Some of these suggestions are bad. The not comfortably being able to turn on with your pointer finger is odd if you don't simply slide you hand up slightly instead of clawing it at the front. No problem good suggestion to add a finger. Hibernation is great to save battery. That said, turning off the standby modes is a bad suggestion as they do save a significant amount of battery. I own both Allys and it's never given me an issue. It'll also likely make the Ally heat up in a bag! The CPU boost is also misinformation. While games that are more GPU demanding will run better, games that use the CPU significantly can be slower or not run. COD doesn't run without CPU boost and Emulators are CPU demanding. The other suggestions are great.
@@Madblaster6 Valid points. However, the goal was to cover the average use case without making it an exhausting 30+ min video. These are meant to be suggestions that I’ve found to be useful personally for the titles I play and a starting point for those who aren’t sure how to set up their Ally. Thing is- there’s no “perfect” setup for every type of person especially on a windows handheld. I don’t play COD and wouldn’t on a handheld personally. I also don’t emulate. So those use cases are not ones I am going to speak to. Appreciate the comment though!
@@XXIVCONCEPT I'm only critical because, I want people to love these devices. For example Windows may have jank but it's IMO the best OS for gaming. The Windows is horrible connotation some reviews set is overexaggerated and untrue. This sends the wrong message to not only the users but the companies that make these devices. A worry is that Microsoft will make a new OS and we will loose a lot of the functionality we have today.
@@Madblaster6 I hear you but ultimately in this form factor Windows as it is just isn’t made for it. Tinkerers will always want every option. But the thing is- you’ll always find a way. That’s what tinkering is about. But if these devices are ever going to catch on using Windows, they need to be more approachable to casual users. I’m talking users who are coming from Switch or Steam Deck that want to play more games. I hear you. Trust me. I’m a custom PC builder outside youtube. I get it. But these windows handhelds are trying to steal a slice of the handheld pie. And if they’re gonna do that- they need to be as easy to use as their competition. And they’re just not there yet. And the biggest roadblock is Windows.
I was quickly to blame my dock for not outputting a picture in my second display, but come to find out, RSR was the reason for not displaying on my second screen. Once I turned it off, it connected, and when I turned back on RSR, it was still working. I guess it’s a limitation of the dock when first booting up to the second display. It’s the LISEN Docking Station in case anyone was wondering.
@mw38390 I just realized you said where not what. RIS can be found both in AMD Adrenaline by right clicking the desktop or searching for it. It can also be setup as a command center toggle via ASUS Armoury Crate.
Your advice of turning off RSR is a big no-no. It's a lifesaver for games with no built-in FSR. I have it turned on in Dark Souls 3 and it upscaled it from 720 to 1080p while still retaining amazing performance.
@@NoName-qd6vp I don’t like the look of FSR. That’s why I don’t recommend it. Especially since the Ally X can easily run most titles at native 900p with med to high settings. But it’s all preference. If you like FSR definitely use it!
@@XXIVCONCEPT I was referring to RSR, which basically any game can do because it's built into the driver instead of the game itself. It's a game-changer.
@@NoName-qd6vp Both imo can be great for performance. I just don’t like the look they have. But- there’s no doubt that they do help in FPS. I think you can totally leave it on if you don’t mind the appearance but can also leave it off and run natively at 900p for most titles. I prefer to keep it off 🤷♂️
@@XXIVCONCEPT But that's the whole point of RSR - its upscaling is nearly indistinguishable from native. So, you can set a game's resolution to 720p, and then turn on RSR and it'll look like its 1080p with minimal performance impact. Plus, the ROG Ally X has a built-in sharpness slider for RSR so you can tweak it even further. Surprised you didn't cover this at all.
@@NoName-qd6vp Again- because upscalers are not unique to Ally or Ally X. I've used them extensively and do not prefer the image on any device. I don't like upscaled images. I don't like AI enhanced sharpening. It's a preference. My point was that the Ally X has enough power to run games at native 900p which on a 7" display looks better than trying to use upscalers or sharpeners at 720p. It's a moot point. But this was MY recommendation. As I said- if you prefer RSR or FSR, go for it! They're great options, just not my recommendation.
I know you said you dont like fancy frame generation and honestly im not a huge fan either. Having said that I side loaded afmf2 on this thing and its pretty damn impressive on Elden ring. Ill take the fake frames on a handheld. Its still a little buggy on some games but Elden ring it works pretty well.
@@jimmytimber7074 I got to hang out with AMD when they were showing it off earlier this year and I think it’ll be huge for handhelds once it gets more refined and more accessible.
steam decker since day 1, it’s got me into the PC handheld world. but we know SD limitations of playing games like Destiny 2, now thanks to the wonderful Bazzite devs made it possible to have the best of both worlds of Steam OS and Win OS on a powerful handheld, all I have to do now is wait for my ally X ZE 4TB to arrive!
This is a really well produced video with a lot of helpful tips, but as some contstructive criticism, I think you gloss over a lot of things that were a missed oppourtunity to help educate your audience. For example just saying stuff that is essentially advice like 'Just turn off all the AMD graphical settings, you really don't need them' isn't particularly helpful advice, because a lot of people aren't even going to understand what these settings do, and some of them might actually be quite useful depending on the game/use case, but you often don't explain why you don't think they're worthwhile Personally I think it might have made an even better video if you'd briefly gone through what FSR/AFMF/RIS actually did so people would better understand why you might turn them off, even if your overall advice was to still not worry about them. As it stands, you don't even really explain why you don't feel the need for them yourself, which makes it difficult for your audience (who might not understand the settings) decide whether your use case might apply to them too
I see where you’re coming from. And in the past I would over explain why. But in reality, the average gamer doesn’t actually care to know what it does. They just wanna know if it should be on or off. However- a deep dive video on what each thing does would be fun! And is something I have considered. We’ve just learned that 99% of the time people don’t want the full explanation, they just want the quick and easy answer and that’s what we aimed for in this one. totally valid point though.
@@XXIVCONCEPT Fair enough, I guess it's a tricky balancing act with engagement with a device like this when there a million different options and configurations, power profiles, etc
@@draculaman Exactly. But you’re 100% right. In the past this video would have been 20min. But the sad thing is- it would have never performed as well. And that’s always a tricky line to walk. :( That being said- knowing that handhelds are my niche, I may do more specific videos on that sorta thing in the future!
Turning off all the AMD enhancements isnt the move, especially when you later recommend 900p a few moments later. Thise things you say to turn off will enhance that 900p
@@Voodoo. Try it. And I disagree. FSR and Fluid Frame Generation do NOT always improve your experience. Idk where that is coming from. They can, but on a 7” screen, native 900p is almost always better. But if it works for you, then use it. Like i’ve said before. I personally don’t use up scaling unless I have to.
@@XXIVCONCEPT I have tried it, I use RIS with 900p all the time, and in games where I can hit a decent fps I run framegen for extra fluidity on the 120hz screen, need a decent minimum fps though for input lag.
awesome video, although I have not had these hibernation issues that alot of people seem to having. Mine has worked great even on my regular ally. I just have the power button set to hibernate on windows settings. Although for some games, it messes up going to hibernate like online only games mainly. But most of the time it's worked as intended for me
@@Respectmyskill07 For me, the thumb was more consistently read. My index finger wouldn’t read as accurately without taking my hand off the Ally and very specifically placing it on the sensor. I just found the thumb was more consistent.
Anyone else having weird compaitibility issues with steam and armoury crate? I like armoury crate but if i play one my steam games the cursor glitches out and controls act weird.
@@XXIVCONCEPT Do you recommend any cases for the ally x? I'm looking for a good slim hard case but heard the tomtoc ally case presses onto some buttons/joystick on the ally x
@@ECard821 So they sent me that case and from what I can tell, it doesn't press anything on the Ally X. It's SLIGHTLY more snug, but certainly not pressing too hard. If you line both Ally devices up, the X is BARELY thicker. There's enough tolerance in that Tomtoc case to fit the X in my opinion. However, if you hold off a bit, I'm going to be doing a video on some accessories soon. I prefer the Arccos G47 as shown in this video. It's a great handheld bag but understand it's not a case and takes away the ability to pack it into a backpack. Personally, I want them to make an Armour G12 for the All X like they did for the Steamdeck. I have a video on that one. I think that would be better than the soft case they have now.
My ally x has some coil whine issues. In all modes even on silent. When im in bed i hear the high pitch noise and it drives me crazy. Does yours have it too?
An I missing something with operating modes? On Silent, my Ally X routinely runs at up to around 20W, on Performance, can report up to 30W, and on Torbo, 35-40W or more. On battery. Are the 17, 25 and 30 numbers just a baseline, and it boosts from there?
@@NoName-qd6vp That's what I thought, but now that I have it, it's not what I'm seeing. Also, the match doesn't add up. Let's take performance mode, if it truly stayed at 17W, an 80WHr battery would last almost 5 hours, and no one is seeing those numbers on Performance.
Memory integrity Doesn't Have to Be Disabled it Really Doesn't Benefit much if at All and Be Cautious if you Do Disable it as it Will Erase your pin,password and or fingerprint and you won't be able to sign in.💯
Those settings should already be done by Asus. Also Microsoft should have a handheld game mode that sets up everything correctly. Thats why most just get a Steam deck. People will buy simple and avoid the complicated. Thats why Switch will always out sell window divices. Turn it on and start gaming. When you are done the guy with windows is still updating and changing settings in the game.
Some of these suggestions are bad. The not comfortably being able to turn on with your pointer finger is odd if you don't simply slide you hand up slightly instead of clawing it at the front. No problem good suggestion to add a finger.
Hibernation is great to save battery. That said, turning off the standby modes is a bad suggestion as they do save a significant amount of battery. I own both Allys and it's never given me an issue. It'll also likely make the Ally heat up in a bag!
The CPU boost is also misinformation. While games that are more GPU demanding will run better, games that use the CPU significantly can be slower or not run. COD doesn't run without CPU boost and Emulators are CPU demanding.
The other suggestions are great.
@@Madblaster6 Valid points. However, the goal was to cover the average use case without making it an exhausting 30+ min video. These are meant to be suggestions that I’ve found to be useful personally for the titles I play and a starting point for those who aren’t sure how to set up their Ally. Thing is- there’s no “perfect” setup for every type of person especially on a windows handheld. I don’t play COD and wouldn’t on a handheld personally. I also don’t emulate. So those use cases are not ones I am going to speak to.
Appreciate the comment though!
@@XXIVCONCEPT I'm only critical because, I want people to love these devices. For example Windows may have jank but it's IMO the best OS for gaming. The Windows is horrible connotation some reviews set is overexaggerated and untrue. This sends the wrong message to not only the users but the companies that make these devices. A worry is that Microsoft will make a new OS and we will loose a lot of the functionality we have today.
@@Madblaster6 I hear you but ultimately in this form factor Windows as it is just isn’t made for it. Tinkerers will always want every option. But the thing is- you’ll always find a way. That’s what tinkering is about. But if these devices are ever going to catch on using Windows, they need to be more approachable to casual users. I’m talking users who are coming from Switch or Steam Deck that want to play more games. I hear you. Trust me. I’m a custom PC builder outside youtube. I get it. But these windows handhelds are trying to steal a slice of the handheld pie. And if they’re gonna do that- they need to be as easy to use as their competition. And they’re just not there yet. And the biggest roadblock is Windows.
I was quickly to blame my dock for not outputting a picture in my second display, but come to find out, RSR was the reason for not displaying on my second screen. Once I turned it off, it connected, and when I turned back on RSR, it was still working. I guess it’s a limitation of the dock when first booting up to the second display. It’s the LISEN Docking Station in case anyone was wondering.
That's the dock I'm using to run Star Citizen using my HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick, for those reading that don't know).
Amazing video especially on the hibernate stuff was so annoying basically having to restart the thing after each restart
Pro tip: Run 900p reaolution and turn on RIS. You get awesome performance and crispy image quality.
If extra sharpening is what you need RIS is a great option!
What is RIS and where is the option for it?
Where is ris ?
@mw38390 Radeon Image Sharpening. A sharpening technique that helps make lower resolution images look higher resolution.
@mw38390 I just realized you said where not what. RIS can be found both in AMD Adrenaline by right clicking the desktop or searching for it. It can also be setup as a command center toggle via ASUS Armoury Crate.
Nice video as always man.
Also commenting for algorithm to help your channel. Keep it up! 💪
Thanks found the armoury crate settings very helpful
Your advice of turning off RSR is a big no-no. It's a lifesaver for games with no built-in FSR. I have it turned on in Dark Souls 3 and it upscaled it from 720 to 1080p while still retaining amazing performance.
@@NoName-qd6vp I don’t like the look of FSR. That’s why I don’t recommend it. Especially since the Ally X can easily run most titles at native 900p with med to high settings. But it’s all preference. If you like FSR definitely use it!
@@XXIVCONCEPT I was referring to RSR, which basically any game can do because it's built into the driver instead of the game itself. It's a game-changer.
@@NoName-qd6vp Both imo can be great for performance. I just don’t like the look they have. But- there’s no doubt that they do help in FPS. I think you can totally leave it on if you don’t mind the appearance but can also leave it off and run natively at 900p for most titles. I prefer to keep it off 🤷♂️
@@XXIVCONCEPT But that's the whole point of RSR - its upscaling is nearly indistinguishable from native. So, you can set a game's resolution to 720p, and then turn on RSR and it'll look like its 1080p with minimal performance impact. Plus, the ROG Ally X has a built-in sharpness slider for RSR so you can tweak it even further. Surprised you didn't cover this at all.
@@NoName-qd6vp Again- because upscalers are not unique to Ally or Ally X. I've used them extensively and do not prefer the image on any device. I don't like upscaled images. I don't like AI enhanced sharpening. It's a preference. My point was that the Ally X has enough power to run games at native 900p which on a 7" display looks better than trying to use upscalers or sharpeners at 720p. It's a moot point. But this was MY recommendation. As I said- if you prefer RSR or FSR, go for it! They're great options, just not my recommendation.
bro your videos are wonderful nice work! more handheld PC videos!!
@@nophacetech You got it! 🫡 (thank you!)
I know you said you dont like fancy frame generation and honestly im not a huge fan either. Having said that I side loaded afmf2 on this thing and its pretty damn impressive on Elden ring. Ill take the fake frames on a handheld. Its still a little buggy on some games but Elden ring it works pretty well.
@@jimmytimber7074 I got to hang out with AMD when they were showing it off earlier this year and I think it’ll be huge for handhelds once it gets more refined and more accessible.
RSR made Cold War zombies finally playable without stuttering.
Nice!
steam decker since day 1, it’s got me into the PC handheld world. but we know SD limitations of playing games like Destiny 2,
now thanks to the wonderful Bazzite devs made it possible to have the best of both worlds of Steam OS and Win OS on a powerful handheld, all I have to do now is wait for my ally X ZE 4TB to arrive!
If the fan bug that randomly disables the fans wasn't a thing, Bazzite would be great. Right now, you have to reinstall Bazzite to fix it.
Maybe show how you are doing things step by step on the device for people who are new to these
What in particular?
Yeahhh I’m sticking with the Deck. I be leaving that thing in sleep mode for days no overheating
My Ally has never overheated. It’s a possibility on all handheld devices.
Lol steam deck users coping 😂😅
i think this guy likes orange color. me too
This is a really well produced video with a lot of helpful tips, but as some contstructive criticism, I think you gloss over a lot of things that were a missed oppourtunity to help educate your audience. For example just saying stuff that is essentially advice like 'Just turn off all the AMD graphical settings, you really don't need them' isn't particularly helpful advice, because a lot of people aren't even going to understand what these settings do, and some of them might actually be quite useful depending on the game/use case, but you often don't explain why you don't think they're worthwhile
Personally I think it might have made an even better video if you'd briefly gone through what FSR/AFMF/RIS actually did so people would better understand why you might turn them off, even if your overall advice was to still not worry about them. As it stands, you don't even really explain why you don't feel the need for them yourself, which makes it difficult for your audience (who might not understand the settings) decide whether your use case might apply to them too
I see where you’re coming from. And in the past I would over explain why. But in reality, the average gamer doesn’t actually care to know what it does. They just wanna know if it should be on or off. However- a deep dive video on what each thing does would be fun! And is something I have considered.
We’ve just learned that 99% of the time people don’t want the full explanation, they just want the quick and easy answer and that’s what we aimed for in this one.
totally valid point though.
@@XXIVCONCEPT Fair enough, I guess it's a tricky balancing act with engagement with a device like this when there a million different options and configurations, power profiles, etc
@@draculaman Exactly. But you’re 100% right. In the past this video would have been 20min. But the sad thing is- it would have never performed as well. And that’s always a tricky line to walk. :(
That being said- knowing that handhelds are my niche, I may do more specific videos on that sorta thing in the future!
Thank you very much
Sleep mode is awful on windows though
correct. which is why I try not to let my system sleep too frequently. but ultimately, it’s all we have :(
Turning off all the AMD enhancements isnt the move, especially when you later recommend 900p a few moments later. Thise things you say to turn off will enhance that 900p
@@Voodoo. Try it. And I disagree. FSR and Fluid Frame Generation do NOT always improve your experience. Idk where that is coming from. They can, but on a 7” screen, native 900p is almost always better. But if it works for you, then use it. Like i’ve said before. I personally don’t use up scaling unless I have to.
@@XXIVCONCEPT I have tried it, I use RIS with 900p all the time, and in games where I can hit a decent fps I run framegen for extra fluidity on the 120hz screen, need a decent minimum fps though for input lag.
@@Voodoo. Fair enough! Yeah my advice isn’t meant to be the rule. Just what I found to be preferable for me! But that’s the beauty of choice!
How do you not put control mode in the command centre? Auto never works correctly in my experience. I need to use this tool constantly
How do you turn on that performance stats window thing in the corner of your screen
@@HotCheetoSoSpicy554 In Armoury Crate there’s a setting for it within the quick access tools. I think it’s called Performance Monitoring.
That black and white wallpaper is awesome.
Can u share it full resolution pls?
Thx.
I’ll make a short!
wish we could remove that ROG logo (below the display)
awesome video, although I have not had these hibernation issues that alot of people seem to having. Mine has worked great even on my regular ally. I just have the power button set to hibernate on windows settings. Although for some games, it messes up going to hibernate like online only games mainly. But most of the time it's worked as intended for me
What is the charging cable youre using and what is the number on it showing?
@@Lionpride97 It’s a Mcdodo cable from amazon. It’s showing the current wattage being delivered to the device that’s plugged in.
What do you mean? My index finger is the closest finger to the reader. Why would I use another finger? How small are your hands?
@@Respectmyskill07 For me, the thumb was more consistently read. My index finger wouldn’t read as accurately without taking my hand off the Ally and very specifically placing it on the sensor. I just found the thumb was more consistent.
What live wallpaper is that? 🔗
@@1300gixx Wallpaper Engine on Steam search “ASUS ROG”
@@XXIVCONCEPT thanks for the quick reply, got it. 😎
Anyone else having weird compaitibility issues with steam and armoury crate? I like armoury crate but if i play one my steam games the cursor glitches out and controls act weird.
Why cant i update windows,? I tried resettimg windows by resetting. It wont let me!! Wtf??
What screensaver is that on yours (shown at the end)
Wallpaper Engine on steam! I don’t remember the name but if your search for dark or black I think it’ll come up.
the orange ring the best color bro
Orange is best color.
I will dual boot this machine. Bazzite and Windows.
I hear great things about Bazzite!
i like this one but in my country its 899€ so going to get og ally then waiting to get new ally 2 comes
That’s fair!
Where's the other case from tomtoc?
Which one? I’ll be doing a more detailed video on both the tomtoc cases soon
@@XXIVCONCEPT the protective case
@@XXIVCONCEPT Do you recommend any cases for the ally x? I'm looking for a good slim hard case but heard the tomtoc ally case presses onto some buttons/joystick on the ally x
@@ECard821 So they sent me that case and from what I can tell, it doesn't press anything on the Ally X. It's SLIGHTLY more snug, but certainly not pressing too hard. If you line both Ally devices up, the X is BARELY thicker. There's enough tolerance in that Tomtoc case to fit the X in my opinion. However, if you hold off a bit, I'm going to be doing a video on some accessories soon. I prefer the Arccos G47 as shown in this video. It's a great handheld bag but understand it's not a case and takes away the ability to pack it into a backpack. Personally, I want them to make an Armour G12 for the All X like they did for the Steamdeck. I have a video on that one. I think that would be better than the soft case they have now.
@@Arknight96 Product name? If I have it, I'll do my best to touch on it in another video. If not, I'll ask Tomtoc to send me some to test.
What is the model of the bag seen in the video?
It’s in the description of the video.
My ally x has some coil whine issues. In all modes even on silent. When im in bed i hear the high pitch noise and it drives me crazy. Does yours have it too?
It does not. Sounds like an RMA to ASUS!
@@XXIVCONCEPT im living in the netherlands so im good :)
An I missing something with operating modes? On Silent, my Ally X routinely runs at up to around 20W, on Performance, can report up to 30W, and on Torbo, 35-40W or more. On battery. Are the 17, 25 and 30 numbers just a baseline, and it boosts from there?
Out of the box, Silent should run on 13w, Performance on 17w, and turbo on 30w iirc.
@@NoName-qd6vp That's what I thought, but now that I have it, it's not what I'm seeing. Also, the match doesn't add up. Let's take performance mode, if it truly stayed at 17W, an 80WHr battery would last almost 5 hours, and no one is seeing those numbers on Performance.
It stays on higher tdps for 3-4 min then it either goes to 13 or 17 or 25/30 and thats where it settles @BETEP-gw7qp
That and Operating mode is the APU only. Doesn’t include total system power draw.
see below comment
Terrible advice . Hibernation is great and it’s quite safe
Disagree. Hibernation on Windows is awful.
in short, you need to take the steam deck without hesitation
if all the games you play are on Steam, sure.
in ultra short, the steam deck is inferior
Memory integrity Doesn't Have to Be Disabled it Really Doesn't Benefit much if at All and Be Cautious if you Do Disable it as it Will Erase your pin,password and or fingerprint and you won't be able to sign in.💯
Rog ally is not a switch. Its a pc. So throwing it in a bag in sleep/hyb its the dumbest thing.
Those settings should already be done by Asus. Also Microsoft should have a handheld game mode that sets up everything correctly. Thats why most just get a Steam deck. People will buy simple and avoid the complicated. Thats why Switch will always out sell window divices. Turn it on and start gaming. When you are done the guy with windows is still updating and changing settings in the game.
@@fpvpilot7713 Exactly. Couldn’t agree more. We can only do so much but windows is windows.
This might be some of the worst and or most useless advice I’ve seen for the ally hahaha
“Turn your screen brightness down” 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@derrickspencer5615 This is meant for the most generic of user. It’s not meant for heavy or experienced users.
This is great as i have only gamed on consol until now thank you
Bro Switch 2 is around the corner and these devices can't even emulate the Switch 2, calm your a$$ down
@@marikishtar ?? who’s comparing this to Switch?
@@XXIVCONCEPT Me because these handhelds are practically from the same generation of the Switch 2
@@marikishtar Weird comparison but okay lol.
@@marikishtarwhere’s the switch 2? Lol you can already emulate switch games
You a clown 🤡.