ASUS ROG Ally: A Memory Upgrade Odyssey with Little Impact

The ASUS ROG Ally X portable gaming console comes equipped with 24 GB of RAM, which is already quite substantial. However, the author of the SlickBuys Mods and Repairs channel decided this was insufficient and modified the device to include 64 GB of RAM. In a released video, the author demonstrated the entire process of replacing the Micron LPDDR5X 8533 MT/s modules of 6 GB each with more capacious SK Hynix LPDDR5X modules of 16 GB each.

The process naturally requires both equipment and skill, but it does not present any particular difficulty for experienced craftsmen. However, simply soldering will not suffice, as the firmware needs replacement, which is also no easy task. The author desoldered the original BIOS chip to edit the APCB file and reflash the microcircuit. As a result, the console runs properly and recognizes all 64 GB of memory.

While this impressive upgrade is a testament to technical skill, it is unlikely to significantly enhance gaming performance. Experts in the industry suggest that, although increasing RAM can benefit multitasking and the handling of more demanding applications, the actual gains in gaming experiences might be limited due to other hardware constraints.

Emergence of Modifiable Gaming Consoles

The ASUS ROG Ally has gained attention alongside other handheld consoles like the Steam Deck and Ayaneo devices, which highlight modifiability and performance tweaks. This trend underscores a growing market of tech enthusiasts aiming to upgrade components in gaming consoles to achieve better multitasking capabilities and overall system enhancements, even if gaming performance improvements remain marginal.