A few weeks ago, the first ROG ALLly units began to arrive, Asus' portable PC console that seeks to offer an alternative to the Steam Deck. Many users were not impressed with it, mainly due to the relatively low battery life, plus it doesn't seem to withstand heat well. Users with a ROG Ally have been complaining for weeks that the device does not recognize the SD cards, or that it does it at a very slow speed.
Some owners thought it was simply a driver issue. But in an exercise in transparency, Asus has now admitted that the problem is due to heat stress, which in some cases will require a hardware repair.
The ROG Ally does not take well in the heat
Asus' community manager has responded to posts on the official support forum complaining about the SD card reader. He has issued a statement that "upon confirmation of internal tests, under certain thermal stress conditions the SD card reader may malfunction«.
It states that a software update is in the works that will adjust the default and minimum speed of the handheld fans to reduce the temperature inside the device and allow the SD card reader to function normally. Lower temperatures mean higher fan speeds, which means more noise. Regarding this, Asus promises “keep that noise under control«.
It has also announced that any Ally owner experiencing card reader issues can contact Asus customer support in their region. In some cases, Ally will need to be sent to Asus for inspection and subsequent repair.
Source: PC Mag
