Jacob Roach / Digital Traits
Asus is giving up on probably the most distinctive points of the ROG Ally with its new mannequin. The ROG Ally X is official, and as a string of teases and leaks instructed, it overhauls Asus’ handheld gaming PC in each manner. Within the technique of upgrading the system, although, Asus gave up on its XG Cellular ecosystem that made the unique system stand out a lot.
The unique ROG Ally consists of a big, proprietary connector for certainly one of Asus’ exterior XG Cellular GPUs. This allowed you to attach the hand-held to a extra highly effective graphics card, in addition to a slew of I/O (enter/output), with a single cable. As we found whereas testing the XG Cellular, it doesn’t work fairly the way in which you’d count on. Driver conflicts don’t provide the seamless expertise Asus promised, and Asus is lastly recognizing that reality.
Jacob Roach / Digital Traits
The ROG Ally X as an alternative consists of twin USB-C ports. One is used for the charging, however the different helps USB 4, permitting you to attach any exterior GPU enclosure you would need. It provides you much more choices for powering up the ROG Ally X, and it fixes a key challenge we’ve seen on handhelds from the Steam Deck OLED to the MSI Claw. With a second USB-C port, you’ll be able to cost the system whereas nonetheless related to a different accent.
Elsewhere, the ROG Ally X is a major improve over the unique. You continue to get the AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive chip below the hood, together with a 7-inch 1080p show that’s able to a 120Hz refresh charge. The whole lot else has been upgraded, nevertheless. You get 24GB of reminiscence now, and it’s sooner at 7500 MT/s. You additionally get an 80 watt-hour battery, doubling the dimensions of the battery out there within the authentic mannequin.
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One of many extra signficant upgrades is the storage. You get 1TB of house now, however Asus is utilizing an M.2 2280 SSD. This is identical measurement that you just’ll discover in most desktops, which ought to make upgrades each simpler and cheaper. Asus says it redesigned the storage to assist drives with modules on either side, permitting you to pack in as much as 8TB of storage with an improve.
Jacob Roach / Digital Traits
The opposite adjustments are extra minor, however they may have a huge impact. The macro keys on the again of the system are smaller now, and Asus swapped out the joysticks with the identical ones you’ll discover on the Steam Deck OLED. Asus can be working with GuliKit to supply Corridor Impact joysticks as an improve sooner or later. Asus tells me the shell is barely extra rounded now as properly, and it’s utilizing a barely bigger sound chamber with the identical audio system.
Much like the Steam Deck OLED, the ROG Ally X is a chance to handle the ache factors of the unique system whereas Asus works on a real sequel. It doesn’t come low cost, nevertheless. The ROG Ally X will run you $800, which is $100 greater than the unique mannequin. Preorders are open for the system now, however Asus hasn’t confirmed the discharge date but.
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