The ASUS ROG Ally is a beast of a handheld. The Z1 Extreme version runs practically any game you throw at it, and the 120Hz VRR screen is a joy to behold. But all that power comes at a price every owner knows: abysmal battery life. With the standard 40Wh battery, the fun is often over after just an hour of gaming on a decent performance setting.
Luckily, there’s a solution. One that requires some tinkering, but the result is more than worth it. I upgraded my ROG Ally with the 65Wh battery kit from JSAUX, and in this blog, I’ll share my experience.
What’s in the box?
The JSAUX kit is more than just a battery; it’s a complete conversion kit. In the box, you’ll find:
- The 65Wh battery itself.
- A completely new, custom backplate.
- An extra cooling kit, including a cooling block.
- All the necessary screws and tools.
The new backplate isn’t optional; it’s essential. The larger battery simply doesn’t fit in the original shell. This is an important point right away: you are permanently changing the look of your Ally.
A word of warning
Let me be clear: this is not a simple “plug-and-play” upgrade. You need to be comfortable with opening up your device.
The most drastic part of the installation isn’t replacing the backplate, but modifying the inside of the faceplate. To make room for the larger battery, a few plastic struts on the inside have to be clipped away. This is a one-way street; there’s no going back. Without this modification, the new battery simply won’t fit. Take your time with this step and but JSAUX provides you with pair of sharp flush cutters for a clean finish.
Skip the extra cooling
The kit also includes an extra cooling block that you can mount on the heatsink. A noble idea from JSAUX, but my tests showed otherwise.
In my opinion, it’s best to leave this part in the box. Why?
- Weight: It adds unnecessary weight to a device you’re holding in your hands.
- Airflow: I feel like it’s more likely to block the internal airflow than to help it. The Ally’s internal cooling is carefully designed, and this block seems to disrupt that balance.
My tests showed no noticeable improvement in temperature with the block installed. The gain is negligible, but the downsides (weight, potentially worse airflow) are real. My advice: save yourself the trouble.
The numbers
This is what it’s all about. The upgrade from 40Wh to 65Wh is an increase of nearly 70%. That’s fantastic on paper, but what does it mean in practice?
With the original 40Wh battery, demanding games like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Cyberpunk 2077 would last for an hour and a half at most.
With the new 65Wh battery, that story is completely different. In those same games, the playtime doubles, pushing close to 3 hours. That’s a world of difference. But the real win might be most visible in lighter titles. If you’re playing an indie game like Balatro or another puzzle game on a power-saving 10W setting, you can now count on an impressive 5 to 6 hours of playtime. This is more than enough for most gaming sessions and turns the ROG Ally into the portable powerhouse it always should have been.
Is the JSAUX Battery Upgrade worth it?
Despite the fact that you have to physically clip parts of your device, my answer is a resounding: yes.
The upgrade lifts the ROG Ally from a device you constantly have to keep near a power outlet to a truly portable handheld. The freedom offered by the extra battery life changes the entire user experience. The JSAUX kit is well-thought-out (aside from the cooling block) and delivers the most essential upgrade the ROG Ally needs. If you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty, this is the best investment you can make for your Ally.
Convinced that this is the upgrade your ROG Ally needs? Ordering the JSAUX kit through the button below is the best way to ensure you get the exact parts featured in this guide. Your purchase also helps support HandheldGaming.online at no extra cost to you, allowing me to create more in-depth mods and tutorials like this one. Thank you for your support!
