Asus has revealed the next model of its handheld gaming PC, the ROG Ally X, but does it compare with the original version?
Instead of being a direct sequel to the original, the X model is a more expensive version that Asus plans to sell alongside the original.
It comes with an extended battery life that Asus claims was one of the most requested upgrades. The X version packs an 80W battery, which is double the original.
The original struggles to play AAA games with max settings for longer than 90 minutes, leaving hope the new X version will be able to.
The larger battery pack means the X is a heavier portable, however, it only weighs 70g more than the regular, coming in at 678g.
Asus has also confirmed the main chip won’t be upgraded for the X, meaning it will be powered by the AMD Z1 Extreme. The company did say that the X should still receive a performance boost but in the form of RAM and improved cooling.
The X also sports 24G LPDDRX5 7500 memory, up from 16GB on the original. The cooling system’s fans are 50 per cent thinner, with a 10 per cent boost to airflow, and two small wind tunnels to direct air around the system. There is also a third exhaust vent to jet out hot air.
The company also revealed there is a notable effect on touchscreen temperatures, reduced by about 6-degrees Celsius.
The X will also have the M.2 SSD slot to M.2 2280, making it easier to upgrade the 1TB of base storage.
Existing Asus ROG Ally owners have reported issues with the SD card reader, stating the port has unusually slow read speeds, and sometimes fails to recognise inserted cards.
The potential cause of this was the close proximity of the reader to the vents. Asus has moved the placement of the SD card reader away from the vents on the X, which should rectify the issue.
The biggest difference in design is the new all-black colour option, which is expected to be better at hiding scuff marks.
There are also several smaller design changes, including a slightly deeper curve to the handles, an added slant on the triggers, stiffer springs in the analogue stick, a redesigned D-pad, and a reduced M-Key footprint on the rear.
Asus has also said the device will be more repairable, with interchangeable joystick modules and retuned triggers, joystick and D-pad.
According to Kotaku Australia, the Asus ROG Ally X is expected to cost around A$1,599 and will ship on July 22.
The original ROG Ally currently retails for A$1,299 and be purchased from JB Hi-Fi.
