Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim | ASUS - ROG Ally X |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 16 GB | 24 GB |
| Disc drive | true | false |
| VR support | true | false |
| Max resolution | 8K | 1080p |
Between the PlayStation 5 Slim and ROG Ally X, the PlayStation 5 Slim comes out ahead in disc drive / vr support, while the ROG Ally X wins on ram. Overall, the PlayStation 5 Slim scores 72.7 and the ROG Ally X scores 63.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The PlayStation 5 Slim is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 9.5 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the PlayStation 5 Slim if you care most about disc drive / vr support. The biggest gaps in its favor are disc drive, vr support, max resolution. The single most decisive one: Has Disc drive.
Pick the ROG Ally X if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. Its strongest claims are ram. The single most decisive one: RAM — 50.00% more. 24 GB vs 16 GB.
Both ship with comparable storage, max refresh, ray tracing, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the PlayStation 5 Slim is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim or ASUS - ROG Ally X?
Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim leads the current Mars Score by 9.5 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare ram, max resolution against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim if…
Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim has the measurable edge on has disc drive, has vr support, max resolution.
Choose ASUS - ROG Ally X if…
ASUS - ROG Ally X has the measurable edge on ram gb.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim wins
- ▲Has Disc drive.
- ▲Has VR support.
- ▲Max resolution: 8K (vs 1080p).
Why ASUS - ROG Ally X wins
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 24 GB vs 16 GB.
Spec comparison
Performance
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim | ASUS - ROG Ally X |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Zen 2 8-core | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme |
| GPU | AMD RDNA 2 (10.3 TFLOPS) | AMD RDNA 3 (~8.6 TFLOPS) |
| RAMⓘ | 16 GB | 24 GBlead |
| Max resolution | 8Klead | 1080p |
| Max refreshⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Ray tracing | true | true |
| VRRⓘ | true | true |
Storage
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim | ASUS - ROG Ally X |
|---|---|---|
| Storageⓘ | 1024 GB | 1024 GB |
| Storage typeⓘ | NVMe SSD | NVMe SSD |
| Expandable storageⓘ | true | true |
Design & I/O
| Spec | Sony - PlayStation 5 Slim | ASUS - ROG Ally X |
|---|---|---|
| Disc drive | truelead | false |
| HDMIⓘ | 2.1lead | 0 |
| USB ports | 4lead | 1 |
| Weight | 3.2 kg | 0.678 kglead |
| VR support | truelead | false |
Frequently asked
Does PlayStation 5 Slim or ROG Ally X have a disc drive?+
PlayStation 5 Slim has a disc drive; ROG Ally X is digital-only.
Which supports higher refresh rates, PlayStation 5 Slim or ROG Ally X?+
ROG Ally X supports up to 120Hz vs 120Hz.