When the Asus ROG Ally made its debut final yr, it got here with sure caveats. Sure, the gaming efficiency was strong, however the identical did not apply to its battery life. And whereas the design and construct high quality held as much as the competitors, the thermal administration didn’t. Asus’ handheld was absolutely a constructive entry within the phase, however it got here with essential limitations that held it again from actually difficult the heavyweights. The ROG Ally may very well be a substitute for the Steam Deck, however by no means a substitute.
Quick ahead a yr, and Asus is again with one other gaming handheld. The Asus ROG Ally X made its debut on June 2, simply forward of Computex Taipei. The transportable gaming PC makes an attempt to deal with the obvious flaws of the ROG Ally with tweaks and enhancements throughout the board. The upgrades are small, however significant — the hand-held’s battery capability (80Whr) considerably improves on the unique’s (40Whr), it packs extra reminiscence and extra storage, and is claimed to have higher cooling than the ROG Ally. There are different adjustments, as effectively, that make for a greater handheld altogether.
Two days after its launch, the Asus ROG Ally X was current on the firm’s sales space on the Computex flooring, the place Devices 360 acquired the prospect to attempt it out for an prolonged time frame. It is arduous to inform how the spec bump interprets into real-world efficiency enhancements from an early and transient hands-on expertise, however first impressions can go a good distance. The very first thing that strikes you is the brand new colourway that makes the ROG Ally X — effectively, satirically — much less hanging. Now in jet black, the hand-held gaming PC blends with the competitors (the Steam Deck, MSI Claw A1M, Lenovo Legion Go — all are available in black). The unique Ally’s white colourway, whereas extra liable to filth and dirt out of your arms, did convey a definite aesthetic.
The black colourway makes the ROG Ally X much less hanging
The ROG Ally X retains the design of its predecessor and there is little that is modified on the entrance. It gives the identical 7-inch full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS touchscreen show that refreshes on the price of 120Hz and goes as much as 500 nits of brightness. The D-pad sports activities a extra pronounced design and a brand new matte end — Asus says it has a extra tactile really feel, as effectively. The face buttons are the identical, too, however the firm claims they’re “springier.” The Taiwanese agency has fitted the hand-held with new joystick modules which are mentioned to supply extra management whereas aiming, a smoother really feel and improved sturdiness.
Modifications are extra obvious whenever you view the console from its sides and again. Due to the larger battery, the Asus ROG Ally X is barely thicker than the ROG Ally, going as much as 1.45 inches in comparison with its predecessor’s 1.28 inches. With gripping handles which are rounder and fuller, the brand new handheld is extra ergonomic, as effectively. I picked up and performed on each the Ally X and the unique Ally in my arms at Computex; the brand new handheld feels a bit beefier and extra sturdy in your arms. It is only a shade heavier, too. Nevertheless it’s spectacular how Asus has stored the brand new handheld at 678 grams (The usual Ally weighs 608 grams) regardless of the larger battery and bigger handles. The shoulder buttons have been up to date too, with wider, extra ergonomic triggers. The again buttons, alternatively, are actually smaller to stop unintentional presses. These adjustments actually enhance the in-hand really feel for the transportable PC.
The Asus ROG Ally X matches extra ergonomically in your arms
Larger adjustments are, nonetheless, beneath the hood. The ROG Ally with its 40Whr-rated battery could not final two hours whereas enjoying demanding PC titles. Its under-powered battery was maybe the largest flaw and prevented it from changing into a really transportable handheld. The ROG Ally X addresses that shortcoming with an 80Whr battery that ought to lead to longer gaming classes. Playtime numbers should not clear but and Asus hasn’t offered particulars on battery efficiency, however these needs to be clear as soon as the gadget is in for an in depth evaluation.
The hand-held’s reminiscence will get an improve, too, the ROG Ally X will get extra RAM — 24GB at sooner speeds of 7500MHz, out of which 16GB might be allotted for the system and 8GB for the GPU. This could probably lead to higher gaming efficiency on the whole, however do not anticipate an enormous enchancment because the Ally X nonetheless runs on AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Excessive Zen 4 platform with RDNA 3 graphics, similar because the 2023 ROG Ally. The brand new handheld additionally comes with larger storage out-of-the-box — 1TB SSD with help for the extra frequent M.2 2280-sized drives, as an alternative of the 2230 commonplace used within the ROG Ally.
Ports have been repositioned, as effectively, and Asus has ditched its proprietary XG Cellular port for 2 USB Kind-C ports, considered one of which helps Thunderbolt 4. Asus additionally claims it has redesigned the cooling system on the hand-held. The ROG Ally X makes use of smaller followers, which make house for the larger battery, however lead to higher airflow — about 24 % greater than the earlier mannequin, in keeping with Asus. That is additionally claimed to deliver down the touchscreen temperature by as much as 6 diploma Celcius. The 2023 mannequin did battle with warmth administration, so this can be a welcome change. However real-world thermal efficiency would solely be clearer upon prolonged use.
Ports have been repositioned and the ROG Ally X now options two USB Kind-C connectors
The one large factor that held again the Asus ROG Ally and works towards the brand new mannequin as effectively is the OS. The ROG Ally X comes with Home windows 11, which whereas providing flexibility and flexibility, stays an unwieldy and unintuitive contact interface for touchscreens. Positive, it permits the hand-held to work like a pocket PC with hooked up controllers, however it pales compared to Steam Deck’s SteamOS, which brings a smoother, console-like UI. Asus has, nonetheless, packed a brand new model of Armoury Crate SE software program this time round, which guarantees a extra customisable interface and recreation library with simpler navigation.
At Computex, Devices 360 tried out video games like Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Palworld, and Tekken 8. The titles had been working easily, and we didn’t discover overheating points within the quick time with the hand-held. This stood in distinction to the hands-on expertise with the Zotac Zone, one other new handheld seen at Computex. Zotac’s Home windows-based transportable crashed whereas working Horizon Forbidden West and confirmed indicators of overheating. An in depth evaluation will shed extra mild on the brand new Ally X’s gaming and thermal efficiency, however contemplating the enhancements dropped at an already respectable handheld, the ROG Ally X might turn into the best to suggest amongst its Home windows-based friends.
The ROG Ally X is held again by Home windows OS
The upgrades, nonetheless, additionally come at a price. The Asus ROG Ally X prices $799 (roughly Rs. 66,700), up a $100 from the Z1 Excessive model of the 2023 mannequin. India pricing needs to be out there nearer to launch right here, which Asus has mentioned ought to occur later this yr. And whereas all of the upgrades deliver significant enhancements, an OLED display screen, too, would have been a pleasant addition. However, taking the value level into consideration, it appears Asus has made all the suitable selections for a mid-gen refresh of its handheld. The decision can wait till an in depth evaluation, however the ROG Ally X left us impressed in our hands-on time with the hand-held. It won’t be a real successor to the 2023 mannequin, however it seems to be like successful.
Disclosure: Asus sponsored the correspondent’s flights and lodge for the occasion in Taipei.