ASUS was the primary main PC maker to attempt its hand at making a gaming handheld. And regardless of a couple of points like a wonky microSD card reader, the succeeded at giving individuals a strong approach to take their video games on the go. However after a few 12 months available on the market, ASUS’ transportable is getting a serious revamp and it feels prefer it’s turning into the gadget we wished 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 accomplished 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, almost every part else on the system has been tweaked or improved in a roundabout way.
Inside, ASUS doubled the scale of the Ally X’s battery to a whopping 80Wh, up from 40Wh on the outdated mannequin. Similar goes for storage, with the hand held that includes a 1TB M.2 SSD (up from 512GB). Not like earlier than, it’s a full-size 2280 module, so anybody planning on including a bigger drive afterward could have numerous choices for third-party add-ons. Even its reminiscence is getting an enormous bump as much as 24GB (up from 16GB) of quicker LPDDR5X 75000 RAM. And to maintain every part cooled correctly, ASUS put in a brand new fan system that the corporate says is 23 p.c smaller whereas delivering 24 p.c higher airflow.
Now all this could be a more-than-welcome change, particularly with regards to efficiency and battery life. However ASUS didn’t cease there. The Ally X additionally contains 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 joyful 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 ought to be more durable to press by chance. Nevertheless, one in all my favourite modifications is that along with a brand new third vent on prime, 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 (should you’re into that sort of factor) whereas leaving the opposite jack open for charging or different wired equipment.
In quite a lot of methods, it appears like ASUS has lastly made the Ally X the hand held I wished all alongside. The larger battery solves one of many important points with the earlier mannequin, which regularly conked out after a little bit greater than an hour when taking part in trendy video games. Then there’s the addition of a second USB-C port, which makes the system much more versatile and higher geared up to drag double responsibility as a pseudo desktop in a pinch. And I can’t say sufficient concerning the bigger grips. That’s as a result of though the X is just a few millimeters thicker than earlier than, it’s far more comfy, which is clearly tremendous necessary for any handheld gadget.
However probably the largest impression of all that is that ASUS is popping its first mover’s benefit into a good greater 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 method late to the get together, stayed tuned for my overview coming coon), ASUS is already iterating on its handheld. And that’s coming from a tool with a strong 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 gadgets mature so rapidly. Plus, beginning at $800, which is simply $100 greater than the unique Ally, the Ally X feels very fairly priced.
The ROG Ally X is accessible for pre-order immediately from Greatest Purchase, with official gross sales set to start someday in July.