Skip to main content

Asus ROG Ally's firmware updates widen performance gap with Steam Deck

The Asus ROG Ally, the company’s PC gaming handheld, has some impressive specs including an AMD Ryzen Z1 CPU, an XG mobile GPU, and a gorgeous 1080p display. However, its actual performance hasn’t been indicative of what it’s theoretically capable of, until now.

A new set of firmware and driver updates has increased gaming performance by up to 20%, a huge improvement over its launch results. According to YouTuber Dave2D, and reported on by PCGamesN, several of the best PC games saw an immediate increase in framerate after the updates were installed. 

For instance, Red Dead Redemption 2 ran at 41 fps at 720p before, and after it reached an impressive 60 fps. Similarly, Forza Horizon 5 jumped from 45fps to 59fps. However, not every game saw a massive increase, like Cyberpunk 2077, which only went up by 2 fps.

Asus, do better

These are certainly very impressive results from a simple series of firmware and driver updates, better showcasing how powerful the ROG Ally’s specs are. But taking a closer look at what these updates entail and what they don’t, there are still some hang-ups with the handheld.

First, the comparisons were done in 720p resolution, which is quite good but still not taking advantage of the 1080p display that the ROG Ally sports. Not to mention that the framerate would most definitely tank for the before and after results if testing was conducted at the higher framerate. This was also something already pointed out in a Tom’s Guide review of the portable.

Second, even if these results were the same across the resolution board, it doesn’t change the fact that this is how the Asus ROG Ally should have launched. Depending on the model, you’re currently paying $700 for this system (with the cheaper version coming out later this year), which is being sold as having high-end specs that result in superior performance. But the fact that you even need updates for it to approach these claims after the system was made available for pre-order is not a great sign.

Admittedly, it’s better that the updates are released before retail launch, but it still requires buyers to update their systems as soon as they receive them. The fact that the system was in development for at least five years means there should have been some kind of fixes before pre-order models had been shipped out to retailers.

Let’s hope Asus learns from this and does better for the next version of the ROG Ally, as it’s still a solid handheld with plenty of potential.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Windows Copilot leak suggests deeper assimilation with Windows 11 features

Key Windows 11 features may soon be customizable as Microsoft further integrates its Windows Copilot AI assistant into the operating system. This tidbit comes from tech news site Windows Latest , which claims to have discovered new .json (JavaScript Object Notation) files within recent preview builds of Windows 11. These files apparently hint at future upgrades for the desktop AI assistant. For example, a “TaskManagerService-ai-plugin.json” was found which is supposedly a “plugin for Task Manager integration”. If this ever comes out, it could give users the ability to “monitor or close running apps using” Copilot. In total, six are currently tested and they affect various aspects of Windows 11. Next, there is an “AccessbilityTools-ai-plugin.json” that gives Copilot a way to “control accessibility [tools]. This would make it "easier for those with [a] disability to navigate through the system.” Third is “ai-plugin-WindowsSettings.json” for controlling important Windows 11 set...
Post a Comment
Read more

Google Chrome releases security fix for this major flaw, so update now

Google says it has fixed a high-severity flaw in its Chrome browser which is currently being exploited by threat actors in the wild.  In a security advisory , the company described the flaw being abused and urged the users to apply the fix immediately.  "Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2023-2033 exists in the wild," the advisory reads. Automatic updates The zero-day in question is a confusion weakness vulnerability in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, the company said. Usually, this type of flaw can be used to crash the browser, but in this case it can also be used to run arbitrary code on compromised endpoints.  The flaw was discovered by Clement Lecigne from the Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG). Usually, TAG works on finding flaws abused by nation-states, or state-sponsored threat actors. There is no word on who the threat actors abusing this flaw are, though. Read more > Patch Google Chrome now to fix this emergency security flaw > Emergency...
Post a Comment
Read more

Samsung's ViewFinity S9 may be the monitor creatives have been searching for

Originally revealed during CES 2023 , Samsung has finally launched its ViewFinity S9 5K monitor after nine long months of waiting.  According to the announcement, the ViewFinity S9 is the company’s first-ever 5K resolution (5,120 x 2880 pixels) IPS display aimed primarily at creatives. IPS stands for in-plane switching , a form of LED tech offering some of the best color output and viewing angles on the market. This quality is highlighted by the fact that the 27-inch screen supports 99 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut plus delivers 600 nits of brightness.  Altogether, these deliver great picture quality made vibrant by saturated colors and dark shadows. The cherry on top for the ViewFinity S9 is a Matte Display coating to “drastically [reduce] light reflections.”  As a direct rival to the Apple Studio Display , the monitor is an alternative for creative professionals looking for options. It appears Samsung has done its homework as the ViewFinity S9 addresses some of...
Post a Comment
Read more