Mate, how do you not have more subs? I've been thinking about buying the ally for the past few days, so when i learned about the sd card fiasco over at reddit, i came looking for any TH-camrs who actually call Asus out on this and clearly state what a huge deal such a design flaw is. You are the only one to do so, and i went through a lot if vids. I'll wait for another few weeks like you recommended, and see if the issue gets addressed or not. If Asus does not do something meaningful, ill wait for the Legion Go or the Kun if i can afford that. In the meantime, the Deck is keeping me super happy with .kst if my gaming needs. Cheers, have a sub, good sir.
Thanks so much for your kind words and detailed response. It truly means a lot to me! I'm also happy to hear you'll wait a little longer. With regards to the Go, not much is known so it'll be hard to make a judgement, but the Kun looks pretty interesting -- except I don't expect it'll be less than an arm and a leg... You'll have a great time with your Deck until then though I'm sure, thanks so much for the sub!
Can confirm, XG Mobile is a bad time most of the time (seems to be dependent on your model) I also agree that ASUS needs to do more for the SD Card issue. I am not sending mine in until they are more clear about what is going on.
Yeah you're absolutely right I'm not going to send mines in also because of the SD problem hopefully its fixable with a software update also I got an email back from them and like always they said they're going to send it to the R&D Department which that means in layman's term it's not going to be fixed any time soon I bet smh but whatever that's why I since mine's is still working good my Aces rodli I said forget it I'm going to reach the warranty and just update the SSD eternal to a 4tb 2280 SSD Eternal so that will hold me down for a while..... and if worst case scenario when money looks right for me again I'll get the 8tb that I'm looking at on Amazon right now SSD eternal 2280
@@85crazytechlaz how much games can you possibly play with 8tb haha Not judging but that's just insane to me. Mind you I wouldn't mind a 4tb in the ally soo* Edit: typo
@WinDeckTech I know I'm just talking crap now but damn I just found out on the 8tb ssd and damn! That's a wholeeeeee Lotta space but for now I'm good with the 4tb it just man these AAA games take space and there's alot of good one coming early 2024
I agree 100% with this video as I too had the issue with the SD cards and a lot of people that I know. There’s no way to remedy this other than a Band-Aid fix of ramping up the fans but then at that point the fans will eventually burn out from being ramped up constantly to keep the slot cool. It is a flaw it will not be truly fixed unless the entire device is redesigned or if you don’t care about the SD card slot that’s why I returned the ally got me a slim 13 inch PC with a 3050 and video card, which is far more powerful than the ally and I connect an Xbox controller. There is your portable Ally on steroids killer
You sir deserver a heart and more praise! Thanks so much for your honesty and thought process. The Ally is a very capable device, but it has issues and at the price it's leaning towards some nice laptops which (while not as portable) are more performant.
Nice! Welcome back Reviews! Love it! As promised, in every new video a part of a 5 chapter short story. Chapter I, again after Tech in 10 is on hiatus for now. Chapter 1: The Encounter In a quaint town nestled between the woods and a serene lake, lived a popular TH-camr named Alex. He was known for exploring abandoned places and capturing eerie footage for his channel. One day, he stumbled upon an old, decrepit mansion that locals believed to be haunted. Intrigued, Alex decided to venture inside, ignoring the chilling warnings. As he entered the mansion, he felt an unsettling presence surrounding him. However, he shook it off, attributing it to his imagination. With his camera in hand, he began recording his exploration. As he roamed the empty halls and desolate rooms, the atmosphere grew more sinister. Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared on his footage, but he couldn't see it with his naked eyes. Alex felt a shiver down his spine, but he pressed on, determined to capture evidence of the supernatural.
You should definitely but ally it actually plays better than stream deck and I have both. Ally is just on another level. I hope Asus supports it at least for the next 2-3 years
We can hope... I personally would like to see an Ally 2 or Ally Pro in 2-3 years, not next year but... only Asus can control that of course. Thanks for your comment!
I also have both, steam deck for a year now. I like Ally more and more because it plays my game much better most of the time. Windows 11 is no issue for me and I found steam OS is very limited and not as easy to use as windows if I want to install mods or navigate between game mode and OS mode. Steam OS is more ‘console’ like if compared to default windows UI, but I play mostly in steam, so I can use big picture mode any time I want to. I can also switch to normal steam ui in a second in windows, without have to first log into steam OS’s desktop mode. I can install tons of softwares in windows and use them flawlessly easy and fast. Overall Ally is really awesome as a tiny gaming laptop replacement.
@@gamers-generation same they can continue optimizing this ally amd fixing the sd issue and button sticking for some people but I want a new ally in 2 to 3 years also
They also need to do more with respects to software. We've yet to receive a proper graphics driver update. We did receive one, but that was just a hotfix.
I did get one from best buy i have less than a week to return it . I agree with you the asus rog ally is a great device. I haven't tried putting a sd card in because the fear of it getting damaged. I will return this and hopefully they can get that issue figured out and then i will re buy it at a later date
Thanks for your comment! Yes I think that's a safe bet. At the very least, we're gearing up to get a lot more competitors including the Lenovo Go (though we don't know when that one will release exactly).
The Ally on paper IS better than the deck, in most ways, at least from a hardware standpoint (sans the microSD card), but it's definitely not a perfect device. It really should already be on "top" at least in terms of performance. Thanks for your comment!
After getting used to the trackpads, not having them is a big negative to me. Having only access to Windows make trackpads all the more necessary, at least SteamOS can be navigated comfortably even with sticks. Not only that, but several PC games are not playable at all without something resembling a mouse, like RTSs
The SD card slot design flaw issue is the only reason l decided not to buy an Alley. l'm going to wait for a HW revision (unlikely) or look at getting Lenovos new handheld.
Can't say I blame you. One thing I'd watch out for is the Legion Go's pricing... it's rumored to start at $800, but for all we know, that might be the Z1 (lower spec CPU).... so let's wait and see! Thanks for your comment!
How do you run games when the screen goes black than crashes stating “Unreal Engine is exiting due to D3D device being lost”. Any advice on how to fix this problem? I’d greatly appreciate it.
Yes, the 'work' just the way we can make things work on desktop Linux. But MOST games are not supported for example whole Mafia framchize. On Ally ANYTHING will work.
I mean... it's difficult as Linux has never really been the "gaming platform" of choice for many people, so it'll take time, but it's still improving constantly. As for Mafia, I could be mistaken, but the Definitive Editions of I and II appear to be playable on Deck. Thanks for your comment though!
@@gamers-generation i used to be a desktop linux advocate. Valve chose linux due to their fear of windows lock things down like apple. Linux desktop will never be mainstream. Its 2023 and its still a pain.
@SwapnilBhartiya oh I hear you, but it's hard to deny Proton's rapid development and success right? Just look at how Game Porting Toolkit on MacOS is coming along and even just last year I'd say gaming on a Mac can only be a meme.
I can look past the Hardware flaws, but what really holds this and all other handheld pcs is Windows. Granted it’s not hard to navigate but it is cumbersome in this form factor and unnecessary heavy for mobile gaming. Not sure we will see it soon, but windows could really do with a lighter version for tablets and handhelds, maybe even a game centric version like the Xbox Os with some additions so you can use other launchers. Until then we will never truly get the full potential of these devices.
Thanks for your comment! I wholeheartedly agree. Something that was a meme back in the day was Windows 8 and that tablet mode, which... in hindsight now wasn't necessarily a bad idea, just a bad idea at the time. If there was a lightweight OS with that type of frontend that included controller support surely that'd give Windows more accessibility.
Hi thanks for your comment. Very technically speaking it "replaces it". Meaning that the system will use the GPU on the XG rather than the one inside the Ally. Please let me know if that's too little or too much information!
@@gamers-generation I see, I was thinking about its sustainability in the future, if it just replace it, then it would age like a milk imo. Thanks for the explanation!
@@ArsevensX I understand! (Long response coming). So there are currently 3* (technically 4-5) models of the XG mobile that are on the market, the 6850M XT, the 3080, and the 4090 (though this one is quite rare (the other 2-3 models are also quite rare). Basically ASUS has been releasing a new one every year with their new FLOW line of laptops. If you got a 6850M XT or 3080, down the line you could potentially sell that and then upgrade to the 4090, you'd definitely see performance improvements-- BUT-- that will no doubt be quite expensive (the 4090 is $2000 USD right now IF you can find it) and there's a good chance you'll move onto a different handheld by then... does that sort of explain it more? Some people are also working on an oculink adapter however, which would give more options for the eGPU but you'd have to mod the ROG ALLY.
Asus dont care they have refused me a refund after the card reader failed after 5 weeks . Its going for repair this week. Im told if it breaks again i will get a refund so im gaming in turbo mode till it fails again
You could yes, but they sort of fit a different use case. Also if I'm not mistaken, you'll likely still pay a bit more for the Blade Stealth. On the other hand... there are probably other gaming laptops you could get that might be more bang for your buck.
Love my ally. Sold my deck and bought the 4090 xg mobile. It runs whatever i throw at it. Did the custom fan curve AND the ssd upgrade and havent had any issues. Most people who complain either dont know what they are doing or, dont own one.
Baller alert! That must be some serious performance there. I think there are things to complain about with the Ally, but performance isn't one of them IMO.
@@gamers-generation oh definitely. I hate how the integration between when it's docked and you're playing then you stop and want fo switch and maybe browse around is clunky and messy lol. Also, I wish it had more ram
I wouldn't say "most PC games" as the Deck can now play over 10000 titles, not including emulated games, but there are plenty of big titles that don't work or take some effort to run so, there's that.
Epic games do work on Steam Deck, there's a guide on this channel on how to do it, and "Non Steam Game Launcher" also works well from what I hear to get things like Epic, Battle.net, and GOG libraries working.
Mate, how do you not have more subs? I've been thinking about buying the ally for the past few days, so when i learned about the sd card fiasco over at reddit, i came looking for any TH-camrs who actually call Asus out on this and clearly state what a huge deal such a design flaw is. You are the only one to do so, and i went through a lot if vids.
I'll wait for another few weeks like you recommended, and see if the issue gets addressed or not. If Asus does not do something meaningful, ill wait for the Legion Go or the Kun if i can afford that. In the meantime, the Deck is keeping me super happy with .kst if my gaming needs.
Cheers, have a sub, good sir.
Thanks so much for your kind words and detailed response. It truly means a lot to me! I'm also happy to hear you'll wait a little longer.
With regards to the Go, not much is known so it'll be hard to make a judgement, but the Kun looks pretty interesting -- except I don't expect it'll be less than an arm and a leg...
You'll have a great time with your Deck until then though I'm sure, thanks so much for the sub!
My favorite quote in this video: "...to put it nicely..."
Thank you so much for the video! :)
Did I say that? ... oh boy. Who's gonna be knocking at my door now....? Thanks for your comment!
Can confirm, XG Mobile is a bad time most of the time (seems to be dependent on your model) I also agree that ASUS needs to do more for the SD Card issue. I am not sending mine in until they are more clear about what is going on.
Thanks for the support, fam!
Yeah you're absolutely right I'm not going to send mines in also because of the SD problem hopefully its fixable with a software update also I got an email back from them and like always they said they're going to send it to the R&D Department which that means in layman's term it's not going to be fixed any time soon I bet smh but whatever that's why I since mine's is still working good my Aces rodli I said forget it I'm going to reach the warranty and just update the SSD eternal to a 4tb 2280 SSD Eternal so that will hold me down for a while..... and if worst case scenario when money looks right for me again I'll get the 8tb that I'm looking at on Amazon right now SSD eternal 2280
@@85crazytechlaz how much games can you possibly play with 8tb haha
Not judging but that's just insane to me.
Mind you I wouldn't mind a 4tb in the ally soo*
Edit: typo
@WinDeckTech I know I'm just talking crap now but damn I just found out on the 8tb ssd and damn! That's a wholeeeeee Lotta space but for now I'm good with the 4tb it just man these AAA games take space and there's alot of good one coming early 2024
I agree 100% with this video as I too had the issue with the SD cards and a lot of people that I know. There’s no way to remedy this other than a Band-Aid fix of ramping up the fans but then at that point the fans will eventually burn out from being ramped up constantly to keep the slot cool. It is a flaw it will not be truly fixed unless the entire device is redesigned or if you don’t care about the SD card slot that’s why I returned the ally got me a slim 13 inch PC with a 3050 and video card, which is far more powerful than the ally and I connect an Xbox controller. There is your portable Ally on steroids killer
You sir deserver a heart and more praise! Thanks so much for your honesty and thought process. The Ally is a very capable device, but it has issues and at the price it's leaning towards some nice laptops which (while not as portable) are more performant.
@@gamers-generationmuch appreciated. Best way to keep people informed is be honest and put all the cards on the table
Thank you again!
Nice! Welcome back Reviews! Love it!
As promised, in every new video a part of a 5 chapter short story. Chapter I, again after Tech in 10 is on hiatus for now.
Chapter 1: The Encounter
In a quaint town nestled between the woods and a serene lake, lived a popular TH-camr named Alex. He was known for exploring abandoned places and capturing eerie footage for his channel. One day, he stumbled upon an old, decrepit mansion that locals believed to be haunted. Intrigued, Alex decided to venture inside, ignoring the chilling warnings.
As he entered the mansion, he felt an unsettling presence surrounding him. However, he shook it off, attributing it to his imagination. With his camera in hand, he began recording his exploration. As he roamed the empty halls and desolate rooms, the atmosphere grew more sinister. Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared on his footage, but he couldn't see it with his naked eyes. Alex felt a shiver down his spine, but he pressed on, determined to capture evidence of the supernatural.
Thank you thank you Krypto! Can't wait to find out what happens to Alex...
This is awesome!
@@gamers-generation haha, let's see. :)
@@therealhappydonut1755 Thx 😊
Thank you sirdonut! @therealhappydonut1755
You should definitely but ally it actually plays better than stream deck and I have both. Ally is just on another level. I hope Asus supports it at least for the next 2-3 years
I have both ally is more powerful but the deck is streets ahead software wise and feels more premium
@@jameslaw3342 bc its steam os and not windows ally is a pc deck is a console
We can hope... I personally would like to see an Ally 2 or Ally Pro in 2-3 years, not next year but... only Asus can control that of course. Thanks for your comment!
I also have both, steam deck for a year now. I like Ally more and more because it plays my game much better most of the time. Windows 11 is no issue for me and I found steam OS is very limited and not as easy to use as windows if I want to install mods or navigate between game mode and OS mode. Steam OS is more ‘console’ like if compared to default windows UI, but I play mostly in steam, so I can use big picture mode any time I want to. I can also switch to normal steam ui in a second in windows, without have to first log into steam OS’s desktop mode. I can install tons of softwares in windows and use them flawlessly easy and fast. Overall Ally is really awesome as a tiny gaming laptop replacement.
@@gamers-generation same they can continue optimizing this ally amd fixing the sd issue and button sticking for some people but I want a new ally in 2 to 3 years also
I ended up just upgrading to a 2tb ssd, no more microsd needed
Ayyy, big brain move right there! Thanks for your comment~
They also need to do more with respects to software.
We've yet to receive a proper graphics driver update. We did receive one, but that was just a hotfix.
Thanks for your great informative comment, it's absolutely true!
Yeah. AMD
I did get one from best buy i have less than a week to return it . I agree with you the asus rog ally is a great device. I haven't tried putting a sd card in because the fear of it getting damaged. I will return this and hopefully they can get that issue figured out and then i will re buy it at a later date
Thanks for your comment! Yes I think that's a safe bet. At the very least, we're gearing up to get a lot more competitors including the Lenovo Go (though we don't know when that one will release exactly).
All I heard is that the ally will get better than the deck over time and will come out on top.
The Ally on paper IS better than the deck, in most ways, at least from a hardware standpoint (sans the microSD card), but it's definitely not a perfect device. It really should already be on "top" at least in terms of performance.
Thanks for your comment!
After getting used to the trackpads, not having them is a big negative to me. Having only access to Windows make trackpads all the more necessary, at least SteamOS can be navigated comfortably even with sticks. Not only that, but several PC games are not playable at all without something resembling a mouse, like RTSs
The SD card slot design flaw issue is the only reason l decided not to buy an Alley. l'm going to wait for a HW revision (unlikely) or look at getting Lenovos new handheld.
Can't say I blame you. One thing I'd watch out for is the Legion Go's pricing... it's rumored to start at $800, but for all we know, that might be the Z1 (lower spec CPU).... so let's wait and see! Thanks for your comment!
How do you run games when the screen goes black than crashes stating “Unreal Engine is exiting due to D3D device being lost”. Any advice on how to fix this problem? I’d greatly appreciate it.
Hi there, could you tell me which game you're trying to play? I've not actually seen this error before. Thanks for the comment!
I recommend learning the same finger multiple times. In different areas on your finger.
Uh... what? Is this a meme I'm unaware of?
Yes, the 'work' just the way we can make things work on desktop Linux. But MOST games are not supported for example whole Mafia framchize. On Ally ANYTHING will work.
I mean... it's difficult as Linux has never really been the "gaming platform" of choice for many people, so it'll take time, but it's still improving constantly. As for Mafia, I could be mistaken, but the Definitive Editions of I and II appear to be playable on Deck.
Thanks for your comment though!
@@gamers-generation i used to be a desktop linux advocate. Valve chose linux due to their fear of windows lock things down like apple. Linux desktop will never be mainstream. Its 2023 and its still a pain.
@SwapnilBhartiya oh I hear you, but it's hard to deny Proton's rapid development and success right? Just look at how Game Porting Toolkit on MacOS is coming along and even just last year I'd say gaming on a Mac can only be a meme.
Great vid. You haven't tested total war or factorio, but it'll do I guess. Also beam wen
Next time bby -- next time!
I can look past the Hardware flaws, but what really holds this and all other handheld pcs is Windows.
Granted it’s not hard to navigate but it is cumbersome in this form factor and unnecessary heavy for mobile gaming. Not sure we will see it soon, but windows could really do with a lighter version for tablets and handhelds, maybe even a game centric version like the Xbox Os with some additions so you can use other launchers.
Until then we will never truly get the full potential of these devices.
Thanks for your comment! I wholeheartedly agree. Something that was a meme back in the day was Windows 8 and that tablet mode, which... in hindsight now wasn't necessarily a bad idea, just a bad idea at the time. If there was a lightweight OS with that type of frontend that included controller support surely that'd give Windows more accessibility.
The possibility of things you can do with Windows are endless. Os’s are a setback.
Uh,@@SOPHISTICATED_VIBES Yup! Thanks for the comment!
They should recall all devices and send a replacement
Hear Hear! Thanks for your comment!
Question: does XG mobile increase the GPU power? Or replace it?
Hi thanks for your comment. Very technically speaking it "replaces it". Meaning that the system will use the GPU on the XG rather than the one inside the Ally. Please let me know if that's too little or too much information!
@@gamers-generation I see, I was thinking about its sustainability in the future, if it just replace it, then it would age like a milk imo. Thanks for the explanation!
@@ArsevensX I understand! (Long response coming). So there are currently 3* (technically 4-5) models of the XG mobile that are on the market, the 6850M XT, the 3080, and the 4090 (though this one is quite rare (the other 2-3 models are also quite rare). Basically ASUS has been releasing a new one every year with their new FLOW line of laptops. If you got a 6850M XT or 3080, down the line you could potentially sell that and then upgrade to the 4090, you'd definitely see performance improvements-- BUT-- that will no doubt be quite expensive (the 4090 is $2000 USD right now IF you can find it) and there's a good chance you'll move onto a different handheld by then... does that sort of explain it more?
Some people are also working on an oculink adapter however, which would give more options for the eGPU but you'd have to mod the ROG ALLY.
@@gamers-generation yes! Thanks a lot! Have a good day sir! Your channel should get more recognition!
@@ArsevensX Thanks so much for your kind words! Happy to help!
Well said. ❤ I have faith asus will do us right in the end. I do love my ally still tho
Cheers bro, thank you! And I hope your faith is in the right spot!
I kinda lose some fate when they announced the SD card problem only on discord :/
thanks, nice video
Thanks chief!
Asus dont care they have refused me a refund after the card reader failed after 5 weeks . Its going for repair this week. Im told if it breaks again i will get a refund so im gaming in turbo mode till it fails again
Sorry to hear about that. I hope you get some good game time in before there are any more failures! Thanks for your comment!
Wait for Lenovo to deliver something soon. The Legion Go is potentially incoming.
I'm hyped about this 8" screen, that's the sweet spot in my opinion. Thanks for the comment!
This kinda looks SUS🧐
Care to elaborate?
Good to know I did make the right choice by not getting an Ally
Good on you for holding out -- keep holding the line!
Wait for next generation
At 18watts ally obliterates deck 😮
Orly? lol. I mean yea... say bye bye to battery though... lol
ngl hate that ally cover
D'aww... it's not that bad... right? *cries*
@@gamers-generation i got the exact same cover, a bit annoying cus its loose at the top and makes the screen look round
@mirilondondrift I got you. I like that it ... kind of covers the bezel... kind of. lol.
Asus way of addressing is by not addressing 😏 hoping the issues won't exist anymore
Fingers crossed here too... thanks for your support always Ghosty!
Gotta support your own ppl 🧐who else will
You da man ghosty!
At this point i rather buy a Razer Stealth laptop
You could yes, but they sort of fit a different use case. Also if I'm not mistaken, you'll likely still pay a bit more for the Blade Stealth. On the other hand... there are probably other gaming laptops you could get that might be more bang for your buck.
@@gamers-generation thanks for the advice and detailed review!
Love my dog. His my ally
This is philosphical!
Love my ally. Sold my deck and bought the 4090 xg mobile. It runs whatever i throw at it. Did the custom fan curve AND the ssd upgrade and havent had any issues. Most people who complain either dont know what they are doing or, dont own one.
Baller alert! That must be some serious performance there. I think there are things to complain about with the Ally, but performance isn't one of them IMO.
@@gamers-generation oh definitely. I hate how the integration between when it's docked and you're playing then you stop and want fo switch and maybe browse around is clunky and messy lol. Also, I wish it had more ram
The biggest problem with Deck is it's a Linux machine and most PC games are not supported. Asus wins.
Does Epic games works on SteamDeck? I am asking mostly for square enix games like Kingdom Hearts franchise and FF Stranger of Paradise.
I wouldn't say "most PC games" as the Deck can now play over 10000 titles, not including emulated games, but there are plenty of big titles that don't work or take some effort to run so, there's that.
Epic games do work on Steam Deck, there's a guide on this channel on how to do it, and "Non Steam Game Launcher" also works well from what I hear to get things like Epic, Battle.net, and GOG libraries working.
Most game will work on deck but online game 😢 only if you put windows on it
The video is fake. Those bezseles in your video are waaaay to big
What now? What is fake exactly? I'm confused..
@@gamers-generation in the thumbnail, is not a Rog Ally. The screen is too small, the bezel are to large
I missed this comment 'cause it was flagged by YT... it really is an Ally, not sure what to tell you haha.
@@gamers-generation yes. That is a ally. My bad, sorry for confusion. 👍
@@cedryk5376 All good fam! Thanks for clarifying~