ASUS ROG Ally vs Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16
The Verdict
ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16 serve fundamentally different purposes. ROG Ally is a handheld gaming device with a 7-inch 1920x1080 120Hz display, AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, and 16GB LPDDR5 RAM optimized for portable gaming, though battery life suffers at just 1.5-7 hours depending on workload. IdeaPad Pro 5i 16 is a full-sized productivity laptop featuring a larger 16-inch 2560x1600 display, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor with 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 84Wh battery delivering up to 11 hours of mixed use. ROG Ally excels in gaming portability and graphical prowess for its form factor, while IdeaPad Pro 5i dominates in everyday productivity, multitasking capability, and practicality with superior I/O options including Thunderbolt. Choose ROG Ally for dedicated handheld gaming; select IdeaPad Pro 5i for professional work and general computing.
Who Should Buy
Buy the ASUS ROG Ally if…
- →Ryzen Z1 Extreme with RDNA 3 GPU outperforms Steam Deck in raw power
- →Full 1080p IPS display at 120Hz for sharper and smoother gaming
- →Windows 11 gives access to all PC game stores and launchers
Buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16 if…
- →Strong Intel Core Ultra 7 performance at an accessible price
- →2.5K 120Hz IPS display is excellent for the tier
- →Full port suite including SD card and USB-A
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
ASUS ROG Ally
Pros
- Ryzen Z1 Extreme with RDNA 3 GPU outperforms Steam Deck in raw power
- Full 1080p IPS display at 120Hz for sharper and smoother gaming
- Windows 11 gives access to all PC game stores and launchers
- Lighter at 608 g compared to the Steam Deck
- MicroSD expansion for extra game storage
Cons
- 40 Wh battery provides very poor endurance — as low as 1.5 hours
- Windows 11 is not optimized for handheld — requires workarounds
- Only one USB-C port limits simultaneous charging and peripherals
- No OLED — IPS LCD has weaker contrast and no true blacks
- Fan noise is loud under heavy gaming loads
Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16
Pros
- Strong Intel Core Ultra 7 performance at an accessible price
- 2.5K 120Hz IPS display is excellent for the tier
- Full port suite including SD card and USB-A
- Upgradeable RAM and SSD
- 84 Wh battery supports all-day use
Cons
- Plastic base panel feels less premium
- Display brightness of 350 nits is modest
- No discrete GPU on base model
- Fans audible under sustained workloads
- Heavier than comparable ultrabooks
Full Specifications
| Spec | ASUS ROG Ally | Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Windows 11 | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 608 g | 1.98 kg |
| Material | Plastic chassis | Aluminum lid with plastic base |
| Dimensions | 280.0 x 111.4 x 32.4 mm | 356.2 x 248.2 x 18.9 mm |
| Ports | ||
| USB-C ports | 1 | 1 |
| Microsd | — | |
| Headphone Jack | — | |
| HDMI | — | 1 |
| USB-A ports | — | 2 |
| SD card | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | — | 1 |
| Memory | ||
| Storage options | 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD | — |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | 1.5-7 hours (game dependent) | Up to 11 hours mixed use |
| Capacity | 40 Wh | 84 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 7 inches | 16.0 inches |
| Type | IPS LCD | 2.5K IPS anti-glare |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 350 |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB LPDDR5 (6400 MT/s) | 16 GB DDR5 |
| Cores | 8-core CPU, RDNA 3 (12 CUs) integrated GPU | 16-core (6P+8E+2LPE) |
| Chipset | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4, 8-core / 16-thread, up to 5.1 GHz) | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | — |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | — |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | — | 512 GB NVMe |
| Expandable storage | — | |
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | — | |
| Touch Bar | — | |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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