Who is the ROG Ally X aimed at?
I think this is an important subject: “But who is this kind of console aimed at?” I see two for me.
Student:
The first, and most obvious for me, is the student. It’s certainly a Windows-based console, but that’s not all. For me, it’s still a laptop in disguise. What does that mean? In practical terms, you can use it as a computer outside of gaming sessions. You can use it for applications, because the Z1 Extreme may not be at the level of a big desktop processor, but it holds its own against a good laptop processor.
Doubling the size of the battery means it’s more transportable than ever, and viable unplugged. For me, it’s not just an accessory, but it can be an alternative to a laptop. It weighs just 678g, so it’s much lighter and its size makes it much more portable.
All you need is a USB hub with an HDMI port. So with the hub, you can plug in a keyboard, mouse and screen, and turn your Ally X into a fixed PC at home. And you can unplug it when you’re off to class and use it as a tablet to take notes in your lectures at university.
And on top of that, you’ve got a real games console so you can play games. For me, you’ve got a real all-in-one: a console and a high-performance portable PC in one.
The enthusiast’s accessory:
It’s a console that’s not necessarily accessible to everyone and remains a niche product. But for video game enthusiasts looking to extend their gaming experience beyond the office, the ROG Ally X could well be the solution. Whether it’s for comfortable gaming in the living room, on the move or elsewhere, it can be adapted to a wide range of uses. Just a few years ago, this type of product suffered from many limitations: insufficient autonomy, disappointing performance… Today, this is no longer the case.
The portable console market is evolving rapidly, with a growing choice of models, and even giants like Microsoft and Sony preparing their own models to make sure they don’t miss out.
There is a real demand from gamers to reinvent the way they consume video games and continue their experience outside the living room and the office. Gaming is constantly evolving, and we may be witnessing a return to the golden age of portable consoles, as in the days of the PSP or the first Nintendo consoles, for those who remember. The handheld console may not be dying out, quite the contrary.