In the world of portable gaming, the Asus ROG Ally stands out for its impressive performance, especially when put side-by-side with the Steam Deck and other handheld competitors. The release of the upgraded ROG Ally X in 2024 only further extends this lead, boasting enhancements like a more powerful engine, a sharper display, and user-friendly design tweaks. A noteworthy feature across the ROG Ally lineup is the inclusion of a UHS-II microSD card slot. This upgrade allows for faster read and write speeds compared to the UHS-I slots you’d find in gadgets like the Steam Deck, the Nintendo Switch, and a number of other devices. Translation: with the right microSD card, you’re likely to experience significantly quicker download times.
Now, if you’re wondering just how much faster, Lexar notes that UHS-II can triple the maximum transfer speed of UHS-I, topping out at a brisk 312 MB/s versus the 104 MB/s of UHS-I. Despite the wide availability of microSD cards, finding UHS-II versions can be tricky. Major players in the storage industry like Samsung and SanDisk haven’t yet stepped into the UHS-II microSD market. What’s on offer is generally more expensive than your average card, and annoyingly, doesn’t even utilize the full speed potential of UHS-II.
For those willing to get hands-on with their ROG Ally (and worry not, this doesn’t void your warranty!), investing in an M.2 SSD is a smart move. It delivers more bang for your buck in terms of storage capacity and runs faster than a microSD card. But if you prefer a simpler solution and don’t mind splurging a bit for a speed boost, we’ve listed a couple of readily available options below.
If your primary goal is boosting your handheld’s storage capacity without chasing the fastest speeds, there are plenty of high-capacity microSD cards available from brands like SanDisk, Samsung, and Lexar. These can provide up to a whopping 1.5 TB of additional storage, giving you ample space for your gaming adventures.
