ASUS was the primary main PC maker to strive 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 option to take their video games on the go. However after a couple of 12 months in the marketplace, ASUS’ transportable is getting a significant 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 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 the whole lot 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 previous 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 in a while can have a number 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 the whole lot 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 in the case of efficiency and battery life. However ASUS didn’t cease there. The Ally X additionally includes 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 comfortable 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 needs to be more durable to press by chance. Nevertheless, one in every of my favourite modifications is that along with a brand new third vent on prime, ASUS additionally ditched its proprietary XG cell 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 type of factor) whereas leaving the opposite jack open for charging or different wired equipment.
In plenty of methods, it appears like ASUS has lastly made the Ally X the hand-held I needed all alongside. The larger battery solves one of many principal points with the earlier mannequin, which regularly conked out after a bit of 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 geared up to tug double obligation 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 only some millimeters thicker than earlier than, it’s far more comfy, which is clearly tremendous vital for any handheld machine.
However doubtlessly the largest impression of all that is that ASUS is popping its first mover’s benefit into an excellent 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 assessment 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 current 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 fairly priced.
The ROG Ally X is offered for pre-order as we speak from Finest Purchase, with official gross sales set to start someday in July.