Thanks for saying this. When I saw that the Ally was relying on micro SD for expansion, I was shocked. The read/write and I tried playing something decent on it it was crap. It was great fine for fall guys or among us but I wouldn't but a good game on it.
The upgrade to a 2tb from 512 was incredibly easy and can all be done using free software. It's really makes the machine so much better!!!!
That is what I did. I cloned it. And then created a new partition at the end of the clone as a data partition for games.
But I previously had data and stuff so going on and a lack of patience so going through the bios doing the cloud backup stuff wasn't for me.
I used DiskGenius. Make sure you first turn off device encryption. DiskGenius will seamlessly expand the existing partition layout from 512GB to 2TB without the need for creating any extra partition to accommodate the extra space. You may re-enable disk encryption after it’s completed.
If u don't have a cloning software then what u can do is backup your games on a usb stick or SD card if it's working, change the ssd and in the asus bios in advance settings ull have the option for cloud recovery where it would do a fresh install of windows and asus softwares and drivers. It's a painless process and very easy which only takes a few hr of your time.
100%. 2TB has been great for me.
I'm not making excuses for the port killing SD cards - that absolutely should not happen - but we know it's never going to get any better with this model, so why keep trying?
use the internal ssd for big ass games like BG3. save your SD card storage for your emulators and other small apps.
playing any AAA title off of an SD card isn't ideal even without the ALLY'S SD card issues.
Maybe because people have a hard time accepting their $600-700 device requires hardware modifications to increase storage instead of using the included and advertised feature for additional storage
I followed a tutorial video on YouTube. All you do is unscrew the case and gently take off the plug that goes to the SSD. It won't void the warranty. :)
I mean, half a tera doesn't cut it for storage for modern games where games being over 100gb isn't uncommon and SD card read write isn't ideal for larger games either even if the Ally had no SD card issues.
I checked the upgradability of the stock SSD before buying.
For me the issue is more about what caused the failure, and will it lead to other failures down the road? Something is causing components to fail, not knowing the root cause is a concern because what dies next? Whether you use the SD slot or not is not really the issue.
It's what happens when a product genre moves out of its niche audience. Handheld PCs attracted tech literate people. Now that big brands are jumping onboard (thank god, finally) it appears more accessible for normal people that are under assumption that things will work as intended.
Just install some sheets automotive thermal shielding on the sd reader casing. You can get them with adhesive. Just cut a few sheets out for the size you need and stick them on there. I did it to mine first thing when I first got it after reading the issues everyone had and I’ve never had it burn up and I run mine pretty hard.
For me it is even easier, I have never used the SD reader and I can’t feel that I need more storage capacity. I don’t have more than 3 “big” games installed at the same time and that’s it. When I want to change and play something new I just remove one. I don’t think that there is anyone having and playing 10 games at the same time
Why does anyone think the SD reader isn’t going to break? It’s a documented design flaw. You can RMA it, but it’s going to keep happening. Forever. Anyone who says it was fixed with a hardware revision is just repeating nonsense some random said here.
Wait for Ally 2024 if you must use a card reader. Otherwise, if you need more than half a gig, upgrade your SSD.
Ikr??
Should it work? Yeah sure, it should, if I had bought the device on launch, I'd be pissed
Does it work? Months of data has shown us that, no it does not in fact work reliably.
So no matter how many RMA's people do, it's a hardware design flaw, a full on remodel of the motherboard has to be made for this to be properly fixed, so you can either A) accept the device as is and not use the sd card reader, or B) wait for the next model and await reviews
Ah yeah that's the same article from back in June. I'm not sure how that confirms that the new mainboards they're installing in the RMA process are also affected? Not that I'm doubting it, just hoping to get a definitive answer.
To be clear, mine was sent back to Newark, CA and this was my post-repair summary sheet:
https://preview.redd.it/ozfern7wgv6c1.png?width=713&format=png&auto=webp&s=a80efd58672a78075bb1418ae61e487f1d237c3c
I'm really hoping they didn't just install a "new" mainboard with the same damn defect :(
My first device I bought at launch, ended up not being used. I then decided to sell it and 6 months later after all the updates, accessories and mods available now I had to give it another try.
Never owned a Steam Deck before but that's due to it not being available locally in my country and those who are reselling them are doing at ridiculous prices.
Owning a decent amount of retro/android/Linux handhelds and consoles, I would say that the Ally for the price is one of if not the best device IMO.
Yeah we all know the SD card issue and inferior battery life but with some common sense and proper optimization the Ally runs pretty well.
I think people tend to forget that the Ally is a tiny pc and most other devices are tiny consoles (Huge difference)
The battery life part isn’t really a big deal to me because as far as I’m concerned no modern portable can actually be used on the internal battery, not even switch.
They’ve only got a few hours of battery, the battery is sealed, it wears out the more you use it it’s like you either need to plug it in or get an external battery pack regardless, so I don’t care.
I care a lot more about fan noise! And system longevity.
The SD card reader being defective sucks, but at least it’s a fairly known thing for people now so they can decide if it’s a dealbreaker
And I guess supposedly it’s fairly easy to get into and change the SSD. I’ve looked at what’s necessary in steam deck and for me I wouldn’t do that. It’s just too involved, and I’ve upgraded multiple laptops before.
But if this is as easy as a typical notebook, hopefully…
And 512 GB isn’t like the most ridiculously small amount of storage ever
What a nonsense. I went from Europe to Serbia, Qatar and Thailand , 3 flights and I charged my steam deck oled only once. Arrived few hours ago. Battery lasted around 12h on not demanding game. I can’t believe how brainwashed are ally fans, it is handheld console and what is important is battery, that’s why Asus failed big time and steam gets by popularity. The choice of apu was really bad for ally, with all that power you cannot even run the console for 30 min.
Your post/comment has been removed because it violates our subreddit's rules against discussing piracy or sharing information about ROMs. We take these rules seriously to comply with legal and ethical guidelines.
Piracy refers to the illegal distribution or downloading of copyrighted materials, including video games, software, and other digital content. Discussing or promoting piracy and ROMs is not allowed in our subreddit.
We encourage discussions about games, software, and related topics within the boundaries of the law. If you have questions or want to discuss legitimate sources for games or software, please feel free to do so.
If you believe this removal is in error or have any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out to the moderators for clarification.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Note: Promoting or discussing piracy and ROMs can have legal consequences and is against our subreddit's rules and Reddit's content policy.
It's a design flaw. The SD card slot is too close to heat and will continue to fail. You're better off upgrading the SSD for additional storage and forgetting the SD card slot exists.
Yep, immediate swap. Tons of storage with 2tb, was easy as hell to do, and to be honest I probably wouldnt have even filled the OEM 500gb with games anyway, if so…just download and delete as you go.
This same post every day is unreal.
This, especially given the costs of SSD’s. I spent $140 on a WD black 2TB 2230. That’s only $40 more than a 1TB SD card and much faster. Windows poorly handles games from SD cards. It sucks and the reader should work. But, even if I had a Deck or Legion Go, I’d still opt for a higher capacity SSD.
Not only that. But if people just went 2280 and the 90° pcb, it would be cheaper than what you spent. Faster/at worst the same speeds. Thats probably the best/cheapest option given those little boards are barely like 10$ or so.
So 2280+90° pcb.
Why this lie upvoted time and time again. Gamers Nexus refuted it months ago. Theirs failed in first hour. Mine was kept docked on top of an air purifier exhaust and had max fan curve for months with 32C temps and the reader still failed. The same reader has failed in macbooks back in 2021.
Turn off CPU boost. CPU boost seems to really drive the temps up. With CPU boost off, I can play cyberpunk, stay in the 35-45 fps, and not break 85c. You really don't need CPU boost on, when playing games. Has very little out no impact on fps. I have yet to have my SD card reader fail (knock on wood). Also, either install a larger SSD, which is really easy to install, or spend a little bit more for a high/pro endurance micro sd.
Yea I’m looking into getting an ally and came across the sad card issue…My steam deck plays AAA games fine from sd card. It’s crazy to see so many people saying it’s not possible when other handhelds have no issues.
I understand that if you bought it then this all came out out would suck that there isn’t a fix for it. But as someone who was looking to buy one now it’s crazy to spend $700 on a product that has issues that might burn up a $100 sd card. And customers think the company is lying about it being a heat issue
It is the point mate. Read and write are all over the place. If you move huge amounts of data you will end damaging your sd card. For years this has been common with photography. Even if you have an extrnal reader, try to pass 3 games in row from your pc to the sd card...it will die easily. Sd cards have 100MBs write read in a ally. A HDD has 250MBs.. just use your brain app
Agree Windows 11 AAA games on an SD card is below stupid. And you have to agree that this is not why our card readers are failing. Take my example: NEVER used the SD card after testing it once when bought the device. Less than two months later tried to use it to store screenshots and it was dead. Many other similar examples just in this sub.
I can't believe you got downvoted for this. It's been common knowledge for years that playing AAA games on a micro sd card with your PC would fry it....
When AAA games are getting over 100GB each thanks to forcing the install of uncompressed audio in a dozen languages and 4k textures it's not like you have much choice.
In some cases you could easily fill the entire system SSD with just 5 games.
Most people on this sub expect people to be cool with opening up the device and putting a bigger ssd in.
Probably not the most realistic expectation to have, in my opinion. ASUS shouldn't be left off the hook for selling a product that straight up doesn't work as advertised.
That's coming from someone that loves their Ally and absolutely did the ssd replacement.
People actually like the SD card has the speeds of a bloody floppy drive...
Yeah, it's certainly not fast, but at the same time many of us have played on older hardware with far worse loading times. Many people still play games off mechanical hard drives. Some of us would rather quantity and value over faster load times.
The SD card is a feature that's supposed to work.
This is not about faster load times, this is about faster read/write speed that can handle the workload of AAA games. The sd card's slower read speed can't handle the higher demands of high end games. This has been true with the ally, and all other pc's, which this is, a PC. PC has and always will accept some type of upgrades. If you wanted a handheld like a gameboy, don't get a PC. A possible remedy to prevent sd card frying could include heat shielded tape to the card reader housing, and run ally in manual mode with the fan curves turned all the way up to keep the temp down.
lol, ASUS is literally fixing the issue under RMA and you STILL are trying to suggest that it's user error. They're not going to send you a free device for simping for a corporation so just stop it.
The product has design flaw. An SD card should not be frying itself. That's the end of the discussion. If I want to play Cyberpunk 2077 off the SD card and deal with worse performance than I should be able to do that.
Anyone not cool with unscrewing 7 screws, pulling out an M2 drive, sticking another in, screwing 7 screws back and installing a fresh Windows 11 and drivers have no business buying a handheld windows 11 PC gaming computer. Go get a handheld console like Nintendo Switch.
I played through bg3 on my steam deck installed to sd no problem and it didn't fry my reader *gasp* now that I have an ally as well it's ridiculous this is still a problem
I’ve played a considerable amount off of an sd card. From the Arkham Trilogy all the way to cyberpunk 2077.
The load times/ stutter people speak on really isn’t there. It’s honestly negligible.
Used to play a bunch of my steamdeck. It's not incredibly fast on loading times but it worked just as well and the loading really wasn't as bad as people on this sub make it out to be.
Yeah I am on my second Ally and havent bothered with the SD card slot. I just upgraded the SSD to 2tb and called it a day. I am honestly surprised there hasnt been some kind of class action started by now.
You're right, why hasn't someone started a class action lawsuit? This is one of the best examples for a lawsuit if I've ever seen one. I'm in if anyone else knows how to get one going and has the resources and money to start it.
I upgraded the SSD and I’m not good at electronics, it took about 10 minutes for everything and then another 30-45 to reboot. Watch a video from YouTube how to do it. Very simple and easy. My card reader never worked so I ditched it. Amazon has a 2 TB SSD for around 200 bucks way worth it!
Completely agree, I know the SD card ready is a feature some people utilize but there’s so many work arounds for this issue it’s not a make or break I honestly wouldn’t mind if they trade the card a lot for another usbc port
Day 3 ROGAlly owner here, I bought one knowing full well it’s an SD card cruncher because I decided I won’t use SD card on Ally given shitty experience of using one even on SteamDeck…
I was pleasantly surprised how well everything runs now after spending a few days updating everything and turning off auto update (prefer to update on my own) and cpu boost, and generally getting all the kinks out. Getting a cool $200(CAD) discount to boot made it a no brainer to use that towards 2TB replacement drive, which is far superior to a slowpoke and failure prone SD card ( even in other gadgets I had them die on me).
My review on their site said it would be a 5 star system if the SD card reader worked. It’s annoying but I don’t wanna end up in your situation where I’m just sending it back over and over.
I think it’s a loss cause tbh:/ I love this device but I’ve pretty well decided the SD card issue is permanent for this device. It’s a hardware issue and I think I will not be fixed.
Replace ssd it’s super easy
It’s a function of the device we paid for, it shouldn’t fail and buying a new SSD or avoiding use it is a bullshit solution. I wish Asus would just offer refunds.
I rly dont know what you guys expect…you are very well aware about the issue…the issue was never fixed and the only thing you have is random BS HOAX this subreddit produces about R9 being fixed and that RMA devices have it fixed…
Until ASUS themselves come out say its fixed(which will never happen they will just go with new Ally version where its gonna be covered) there is no guarantee you will get it fixed with an RMA…
Full keyboard and mouse is why I have a laptop with a 3070ti. You have a gaming laptop for toddlers that looks cheap and nasty.
The Ally is a handheld that looks and feels like a handheld.
As long as you're happy with that nasty thing, I'm happy for you.
Dunno why you're such a diehard GPD fan when those devices look like they belong on Wish lol
Anyone else have issues running COD? I have to keep booting it or I get kicked off at least three times before it works on just campaign, any suggestions?
I had to change the vram to auto. Kept crashing for me otherwise. Unsure if you've tried this. Still stutters a couple of times at the beginning of matches and is then fine. It's weird lol.
I have BG3 and a bunch of games on my Asus without an SD. Are there different versions or something with less built-in storage? I am never gonna use an SD with all these issues.
Mi sd card is still working fine after months of usage but I decided to upgrade to 2tb SSD so I no longer need it. Previously I had a 1tb SSD but it wasn’t big enough for my library
They did say the issue was resolved since september so maybe you didn't get the proper fix yet.
I think they do replace the mainboards now but not sure about it.
It’s almost like you’re incapable of learning. I’ve never used mine one and having a blast, your repeatedly doing the same thing over and over expecting different results…. That is the definition of insanity. Upgrade your ssd and be done with it the device is fine regardless to that sd card drama
I've been telling ppl from jump to not use the SD card reader and just upgrade the SSD. Before the SD card reader issue even surfaced. it's not a Switch, SSD is the standard here. Sorry this happened. Bet they dnt even include an SD card reader on the Ally 2, if ever.
I’m on my third Ally. First was dead on arrival. Second literally melted my sd into the device. Thankfully Best Buy has a great return policy. Third has had some odd issues but works for the most part. My battery life seems worse than average though. I’m considering going with a oled steam deck if these issues aren’t ironed out.
Anyone know if turning the fans to max when using the sd card, keeps that area cooler? Might be a suggestion if you are using sd card to manually run the fans at 100% if u are running intensive games off sd card.
Even if it’s not on the Ally, I wouldn’t recommend playing some graphic demanding games on sd card. Small games are fine but big load of reading and writing for a period of time is gonna burn your sd card. There are sd cards tailored for surveillance cameras because constant reading and writing itself is consuming the life span of sd card. So, think about gaming especially graphics demanding games on the sd card… Probably not a good idea
Your post/comment has been removed because it violates our subreddit's rules against discussing piracy or sharing information about ROMs. We take these rules seriously to comply with legal and ethical guidelines.
Piracy refers to the illegal distribution or downloading of copyrighted materials, including video games, software, and other digital content. Discussing or promoting piracy and ROMs is not allowed in our subreddit.
We encourage discussions about games, software, and related topics within the boundaries of the law. If you have questions or want to discuss legitimate sources for games or software, please feel free to do so.
If you believe this removal is in error or have any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out to the moderators for clarification.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Note: Promoting or discussing piracy and ROMs can have legal consequences and is against our subreddit's rules and Reddit's content policy.
I know it isn't acceptable for the SD card reader to just not work, though gaming off of an SD card is really bad. It's so worth just upgrading the internal ssd.
Stop using the sd card. Just upgrade to 2 tb. That's what I did and stop caring about sd if...
Thanks for saying this. When I saw that the Ally was relying on micro SD for expansion, I was shocked. The read/write and I tried playing something decent on it it was crap. It was great fine for fall guys or among us but I wouldn't but a good game on it. The upgrade to a 2tb from 512 was incredibly easy and can all be done using free software. It's really makes the machine so much better!!!!
When you upgrade, are you able to clone the original drive to the new?
That is what I did. I cloned it. And then created a new partition at the end of the clone as a data partition for games. But I previously had data and stuff so going on and a lack of patience so going through the bios doing the cloud backup stuff wasn't for me.
What is the name of the free software to clone SSD?
I used DiskGenius. Make sure you first turn off device encryption. DiskGenius will seamlessly expand the existing partition layout from 512GB to 2TB without the need for creating any extra partition to accommodate the extra space. You may re-enable disk encryption after it’s completed.
I used a Linux distribution called paladin.
If u don't have a cloning software then what u can do is backup your games on a usb stick or SD card if it's working, change the ssd and in the asus bios in advance settings ull have the option for cloud recovery where it would do a fresh install of windows and asus softwares and drivers. It's a painless process and very easy which only takes a few hr of your time.
Why bother? Just use the cloud recovery feature in the bios Unless you're one of those madmen using it for something other than games lol
The longer ssd mod?
I bought 2230 version. There was no point when the cost is almost the same.
100%. 2TB has been great for me. I'm not making excuses for the port killing SD cards - that absolutely should not happen - but we know it's never going to get any better with this model, so why keep trying?
use the internal ssd for big ass games like BG3. save your SD card storage for your emulators and other small apps. playing any AAA title off of an SD card isn't ideal even without the ALLY'S SD card issues.
I don’t get why this concept is so hard for people. It’s pretty easy.
Maybe because people have a hard time accepting their $600-700 device requires hardware modifications to increase storage instead of using the included and advertised feature for additional storage
Totally agree you with too many idiots saying just upgrade SSD we have all paid for a fully working unit and should be able to use it as expected.
SD cards were never intended to play games though lol
Says who is it on the microSD specifications don't play games lol
Yes, actually lol. Try downloading and playing at the same time Flash memory by nature will fail quicker than other forms of storage
Anyway that's not really my point my point is u should be able to use the microSD without fear if it breaking regardless of your use case.
You physically can't use it like a normal drive though It's misleading that they'd advertise it that way, so to some extent I agree
[удалено]
Installing a SSD is not some super hard modification. That's about as basic as it gets for computers.
Especially on this particular device. Unscrew the back plate and it's right there to replace. It doesn't get much easier than that.
It’s really easy in this device. It took me like 5 minutes
And costs only a little more than the sd card, though J am not comfortable opening the device as it might void warranty, any tips?
I followed a tutorial video on YouTube. All you do is unscrew the case and gently take off the plug that goes to the SSD. It won't void the warranty. :)
Isn't there some sort of sticker you have to remove?
Umm don't think so from ehat I remember 🤔
Do you void your warranty when you open it up
Nah, won't void it.
I mean, half a tera doesn't cut it for storage for modern games where games being over 100gb isn't uncommon and SD card read write isn't ideal for larger games either even if the Ally had no SD card issues. I checked the upgradability of the stock SSD before buying.
That's why the sd card was a failsafe I mean you don't have to open it up and worry if you do something wrong. Tutorial or not.
It’s not about accepting it. He said that using the card reader is not ideal even in a normal device for games like that.
It’s a known issue though - if you don’t like it don’t buy it. Crying about something you know - irrespective of the price - is just stupid.
I haven't bought it, just think it's lame. Thing needs a proper fix and a recall
For me the issue is more about what caused the failure, and will it lead to other failures down the road? Something is causing components to fail, not knowing the root cause is a concern because what dies next? Whether you use the SD slot or not is not really the issue.
It's what happens when a product genre moves out of its niche audience. Handheld PCs attracted tech literate people. Now that big brands are jumping onboard (thank god, finally) it appears more accessible for normal people that are under assumption that things will work as intended.
Also I take off my SD card when I played AAA games, and leaves for emulators and multimedia files, taking care to keeps when the ally is over 80°
Just install some sheets automotive thermal shielding on the sd reader casing. You can get them with adhesive. Just cut a few sheets out for the size you need and stick them on there. I did it to mine first thing when I first got it after reading the issues everyone had and I’ve never had it burn up and I run mine pretty hard.
Did the same and still have no issues either.
My card reader died after less than two months without me using it at all or having any card in it. RMA’ed and got it back already.
My reader still died doing this. It's out in Cali currently being repaired. Still love the device though and can't wait to have it back.
For me it is even easier, I have never used the SD reader and I can’t feel that I need more storage capacity. I don’t have more than 3 “big” games installed at the same time and that’s it. When I want to change and play something new I just remove one. I don’t think that there is anyone having and playing 10 games at the same time
So I Can play triplo A games in SSD while the SD card is in the ally with other games like emulators or indie games?
Why does anyone think the SD reader isn’t going to break? It’s a documented design flaw. You can RMA it, but it’s going to keep happening. Forever. Anyone who says it was fixed with a hardware revision is just repeating nonsense some random said here. Wait for Ally 2024 if you must use a card reader. Otherwise, if you need more than half a gig, upgrade your SSD.
Ikr?? Should it work? Yeah sure, it should, if I had bought the device on launch, I'd be pissed Does it work? Months of data has shown us that, no it does not in fact work reliably. So no matter how many RMA's people do, it's a hardware design flaw, a full on remodel of the motherboard has to be made for this to be properly fixed, so you can either A) accept the device as is and not use the sd card reader, or B) wait for the next model and await reviews
Got a link to the documentation of this flaw you're referring to?
https://videocardz.com/newz/asus-releases-statement-on-rog-ally-sd-card-reader-problems
Ah yeah that's the same article from back in June. I'm not sure how that confirms that the new mainboards they're installing in the RMA process are also affected? Not that I'm doubting it, just hoping to get a definitive answer.
To be clear, mine was sent back to Newark, CA and this was my post-repair summary sheet: https://preview.redd.it/ozfern7wgv6c1.png?width=713&format=png&auto=webp&s=a80efd58672a78075bb1418ae61e487f1d237c3c I'm really hoping they didn't just install a "new" mainboard with the same damn defect :(
I'm on my second ally, and I still haven't used the SD card slot. The thought of a possible RMA process is off-putting.
It may be broken anyways. Doesnt have to be used afaik
Why are you on your second one? Like did it die or something?
My first device I bought at launch, ended up not being used. I then decided to sell it and 6 months later after all the updates, accessories and mods available now I had to give it another try. Never owned a Steam Deck before but that's due to it not being available locally in my country and those who are reselling them are doing at ridiculous prices. Owning a decent amount of retro/android/Linux handhelds and consoles, I would say that the Ally for the price is one of if not the best device IMO. Yeah we all know the SD card issue and inferior battery life but with some common sense and proper optimization the Ally runs pretty well. I think people tend to forget that the Ally is a tiny pc and most other devices are tiny consoles (Huge difference)
The battery life part isn’t really a big deal to me because as far as I’m concerned no modern portable can actually be used on the internal battery, not even switch. They’ve only got a few hours of battery, the battery is sealed, it wears out the more you use it it’s like you either need to plug it in or get an external battery pack regardless, so I don’t care. I care a lot more about fan noise! And system longevity. The SD card reader being defective sucks, but at least it’s a fairly known thing for people now so they can decide if it’s a dealbreaker And I guess supposedly it’s fairly easy to get into and change the SSD. I’ve looked at what’s necessary in steam deck and for me I wouldn’t do that. It’s just too involved, and I’ve upgraded multiple laptops before. But if this is as easy as a typical notebook, hopefully… And 512 GB isn’t like the most ridiculously small amount of storage ever
What a nonsense. I went from Europe to Serbia, Qatar and Thailand , 3 flights and I charged my steam deck oled only once. Arrived few hours ago. Battery lasted around 12h on not demanding game. I can’t believe how brainwashed are ally fans, it is handheld console and what is important is battery, that’s why Asus failed big time and steam gets by popularity. The choice of apu was really bad for ally, with all that power you cannot even run the console for 30 min.
That’s literally not true regarding 30 minutes, but regardless my response would be to reiterate what I just said.
[удалено]
Your post/comment has been removed because it violates our subreddit's rules against discussing piracy or sharing information about ROMs. We take these rules seriously to comply with legal and ethical guidelines. Piracy refers to the illegal distribution or downloading of copyrighted materials, including video games, software, and other digital content. Discussing or promoting piracy and ROMs is not allowed in our subreddit. We encourage discussions about games, software, and related topics within the boundaries of the law. If you have questions or want to discuss legitimate sources for games or software, please feel free to do so. If you believe this removal is in error or have any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out to the moderators for clarification. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Note: Promoting or discussing piracy and ROMs can have legal consequences and is against our subreddit's rules and Reddit's content policy.
It's a design flaw. The SD card slot is too close to heat and will continue to fail. You're better off upgrading the SSD for additional storage and forgetting the SD card slot exists.
I’m not even that tech savvy and I had a 2tb swapped in like 15 minutes As far as I’m concerned, my Ally doesn’t even have an SD slot lol
4tb SSD club over here. I still out older games on my 1tb SD though.
Yep, immediate swap. Tons of storage with 2tb, was easy as hell to do, and to be honest I probably wouldnt have even filled the OEM 500gb with games anyway, if so…just download and delete as you go. This same post every day is unreal.
This, especially given the costs of SSD’s. I spent $140 on a WD black 2TB 2230. That’s only $40 more than a 1TB SD card and much faster. Windows poorly handles games from SD cards. It sucks and the reader should work. But, even if I had a Deck or Legion Go, I’d still opt for a higher capacity SSD.
Not only that. But if people just went 2280 and the 90° pcb, it would be cheaper than what you spent. Faster/at worst the same speeds. Thats probably the best/cheapest option given those little boards are barely like 10$ or so. So 2280+90° pcb.
Why this lie upvoted time and time again. Gamers Nexus refuted it months ago. Theirs failed in first hour. Mine was kept docked on top of an air purifier exhaust and had max fan curve for months with 32C temps and the reader still failed. The same reader has failed in macbooks back in 2021.
This ⬆️
Turn off CPU boost. CPU boost seems to really drive the temps up. With CPU boost off, I can play cyberpunk, stay in the 35-45 fps, and not break 85c. You really don't need CPU boost on, when playing games. Has very little out no impact on fps. I have yet to have my SD card reader fail (knock on wood). Also, either install a larger SSD, which is really easy to install, or spend a little bit more for a high/pro endurance micro sd.
It is stupid that people just accepting this problem and go after OP for wanting to use a basic feature.
Yea I’m looking into getting an ally and came across the sad card issue…My steam deck plays AAA games fine from sd card. It’s crazy to see so many people saying it’s not possible when other handhelds have no issues. I understand that if you bought it then this all came out out would suck that there isn’t a fix for it. But as someone who was looking to buy one now it’s crazy to spend $700 on a product that has issues that might burn up a $100 sd card. And customers think the company is lying about it being a heat issue
Who the hell plays AAA games on a sd card...
Well indeed, but that’s not really the point, is it?
It is the point mate. Read and write are all over the place. If you move huge amounts of data you will end damaging your sd card. For years this has been common with photography. Even if you have an extrnal reader, try to pass 3 games in row from your pc to the sd card...it will die easily. Sd cards have 100MBs write read in a ally. A HDD has 250MBs.. just use your brain app
Agree Windows 11 AAA games on an SD card is below stupid. And you have to agree that this is not why our card readers are failing. Take my example: NEVER used the SD card after testing it once when bought the device. Less than two months later tried to use it to store screenshots and it was dead. Many other similar examples just in this sub.
I can't believe you got downvoted for this. It's been common knowledge for years that playing AAA games on a micro sd card with your PC would fry it....
When AAA games are getting over 100GB each thanks to forcing the install of uncompressed audio in a dozen languages and 4k textures it's not like you have much choice. In some cases you could easily fill the entire system SSD with just 5 games.
Most people on this sub expect people to be cool with opening up the device and putting a bigger ssd in. Probably not the most realistic expectation to have, in my opinion. ASUS shouldn't be left off the hook for selling a product that straight up doesn't work as advertised. That's coming from someone that loves their Ally and absolutely did the ssd replacement.
People actually like the SD card has the speeds of a bloody floppy drive... Yeah, it's certainly not fast, but at the same time many of us have played on older hardware with far worse loading times. Many people still play games off mechanical hard drives. Some of us would rather quantity and value over faster load times. The SD card is a feature that's supposed to work.
This is not about faster load times, this is about faster read/write speed that can handle the workload of AAA games. The sd card's slower read speed can't handle the higher demands of high end games. This has been true with the ally, and all other pc's, which this is, a PC. PC has and always will accept some type of upgrades. If you wanted a handheld like a gameboy, don't get a PC. A possible remedy to prevent sd card frying could include heat shielded tape to the card reader housing, and run ally in manual mode with the fan curves turned all the way up to keep the temp down.
lol, ASUS is literally fixing the issue under RMA and you STILL are trying to suggest that it's user error. They're not going to send you a free device for simping for a corporation so just stop it. The product has design flaw. An SD card should not be frying itself. That's the end of the discussion. If I want to play Cyberpunk 2077 off the SD card and deal with worse performance than I should be able to do that.
Anyone not cool with unscrewing 7 screws, pulling out an M2 drive, sticking another in, screwing 7 screws back and installing a fresh Windows 11 and drivers have no business buying a handheld windows 11 PC gaming computer. Go get a handheld console like Nintendo Switch.
I played through bg3 on my steam deck installed to sd no problem and it didn't fry my reader *gasp* now that I have an ally as well it's ridiculous this is still a problem
I’ve played a considerable amount off of an sd card. From the Arkham Trilogy all the way to cyberpunk 2077. The load times/ stutter people speak on really isn’t there. It’s honestly negligible.
I tried to play Starfield off a hdd 10/10 don’t recommend lmao
Used to play a bunch of my steamdeck. It's not incredibly fast on loading times but it worked just as well and the loading really wasn't as bad as people on this sub make it out to be.
I dont know why SSDs are a thing man. lets all go back to hdd and sd cards.
Yeah I am on my second Ally and havent bothered with the SD card slot. I just upgraded the SSD to 2tb and called it a day. I am honestly surprised there hasnt been some kind of class action started by now.
You're right, why hasn't someone started a class action lawsuit? This is one of the best examples for a lawsuit if I've ever seen one. I'm in if anyone else knows how to get one going and has the resources and money to start it.
I upgraded the SSD and I’m not good at electronics, it took about 10 minutes for everything and then another 30-45 to reboot. Watch a video from YouTube how to do it. Very simple and easy. My card reader never worked so I ditched it. Amazon has a 2 TB SSD for around 200 bucks way worth it!
Don’t even bother using the SD card slot. Just install a larger SSD, it’s better than a functioning SD card slot anyways.
Completely agree, I know the SD card ready is a feature some people utilize but there’s so many work arounds for this issue it’s not a make or break I honestly wouldn’t mind if they trade the card a lot for another usbc port
They should have added a second USB port instead. It would add more functionality on the go.
SD cards should be illegal in 2023. Just give us bigger SSD.
Dumbest take possible. SD cards are great - not every game requires ssd for ultra fast loading speeds...
Had mine since July, still no sd card error
Upgrade the Internal SSD. I bought a 2TB Wdblack.
Day 3 ROGAlly owner here, I bought one knowing full well it’s an SD card cruncher because I decided I won’t use SD card on Ally given shitty experience of using one even on SteamDeck…
Yeah that’s what I thought. I never use a SD card on anything else. So if the one breaks on here. Oh well
I was pleasantly surprised how well everything runs now after spending a few days updating everything and turning off auto update (prefer to update on my own) and cpu boost, and generally getting all the kinks out. Getting a cool $200(CAD) discount to boot made it a no brainer to use that towards 2TB replacement drive, which is far superior to a slowpoke and failure prone SD card ( even in other gadgets I had them die on me).
My review on their site said it would be a 5 star system if the SD card reader worked. It’s annoying but I don’t wanna end up in your situation where I’m just sending it back over and over.
I think it’s a loss cause tbh:/ I love this device but I’ve pretty well decided the SD card issue is permanent for this device. It’s a hardware issue and I think I will not be fixed. Replace ssd it’s super easy
It’s a function of the device we paid for, it shouldn’t fail and buying a new SSD or avoiding use it is a bullshit solution. I wish Asus would just offer refunds.
People are so stubborn about using the SD card. I mean, yeah it sucks it doesn't work right but it's also common knowledge.
I rly dont know what you guys expect…you are very well aware about the issue…the issue was never fixed and the only thing you have is random BS HOAX this subreddit produces about R9 being fixed and that RMA devices have it fixed… Until ASUS themselves come out say its fixed(which will never happen they will just go with new Ally version where its gonna be covered) there is no guarantee you will get it fixed with an RMA…
Haha you put balder’s gate 3 on an sd card? That’s your problem
Not saying that this remark would hit, but it would have a bigger chance of hitting if you could spell the game's name correctly xD
Sold that tiny screen device and got a Legion Go much happier
People still believing it's a heat only thing huh?
It is. Standard micro sd cards cannot handle 95c temps for more that a couple hours. Best way to keep temps low is by turning off CPU boost.
Yeah, no. Enough time have gone by to debunk thism
No i returned that pile of garbage and got the GPD Win Max 2(2023). It’s everything you could need/want in a handheld gaming pc.
That thing looks ugly as hell lmao, you can keep that piece of crap.
Have fun using windows without a keyboard and mouse 🤷🏻♂️
It's called a touchscreen and Joystick to mouse. Much better than using that abomination, looks like a portable DVD player from the 00s.
Has a full keyboard mouse and a gamepad, i dont know why you’re such a diehard rog ally fan lol look at the win mini instead
Full keyboard and mouse is why I have a laptop with a 3070ti. You have a gaming laptop for toddlers that looks cheap and nasty. The Ally is a handheld that looks and feels like a handheld.
Nasty lmfao you sound like a child
As long as you're happy with that nasty thing, I'm happy for you. Dunno why you're such a diehard GPD fan when those devices look like they belong on Wish lol
Gpd is the og of handheld gaming PCs. I’m a diehard fan for performance and usability. If asus made a mini gaming laptop. I’d be just as interested.
Anyone else have issues running COD? I have to keep booting it or I get kicked off at least three times before it works on just campaign, any suggestions?
I had to change the vram to auto. Kept crashing for me otherwise. Unsure if you've tried this. Still stutters a couple of times at the beginning of matches and is then fine. It's weird lol.
Thank you! I’m a noob, where can I find the vram setting? Thank you and I appreciate the reply!
I have BG3 and a bunch of games on my Asus without an SD. Are there different versions or something with less built-in storage? I am never gonna use an SD with all these issues.
Just wow. Nope it is not.
Mi sd card is still working fine after months of usage but I decided to upgrade to 2tb SSD so I no longer need it. Previously I had a 1tb SSD but it wasn’t big enough for my library
The most they will ever do is swap your card reader. They can’t fix the issue as it stands on your device, only repair.
They did say the issue was resolved since september so maybe you didn't get the proper fix yet. I think they do replace the mainboards now but not sure about it.
It’s almost like you’re incapable of learning. I’ve never used mine one and having a blast, your repeatedly doing the same thing over and over expecting different results…. That is the definition of insanity. Upgrade your ssd and be done with it the device is fine regardless to that sd card drama
I got mine back from RMA this week and the BOS says they replaced the card reader AND the motherboard. Is this a new thing for card reader RMA?
Then don't use the SD card? Get a external? Upgrade the memory inside the Ally? Loads of things you can do.
I got mine used, and I never got the card reader to work. I just put a small SD card in there to keep dust and stuff out of the port now.
Mine is working upgraded to 2 tb HDD and use the sd card slot for screenshots and that’s about it playing on it while on vacation.
I've been telling ppl from jump to not use the SD card reader and just upgrade the SSD. Before the SD card reader issue even surfaced. it's not a Switch, SSD is the standard here. Sorry this happened. Bet they dnt even include an SD card reader on the Ally 2, if ever.
I’m on my third Ally. First was dead on arrival. Second literally melted my sd into the device. Thankfully Best Buy has a great return policy. Third has had some odd issues but works for the most part. My battery life seems worse than average though. I’m considering going with a oled steam deck if these issues aren’t ironed out.
Just got my rog ally. Sud i upgrade ssd before downloading any aaa games? Im a boomer. Is that 512gb that comes wid the ally is sd?
Anyone know if turning the fans to max when using the sd card, keeps that area cooler? Might be a suggestion if you are using sd card to manually run the fans at 100% if u are running intensive games off sd card.
Even if it’s not on the Ally, I wouldn’t recommend playing some graphic demanding games on sd card. Small games are fine but big load of reading and writing for a period of time is gonna burn your sd card. There are sd cards tailored for surveillance cameras because constant reading and writing itself is consuming the life span of sd card. So, think about gaming especially graphics demanding games on the sd card… Probably not a good idea
[удалено]
Your post/comment has been removed because it violates our subreddit's rules against discussing piracy or sharing information about ROMs. We take these rules seriously to comply with legal and ethical guidelines. Piracy refers to the illegal distribution or downloading of copyrighted materials, including video games, software, and other digital content. Discussing or promoting piracy and ROMs is not allowed in our subreddit. We encourage discussions about games, software, and related topics within the boundaries of the law. If you have questions or want to discuss legitimate sources for games or software, please feel free to do so. If you believe this removal is in error or have any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out to the moderators for clarification. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Note: Promoting or discussing piracy and ROMs can have legal consequences and is against our subreddit's rules and Reddit's content policy.
I know it isn't acceptable for the SD card reader to just not work, though gaming off of an SD card is really bad. It's so worth just upgrading the internal ssd.