30W | 1080p | Balanced | Medium | XeSS Quality | Around 60 FPS average |
| Battery saving | 18W | 900p | Basic | Medium | Off (XeSS Quality for steady 60) | Around 50 FPS, about 2.5 hours |
| Highest multiplayer FPS | Maximum | 1080p | Minimum | Medium | XeSS Quality | Highest frame rate |
TechPowerUp reported roughly an hour and a half of battery life with its standard optimised settings and about two and a half hours with the battery profile. For the earlier ROG Ally X, it recommends the same settings at 900p.
Pure Xbox found the game defaults to a “Recommended – Graphics” profile on the Xbox Ally X, mostly High with a few Ultra and Low options. In 17W mode the reviewer still saw around 45 FPS at worst; switching to “Recommended – Performance” added roughly 20 FPS at the cost of a softer image. Pocket Tactics reported a mostly stable 60 FPS at 1080p on medium to high settings during the campaign. ROG Ally Life notes the game now ships with an Xbox default game profile, and averaged 60 FPS at 1080p with FSR 3 Performance.
Reasons to pick the 30W Balanced profile: It is the best-looking 60 FPS option and still works on battery at 25W with a small frame-rate drop.
Reasons to skip it: For ranked multiplayer, the Minimum preset at maximum power gives more headroom in chaotic fights.
The catch: Black Ops 7 needs an always-online connection. Pure Xbox flagged that the game does not work well offline, which matters on trains and flights.
Black Ops 7 tips
- Pick XeSS over FSR for upscaling; TechPowerUp found it clearly sharper on this hardware.
- Avoid frame generation in multiplayer. It smooths motion but adds latency. In the campaign, FSR 3 Frame Generation is a reasonable way to reach a smoother feel at 17W, as Pure Xbox suggests.
- Set Textures to Medium; the shared memory pool fills quickly at High.
Battlefield 6 best settings
Battlefield 6 launched on October 10, 2025 and leans heavily on the CPU. TechPowerUp’s desktop testing during the beta found it strongly favours CPUs with large caches, which tells you why 64-player fights strain a handheld chip. The game does not run on the Steam Deck because of its anti-cheat requirements, according to Windows Central, but it runs on Windows handhelds like the Xbox Ally X.
ROG Ally Life’s Xbox Ally X profile targets 900p at the full 35W with CPU Boost and 8GB or more of GPU memory, and reports a roughly 60+ FPS experience that varies by map:
| Setting | Value | Setting | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display mode | Fullscreen | Resolution | 1600×900 |
| V-Sync | Off | Texture Quality | High |
| Texture Filtering | High | Mesh Quality | Low |
| Terrain Quality | Medium | Undergrowth Quality | Low |
| Effects Quality | Low | Volumetric Quality | Low |
| Lighting Quality | High | Local Light and Shadow | Low |
| Sun Shadow Quality | Low | Shadow Filtering | PCF |
| Reflection Quality | Medium | Screen Space Reflections | Off |
| Post Process Quality | Low | Ambient Occlusion (GTAO) | Low |
| High Fidelity Objects | Low | Dynamic Resolution Scale | On, minimum 50 |
| Frame Rate Target | 60 | AMD Anti-Lag | Enabled |
| Upscaler | FSR Performance | FSR Frame Generation | Off |
Steam Deck HQ’s earlier session on the previous ROG Ally X found 45 to 55 FPS at 720p on the lowest settings, and 30 to 40 FPS at 1080p with drops below 30 during heavy destruction, so the newer chip and later game patches help. Pre-launch Xbox Ally X footage reported by Pure Xbox showed the game hovering around 60 FPS on Low with FSR at several resolutions.
Reasons to pick this profile: Textures and lighting stay sharp, which keeps enemies readable, while the expensive geometry and effects options drop.
Reasons to skip it: On battery at 25W you will fall short of 60 FPS in large modes; drop to 720p instead.
The catch: Some maps run noticeably better than others, so a single profile will never feel identical everywhere.
Battlefield 6 tips
- Small modes such as Team Deathmatch and Rush are lighter on the CPU than 64-player Conquest.
- Keep FSR Frame Generation off in multiplayer for responsive aim.
- If frame rate swings wildly, lower the frame rate target to 50 and let VRR smooth the rest.
Borderlands 4 best settings
Borderlands 4, released September 12, 2025, is an Unreal Engine 5 game and the most demanding of the three on a handheld. RPG Site found it unplayable on the Steam Deck at launch. Before the Xbox Ally X shipped, Steam Deck HQ measured the AYANEO 3, which uses the same Z2 Extreme chip, at around 43 to 51 FPS in fights at 720p Low with XeSS Balanced, with dips to 41 FPS; Medium settings dropped below 40 more often and caused a crash. Windows Central’s early look at the Xbox Ally X reported 40 to 50 FPS in many areas at a 720p internal resolution with Low settings and FSR Performance, and described frame generation as unstable in its trials.
ROG Ally Life’s Xbox Ally X guide, updated after patches made the game more playable, reports a 40+ FPS average at 1080p and 35W, or 50+ FPS at 900p and 35W with the same settings, with dips in busy areas. Its 900p profile:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Window mode / resolution | Fullscreen, 1600×900 |
| Limit Frame Rate | On (custom limit 120) |
| Vertical Sync | Off |
| Upscaling | FSR, Performance |
| Frame Generation | Off |
| Scene Capture Quality | Low |
| Level of Detail | Near |
| Texture Pool / Texture Streaming Speed | Medium / Medium |
| Anisotropic Filtering | x1 |
| Foliage Density / Vegetation Sway Distance | Low / Low |
| Volumetric Fog / Volumetric Cloud | Low / Low |
| Shadow Quality | Static Only |
| Directional Shadow Quality | Low |
| Volumetric Cloud Shadows | Disabled |
| Lighting Quality | Medium |
The settings below the texture options come from the same site’s original ROG Ally guide, so treat them as a starting point and adjust after a few minutes in a busy area.
Reasons to pick this profile: It holds around 50 FPS in most areas, which feels good on a VRR screen.
Reasons to skip it: On battery you lose the 35W headroom; a 720p version with a 40 FPS cap is more consistent.
The catch: The game remains CPU-bound in dense areas, so dips persist regardless of graphics settings.
Borderlands 4 tips
- Avoid frame generation. ROG Ally Life does not recommend it for a shooter because of the added input lag, and Windows Central found it unstable.
- Try XeSS Balanced if FSR Performance looks too soft; Steam Deck HQ used it on the same chip.
- Expect the first minutes after an update to stutter while shaders compile.
Comparison: what to expect from each game
| Game | Resolution | Power | Upscaler | Reported FPS | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Ops 7 | 1080p | 30W | XeSS Quality | About 60 average | TechPowerUp |
| Black Ops 7 | 900p | 18W | Off | About 50 average | TechPowerUp |
| Battlefield 6 | 900p | 35W | FSR Performance | Roughly 60+, map-dependent | ROG Ally Life |
| Borderlands 4 | 900p | 35W | FSR Performance | 50+ average with dips | ROG Ally Life |
| Borderlands 4 | 1080p | 35W | FSR Performance | 40+ average with dips | ROG Ally Life |
Battery life expectations
The 80Wh battery is large for a handheld, but these are demanding games. TechPowerUp measured around 90 minutes in Black Ops 7 with its 30W profile and about 150 minutes with its 18W battery profile. Battlefield 6 and Borderlands 4 at 35W are realistically plugged-in experiences; on battery, Turbo drops to 25W and you should use 720p profiles with a 40 to 50 FPS cap. Lowering screen brightness and switching off controller vibration add a little more time.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the device at the default 17W. Fine for lighter games, but these three need more power for steady frame rates.
- Running native 1080p without upscaling. Digital Foundry’s point stands: 720p to 900p internal resolution is the sweet spot on this chip.
- Using frame generation in multiplayer. It adds latency in exactly the games where response time matters.
- Not raising GPU memory. Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6 benefit from 8 to 10GB set aside.
- Disabling Secure Boot. Both Call of Duty and Battlefield anti-cheat systems require it.
How we compared
We compared these settings using ASUS’s published specifications, TechPowerUp’s Black Ops 7 handheld performance review, settings guides from ROG Ally Life, and reports from Pure Xbox, Pocket Tactics, Steam Deck HQ, Windows Central, Digital Foundry, Notebookcheck and RPG Site, plus owner reports. We did not bench-test these settings ourselves. Frame rates vary with game patches, drivers and map, so treat them as starting points.
Sources
- ASUS: ROG Xbox Ally X product page and specifications
- Tom’s Hardware and Club386: ROG Xbox Ally X reviews
- TechPowerUp: Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Handheld Performance Review; Battlefield 6 CPU coverage
- ROG Ally Life: Black Ops 7, Battlefield 6 and Borderlands 4 settings guides for the ROG Xbox Ally X
- Pure Xbox: Black Ops 7 on ROG Xbox Ally X; pre-launch Battlefield 6 footage
- Pocket Tactics: Black Ops 7 campaign on ROG Ally
- Steam Deck HQ: Battlefield 6 on ROG Ally X; Borderlands 4 on AYANEO 3
- Windows Central: Borderlands 4 early look; Battlefield 6 handheld compatibility
- Digital Foundry and Notebookcheck: ROG Xbox Ally X performance coverage
- RPG Site: Borderlands 4 Steam Deck and ROG Ally impressions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the ROG Xbox Ally X run Black Ops 7 at 60 FPS?
Yes. TechPowerUp measured around 60 FPS average at 1080p with the Balanced preset, Medium textures, XeSS Quality and 30W power.
What is the best power mode for Battlefield 6 on the Xbox Ally X?
Turbo at 35W, which requires the charger. ROG Ally Life’s roughly 60 FPS profile uses 35W with CPU Boost at 900p.
Is Borderlands 4 playable on the ROG Xbox Ally X?
Yes, with compromises. ROG Ally Life reports 50+ FPS at 900p Low with FSR Performance at 35W, with dips in busy areas. Use 720p for steadier performance.
Should I use frame generation on the Xbox Ally X?
Avoid it in multiplayer shooters because of added latency. It can help single-player campaigns feel smoother when the base frame rate is already around 45 to 50 FPS.
How much memory should I give the GPU?
ROG Ally Life recommends 8GB or more for Battlefield 6 and 10GB or more for Black Ops 7. With 24GB of total memory, that still leaves enough for Windows and the game.
Does Battlefield 6 work on Linux or SteamOS on the Ally?
Not reliably. Battlefield 6’s anti-cheat blocks the Steam Deck’s operating system, according to Windows Central, and the same limits would likely apply to Linux-based installs on the Ally.
XeSS or FSR on the ROG Xbox Ally X?
In Black Ops 7, TechPowerUp found XeSS clearly better than FSR 1 and FSR 3. In Battlefield 6 and Borderlands 4, guides use FSR Performance, but XeSS Balanced is worth trying in Borderlands 4.
How long does the battery last in these games?
TechPowerUp measured about 90 minutes in Black Ops 7 with its 30W profile and about two and a half hours with its 18W profile. Battlefield 6 and Borderlands 4 at 35W are best played plugged in.
