The ASUS ROG Ally X improves on the original in all the right ways

ASUS was the primary main PC maker to attempt its hand at making a gaming handheld. And regardless of a number of points like a wonky microSD card reader, the succeeded at giving folks a strong method 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 system 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 carried out 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 utilized in its predecessor, almost all the things 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. Identical 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 could have plenty of choices for third-party add-ons. Even its reminiscence is getting a giant bump as much as 24GB (up from 16GB) of quicker LPDDR5X 75000 RAM. And to maintain all the things 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 in the case of efficiency and battery life. However ASUS didn’t cease there. The Ally X additionally incorporates 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 structure. 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 enhance 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 accidentally. Nevertheless, certainly one 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 (if you happen to’re into that type of factor) whereas leaving the opposite jack open for charging or different wired equipment.

In a whole lot of methods, it looks like ASUS has lastly made the Ally X the hand-held I wished all alongside. The larger battery solves one of many primary points with the earlier mannequin, which frequently conked out after a bit of 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 tug double obligation 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 snug, which is clearly tremendous vital for any handheld system.

However probably the most important impression of all that is that ASUS is popping its first mover’s benefit into a fair 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 method late to the get together, stayed tuned for my evaluation 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 current 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 moderately priced.

The ROG Ally X is on the market for pre-order in the present day from Greatest Purchase, with official gross sales set to start someday in July.