Native 1080p vs Stable 60 FPS
Our pick: Stable 60 FPS
Use 900p with 85% Screen Percentage to ensure the combat remains responsive.
Virtue and a SledgehammerROG Ally settings & performance
Ethical demolition in a lush, digital graveyard.
ROG Ally Z1 Extreme · Ally X · ROG Xbox Ally X
30-second setup / Couch mode
- APU power
- 17W
- Shared VRAM
- 8GB
- Resolution
- 900p
- Upscaling
- Screen Percentage 85
- FPS target
- 45
The short answer
Can Virtue and a Sledgehammer run on ROG Ally?
We found that while the game is visually striking, the dense greenery and lighting effects can push the Z1 Extreme hard in open sections. You will experience occasional hitching when transitioning between neighborhood zones, which is the game's primary performance bottleneck. For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1080p, you will need to be plugged in and utilize the 25W-30W Turbo mode. We recommend starting on the Balanced profile at 900p to maintain a stable VRR-friendly frame rate while keeping the fans reasonably quiet.
Frame pacing
45 FPS target
A steady cap over uncapped peaks.
Visuals
900p
Screen Percentage 85
Readability
Adjust UI size
The UI and memory bubble text are well-sized for the 7-inch screen, but don't drop resolution below 720p or the stylized edges become too blurry.
Battery planning
2h 25m-2h 50m
ROG Ally X · expected playtime at 17W
Before you launch
ROG Ally X: hardware setup
Shared memory. This model shares 24GB between Windows and graphics. Extra memory gives textures more room, so raise textures before anything else. Change allocation only if the game needs it.
120Hz & VRR. Keep the built-in display at 120Hz for VRR. Below its native VRR range, low-framerate compensation can help; a 40 FPS cap keeps parries and inputs responsive.
Power & cooling. TDP is APU power, not the whole handheld’s draw. The battery range below includes display and system overhead.
Command Center & AMD quick sheet
- Command Center RSR
- Off The game has Screen Percentage built in. Running both makes the image soft.
- AMD Anti-Lag
- Enabled if available Use the game-specific driver profile; disable it if it causes problems.
- Frame generation
- Off It adds input lag in combat at this frame rate.
- Set VRAM to 6GB in Armoury Crate.
- Update to the latest ASUS GPU drivers via MyASUS.
- Ensure the game is updated to include the launch-day optimization patch.
Launch options & configuration
Config file · Back it up before editing
%LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtueAndASledgehammer\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditorBest Virtue and a Sledgehammer settings for ROG Ally
ROG Ally X · Couch mode. The frame rate is a target to work toward.
- FPS target
- 45
- APU power
- 17W
- Resolution
- 900p
- Upscaling
- Screen Percentage 85
In-game graphics
The baseline
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Overall preset | Custom |
| Resolution | 1600x900 |
| Upscaling | 85% |
| Frame generation | Off |
| Motion blur | Off |
Quality & performance tuning
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| ShadowsHeavy impact | MediumDynamic lighting in overgrown areas causes significant frame time spikes when set to High. |
| Anti-Aliasing | Medium |
| View Distance | Medium |
| Textures | Medium |
| Effects | Medium |
Heavy impactThese cost the most frames. Drop them first if you need more battery or higher FPS.
Start with the listed settings, then check a demanding scene before raising detail. Keep frame generation separate from the underlying frame rate when judging input response.
What to turn down first
High Shadows vs Better Battery Life
Our pick: Better Battery Life
Shadows at Medium look very similar on the small screen but save significant power.
The reality check
ROG Ally vs Steam Deck: Virtue and a Sledgehammer performance
The original Ally has 16GB shared memory and a 40Wh battery. Ally X and Xbox Ally X have 24GB and 80Wh. The extra memory gives textures more room and the bigger battery doubles session length, while the same settings profile holds across all three models.
Away from the charger
How long is your next session?
Couch mode · 17W APU power
The 900p sweet spot: 1600×900 renders about 30% fewer pixels than 1080p but stays sharp on a 7-inch screen. Add it in Armoury Crate SE’s Command Center for a one-tap switch.
Couch & plugged in
Use 25W with a charger nearby. Keep vents clear and establish a steady frame cap before raising resolution.
On the go
Try the 13W road-trip profile and lower resolution first. If combat cannot sustain the cap, use the couch profile instead of accepting uneven response.
40Wh
ROG Ally
1h 10m-1h 25m
Calculated runtime range
80Wh
ROG Ally X
2h 25m-2h 50m
Calculated runtime range
80Wh
ROG Xbox Ally X
2h 25m-2h 50m
Calculated runtime range
Uses 90% of battery capacity and 8-12W for the display and other system power. Brightness, battery wear, background apps and actual game load change runtime; TDP alone is not total power draw.
Pack & play
Small-screen comfort & travel
Give your thumbs a break
M1
for Charge Attack
Left rear button
Your right thumb stays on the camera stick during fights.
Assign one action per rear button in the game’s Armoury Crate profile. Keep the default face buttons available and avoid repeated-input macros in online play.
Before you go offline
- Finish downloads and launch the game once while connected.
- Save, switch Steam to Offline Mode, then restart the game with Wi-Fi off.
- Check that your save loads; online modes and launcher sign-ins may still need a connection.
Offline availability depends on the game and its launcher.
Playing tips
What to pay attention to on a handheld.
Stress Spot
Test your settings once you reach the first major digitized neighborhood; the dense foliage and multiple android NPCs will reveal your true frame rate.
Small Screen Reading
The UI and memory bubble text are well-sized for the 7-inch screen, but don't drop resolution below 720p or the stylized edges become too blurry.
Heat and Fans
At 25W Turbo, the fans will be audible. If playing in a quiet room, use the 17W Balanced profile to keep the temps under 70C.
Shader Warm-up
You will notice stuttering during the first 5 minutes of gameplay as shaders compile. It smooths out significantly after the opening sequence.
Virtue and a Sledgehammer ROG Ally problems & fixes
Stuttering in new areas
Ensure the game is installed on the internal SSD rather than a slow SD card to handle asset streaming.
Controller not recognized
Disable 'Steam Input' in the game properties to let the native Windows driver handle the Ally's built-in controls.
Poor performance on launch
Check for the day-one patch; Deconstructeam released a specific update that optimizes handheld performance.
Virtue and a Sledgehammer on ROG Ally: FAQ
How long is the game?
It is a tight narrative experience that takes roughly 3 hours to complete in one sitting.
Can I die in combat?
No, if your health depletes you simply recover and can continue destroying the androids.
Does it support 120Hz?
Yes, though you will rarely hit 120 FPS. The VRR screen helps smooth out the 45-60 FPS range.
Game file
Virtue and a Sledgehammer- Developer
- Deconstructeam
- Game release
- Oct 27, 2026
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