With its smooth variable refresh rate screen and plugged-in speed increases, the Asus ROG Ally was the first serious competitor to the Steam Deck; even if I would argue it fell a bit short, it was a legitimate improvement to the state of affordable Windows mobile gaming. Asus is now starting to unveil the ROG Ally X, its replacement.
Don’t refer to it as an Ally 2; the Windows-based ROG Ally X, which launches in the second part of the year, will have the same 7-inch 48-120Hz VRR screen and AMD Z1 Extreme chipset. It’s not quite the same as the Steam Deck OLED, where Valve introduced a larger, brighter, and more stunning new OLED panel with greater response time and fewer bezels, and where they also got AMD to modify its CPU for better battery life and stability.
However, Asus SVP Shawn Yen tells The Verge that the freshly black handheld will have a significantly longer battery life because Asus will fit a significantly larger battery pack into the ROG Ally X‘s redesigned casing. He says “We’re not looking at 30 to 40 percent more capacity.” “We’re considering much more than that.”
Since its inception, Asus claims that the most common request has been for longer battery life. The community has been known to attach bulky external batteries to handheld devices, despite the Ally’s potential capacity to accommodate a larger battery pack.
Asus is talking about more changes than just the battery today; the ROG Ally X aims to solve many of the community’s top concerns for how to improve the original. Senior product manager Gabriel Meng says Asus considers battery, storage, graphics, memory, and connectors they try to fit as many as possible. a device like this.”
Again, no numbers today, but according to Asus, the ROG Ally X should now have RAM larger than its 16GB capacity, allowing you to dedicate a large amount of RAM to the GPU without negatively affecting the system as a whole. In order to enable purchasers to more readily locate and acquire larger SSD upgrades than the existing M.2 2230 permits, it should feature a longer M.2 2280 SSD slot.
With revised joystick modules that are more interchangeable and possibly upgradeable, provided Gulikit steps up the ROG Ally X should also be even more repairable. Although asus was not able to see it in person, Asus claims that the handheld would weigh a little bit more because of the bigger battery, have redesigned grips, and have minor adjustments made to the D-Pad, joysticks, and triggers.
Additionally, the ROG Ally X will have a redesigned motherboard layout that appears to move the SD card reader away from the system’s vents, even though Asus still won’t acknowledge that the Ally’s SD card reader ever had a problem, tells me it’s the same exact SD card reader it uses in its laptops, and says it doesn’t believe any issues were caused by overheating.
Meng comments on shifting the SD reader, saying, “they don’t want people to think that’s what they had to do.” “To make things fit, they had to reorganise the board.”
The enhancements in the ROG Ally X, according to Asus, will not come cheap; the Ally X will start at a higher price than the original, in contrast to the Steam Deck OLED, which essentially replaced Valve’s LCD device at the same price points. Not only will the original 2023 ROG Ally remain available, but it might possibly receive some discounts.
Regarding a ROG Ally 2, Asus acknowledges that it shares Valve’s mindset in that it aims to create a true successor that delivers a notable performance gain rather than a little one.
Additionally, Asus has a significant software update in store for original Ally customers even though it does not intend to offer an aftermarket battery upgrade for them: Not only does Armoury Crate SE 1.5 have a brand-new look and improved navigation, but it now allows users to share button mappings for different games with other Ally owners.
Asus claims that it still has faith in Windows. Meng states that the company does speak with Valve and that “They are very open-minded to looking at other solutions,” but Asus cites pragmatic and philosophical justifications for sticking with Microsoft’s operating system, such as the desire to have the “inclusiveness of all different game platforms” rather than depending solely on Steam. In a later story, I’ll explain some of the practical reasons.
The ROG Ally X Ecosystem: A Powerhouse of Synergy
ROG Ally X is a network of services, software, and hardware designed to work together and improve your gaming setup. This comprehensive approach ensures that every component works seamlessly to enhance performance, customisation, and game experience. The ROG Ally X ecosystem’s fundamentals:
Superior Hardware Performance
The finest ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) gear is the basis of ROG Ally. This comprises:
Desktops and laptops for gaming
ROG provides gaming laptops and desktops to fit every budget. Modern processors, cutting-edge graphics cards, and fast RAM are features shared by all the machines, from the remarkably portable ROG Zephyrus series to the sturdy desktop ROG Strix desktops, to guarantee flawless gameplay even in the most taxing titles.
Motherboards and Graphics Cards for the ROG Strix
ROG Strix motherboards help DIY gamers build a custom gaming PC. With their powerful overclocking, cooling systems, and attractive designs, these motherboards push performance. Known for their unmatched strength and cutting-edge cooling techniques, ROG Strix graphics cards enhance your images and guarantee smooth frame rates.
ROG Adjacent Hardware:ROG Ally
Game setups are incomplete without peripherals. ROG Ally X offers gamers with premium keyboards, mice, headsets, and accessories. Programmable macros, RGB illumination, and ergonomic designs make these peripherals more comfortable for long gaming sessions.
Software Suite with Intuition
ROG Ally X is more than just hardware. A variety of user-friendly software tools are part of the ecosystem, enabling you to customise your game experience:
Armoury Crate
You may use a single interface to control all of your ROG accessories and gear from one central hub. Within an easy-to-use interface, you can adjust lighting effects, track system performance, make custom profiles, and get ROG support materials.
Third-generation Sonic Studio
With Sonic Studio III, lose yourself in crystal-clear audio. This audio software suite lets you tailor your soundscape for various gaming genres and optimise for smooth communication with teammates. It includes a variety of audio effects, virtual surround sound, and noise reduction technology.
GamePlus
Use GamePlus to improve your performance in-game. With the use of this software overlay, you may customise a number of on-screen tools, such as a timer, FPS counters, crosshairs, and even a level-up indicator, which will give you an advantage over other players in competitive gameplay.
Aura Sync
Aura Sync unifies RGB lighting effects on all of your ROG hardware and peripherals that are compatible, resulting in a cohesive and breathtakingly beautiful gaming experience.
ROG Support and Community
There is more to the ROG Ally ecosystem than just software and hardware. It creates a lively community of ardent players who appreciate the same games as you do. Here’s how it helps you:
ROG Forums
Join the discussion on the official ROG forums to meet other users. Talk about forthcoming games, ask for troubleshooting assistance, exchange advice, and interact with the larger ROG community.
ROG Rewards
By registering ROG products, taking part in community events, and finishing online questionnaires, among other things, you can accrue points through the ROG Rewards programme. Exchange these points for special ROG items, future purchase discounts, and other fun prizes.
Committed Client Assistance
In order to guarantee a seamless and continuous gaming experience, ROG provides extensive customer assistance. Receive professional help via email, live chat, or phone calls, and know that you have a committed support staff at your side.
