You Should NOT Buy the ASUS ROG Ally X | Is the ROG Ally X Worth It?

[@CGD.Studio]

EDIT: One thing I forgot to mention - *AMD will stick to the same RDNA 3+ iGPUs until at least 2027, as they did with Vega.* So whoever buys the Ally 2 isn't going to have a tangible reason to upgrade for at least two, maybe even three years because there won't be any huge breakthrough or performance upgrade available. At that point, we're only talking incremental changes and quality-of-life improvements. We're on the verge of a brand new architecture, and it's going to be much better, more capable and, most likely, a fair bit more efficient as well. That makes a world of difference. The sentiment "every new device is gonna be better than the old one" is almost always true, but every few years there's an inflection point like this one where saving money makes more sense. It's like buying an Intel MacBook right before the M1 came out and obliterated it in every way, shape, and form. Obviously Strix Point isn't going to be as big of a jump, but you get the point. This is a somewhat similar situation as with AMD's Vega iGPUs a few years ago. RDNA 2 devices were the first to really make AA/AAA gaming viable in a handheld form factor. Again, it's not gonna be as big of a jump as Vega-to-RDNA2, but still - it more than justifies waiting because the uplift in performance is going to make AAA games actually playable, without resorting to FSR. There are also two very specific groups of people out there that aren't as vocal as those of us who are tech savvy: the "casuals" who only want to buy a new device every 3-4 years and those who don't have a ton of money to spend. They're the silent type, but they're great in number. And for them, buying the noticeably better thing next year is a much better course of action. Tech enthusiasts and those with deeper pockets will always upgrade to whatever the new thing is because they can't help it. This video isn't for them, and I tried to say as much while filming. Whether I succeeded fully is up for debate, but the point still stands. *EDIT #2*: Strix Point mini PCs (and, presumably, laptops) are reportedly going to come out a lot sooner than expected: October/November of this year. wccftech.com/amd-next-gen-ryzen-zen-5-cpus-might-be-launching-as-early-as-august/ So, who knows, we might even see a Strix Point handheld from a Chinese manufacturer before the end of the year. The odds of it happening are quite small, but if this rumor ends up being true, they're much higher than zero.

[@pablieto-veganson]

waiting for the steam deck 2. hopefully same ish price as the oled 500GB model. bezzel-less screen, and everything else can be the exact same. maybe 1080p, but 800p is fine.

[@kesh9957]

Omg I thought I saw 2 million subscribers dayum quality so good too..makkeee more U will pop for sure

[@CGD.Studio]

Aw, thanks man for such a beautiful comment. 😁 🙌 Will do!

[@RetroGameCorps]

Whoa I was watching this video and loving your truth bombs, and then saw my name. That was awesome! Great video, and my thoughts mirror yours regarding the Ally X, but I'm a less optimistic that a Strix Point handheld is coming soon -- I think it'll be at least a year until a handheld comes to market, if not longer. And that's a whole lot of time someone could be gaming on another handheld while they wait! Agreed that an open box Z1E Ally is the key value choice in the Windows space. Keep making videos, this was excellent!

[@CGD.Studio]

Oh man, what a beautiful thing to wake up to! 🙌 Thank you Russ. *Really* appreciate it. I hope you live to be a hundred, and I know I'm not the only one.

[@slapndbass]

Russ you're the fkn reason I went and got a rog ally z1e😂 after hearing you on the podcast when you guys had the linux guy. My favorite game is god of war and if it lags on my steam deck I knew god of war ragnarok will have even harder time running on SD so I waited and just picked up the ally yesterday and I updated the amd drivers. I'm getting 60fps+ with good quality and performance on gow on the ally. What settings would you recommend for rcps3 on the ally. I had trouble running xmen origins wolverine on the emulator.

[@slapndbass]

​@@CGD.Studioruss and you got to do a video together so people save their money. Russ help the guy out. He makes great points

[@bresoccercards6461]

If you wait for tech then you’ll never buy anything. Every 3-6 months the tech is better.

[@CGD.Studio]

But it's really not like that. We only get generational improvements every 3-4 years - improvements that are almost always worth the investment. It's the same here as well. The Ally 2 isn't going to be a simple spec bump (like faster RAM, for example), but a completely different architecture, and then *that's* going to stagnate for 2-3 years. If you're acquainted with Apple's MacBooks and custom silicon, we're talking about an M1 to M4 jump (CPU-wise, at least), *not* M1 to M2. Plus we've stagnated a fair bit overall as well. The average user can't tell the speed difference between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 15. Android smartphones also keep getting more powerful as well but we've already had a ton of power for years; there simply haven't been any new games that can truly take advantage of it and on the emulation side of things it's even worse. Switch emulation is dead for at least a few years, and other emulators either run exceptionally well on older devices or they simply haven't been optimized fully.

[@lewisclarke2840]

I just came across your channel and you make great videos with great reasoning. Your channel definitely deserves more subscribers. I look forward to seeing your channel grow

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you, Lewis! 🙌 Really appreciate you taking the time to type out such a beautiful comment!

[@derikdang8829]

Your point of views is EXACTLY right! Thank you for pointing them all out. Keep up the awesome works CGD 👍.

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you Derik! 🙌 Will do! Lots planned for the future. 😄

[@tonysavage4205]

been a minute since i seen something so real on youtube, had to sub.

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you, Tony! 🙌

[@pfdj69]

Just found the channel today I subscribed the fomo is real but I’m not a hardcore pc gamer either and everything that I want is being handled in my Odin 2 I was thinking about going for it but I’ll wait. Great videos keep it going definitely refreshing 👍🏼😎

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you brother, appreciate it! 🙌 Man, the Odin 2 is a killer device! The battery life is mind-blowing. In any case, if you wait a little bit longer, the original Ally will go down in price even more. Worth waiting a month or two for sure. 😁

[@cole6383]

I picked up the device yesterday and it's pretty impressive. The battery life sucks but it's pretty great. Unfortunately a refresh version or improvement will definitely be outside of my budget.

[@natsu78999]

big battery is good,but i dont want extra weight

[@CGD.Studio]

@natsu78999 eh, a bit more weight for double the battery life is a pretty good trade-off if you ask me 😅

[@shonen84]

Hi! Informative video, thank you for your perspective. Launch Ally owner here, very happy with mine. Personally, I’m actually very excited for this Ally 1.5. I think its screen is better than that of the Steam Deck OLED (which I also own). It’s sharper, has higher refresh rate and for some reason I’m not the biggest fan of the “oled look”. Despite how much I love that screen, my Ally sits permanently on my XG Mobile because let’s face it: the current Ally battery life is trash. It has become my home computer and PS5 replacement through Steam, Xbox Ultimate and Epic Games. I also have an Asus X13 laptop, that can also use the XG Mobile. The performance of that combo is slightly better because the cpu is faster and it has more memory (32gb). This Ally X adds more battery life - finally enabling some usable portable usage, cheaper and easier to install 2280 SSDs and a larger up front 1TB, fixed SD card slot and lots more memory and user replaceable joysticks. To me, this is actually an ideal mid cycle refresh, similar to what Valve did with their Steam Deck OLED. While I can agree that these arguments don’t apply to everyone, I find the comparison with Apple not entirely correct. Apple removes/re-categorizes previous gen products so you always spend more on the newest product and you always end up looking out for it. The original Ally will still be available, similar again to what Valve does. It will be great value, Asus isn’t taking that choice away.

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you for watching! 🙌 Yeah, for your use-case the Ally X sounds like a very reasonable upgrade. You don't really need a beastly all-in-one device (like an Ally 2 w/ a more powerful iGPU) because you have other toys to play around with. There's a lot of people out there though who will only buy an Ally or a Legion Go or a Steam Deck and nothing else. That's the thing, this video's for them. 😁 I mentioned Apple cause they're, for instance, still rocking 60Hz displays on their non-Pro models, and yet they're priced at nearly a thousand euros. Then, in two years, they'll give the regular iPhone 17/18 something like 90Hz and label it Fluid Motion or something and people will lose their minds as if it's the next best thing since sliced bread. They're giving people breadcrumbs and they're mostly doing so when they have to, when they have to sweeten the deal. Most of their additions (like an always-on-display) could've been added many years ago - they just didn't want to because they didn't *have* to. Btw, you sing *really* well! 🙌

[@shonen84]

@@CGD.Studio agreed on the Apple follow up. It really riles me up how everything they do, is designed to be overtly anti-consumer. They’ve always been like this. Non replaceable batteries, spec stone walling by linking system memory/cpu spec with outrageously expensive storage prices, unrepairable pcb design, ecosystem stonewalling, all the way to software incompatibility when MacOS first arrived. And like you mentioned, throwing us breadcrumbs by repackaging their bad old stuff, selling it to us as something great, and quietly throwing away actually good previous gen products as e-waste because it would destroy their profits. I’m actually not sure I’m getting the Ally X. While I still like what they’re doing with it, I don’t really need it. As you said, I’ve got plenty of other devices that fulfill my needs. For those who are in the market for one device, you’re right to be critical of any new device coming in, especially if the APU isn’t upgraded. PS thanks for checking out my channel 😳🫣😆

[@JamieR]

Great video and quality! I have a lot of similar thoughts as you, but the market is vastly different in Norway. I'd either get a Switch Lite or Ally X in June, or wait until next year and hope that Strix Point starts trickling out into these devices. The leap from Z1E and Strix will be big, and hopefully more ram and other QoL + software will have matured a lot by then. Another option is getting a retro device and play some older games while we wait :) Which is exactly what I did. Miyoo Mini+ to play PS1 > FF7-9 etc. Nostalgia is a strong pull! Haha

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you Jamie! Yeah, Europe's in a weird situation, and the prices in Scandinavia were pretty insane the last time I checked. 😅 Totally get the retro pull! I'd personally go with something like a Retroid Pocket 4 Pro if I were you, it'd go great with a MM+ for more demanding games! Or even an AYN Odin 2 if you can get it for a reasonable sum of money. But if you can't wait for the Ally 2 then yeah, the Ally X is definitely gonna be amazing, no doubt about it.

[@sixstab2967]

Thnx for the vid. From the devices available right now what wpuld you reccomend then? Find a cheap steam oled?

[@CGD.Studio]

Glad you liked it! 🙌 Ah, *personally*, I would just buy a used or refurbished Steam Deck LCD for like $250 and use that until Strix Point comes out. Or, if you need the power and just want Windows (and don't want to install Windows on your Steam Deck), then the original Ally would be the way to go. The Ally X is gonna be amazing, there's no doubt about it, but it'll still have the same software-related bugs that the original model has (due to Windows), and it's gonna perform like 10% better which, in my opinion, isn't worth the higher asking price. Twice the battery life is great, but you're still gonna be needing a charger if you're gonna be playing AAA games. I would 100% get a Steam Deck (unless you need Windows and don't want to install it yourself + the official drivers + handheld companion and whatever else) because it offers the core handheld gaming experience. And then I'd spring for a Strix Halo device as soon as they are available, cause they're gonna make AAA gaming a lot more viable. You can't go wrong in my opinion, but spending as less money as possible at this point in time makes the most sense. The AAA games I want to play can't run that well on the Ally or Legion Go (working on a review!) without using too much FSR (and looking like a PS1 game), and for anything less demanding the LCD Steam Deck is still more than capable. Btw, Windows runs great on it, Game Pass as well, sleep/wake too.

[@elvinventucillo4501]

You should do more vids. I love listening to your commentaries and truth bombs. You should have at least 2M subs.

[@CGD.Studio]

Aw man, thank you, really appreciate it. :) seriously. A ton more videos are planned, real life and work just got in the way. 😅 I worked as a computing writer for years but that whole thing went south once ChatGPT took over and companies started prioritizing quantity over quality, so I had to pivot. I'd love to do this full time, but until it can pay the bills I have to take it slow. But a lot more is planned! Thanks again for the comment.

[@notingwrong]

Keep cooking my man. Drop more Laptop videos too.

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you brother 🙌 Appreciate it! More laptop videos are planned but they're, for the most part, disgustingly expensive, so the plan is to grow the channel and then get some loaner units in for review. :/ I'm planning tons of Snapdragon Elite X content (for gaming and productivity), that's the most exciting thing this year in my eyes.

[@martine8057]

Man you speak facts… I should have known about your channel long time ago… I purchased a steam deck LCD then the rog ally z1 extreme and then now a steam deck OLED 🙃… I was thinking of buying an rog ally X next …

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you Martin, really appreciate it! 🙌 Why are you thinking of buying an Ally X? Or, better question, why did you sell the original model? 😄

[@DSGrogu]

Bro great video! even ASUS responded to you today about why they didn’t make a ROG Ally 2 yet

[@CGD.Studio]

Thanks man, glad you liked it! 🙌 It'll be a great device, but for $800+tax or €899 it's, uh, a bit too expensive. 😅 What did ASUS say today? AMD is moving fast, Strix Point handhelds might come out even before the end of the year. Lunar Lake, too! A fun time to be a handheld/gaming enthusiast, that's for sure.

[@devoxer6549]

Good dose of tech and fun, great work keep up buddy

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you friend, really appreciate it! Will do! 🙌

[@Holyblades1982]

I just got my Ally last week and I'll be utilizing my 60 day return policy from best buy since I am on the total care plan and getting the Ally X. I agree it's most likely better to wait though if you are looking to buy a new device.

[@CGD.Studio]

As you should! Try it out, see if you like it. 😁 These things are far from perfect, and they tend to jank out a lot more often than they should. And yeah, adding a bit more money on top for an Ally X would make sense. It's not a bad investment overall, but if it can handle all your favorite games, then there's really no reason to wait for the Ally 2, regardless of its rumored performance bump.

[@darth_dunedain106]

I am in the same boat, I bought mine on sale and have the 60 period. How have you liked yours so far? Also i hear moonlight is good for streaming from your main pc, how does that work? Also CGD studio, when do you think the ROG Ally 2 will come out?

[@CGD.Studio]

Within 12-15 months almost guaranteed (unless AMD messes up its supply chain, wouldn't be the first time). ASUS moves fast and they've obviously sold enough units to justify it. As for the Steam Deck 2 and Legion Go 2, that's basically impossible to guess. They'll come out within a similar time frame, but Valve does its own thing on its own terms and Lenovo obviously didn't generate enough buzz/sales/profit with the Go so they'll probably be the slowest of the bunch. AMD also wants to move fast with Strix Point laptops because they were delayed multiple times, and once they start shipping, they'll totally change the landscape. Even a $700 ultrabook will be a solid gaming device and it'll only need a single fan to keep its APU in check. Literally anything that's out right now on the market will pale in comparison when it comes to gaming performance. Even the RTX 2050 is a surprisingly solid choice for 1080p gaming on Low settings (AAA titles), and Strix Point will supposedly exceed it, so there's a lot to be excited about. Like, *a lot*. Even if it ends up matching an RTX 2050 in a handheld (as opposed to competing with a mobile 3050), that'll still be mind-blowing.

[@destroyaX]

Had a bit of FOMO since I just got mine, thanks for the informative video!

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you for watching! 🙌 No reason for the FOMO brother. Same screen, same performance, just a few cool additions that aren't going to make a huge difference, along with a higher asking price. :) in Europe it'll probably retail for like €850 if not even more. You can get a 4060 laptop for that kind of money (on sale).

[@destroyaX]

@@CGD.Studio now I know you’ve probably gotten this question before, but what do you prefer between ally and steam deck? Just got my ally about a week ago and even though I’m really enjoying, it is a bit of pain when simple things don’t work..

[@CGD.Studio]

I prefer Windows, but I'm masochistic, so that explains why. 😅 I'm okay with tinkering, okay with things not working, or working partially. My only gripe with the Ally and other Windows-base devices (and I talked about this in my other Ally video 3 or so months ago) is that they're advertized as something seamless, as devices that "just work" and that couldn't be farther from the truth. The Legion Go is even worse, for what it's worth. The good thing is that once you set everything up, there's not a lot of friction when gaming. It mostly does work as it should, with the occasional sleep issue (switch it to hibernation every time you press the power button, it's a huge improvement). But yeah. You either get the seamlessness that a Steam Deck provides, or the incredible power of an Ally but with a bit of jank and bugginess.

[@Misfit626]

It’s gonna perform pretty much the same. People should wait until the Ally 2, Steam Deck 2, or Legion Go 2

[@DRHellcat319]

Open box allys aren't bad on their own However you have to be a bit careful when choosing them

[@CGD.Studio]

Definitely, but even if it's "risky," the OG Ally will probably start selling for like $499-$550 brand new once the Ally X starts shipping. At that point, I feel like it's a no-brainer. :/

[@thejustinjustin1233]

I have the deck oled and was going to upgrade but I don’t want to deal with the possibility of having a faulty device. I had the original ally and the sticks would grind and feel loose with the buttons getting stuck. With valve I haven’t had a single quality control issue and I’ve owned the original and the oled. It’s to hard to trust asus with the experience I’ve had and seen. Overall great video, I agree with what you said.

[@TJ-cs6vu]

Really love this video, i sold all my handhelds because i know we are at the verge of a huge performance to efficiency ratio break through for handhelds, but im missing out in my gaming, wondering if its still worth getting a steam deck OLED? then waiting it out, far cheaper than a rog ally x (plus i support value way more than dodgy asus)

[@CGD.Studio]

Sure it's worth it! Now's the best time to buy any "older" device. 😁 I'd personally go with an LCD Steam Deck if I were you, you can get one for like $250/$275 depending on your region, or like $330 or something which is a steal. You'll always be able to sell it at an acceptable loss, as someone will always be looking to buy a Steam Deck. That LCD model is seriously underrated. Delivers, like, 80% of the experience for a fraction of the cost. Insane stuff. And Windows works flawlessly too, in my experience and testing, much more stable than on the Ally for whatever reason (without having to resort to Hibernation). Didn't have a game crash on me for more than a year!

[@edisonab]

Very informative video. Though I agree with you on the next Ally is a nicer machine, we have to remind ourselves, there is no investment in technology. Its a depreciating purchase so if you want to buy now, why not. The next device will always be better. As long as you get hours of entertainment for that $ you paid, its worth it. I might get the Ally X if I like what they have to present this Sunday and replace my need for a new gaming laptop to play games and edit videos. Also, we cannot be sure when Asus will release the Ally 2. You know they will try to sell the Ally X as long as they can until they know competition catches up and customer sentiment is lowering. However, I appreciate the headups and giving us info on the next generation specs.

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you! 🙌 I totally get where you're coming from, and your thinking *is* sound and logical, but we're at an inflection point, and these companies know it. There's a reason why Apple released the M4 just mere months after the M3 line-up came out - they're starting to face some very real competition from Qualcomm and even AMD and Intel (Strix Point, Lunar Lake). There's also news of the first Strix Point mini PCs coming out no later than October(ish) of this year, so there's a very real chance of, say, AYANEO or GPD (or someone else) coming out with a Strix Point handheld before the end of the year. They move fast. And once Strix Point becomes available, all other (previous) devices will pale in comparison. So a June/July 2025 release date for the ROG Ally 2 is very realistic, and it might happen even sooner if the rumor mill is to be believed. I can totally envision an announcement around CES in January of next year and then an early release. These companies make moves whenever they can and whenever there's something that can be released. There's a reason why the Ally X is going to be equipped with the same Z1 Extreme - there's nothing else on the market that's viable at the moment, but that's gonna chance rather quickly.

[@skyrim2972]

(if you've waited this long just wait a little bit longer) Is what I wanted to hear really Thanks a lot

[@CGD.Studio]

🙌 The Ally X is gonna be amazing, there's no doubt about it, but these Strix Point APUs are definitely worth waiting for.

[@skyrim2972]

@@CGD.Studio I agree with you

[@X862go]

I'm still getting one 😂

[@CGD.Studio]

I totally get that! For real! But people *do* need to be aware that the Ally 2 is gonna be a lot more capable. That's the one thing no one's really talking about on KZbin. 😅 And then we'll have sort of the same level of performance for a few years, so the Ally 2 is gonna be a much better investment in the long-term. That's all.

[@TrippleNine666]

Bet 😂 me 2

[@vm2024]

@@CGD.Studio But then we can just wait for Ally 3 or Ally 4 it will always be better and better and if we wait all the time we won't be playing.

[@CGD.Studio]

Ah, but there's a catch: AMD will keep using the same RDNA 3+ iGPUs until 2027 (wccftech.com/amd-rdna-3-igpus-featured-in-ryzen-apus-till-2027-vega-reincarnated/), so it'll be the same situation as with Vega a few years ago. A big improvement and then "stagnation" for a few years. So whoever buys the Ally 2 won't have to fret for at least two years if not more. The Ally 3 and 4 will most likely just feature small improvements and that's it. That's also why Valve still hasn't made an actual Steam Deck 2 - they're waiting for a big enough performance jump (Strix Point) to justify the development.

[@noluck8613]

Same

[@unkown34x33]

I'll decide that once I see it with my own eyes... god I need to stop watching rumors

[@CGD.Studio]

Fair enough, although, to be fair, these aren't rumors. Everything about Strix Point has been well documented through a bajillion leaks. We basically know everything there is, we just don't know how ASUS and others are gonna implement it (TDP, and whether it'll be an off-the-shelf part or a more customized variant).

[@robertphillips4155]

Should probably wait for the Ally X version 3 or 4 if you want to wait, they will be better than any device today :^). I picked one up a month ago and have had hours of enjoyment and entertainment from it.

[@CGD.Studio]

It's not about waiting, it's about the value that any given device offers. For the vast majority of people, the Ally X simply isn't worth the asking price, especially in Europe where discounts are scarce (if not non-existent) and prices include a staggering amount of tax. :/ But, as I said, it's obviously the best and most well-rounded Windows-based handheld PC on the market, and those who want the best and are willing to pay for it, will surely love it, as you've already mentioned. I'm honestly glad you're liking it! 🙌 It's a glorious device, if overpriced compared to the original model. But, again, if your budget allows it, it's obviously a great investment.

[@darrellrichardson5837]

Question? When exactly is the Rog Ally 2 coming out?

[@CGD.Studio]

Hi Darrell! So, there's still no fixed release date, but if ASUS' release cadence is anything to go by, it's almost surely going to come out next June or July. Strix Point laptops are gonna be announced in a couple of months and they're gonna be released in Q1 2025 at the latest. AMD is gonna face some fierce competition from Qualcomm and Intel (Snapdragon Elite X and Lunar Lake, respectively), so they're in a rush. There's also a reason why Apple came out with the M4 so soon after the M3 came out - they're all boarding the AI hype train, which is also why AMD will use a completely different nomenclature for Strix Point (and it's a very moronic one): Ryzen AI 300 series. videocardz.com/newz/ryzen-ai-300-amd-strix-point-reportedly-goes-through-another-name-change In other words: they have to release Strix Point as soon as they possibly can, and they're already behind schedule.

[@sdoukosp]

2:43 I Bursted out laughing lol

[@Esparza89]

I totally get what you are saying and it most likely does a good subject for a Video. Still, if there is something 99% sure in life, is that in Electronics, something better will always come in a year or 2. If we started following the logic of this video, why would anyone buy something if there is something better coming later? As many review channels say: buy what you need right now, there is no real future proofing and there will always be an upgrade later on. My only complaints with the ROG ALLY were the battery life and the performance, both issues are being addressed here. More RAM = Higher 1% percentile minimums, which improves overall smoothness and doubling the battery capacity almost doubles the gametime available from one charge. I like your video and I agree mostly, still, if people want a handheld right now is not a bad "investment", since no electronic device created for entertainment is an actual investment.

[@CGD.Studio]

Hey man, first of all, thank you for an intelligent comment. That's always the goal for me, to talk with people about these things, as opposed to "picking a side." The only reason why I gave my arguments is because we're on the verge of a brand new architecture, and it's much better, more capable and, most likely, a fair bit more efficient as well. *That makes a world of difference.* The sentiment "every new device is gonna be better than the old one" is almost always true, but every few years there's an inflection point like this one where saving money makes more sense. It's like buying an Intel MacBook right before the M1 came out and obliterated it in every way, shape, and form. Obviously Strix Point isn't going to be as big of a jump, but you get the point. This is a somewhat similar situation as with AMD's Vega iGPUs a few years ago. RDNA 2 devices were the first to really make AA/AAA gaming viable in a handheld form factor. Again, it's not gonna be as big of a jump as Vega-to-RDNA2, but still - it more than justifies waiting because the uplift in performance is going to make AAA games *actually* playable, without resorting to FSR. *Another hugely important point* is the fact that AMD will stick to the same RDNA 3+ iGPUs until at least 2027, as they did with Vega. So whoever buys the Ally 2 isn't going to have a tangible reason to upgrade for at least two, maybe even three years because there won't be any huge breakthrough or performance upgrade available. There are also two very specific groups of people out there that aren't as vocal as those of us who are tech savvy: the "casuals" who only want to buy a new device every 3-4 years and those who don't have a ton of money to spend. They're the silent type, but they're great in number. And for them, buying the noticeably better thing next year is a much better course of action. Tech enthusiasts and those with deeper pockets will always upgrade to whatever the new thing is because they can't help it. This video isn't for them, and I tried to say as much while filming. Whether I succeeded fully is up for debate, but the point still stands. $800 *is* an investment no matter how you slice it. 😅 And videos like these, I feel, are *especially* important when people can get nearly the exact same experience (minus the battery life and whichever quality-of-life improvement that might be coming) for almost half as much money.

[@Esparza89]

@@CGD.Studio I agree with all your points, still these had to be expanded like you did. At the end of the day, I think the real thing to wait for should be a steam deck 2. I know we like to talk about raw horsepower but the "experience" is always defined by the software. In my own opinion, I'm thinking in either grabbing an ally x on BF with $100 off or an ally z1e with over $200 off for being open box. Still, this buy would be in the meantime of the steam deck 2 which I bet is at least 1.5 years away. Probably the ROG ALLY X2 will be available at the same time and then I will compare horsepower vs software and its trade-offs. I just mentioned this because I think the video is too blunt about "do not buy it". I mean, I understand your intention but I don't think there were many points from both sides of the topic.

[@CGD.Studio]

Yeah, you're right, I'll pin a comment, I didn't mention everything in the video. Oh I agree fully on the Steam Deck 2. Valve has its own magic sauce, and if they end up creating a semi-custom Strix Point chip, it's gonna be mind-blowing. No one needs 8-12 CPU cores in a handheld, that's overkill for everything. Well hey, if you can get an Ally X for $699 that'd be pretty damn amazing. I'd personally still go with a Z1E model for $200 off, but I totally understand buying the latest and greatest thing for $100 off. It's all about price, I think. If that gap wasn't as big between the OG model and the X, the X would be a no-brainer. You're right on the horsepower vs. software debate. I didn't include it because this was just an Ally X video and, frankly, people don't have the tendency to watch videos for too long. This video, specifically, has like a 27% average watch time, which is pretty low. If it lasted a few minutes longer, that number could've been even lower, so I try to keep it fast and compact. It's a trade-off, sadly, and you have to take it sometimes unless it's an in-depth review. Will think of it next time, though, definitely something to ponder on, so thank you for that.

[@Esparza89]

Keep up the good work. Nice video 👍🏻

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you my dude! 🙌

[@HomiebeaglePG]

I can wait if the ally 2 drops out this year, or i would have to go with ally x, do u know when will the ally 2 be available?

[@CGD.Studio]

Nah, it's not gonna come out in 2024. :/ June 2025 is almost guaranteed. Maybe a month or two before that, as a best-case scenario, but that mostly depends on AMD as well. They've had supply chain issues for a while now, but they also have to move fast because of Qualcomm and Intel (Snapdragon Elite X and Lunar Lake, respectively). In any case, as I said, the ROG Ally X is without a doubt going to be the best Windows-based handheld on the market the very moment it's released, so if you end up buying it you certainly wouldn't be throwing your money away. It'll literally fix everything that was wrong with the original model.

[@HomiebeaglePG]

Thanks for the advice ☺️, by the way this going to be my first handheld gaming pc, that's the reason I am buying it, if I already had one, I would have waited for the next model, but I desperately need one right now, so I am going with it.

[@CGD.Studio]

@HomiebeaglePG no need to wait! The Ally X is gonna be amazing, that's a fact. You're gonna love it!

[@DimiArt]

Got a rog ally z1 extreme used for $600. Love it so far!

[@Shanks6039]

Didn’t it jus come out

[@CGD.Studio]

July of last year, if you're talking about the original Ally. The X is supposed to start shipping at the end of July. 👍

[@M8rood999]

Im just waiting to see the if the new battery can be installed in the old ally for me to upgrade. Cuz all the battery upgrades now are frankenstein level.

[@CGD.Studio]

Yeah, someone will probably figure it out. It'll probably be a Frankenstein of some kind, but not too bad. 😁 Saw a few posts on the ROG Ally subreddit which showed promise, so fingers crossed!

[@slapndbass]

I just got a rog ally z1 extreme at best buy todayopen box $412 plus a $100 voucher from my best buy credit card paid around $350 for it. And for all those wondering, the micro sd card slot works fine.

[@adimasprasetyaaji9995]

is there any overheating issue?

[@CGD.Studio]

That's an amazing deal, congrats! 🙌 Can't get any better

[@slapndbass]

So far so good​@@adimasprasetyaaji9995

[@slapndbass]

​@CGD.Studio thanks. I was just browsing through the app I had it in my cart. Forgot I did. But it was open box for $530 last week glad I went and checked. I'm probably going to take the 2tb ssd out of my steamdeck 64gb model and swap them. I honestly stopped using the sd because it lacks in performance but it's still a great handheld

[@slapndbass]

No​@@adimasprasetyaaji9995

[@smidlee7747]

I'm the only one I know personally even cares about PC handhelds. I know some have a Switch but for the most demanding titles they all want to play on a bigger screen. People already have a portable PC, a cellphone. I know someone where I work got a controller for his phone to play PS5 but realized you have to have to good Internet connection. I said that's to play games around your house and he said I rather play on a big screen instead at home. The few I know who has one admit they barely touched them.

[@unkown34x33]

yep... little do they know you can connect them to a bigger screen lol but I'm a PC gamer through and through. PC gives me the power of costumazition,and I don't need to be tie to a console. but sadly for most people they just want the next ps5 pro :/

[@smidlee7747]

@@unkown34x33 That's not true in my case as most have a gaming laptop/desktop.

[@RavenTeamCharlie]

I’ve been considering one for a while but it’s their customer service that’s that’s staying my wallet , so many stories

[@kewlztertc5386]

Ally-X will perform measurbly better than Ally. More ram on its own is enough for better performance on a Indiscreet memory system, but Ally-x also has faster memory.

[@CGD.Studio]

That shouldn't result in more than a 10-15% uplift in FPS though (really depends on the game). That's a nice bump, sure, but it's not worth paying $300+ for. And if a AAA game wasn't playable beforehand on 6400MT/s RAM, 7500 isn't going to magically make it a better experience, but Strix Point APUs will. That's the whole point. Especially if we get a semi-custom variant from Valve so that the CPU side of things isn't as demanding. That's the big jump in performance we've been waiting for. I think buying the OG model for 400-500 is a much better deal than spending 800. Heck, the OG Ally will surely sell for even less on the second-hand market once the X comes out. A lot of people don't have that kind of money to spend. Enthusiasts and those with deeper pockets will buy it regardless because they love tech, but for the average Joe (and there are many of them), it's just not worth buying. :/

[@Saif0412]

Agreed, need 8500mt with 16cu's 💨

[@brenxnitty]

Games don't need that much ram yet. Ayaneo kun had 64gb which we will never even use. 16gb is perfectly fine

[@kewlztertc5386]

@brenxnitty but it's not. Remember it's shared RAM. 16gb is only 8gb VRAM. I've run into a few games (Alan Wake², Jedi Surviver, etc) that demand more than 8gb. Furthermore, the more VRAM the more eye candy you can turn on.

[@fuerte-af]

I Will Buy it! I need a personal PC and Mobile gaming device so this year I'll Buy something!

[@CGD.Studio]

If that's the case then I'm sure you'll love it! If you need something right now, then the Ally X will definitely deliver what you're looking for! 🙌

[@Orthus1979]

great video =), i will wait for the asus rog ally 2.

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you brother! 🙌

[@LilBrujoFH18]

just bought an open box extreme version at best buy for $450. it was in great condition but saving up for the x lol

[@CGD.Studio]

$450 is insane, wow. For a device like that, amazing. 😁 Why, if you don't mind me asking? You're okay with paying $800 + taxes for the same screen, a bit more RAM (which you may or may not need), 10%(ish) better performance), and double the battery life? That last one's tempting, to be fair, but I personally wouldn't spend +$400 to get it.

[@theglowingpenguin109]

@@CGD.StudioI don’t have any handheld or pc I’m currently using an Xbox series s but I really want a decent handheld. I like the rog ally extreme because it has windows, good performance and I don’t mind the battery life. Do you think I should get an ally extreme I really don’t want to spend 800 dollars for a slightly better device. There is also an excellent condition open box one at Best Buy for 450 usd.

[@CGD.Studio]

@theglowingpenguin109 Absolutely! For that price it's a steal. And you can always return it within, what, two weeks or something? If I had a Best Buy where I live I'd be buying and reviewing stuff like crazy. 😂

[@hasnosurnamegreg9275]

hey man! How do you make this black background?

[@CGD.Studio]

Hello hello! It's a mix or practical lighting and editing. I shoot the video in a pitch black room with all lights turned off and then I add light where I need it. :) And then, if I mess something up, I play around with the colors and whatnot in editing. Super uncomfortable, sitting in the dark with no sounds or anything, but the end result makes it worth it. If you learn how to light things you can make amazing videos even with a camera that's ten years old.

[@Auguste02400]

I have lcd Steamdeck. I'm waiting for Steamdeck2.

[@slapndbass]

I recently was on a family trip and took my lcd 64gb model that I upgraded the screen because the previous owner broke the screen and sold it for parts. I put a 2tb ssd in it. We'll I saw a few other people with the steam deck 1 guy had an oled and told me he has dead pixels already and he said he only games about an hour or 2 a day. He had the same jsaux modcase as I did. So now I'm weary about getting it oled. I have a ps vita 1000 that I already have had to replace the oled screen 2x.

[@CGD.Studio]

Yeah it's a hit or miss with those dead pixels supposedly. Reddit's full of such stories. Sucks. I think buying a used OLED model makes a bit more sense as it's a safer bet. I'm assuming his SD OLED had dead pixels from the start, right? Or did they develop over time?

[@IQMENTALITY]

Was gonna wait rog ally X but after watching this video. Im looking for the z1 extreme for $450.

[@CGD.Studio]

Glad I was able to help (even a bit)! 🙌 $800 is a big investment, you might as well buy the original model, see if it fits your needs and then, if you really want to get those improvements, you can always sell your Ally and then upgrade!

[@racer2k5x43]

My biggest gripe with the current ally is only 16gb of ram. Getting the ally x just for the ram bump.

[@CGD.Studio]

Fair enough! 🙌 That's a totally viable argument. If you're using it as a PC as well those additional 8 gigs will definitely come in handy (and also in handheld mode, obviously).

[@brenxnitty]

​@@CGD.Studiowould it make that much difference? Do games actually need the additional 8gb ram nowadays?

[@kpridezzang]

It will be fight against battery life at this point a company who comes up with batteries that is smaller n last alot long will win the handheld war

[@CGD.Studio]

Yeah, either that or we'll have to wait for more efficient APUs. Should be around the corner, though, with both Strix Point and perhaps even Intel's upcoming Lunar Lake. Supposedly they'll offer "ARM-like" efficiency, although one never knows with Intel these days, probably just marketing.

[@airtylerb]

Asus’s decline is the reason I will never touch a rog ally, I’ll be watching for the ally 2 release, but only to make a decision if I want to wait out for the next gen or not. Either way I need a replacement for my playstation sooner than later and I’m not getting another console.

[@kongsiavang]

I completely agree with you.

[@VusziBelmont]

I'm seeing a gap in the market here, AMD is probably going to keep launching APU's every year, but I doubt once console makers star competing in prices (which is already happening thanks to steam deck and ROG ally) they are going to have issues upgrading their products at the same rate, AMD is trying to produce with the same model as CPUs but CPU markets are different, in particular because you don't need a maker to develop a computer for you, you just take the CPU and build your own computer, in handhelds you need the APU, then the logic board maker, then the handheld design and development and all of that is just too many steps

[@Saif0412]

I hope the Strix point halo soc's come out by Q4 otherwise dunno if I'm going to have the patience to hold out till then 😖

[@CGD.Studio]

I totally get that. 😁 Unfortunately, they're not gonna come out for at least a year, at least not from a major OEM like ASUS or Lenovo. We're gonna get a full reveal of Strix Point around Computex and benchmarks are also gonna leak (a few already have) in just a couple of months!

[@evilcrashbandicootthetouho2753]

Ally x like a pc without warranty

[@youraveragedillon5958]

Actually you should buy it

[@productreviews701]

I just bought the 4090 xg mobile, i want to leave the old ally docked, and the ally x for portable uses. I need that longer battery life and the 24gb ram is shared so you can increase vram and the system takes less of a hit. Maybe I’ll skip the ally 2 and wait for the ally 2.5 lol

[@Misfit626]

The Ally 2 should be a big performance jump over the Ally/AllyX with Strix Point. The Ally X will perform almost identical to the regular Ally

[@CGD.Studio]

Well hey, if you have an XG Mobile then you're pretty much set when it comes to performance. 😅 How is it treating you, did you encounter any bugs or issues?

[@productreviews701]

@@Misfit626 I know, but I won’t need to lug around the battery pack as much, and the vram increase will help performance. Plus I will have a spare ally and just leave my old one docked. I don’t mind having 3 ally’s lol I’ll get the all at launch lol I love em

[@CGD.Studio]

So you're the one funding ASUS's research and development, nice 😂 I'd build a gaming PC instead of that first ally. That alongside and Ally X would be a killer combo! And you can build a pretty capable gaming rig nowadays for like $500-600, especially if you buy used parts.

[@productreviews701]

@@CGD.Studio lol I’m coming off of a 7900x 7900 xtx build. I absolutely HATE big pcs lol throw my back out trying to plug in a cord in the back 😅 I also just move to as new city and am air bnb hopping till i can verify my income. So yes, absolutely i support the ally lol when the switch first came out i decided to take a surface pro 2 and an ipega controller and it was great but the form factor was terrible. The ally was the first to bring this idea to life! I had the first one since launch, and i watched it turn from a bug ridden mess, to a 15 watt powerhouse. I know ASUS gets a bad wrap, but my experiences have always been great. Until that changes, i will continue supporting! Mobile gaming is a stable of my life, i remember playing with a gameboy and the saga game gear. Hours upon hours of fun on the gba. When the ds came out, i was disappointed, then the psp blew me away! The ps vita was awesome too, sad how things went down. Plus look at how the switch is killing it! I like the switch but always hated its limitations and prices for 3rd party games I already on. The ally really was a dream come true. I will continue to support portability!

[@jaynosowsky9708]

Why buy the rog ally 2 ?? It's not gonna look any better!! It's a small screen? The first one already plays AAA games great!! Unless the new chip uses less power, which it won't !!! Just buy the first rog ally , save money!! Have a great tine!!

[@VeegovonDOOM]

I'm buying one.

[@CGD.Studio]

Totally support it! Not against the Ally X at all. It'll fix everything that was missing with the OG model. I just wanted to let people know that there's something even better right around the corner and that it's definitely worth waiting for if they're on the fence.

[@DinoNugsy]

Plz have this same energy and telling us why not to buy the steam deck oled

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you man, I'm sick and tired of the whole YT tech space. It's gotten really disgusting nowadays, with a few shining exceptions. :/ Working on a Steam Deck OLED vs. LCD video as well! Should be up no later than end of June! Next up: Legion Go! 🙌

[@LennyTabbi]

​@@CGD.StudioAsus is an easy target that's why you have this energy in the video. Really interesting you didn't do a video like this when the deck oled was released but waited months to do this to Ally X and pretend you have one coming for the Deck oled, pretty disingenuous to me😂.

[@stupidtrinity]

@@LennyTabbi Imagine defending a piece of shit company like Asus lmao

[@CGD.Studio]

@@LennyTabbi Hey Lenny. I uh, really don't get it. 😅Like, I'm making one video a month, this is the fourth one. I wasn't even making videos when the SD OLED was announced or released. And I *do* have a video (the previous one and the only Steam Deck video on this channel at the moment) where I say that everyone should just buy the LCD model for less than $300 as it gets you 75-80% of the experience. I didn't wait for anything. The Ally X was just announced, of course I'm gonna cover it before everything else. And I have a content "plan" for the next 3-4 months (not much after that), so an LCD vs. OLED video was planned for quite a while, I just can't make everything at once. Plus, I don't want to focus too much on the Steam Deck in general as that's an insanely saturated part of KZbin. The only reason why I'm even gonna make a dedicated video is to cover all bases, and I'll do that for every device I can get my hands on (other than the MSI Claw, that thing is dead to me). Like, there's really no conspiracy here. Your comment feels weirdly personal, as if I'm some Valve shill, when in fact my Steam Deck's collecting dust and I have like 10 games on Steam or so (for 15 years I've been on the platform).

[@LennyTabbi]

@@CGD.Studio I get your point and I also enjoyed the style of your video don't get me wrong. I don't think you are a shill by any means. I just imagined you played it safe avoiding the Linux/Deck cult like fans by not making a video like this regarding the Deck OLED. However, it like that might not be the case.

[@lorcomanstudios8294]

Then I’ll just upgrade

[@CGD.Studio]

Fair enough, if that's an easy process for you then there's no reason to think twice about it. :) Most people aren't so fortunate, though.

[@abcdoooabcd]

i bought oled 2 days ago used to have lcd one but i hated the lcd screen it wasnt pretty but oled is way better not the best oled ever or anything but its way better than the lcd steam OS need some improvments but for now its easy on gaming mode

[@Bloodlit]

I just want an Ally in general because I don’t have a handheld. And my broke ass can’t even afford the non-Z1x version so I’ll take whatever at this point. 😂

[@CGD.Studio]

I'd suggest going with a used Steam Deck, honestly. 😁 You can find the 64GB model for, like, €250-260 which is much more affordable and, frankly, it's more than enough for most games. Not as fluid or capable, granted, but what you get for the money should be illegal if you ask me.

[@jordanmocny2690]

I thought the ally x has one usb 4 port now.

[@CGD.Studio]

This video was made before the official announcement. According to a few leaks, it was expected to have two USB4 ports instead of just one. :/ Not that it matters seeing how they're positioned right next to each other. I think a lot of people expected a USB port on the bottom as well, like on the Legion Go.

[@jordanmocny2690]

@@CGD.Studio ohh gotcha. Makes sense! I missed the date of video being published

[@j.y.]

Outspoken. Much appreciated.

[@stvnoahc7249]

I don’t think buying the x is a bad idea if you never had the original. I have the original therefore I don’t care about the x. In fact, my experience with the original is ok but I really don’t like asus as a company now so I won’t be buying the 2 either whenever that comes out. I like my ps portal and steam deck oled much better.

[@adnerayala3409]

Yeah this is like those who buy steam deck OLED only because have a new screen but still same 💩 😂😂😂

[@lewisclarke2840]

Yep that's me. I regret nothing!

[@trippymane4266]

Me not owning a ally at all i think im going to get the ally x..although i do have a onexfly i dont use it an i know i would use the ally x alot just because of the constant updates, amory crate , etc

[@CGD.Studio]

That's totally fair! If you can't wait (or don't want to), the Ally X - based on all available information - is gonna be truly amazing. It'll definitely be the best Windows-based handheld gaming PC on the market the moment it's released. But these Strix Point devices are gonna make AAA gaming on the go a reality (without a ton of upscaling or integer scaling or whatever else). So definitely worth waiting for. That being said, I'm not gonna fault you for buying the ROG Ally X. :) ASUS has done an incredible job thus far and I'm sure they'll knock it out of the park.

[@X862go]

Strix point APU. Run up to 90watts? What are you saying?

[@CGD.Studio]

No no, it'll still run up to 30W or so in the Ally 2 (and similar handhelds, probably less on the Steam Deck 2), but we'll have Strix Point mini PCs and tablets as well, along with full-fledged gaming laptops. And in those 30W we'll get like 35% better GPU performance, maybe even slightly more with driver optimization and AMD's AFMF. With that kind of performance, it'll perform better than an RTX 2050 and be almost as good as a mobile RTX 3050, if things pan out as expected. That's insanely good for a handheld. Strix Point will give us that last bit of performance today's handheld's lack for AAA games. That's why it's going to be such a good deal. And if you don't need that power, you'll get much better performance at lower wattages as well, so a 40-50Wh battery will last a fair bit longer than it does now because you won't be drawing as much power to play less demanding games at high frame rates. Strix Halo is also coming right afterwards, and that one will draw like 70-80-90W and its iGPU will perform like a mobile RTX 4060/4070 which is just insane. That one's not coming to handhelds but we might get a gimped variant or something.

[@lukman_1412]

wait for steam deck 2

[@capnmoby9295]

man, I think i should just sit this one out and wait for valve to release a new steam deck with newer igpu's or just buy a steam deck oled

[@Rspsand07]

Buy it used for 300 bux when the Ally 2 comes out.

[@CGD.Studio]

Exactly! That'll be a steal!

[@katiealways]

Do you have a discord server?

[@CGD.Studio]

Hello hello, not yet, no. Didn't think anyone would want to join. 😅 I can definitely make one, although I doubt it'd be particularly active given how small the channel still is.

[@mmsauce7866]

You have convinced me im gonna cancel my pre order. I may just get the rog alloy og. I do have the steamdeck og and i love it! That oled tho man! Lol

[@CGD.Studio]

Glad to hear it! 🙌 The Ally X is gonna be amazing, but that price, man, come on. You can get an RTX 4060 laptop on sale for that kind of cash. Different device and form factor, sure, but still. The OG Ally will sell for even less once the X comes out. That's a fantastic device for like $400-450! In any case, saving money always makes sense. Heck, people are like "it's too soon for ASUS to make any moves" and yet they just announced a Strix Point Zephyrus G16 even though the 8000 series came out like 5 months ago. These companies have to react fast, they don't care about the consumer, it's just business ("nothing personal").

[@B33ond]

I tried the ROG at the store. Tried playing the forza H5 demo. Crashed twice. lol

[@CGD.Studio]

To be fair, that probably would've happened with any other Windows-based device as well. 😅 But it probably wasn't updated. Once you set everything up, games run flawlessly (for the most part).

[@bogdancatinean689]

I legit feel like the first ALLY should have not existed.

[@CGD.Studio]

Ah, I get what you're saying, but we *do* have to be somewhat fair - first generation products have to exist. Someone has to beta test it all, and the companies themselves need to see if there's an actual interest from consumers. :/ The Ally X *does* seem a lot better, but it's not a night and day difference when compared to the original model. So I'm like, alright, I'm glad that the first one exists because people can get a nearly identical experience (without the better battery life and USB4) for a *lot* less money. A win for consumers, in my book.

[@stephanp5948]

I heard the rog ally 3 will only be 5x better than #2 so I'm going to feel real stoopid for spending 250$ more on something so much better. So I'm going to wait 12 more years for rog 4

[@CGD.Studio]

My dude, this is not that kind of situation. The Ally 2's APU will have a completely different architecture, and it *will* be a lot more capable than the Z1 Extreme. And then it'll stagnate for 2-3 years which makes a world of difference. The Ally 2 is the only device worth upgrading to because of that. It's not a case of "every new revision/device will be better than the old one."

[@Ovsani]

I hope you get 100,00k subscribers in 2025.

[@CGD.Studio]

Thank you Ovsani, this really means a lot. :)

[@Flooozeee]

Honestly, just wait for the ROG Ally 3.

[@CGD.Studio]

My dude, this is not that kind of situation. 😅 The Ally 2's APU will have a completely different architecture, and it will be a lot more capable than the Z1 Extreme. And then it'll stagnate for 2-3 years which makes a world of difference. Whoever buys the Ally 2 won't have any tangible reason to upgrade for at least 2-3 years. It's not a case of "every new revision/device will be better than the old one."

[@CoopDysfunction]

I'm told it will cost about ~$1100ish for the X.

[@CGD.Studio]

Not sure about the price. One rumor says it's gonna be $800 in the US (+tax), another that it's gonna retail for $1100 in South Korea. 😐 Pricing obviously varies between regions but 1100, if true, would be insane. You can buy a 2023 Zephyrus G14 for that money. 😅

[@ILoveTacos999]

Bro it hasn't released and ur telling us not to buy it like what is wrong with u

[@CGD.Studio]

Hi Hemal! Well, if it's gonna have the exact same display, and the exact same chipset, and if it's gonna be running the exact same operating system, then there's really no mystery. We know how it's gonna perform, how it's gonna look, and even (approximately) how much it's gonna cost. So it doesn't have to be released for anyone who's owned all of these devices (and the original Ally) to draw any conclusion. This isn't a brand new device. It's the same thing with more RAM and a bigger battery. And a higher price tag.

[@ILoveTacos999]

@@CGD.Studio Wow that's a lot of words Too bad I am not reading them

[@lexavaritia7596]

If they'll have the same display tech then its pretty much DOA

[@CGD.Studio]

Confirmed to be the same, yeah. Probably to keep the cost down, plus they're saving the OLED panel for the next version, almost guaranteed.

[@GameplayTubeYT]

ROG Ally is a Prototype 😂 ROG Ally X is the finish Product they fix the SD card by moving it and they fix the Joystick in the past they need to remove the whole freaking Motherboard to fix one joystick it's expensive so they need to scam people on RMA to compensate to expenses!!!

[@CGD.Studio]

Yeah, a first gen product. It's great overall, and ASUS have done an amazing job updating it, but the Ally X doesn't justify the investment. There's just not enough differentiating it. And the recent ASUS debacles don't warrant much support either. Just unacceptable.

[@jacmarc90]

First of all I want to apologize, English is not my mother language so if I made some grammar mistakes, please, forgive me. Now, I want to be the counterpart of the things you say on this video, you say ally 2 probably come out soon, maybe in the next 12-15 months or sooner, but is not sure, I mean, there is no certany ally 2 totally come out, I see the ally x move, something made to entice people who already have an ally, and try to reach people who don't have an ally (or handled in general) at all, and usually move like this, made so early (except your product is a status like an iPhone), because if I'm not wrong the alley was release last year, generally means the sale of the product are under the expectations, we don't need to forget this is a side market for this companies, and this is are product intended for a niche of customer, the hardcore gamers, a good vendor can sell you an expansive gaming pc in no time (my doctor for work use an Msi raider who cost at this moment more less 3200€, you know why? Because the vendor told him the program on it work faster, and he believed it, same things he can do with a 400/500€ notebook but the vendor sell him a 3200€ notebook) an handled, meh much difficult to sell, except for valve, where in some case it doesn't have customers but cultist, so can afford to release a new steam deck every month, and have a lot of people buy it, for others like Asus and Lenovo, this is a side market, it work? Good, doesn't work? Cut it off, square and simple, like Apple, who remember ipods? At first goes good, very good, but when don't become profitable as they indeed, bam, no more ipods, like I say earlier, today iPhone is much more a status simble (at least in Italy) so people buy it only because is an iPhone, we can't say the same for handled, honestly I see this move as a risky manouver, if the things goes good well we see an ally 2 but, IMHO, if over the course of a year ally x does not sell as much or more than ally did until now, chance to see an ally 2 are low, of course I don't have all the truth in my pocket, but reading some articles, in market where potentially ally can have an estimated probably customers of 2-3 million people, it sold between 80k-90k units, a lot? Of course, but much lower than real possibility, the only things is wait 2 of June when they announce ally x, if they want to made the ally x an entry level for newcomers, and announce officially the ally 2 at higher price of ally x(even if the x come out on July like rumors says and, an ally 2 virtually for the second trimester of next year, when the fiscal year start) we can say, OK ally 2 come out, but until that time, well honestly I'll be cautious.

[@CGD.Studio]

Hello hello! Your english is great, don't worry about it. :) Actually, no, if a new device is being released, that indicates that sales *have* gone well. The original Ally has sold around 500K units *nine* months ago, so you can be sure that that number is a lot higher now. The Steam Deck sold well over 3 million units since it was released, and that number is a few months old at this point as well. Obviously we don't have the exact numbers, but the ROG Ally delivered in every way, shape, and form. Another indication that it's been selling well is the fact that ASUS has been updating it consistently, and they've improved on a number of things. That takes time, lots of it, and multiple different teams need to work together to pull it off. No company would ever do that if there isn't something to gain from it. Look at Lenovo and its Legion Go. It hasn't gotten any new GPU drivers in like six months. It has gotten very few updates and there's a very simple reason why: it hasn't sold nearly enough for Lenovo to justify putting in the effort. And Lenovo has been the number one manufacturer for the last *10* years, so it's not that they don't have the money or the man power - they have both. They're just taking their sweet time because there's not a whole lot of people waiting for them. And the Ally came out 5-6 months earlier and already took over the market as the "best" option for everyone. Lenovo came in late and they came in with a very weird and unique device, one that doesn't have that mainstream appeal that the Ally does. This isn't a "side project" for these companies. It is a brand new market that still hasn't been fully explored, but it has a *ton* of potential, and they all see it. NVIDIA is currently working on a new chipset with Mediatek because they want in on the action as well. Developing even *one* of these devices takes a ton of time and money, and the fact that they're all boarding the hype train says a lot. Gaming laptops and laptops in general are a "known quantity." It's hard to stand out and that segment of the market is not only oversaturized but boring as well. Handheld gaming PCs are the new "hot" thing, and they'll continue to grow at a rapid pace. They could, by all means, replace entry level gaming laptops in just a year or two. They'll be powerful enough to do it, and they can also serve as PC replacements as well, so it's a 2-for-1 kind of deal. Also, the Ally 2 and Steam Deck 2 and others are *guaranteed*. All of these companies have not only confirmed it, but they're already working on them as we speak. Their APUs will be much more powerful which is a tremendous reason for these OEMs to come out and release their devices, because their existing users will have a pretty big reason to upgrade, and those who never bought a handheld gaming PC will now have a wider list of options to choose from, at different price points. Also, Apple sold over 450 *million* iPods. 😅 The only reason why they no longer exist is because smartphones took over, but the iPod gave Apple more money than we could ever imagine. It was an incredible device that, over time, became unnecessary since the whole world moved over to streaming music and having a single device for their content consumption needs (their smartphones).

[@JosePerez-uq8zz]

Exactly whoever buys rog ally deserves to get scammed

[@CGD.Studio]

I wouldn't go that far, personally, but I totally get it. They're all the same, to be fair, and they all have shady RMA practices and inconsistent quality control.

[@simransidhu617]

80 watt double battery

[@CGD.Studio]

Yeah, that little bit of info is new. I hope it's true. I'd still personally take better performance over longer battery life as that would really make it a unique device. It's still not powerful enough for AAA games without resorting to a ton of FSR.

[@ODDMAN-g4w]

Steamdeck can’t play fifa so I will sell it and wait for Rog ally x

[@CGD.Studio]

Well, I mean, you can always install Windows on it and play FIFA that way? :/ But yeah, not an ideal situation. The Ally's great for everything and every launcher.

[@lifeafterdeath9993]

800 no no 450 euro here in netherlands 60 days old😂

[@CGD.Studio]

The original model for 450? 😄

[@Mark-nc2nx]

Because it's not having warranty......

[@CGD.Studio]

That doesn't help either, yeah. 😂 Although, to be fair, it varies a lot between one region and another. Still... it's something to consider. And the sad part is, most people go "oh it's never gonna happen to me" when there's a very real chance that it might. We just don't hear about it as often as we should other than the occassional Reddit post.

[@cs-ge5kx]

I rather get the steam deck oled is much better with user friendly I hate windows 11

[@CGD.Studio]

Definitely a great investment! I'm okay with Windows overall, but it's really hit-or-miss. When it works it's amazing. When it craps out, it's a nightmare. You get the good with the bad I guess, but it's good we all have the option to pick and choose.

[@X862go]

I have them both, and it really depends . I wish the steamdeck had more multimedia support, TBH. The ally speakers are so great that I find myself watching a lot of youtube on it.

[@X862go]

Only if the steamdeck let you use more side apps. Spotify, gamepass ,etc.

[@X862go]

Even just Netflix 😢

[@CGD.Studio]

Did you try running Windows on it? Runs great, sleep and resume work flawlessly on mine. Like, surprisingly good even, much more consistent than on the Ally. Game Pass runs amazingly as well! Totally worth doing, you can even dual boot it alongside SteamOS.

[@sixstab2967]

Your voice is like andrew tate!!!

[@MCVAMP666]

I literally been saying this for 1 year now do not buy rog rally I return 3 of them!!!! There terrible buy the one x fly way better than this shettttt