Asus has launched an updated version of the ROG Ally—ROG Ally X—packed with significant upgrades at Computex 2024. The new model features 1TB of M.2 2280 SSD storage and 24GB of LPDDR5X-7500 RAM, ensuring ample space and faster performance for the latest games. Additionally, the device boasts an 80Wh battery—double the capacity of the original ROG Ally—promising extended gaming sessions.
The ROG Ally’s controls and connectivity have also been upgraded in the new variant. Improved joysticks and ergonomics offer more precise control, while two USB-C ports—in place of the proprietary XG Mobile external GPU connecting unit—one of them Thunderbolt 4 compliant.
Thermal management has seen notable improvements. New fans increase airflow by up to 24 percent, facilitated by a third vent. This enhancement keeps the device cooler, with the panel temperature reduced by up to 6 degrees Celsius, ensuring comfortable handling during intense gaming sessions.
Asus ROG Ally X — Reliability concerns
Early ROG Ally buyers reported failures in the device’s SD card readers, with some even experiencing damage to their SD cards. In July last year, Asus confirmed the issue, attributing it to potential thermal stress, and released an update to increase fan speed in hopes of mitigating the problem. However, the solution has proven ineffective.
Recently, it extended the warranty on the ROG Ally’s SD card reader to 24 months, up from the original 12 months. During this extended warranty period, users can receive reimbursements for damaged SD cards. Additionally, customers who purchased their ROG Ally directly from Asus can apply for a full refund if they return the device within three months of purchase.
Despite this, concerns remain. A moderator on the r/ROGAlly subreddit advised against using SD cards, noting that devices returned from RMA (Return Merchandise Authorisation) still exhibited the issue. Additionally, this reimbursement offer is currently limited to the United States.
The ROG Ally X with its upgraded build and seemingly improved thermals will hopefully be more reliable. But we’ll see.
Asus ROG Ally X — Spec-check
The rest of the core specs remain unchanged and so the Ally X has the same 7-inch 1080p IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 7ms response time as the original. The panel can reach a peak brightness of 500 nits and includes FreeSync support. Additionally, the display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus.
The ROG Ally X is powered by the same AMD 4nm Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, based on the Zen 4 architecture. This processor features 8 cores (16 threads) and can reach speeds of up to 5.10GHz, with a maximum TDP of 30W. The device pairs this powerful CPU with an AMD Radeon RDNA3 GPU (4GB).
Running on Windows 11, the ROG Ally integrates seamlessly with hallmark Asus applications like Armoury Crate, which helps users curate and play games in one place.
In terms of connectivity, the ROG Ally supports Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Asus ROG Ally X — Price
The Asus ROG Ally X costs USD 100 more than the first ROG Ally. It is priced at USD 800. India price is yet to be announced.
