Key Takeaways
1. The ASUS ROG Ally is a popular and affordable handheld gaming device, but it has a limited battery life of about 2 hours during gameplay due to a 10W consumption.
2. Users have explored battery modifications, such as upgrading from a 40Wh to an 80Wh battery, to enhance the device’s longevity, with significant improvements reported.
3. A user reported that after upgrading to an 80Wh battery and using SteamOS, standby time increased to around 8 hours, with over 6 hours of playtime at lower power settings.
4. Comparisons show that while the modified ROG Ally performs well on SteamOS, the ROG Ally X with a similar battery offers different performance metrics, indicating potential efficiency differences between the operating systems and hardware.
5. iFixit provides a detailed DIY guide for upgrading the ROG Ally’s battery, requiring basic tools and careful handling, with the project estimated to take 2–3 hours.
The ASUS ROG Ally stands out as one of the most sought-after and budget-friendly handheld gaming devices on the market today, serving as a straightforward entry point for both PC and handheld gaming enthusiasts. Nevertheless, a notable drawback of the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is its limited battery life. With a consumption of about 10W, users can expect roughly 2 hours of gameplay.
Battery Mods for Improved Longevity
Over time, numerous ROG Ally users and creators have explored battery modifications to extend the life of their handheld gaming machines, addressing the single significant concern with this otherwise impressive gadget. Recently, a mod was shared on Reddit by user u/BetweenInkandPaper, who upgraded their ROG Ally Z1 Extreme’s battery from 40Wh to 80Wh, using a battery sourced from AliExpress. It’s important to note that the modified ROG Ally in question is equipped with SteamOS rather than Windows 11, which inherently provides a notable boost in energy efficiency.
Enhanced Performance After Upgrade
After the upgrade to an 80Wh battery, u/BetweenInkandPaper reported significant enhancements in battery performance. While using SteamOS, the standby duration has increased to about 8 hours. The user noted that with DeckyTDP capped at 30W, the APU is restricted to 30 watts, but the overall system consumes around 40W due to other components like the display and fans, yielding roughly 2 hours of active playtime. When operating at a lower 15W TDP, with a total power draw of about 11W, they claim the Ally can last over 6 hours.
Comparing Battery Efficiency
These figures are quite remarkable, maybe even a bit too good to be true. In a thorough comparison by The Phawx, the ROG Ally X, which features a similarly sized 80Wh battery and a more efficient APU, as shown in the YouTuber’s analysis, offers around 4–5 hours of standby time, 6 hours at 15W TDP, and 3 hours at 30W TDP when running Windows 11. Conversely, the Redditor asserts that their modified OG Ally on SteamOS achieves approximately 8 hours of standby, exceeding 6 hours at 15W, and about 2 hours at 30W.
The discrepancies, particularly in standby and light usage scenarios, don’t quite align. This could stem from SteamOS being considerably lighter and more power-efficient compared to Windows. Furthermore, The Phawx points out that the Ally X consumes less total system power at the same TDP, suggesting better efficiency at the hardware level. Whether the differences are due to the operating system, adjustments, or optimizations in hardware is hard to determine, but it’s a fascinating observation worth noting.
DIY Battery Upgrade Instructions
For those interested in enhancing their ROG Ally’s battery from 40Wh to 80Wh, iFixit has released a comprehensive step-by-step guide for a DIY battery modification. This procedure entails replacing the original battery with an Asus A42N1403 laptop battery and fitting a custom 3D-printed backplate to accommodate the larger battery size. The project is of moderate difficulty, estimated to take around 2–3 hours, and requires basic tools and careful handling during disassembly. You can find the complete guide on iFixit for further details.
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