Leakers are taking to the internet with Asus ROG Ally X specs, and the latest rumors touch on the handheld’s memory and promised battery capacity increase. If early predictions are true, the revamped portable will bump RAM up to faster 24GB modules from 16GB and keep everything powered for up to eight hours. Yes, those figures will put many laptops to shame, and it thankfully looks like it won’t hamper how it feels in your hands too much
Poised to cost $799, the Asus ROG Ally X won’t outright replace the original on the best gaming handheld battlefield. Instead, it’s what the tech giant refers to as an “enthusiast” option, one that may trade away qualities like being lightweight to boost battery life. That in itself may solve one of the biggest problems with on-the-go PC gaming right now, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about the changes messing with the Ally’s ergonomics.
Is the Asus ROG Ally X heavier?
Like me, you might also be itching to learn how this affects the ROG Ally X’s size, but an early hands-on by The Verge may help put your mind at rest. The impressions are based on an engineering sample, so there’s every chance the final revision could differ. However, while the handheld is reportedly heavier, refined ergonomics mean it doesn’t feel too weighty comparatively.
Other refinements include rounded palm rests (similar to that of the Steam Deck OLED) and some tweaks to the face buttons and analog sticks. All the changes seem to tighten ergonomics and offset any physical changes that are a result of spec bumps, but we’ll have to see whether this engineering sample differs greatly from the final version.
Ultimately, I’ll be happy if Asus can pull off beefing up the ROG Ally without going down the same route as other handhelds. If you caught my Lenovo Legion GO review, you’ll know I think it feels like a handheld designed by laptop makers. Largely, its clunkiness spoils some of the convenient consolized elements of portable PCs championed by existing options like the Ally, Steam Deck, and even the more expensive Ayaneo 2S. It feels like companies understand the assignment when making mini rigs, but Asus does seem to be toying with the idea of making some compromises in the name of power.
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