The Asus ROG Ally is really setting itself apart with its impressive performance, especially when you stack it up against the Steam Deck and other handheld consoles. The 2024 release of the ROG Ally X takes things up a notch with its enhanced performance, a better display, and improved comfort during gameplay. This upgrade isn’t just about what’s under the hood; the whole ROG Ally series now includes a UHS-II microSD card slot. This means cards will read and write much quicker than the standard UHS-I slots found in devices like the Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and a bunch of others. If you get the right card, you’ll likely notice your download speeds are significantly faster.
Lexar points out that UHS-II can triple the transfer speed of UHS-I, maxing out at a speedy 312 MB/s compared to the 104 MB/s of UHS-I. Despite microSD cards being everywhere, UHS-II versions are still pretty rare. Big names in storage, like Samsung and SanDisk, don’t currently offer UHS-II microSD cards. And for the few that are available, prepare yourself—they’re considerably pricier than what you’re used to shelling out for microSD cards. More importantly, the current crop doesn’t fully utilize the speed that UHS-II can achieve.
For those who don’t mind getting hands-on with their ROG Ally, you might want to think about installing an M.2 SSD. This won’t affect your warranty and offers more storage bang for your buck, plus it outpaces microSD performance. But if convenience is more your style and you’re willing to spend a bit more for a speed boost, we’ve got a couple of readily available models worth checking out.
If you’re all about maxing out storage capacity and aren’t too concerned about having the absolute fastest speed possible, you’ll find abundant options from companies like SanDisk, Samsung, and Lexar. These cards can expand your handheld’s storage by up to 1.5 TB, covering all your needs without breaking the bank.
