It’s been discussed for a few weeks: Microsoft is considering releasing a pocket version of its Xbox console. All the elements are already in place, and even more. The proof is already in our hands in the form of Asus’ ROG Ally X console, which stands out even further from the competition.
Competition embodied first and foremost by the Steam Deck, from Valve, the company behind the popular video game platform Steam. Let’s add to this very short catalog the G Cloud console from Logitech, to give an overview of the price range to pay to afford a pocket console powered by the Windows system: from $400 for the latter to around $800 for the second, at $1100 for the ROG Ally X.
This second version of the ROG Ally is not presented by Asus as a second generation of the product, but as the same console, revised and improved. We especially wanted to correct its (very) short autonomy, which perhaps required more effort than the Taiwanese manufacturer anticipated. In the worst case, we get almost 4 hours of play between two charges, and it is difficult to see how that can be a fault: we should limit ourselves to 2 hours per day anyway, science tells us.
That said, it’s not that simple: Asus took advantage of its revision to make its console more ergonomic, more versatile and, overall, more attractive. It was necessary, to excuse a retail price which is equivalent to that which one would pay to buy both an Xbox home console and a Switch, Nintendo’s pocket console.
Full pockets
The first advantage of the ROG Ally and she does a little more, too. You can install the Steam environment, Sony’s PlayStation Plus store, then those of Epic Games, Ubisoft, EA, and others.
Once there, the unified Armory Crate SE environment will be responsible for sorting all your games, regardless of the platform they come from.
You will have to make choices, because you can store up to 1 terabyte of games and apps, which is quickly reached. Baldur’s Gate 3 occupies 150 gigabytes alone! That won’t be enough, then, and quickly the microSD memory card slot will become vital for more die-hard gamers. Those who have the right tools will be able to swap the internal SSD for something more spacious (the upper limit is 8 terabytes).
All this is nothing that a PC doesn’t already do, we agree. But in a slightly more robust format than a Switch, precisely. The full HD (and 120 Hz) touch screen is “only” 7 inches diagonal, but its horizontal-vertical ratio is more generous than that of a smartphone. It could have been a little brighter, or less easy to mark with your fingerprints. The result is that we still have a decent display surface, encased in a case that is easy to handle, with an elegantly backlit analog controller for each thumb, a directional pad on the left, control keys on the right and three levels of triggers at the top and back of the device.
Customized power
The processor is still AMD’s spectacular Ryzen Z1 Extreme, to which more generous and faster RAM has been added. The ROG Ally X is no longer the living room heater that its predecessor was. She breathes better. It looks. You can even hear it: the fans are not discreet.
The result is that AAA games like Baldur’s Gatesince we’re talking about it, are played in the doctor’s waiting room or in space lounge from your recreational vehicle as comfortably as if you were at home.
We can obviously push the audacity further and connect the console to an external monitor, via one of its two USB-C ports (also a nice improvement), and pair a video game controller via Bluetooth, and that’s it. we transform it into a complete living room console.
Note, for people who need to combine business with pleasure, that you can in fact transform the ROG Ally X into a complete workstation by installing the office suite of your choice, and connecting the peripherals necessary for its connection USB-C.
Its processor does not run out of steam under the pressure ofAssassin’s Creed Mirageno reason why Office 365 should not make him sweat…
Without a doubt, the ROG Ally X fixes the main flaws of the original ROG Ally. It retains its strong points, such as gaming performance, quality screen and ergonomic design. It won’t convince everyone – the Steam Deck has its share of fans and rumors of an improved console are persistent.
It must also be said that phones and tablets, despite everything, make excellent pocket consoles, and more, for an often lower price.
But having all the games you want on you, everywhere and at all times, and the power to play them in almost all conditions, is a bit like the goal par excellence of a quest that has lasted since the invention of the first arcade, right?
Asus thinks so. Microsoft might believe it too.