The ROG Ally X is out now, and in order to support the release, Asus is rolling out a brand new version of the handheld's Armoury Crate software to improve the user experience and add some highly requested features.
In my Asus ROG Ally X review, I praise this new portable as one of the best handheld gaming PCs, even though its Windows OS is still a considerable drawback. Armoury Crate Special Edition 1.5 (ACSE 1.5) was pre-installed on the Ally X, meaning I've had some time to test it already, and the improvements over the previous version are a big boost.
First up are some of the fan-requested features that Asus is highlighting including a slider for custom TDP settings, gyro control support, and additional calibration settings for the asymmetrical thumbsticks.
Having this additional level of control over the finer details of the Asus ROG Ally X controls is huge, especially because of the firmer feel of the more durable joysticks used in this design.
ACSE 1.5 also adopts a UI that is more intuitive and mimics that of home consoles to create a sense of familiarity for anyone who is using their first handheld. Games can now be uninstalled directly from ACSE 1.5 rather than having to perform the act within each individual launcher.
While 1TB of storage is great even if you never opt to expand it, a time will come when games need to be removed to make room for more. Uninstalling games spread out across multiple launchers was awkward and needlessly time-consuming, so it's great to have a workaround to this problem.
Game Profiles have also been added, which offer settings tuned for specific game genres such as racing and FPS while also offering some options targeted towards eyecare and watching movies. You can even create your own profiles and export them to be available for download by other users.
Finally, all future ACSE 1.5 updates have been made easier thanks to the addition of a new pipeline, allowing all updates to be downloaded and installed from one location.
If you're still unsure if the ROG Ally X is for you, check out our Steam Deck OLED review and Lenovo Legion Go review to see how the competition compares.
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