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ASUS has formally introduced the ROG Ally X, its second gaming handheld and a followup to the unique it launched in 2023. The ROG Ally X is much less of a real sequel machine than just a few small updates or enhancements. Very like the Steam Deck OLED, the Ally X isn’t too completely different from the primary mannequin of the machine. Nonetheless, it does include some adjustments. Primarily enhancements on key areas that the primary handheld struggled with.
In actual fact, the enhancements that had been made all appear to be addressing ache factors that customers had. The microSD card slot has been up to date, for one. Following the launch of the ROG Ally final yr, lots of customers had been experiencing issues with the microSD reader. For a lot of customers, the microSD card would randomly come out of the slot.
ASUS later acknowledged these issues and stated it was brought on by overheating. Noting that sure thermal situations might consequence within the microSD reader malfunctioning. This was clearly a problem since video games get huge and the inner storage on the ROG Ally might refill quick. So individuals would naturally flip to microSD playing cards for further storage. ASUS updating this with the ROG Ally X is a giant enchancment. Even when it’s not a serious {hardware} improve. Now ASUS did additionally take away a factor or two. Particularly the XG Cell port for plugging in ASUS’s exterior GPU dock.
As an alternative are two USB-C ports, one among which is USB 4 with Thunderbolt help. So you’ll be able to nonetheless hook up an exterior GPU dock. Simply not the XG Cell.
The ROG Ally X handheld has 24GB of RAM, double the storage, and an 80Wh battery
Let’s speak about upgrades as a result of the ROG Ally X is being upgraded in three to 4 key areas in comparison with the ROG Ally. The primary is RAM. The ROG Ally gives 16GB of RAM, and that’s definitely appropriate for gaming on a handheld PC. Nonetheless, extra RAM is rarely a foul factor. Each the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X are utilizing the identical chipset. The Ryzen Z1 Excessive. That is an APU although, and which means the video RAM is shared with the system RAM. ASUS has bumped up the RAM on the ROG Ally X to 24GB so customers have extra to allocate to each.
It’s an vital improve as a result of video games as of late can suck up VRAM like there’s no tomorrow. Having 24GB at your disposal ought to enable for tuning the graphics settings up a bit so video games look a little bit higher and run smoother.
More room for extra video games
Along with the RAM, the ROG Ally X additionally now comes with much more storage. 512GB within the ROG Ally is ok and positively sustainable for some players. However many will want or need greater than that. With out it, you find yourself having to do that dance of deleting video games you aren’t at present enjoying to make room for brand new ones. And the cycle continues. The ROG Ally X bumps up storage from 512GB to 1TB in its new SSD, plus it nonetheless has the micro SD card slot for much more storage if wanted.
Sport longer with out plugging in
One other enchancment is the battery life. The ROG Ally can realistically get you near round 95 to 100 minutes or so of battery life when enjoying video games on the 15W profile. Even much less when you had been enjoying on 25W. ASUS says the 80Wh battery within the ROG Ally X doubles the battery lifetime of the ROG Ally. So when you had been getting an hour and a half in a selected recreation on the ROG Ally, the ROG Ally X ought to enhance that to round three hours.
ASUS doesn’t, nonetheless, present arduous numbers or specifics. It merely says the battery life is double what it was. And if correct that’s an enormous enchancment.
Higher thermals and ergonomics are current as effectively
Keep in mind the microSD reader problem and its trigger being the machine overheating? Properly, the ROG Ally X shouldn’t have that problem. ASUS says the ROG Ally X has improved thermals to assist hold the machine cool. Followers now push as much as 24% extra air by the vents based on the corporate. One other factor that’s been upgraded is the ergonomics. On the ROG Ally, the underside of the hand-held had these sharp angular corners. Not sharp as in they might stab your palms and pierce the pores and skin if not cautious. However sharp as in they had been very outlined angular traces.
To some, this made holding the machine much less snug for longer periods. On the ROG Ally X, ASUS appears to have taken be aware of individuals’s complaints concerning the design. As a result of those self same corners are much less sharp angles and barely extra rounded curves. The opposite ergonomics enchancment is the again of the hand grips. The ROG Ally didn’t have a lot to carry onto. These grips the place your fingers sit are extra pronounced on the ROG Ally X, and this could make holding it for longer durations of time extra snug.
ASUS up to date a few of the controls as effectively. The again buttons are barely tweaked to account for the marginally bigger hump of the hand grips, and the face inputs all have changes. Most notably the joysticks that are extra responsive than earlier than. The D-pad has been up to date too.
Pricing and availability
You may be considering that with a few of these notable upgrades, the unit absolutely prices extra. And also you’d be proper. ASUS is pricing the ROG Ally X at $799. That is in comparison with $699 for the ROG Ally. For extra storage and RAM although, that is to be anticipated. As for availability, you’ll be able to already pre-order the ROG Ally X at Greatest Purchase. There isn’t any official launch date but, although. It’s also possible to signal as much as be notified about its launch through the official ROG Ally X product web page.