ASUS was the primary main PC maker to attempt its hand at making a gaming handheld. And regardless of just a few points like a wonky microSD card reader, the succeeded at giving folks a robust technique to take their video games on the go. However after a couple of yr in the marketplace, ASUS’ transportable is getting a serious revamp and it feels prefer it’s changing into the machine we needed all alongside.
Now simply to be clear, the Ally X isn’t a real sequel to the unique, it’s extra of a mid-cycle refresh just like what again in 2019. Besides I’d argue ASUS has achieved extra to spice up the brand new mannequin’s capabilities. That’s as a result of whereas the Ally X has the identical Ryzen Z1 Excessive chip and 7-inch 120Hz LCD display screen utilized in its predecessor, practically all the pieces else on the system has been tweaked or improved ultimately.
Inside, ASUS doubled the dimensions of the Ally X’s battery to a whopping 80Wh, up from 40Wh on the previous mannequin. Similar goes for storage, with the hand-held that includes a 1TB M.2 SSD (up from 512GB). In contrast to earlier than, it’s a full-size 2280 module, so anybody planning on including a bigger drive in a while can have a lot of choices for third-party add-ons. Even its reminiscence is getting a giant bump as much as 24GB (up from 16GB) of sooner LPDDR5X 75000 RAM. And to maintain all the pieces cooled correctly, ASUS put in a brand new fan system that the corporate says is 23 % smaller whereas delivering 24 % higher airflow.
Now all this is able to be a more-than-welcome change, particularly with regards to efficiency and battery life. However ASUS didn’t cease there. The Ally X additionally encompasses a new black exterior and it’s a contact thicker than earlier than, which permits for extra pronounced grips and a barely extra ergonomic button format. There’s additionally a brand new precision D-Pad, which is one thing I’m blissful to see because the earlier one felt a bit numb and spongy. And whereas ASUS didn’t go for Corridor Impact joysticks, the corporate says it switched to stiffer springs, which ought to improve sturdiness and make them really feel extra responsive.
Lastly, round again, the Ally X options smaller rear paddles that must be more durable to press by chance. Nevertheless, one in every of my favourite adjustments is that along with a brand new third vent on high, ASUS additionally ditched its proprietary XG cellular connector in favor of a second USB-C port. And since this one helps each and Thunderbolt 4, it’s quick sufficient to make use of with an exterior GPU (if you happen to’re into that form of factor) whereas leaving the opposite jack open for charging or different wired equipment.
In quite a lot of methods, it looks like ASUS has lastly made the Ally X the hand-held I needed all alongside. The larger battery solves one of many important points with the earlier mannequin, which frequently conked out after slightly greater than an hour when enjoying fashionable video games. Then there’s the addition of a second USB-C port, which makes the system much more versatile and higher outfitted to tug double responsibility as a pseudo desktop in a pinch. And I can’t say sufficient in regards to the bigger grips. That’s as a result of regardless that the X is only some millimeters thicker than earlier than, it’s far more comfy, which is clearly tremendous essential for any handheld machine.
However doubtlessly the largest affect of all that is that ASUS is popping its first mover’s benefit into a good larger lead. As a result of whereas rivals just like the Legion Go are nonetheless on their first mannequin (to not point out others just like the that arrived means late to the occasion, stayed tuned for my evaluation coming coon), ASUS is already iterating on its handheld. And that’s coming from a tool with a stable basis. For anybody who has been as enamored with the latest wave of gaming handhelds as I’ve, it’s actually encouraging to see these units mature so rapidly. Plus, beginning at $800, which is simply $100 greater than the unique Ally, the Ally X feels very moderately priced.
The ROG Ally X is accessible for pre-order right now from Greatest Purchase, with official gross sales set to start someday in July.
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