A few weeks ago, a devastating technological tragedy struck my family my Xbox ROG Ally X gave up the ghost. It wouldn’t turn on, wouldn’t charge, and I was forced into the brutal unknown of the ASUS RMA process.
Now I can happily (or perhaps awkwardly) let you know that the unit is back. It has been resuscitated and repaired, and now sits in its box waiting for me to reinstall my library. But this may be the end of the road for our relationship.
While my ally X was away receiving technical treatment, I found myself in the arms of another. the better hand And friends, I don’t want to look back.
“Other” gaming handheld device
When I am left without a hand (already mine favorite Steam Deck to my son) my dear colleague and Windows Central Executive Editor, Jez Cordencame in – he lent me his Lenovo Legion Go.
I wasn’t interested in the device at all on paper. I was fired before the larger Legion Go; it seemed heavy, unwieldy, and I thought the detachable joysticks were a gimmick I wouldn’t use. I was wrong. I’m totally pissed right now.
That 8.8-inch screen a wow a moment every time you open it. At first I thought it was OLED, but it’s actually a high-quality LCD panel that houses a small 7-inch screen. Xbox ROG Ally X to be ashamed It turns out that size matters.
Also, if you had told me this time last year that I would care about removable controllers, I would have laughed. But I eat humble pie; they change lives. Dealing with some health issues lately, it’s been ridiculously convenient to be able to sit back with my arms outstretched, lazily playing with pseudo-joycons while the screen rests on its stand.
I can’t believe I’m interested in a kickstand on a handheld, but is there an option? Unbelievable.
The Lenovo Legion Go has charging ports on both the top and bottom, plus a cutout case (included!) that lets you charge it in a pinch. Little things like this make a big difference when using something everyday. All this adds up to make it feel more luxurious, more “precious”. I even named it with love Genoa. My social media name is Jenbox360, but this handheld seems like a complete rebrand to me.
Filled with guilt over expenses
This situation caused a massive wave of consumer guilt. I am self proclaimed “Budget Piggy Bank” Windows Center. I’m the one who turns my nose up at $300 headphones and overpriced accessories. I agonize over big purchases so they’re worth every penny I spend (just don’t talk to me about Samsung smartphones).
I spent £800 on the Ally X because it felt like a sure thing at the time, although it was out of character for me to drop that much money on a single device (I play on an Xbox Series S for God’s sake). But I wanted Play Anywhere to act as an introduction to the Xbox library and to future-proof it AI the technology it offers. Just kidding, I was comfortable and confident in my purchase I’m upgrading from Steam Deck and may regret it (Indeed: it did.)
I suffer through major purchases to make sure it’s worth every penny.
Unfortunately, it let me down after only five months. Although it was fixed, ASUS returned it without explaining what caused the problem or what was fixed. Did they separate it? Did they hit him with a stick to wake him up? I honestly have no clue because they told me it was fixed. Come on.
Given the age of Lenovo’s first offering now, it would be cheaper to buy the ROG Ally X rather than buy into the hype. For the games I play regularly, Stardew Valley and Diablo 4, I don’t really need a fancy ASUS device. And I say “fantasy” lightly, because the triggers are already starting to squeak after five months of use. The composite parts don’t feel as premium as the Legion Go.
Is there any hope for me and the wasteful ROG?
Ally X (I call him ROGer) and I have some corrections. If I can put myself through the reinstall process. The whole experience left a bitter taste in my mouth; Ally X gave up on me, went into rehab, I’m giddy and now I can’t bear to look at this. I checked that it was on and put it back in its case. I’m actually thinking of selling it, but I have little patience to deal with that process either.
The moral of this horrifying tale is that I really jumped into the shopping spree. I didn’t need the latest and most expensive tech to play Stardew Valley and Diablo 4. I just needed something that worked for my lifestyle and gave me access to all my libraries, and Lenovo does it for less.
So I guess there’s only one thing left to say. Sorry Jez, you can’t buy Lenovo back.
Join us Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your thoughts and discuss our latest news, reviews and more.
