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Sure thing! Here goes nothing.
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So, Microsoft finally decided to give the whole handheld gaming thing a whirl. But let’s not get too carried away, it’s not exactly what you might think. They teamed up with Asus, and something called the ROG Xbox Ally and its sibling, the ROG Xbox Ally X, popped out at some Xbox Games Showcase event. They’re not bored-looking, honestly. Think Xbox controller had a baby with a handheld—big, comfy grips and all.
Honestly? Feels like everyone’s trying to do this hybrid dance lately. Asus listened to what folks said about the old ROG Ally and its X version. Took the best parts—kinda like mixing favorite ice cream toppings—and boom! A wild fusion appears. Updated textures, impulse triggers that vibrate your soul, or, well, your triggers at least.
Asus is making big claims though. Most comfy and immersive handheld thingamajigs they’ve ever created. But here’s the catch—they’re also chunkier and a tad heftier than their older siblings and, dare I say, the Steam Deck. Joysticks? Familiar territory—like bumping into a friend from high school. Almost the same layout, but a cheeky new Xbox button’s chilling near the left joystick. Hit it to see this Game Bar thingy, which is supposed to make handheld gaming fancier, I guess.
Oh, oh! And as if on cue, AMD jumps in with new chip news. Their Ryzen Z2 processors just got two new additions, and guess what? The ROG Xbox Ally X got dibs on one of them. Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme sounds extreme enough with its fancy specs—8-core CPU, 16-whatever graphics cores, and… I dunno… AI compute? There’s a whole buffet of tech jargon—24GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4. Kitchen sink not included.
Ports. Let’s not forget ports, the unsung heroes. Ally X doesn’t stray far from its roots. One USB-C port got a USB 4 upgrade, though. Flex. And the battery? An 80Wh beast looking to outlast the competition. You’d hope so after all this hype.
Oh yeah, and there’s the budget-friendly sibling—the humble ROG Xbox Ally. Gets by on a Ryzen 2 A processor. The specs aren’t super fancy—older architecture, less snazzy graphics, but it holds its own with 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD. Battery’s a bit less hefty at 60Wh.
Display-wise, not much has changed. It’s the same 7-inch, 1080p panel. No complaints here, especially if bright, crisp visuals are your jam.
Software time! ROG Xbox Ally fires up straight in Xbox mode, but sneaky Windows 11 lurks beneath. Let’s you install other game launchers. Quick access settings and widgets in Game Bar because, why not?
About pricing, mum’s the word for now. They’re dropping these handhelds worldwide in 28 countries like it’s a festive season gift or something. More places soon, just gotta hold out a bit longer if you’re out of the loop.
Anyway, keep your eyes peeled for news. Or don’t. Your call.
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Phew, that was a ride!
