I’ve been using JSAUX’s 65W ROG Ally battery upgrade kit, and you should too

Launching a year after the Steam Deck, the Asus ROG Ally Z1E is my de facto handheld console these days. Even with the release of the ROG Xbox Ally, I’m still sticking by the Z1E, as the hardware leap doesn’t justify the considerable price tag – especially the Xbox Ally X. However, it can lack one element: good battery life. This thing sucks up juice fast, especially when it’s being pushed to its performance limits. So, enough is enough; I’ve installed JSAUX‘s 65W battery kit.

By default, the base Asus ROG Ally comes equipped with a 40W battery. In the ROG Ally X and its ROG Xbox Ally equivalent, you can bank on the power of a jump to 80W. I don’t see the point in selling my Z1E, but I do like messing around and tinkering. I’m on somewhat of a journey with that right now, following my experiences with ROG Ally Bazzite. Spoilers: it’s worth using. There are loads of battery options out there, many of them sourced from overseas stores such as AliExpress or DHGate.

While I’m happy to purchase some hardware-related items from these places, I wouldn’t necessarily go here for batteries or RAM, for example. For this installation, I’m using JSAUX’s battery and thermal upgrade kit. It costs $89.99, but it’s usually on offer with a $10 discount. Packing a 65W replacement battery, it also includes a plain white rear plate, along with a small selection of tools to get the job done. I want to address an element you might be cautious about: the actual act of replacing hardware.

It can be daunting to unscrew something like the ROG Ally and peer into its suite of electronics under the hood. But here’s the thing with this. You don’t need to be an expert or a tech whiz to replace the battery. You just need a clear space and the willingness to rewind YouTube tutorials as needed. It’s also worth noting that the tweaks here will void your warranty, so this is completely at your own volition.

Should you be fine with that, putting in the upgrade doesn’t take too long. My total installation experience probably lasted around an hour, as I immediately dove into it after clocking out of Pocket Tactics for the evening two weeks ago. The initial steps are quite easy and straightforward. What might scare you, though, is using the pliers to cut away the ROG Ally’s shell. This is necessary to make way for the battery itself, as it sits different to the standard one.

Honestly, just take it slowly and keep referring to your chosen video guide. I had to chip away at it until it was to my liking, ensuring the battery wasn’t causing the rear plate to bulge. You’ll highly appreciate that this kit packs in additional screws, as there were a few close calls where they’d fall off onto my carpet. Removing the triggers and rear paddle buttons did have me a little nervous, but it wasn’t anything too tricky when it came down to it.

JSAUX’s rear plate uses an alternative vent shape to Asus’ factory standard, removing the company’s logo to offer an additional full-size vent. This is meant to provide the ROG Ally with better airflow at higher temperatures.

I don’t like that it lacks the textured grips of the standard rear plate, a nuance that is handy when I’m not using a grip case for the ROG Ally. It also feels thicker to the touch, but I’m not too fussed about this aspect. With the battery sitting flush and the rear plate attached, I left it to charge for a little while. As far as hardware replacements go, this is one of the easier modifications you can make. Now that’s sorted, let’s go over the last two weeks.

Recently, I’ve been on a replay of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, diving into ARC Raiders, and playing some classics. My Marathon preview is also the result of these sessions. Typically, big triple-A games like Cyberpunk 2077, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, or Forza Horizon 5 deliver 45 to 70 minutes of gameplay at 25/30W Turbo TDP on the factory battery. I opt for a mixture of medium to high settings in the latter two titles and mostly low to medium in Cyberpunk. At 15W, it’s a slightly better story, sometimes getting up to two hours of juice.

With JSAUX’s battery, in combination with BazziteOS, I’ve been getting a solid three hours or so of web swinging and crime fighting in Marvel’s Spider-Man. Because I can’t help but mess with settings, I keep alternating between 15W and 20W, using Bazzite’s custom TDP menu. At one point, I checked the remaining power, with the 33% indicator showing there were still a solid 53 minutes left in the tank. In tandem with Bazzite’s general lightness as an operating system, this is a winning combination for any ROG Ally owner.

Cyberpunk 2077 gets similar performance at 15W, with a 25W TDP, delivering a sturdy 90 minutes of exploration in Night City. Less demanding games are even better. If you’re prone to revisiting older titles, then you’re going to see these sessions extend beyond the three-hour boundary. Over on the Windows side, the benefits are mostly the same, although there’s still the bloat and background processes of Windows 11 weighing games down. That’s alleviated somewhat by the Xbox Full Screen Experience, though.

I also want to highlight that this kit includes a heatsink to help lower the ROG Ally’s temperature. If you’ve already made modifications, such as installing a PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD adapter, the heatsink won’t fit inside the console. I’m using the WD Black SN770M SSD, and the heatsink has no fit issues with this configuration. The differences aren’t hugely drastic with this installed, but it does bring down the heat a few notches by at least five to ten degrees Celsius. That’s dependent on the game, of course.

JSAUX’s upgrade may lack the 75W that unbranded alternatives offer, or the ROG Xbox Ally’s 80W battery, but it’s still a worthwhile upgrade for your older ROG Ally. Whether you’re proficient in portable gaming console hardware or a complete novice, I can say that this modification isn’t as troublesome as you may think. It isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s a worthwhile investment.