Want to add a larger SSD to your ROG Ally? Here’s how to do it

Do you want to add more storage space to your Asus ROG Ally or Ally X quickly, affordably and easily? Buy a microSD card, slide it in and continue gaming. But what’s the fun in that? If you want faster storage that doesn’t cost much more than a high-capacity microSD card, we recommend upgrading to the M.2 SSD.

Now, taking apart your expensive hardware can be intimidating, but with our step-by-step tutorial, which includes the necessary tools and components, we’ll get you and your ROG Ally to the finish line in no time. And in case you haven’t customized your ROG Ally yet, we have some must-have ROG Ally accessories that we think you’ll love.

Most of the tools you will need for this project such as spudgers and a #0 Phillips screwdriverare easy enough to obtain piecemeal online or at your local hardware store. But if you want a neater solution that has everything you need in one place for disassembling the ROG Ally (and pretty much every other consumer gadget in your house), you might want to consider the Essential electronics toolkit from iFixit. For the purposes of this tutorial, I’m relying on my trusty Pro Tech Toolkitwhich costs more because it contains extra pieces.

When it comes to your replacement SSD, you have plenty of options. But which one you should get depends on how much storage you need and which ROG Ally you have. If you’re running the original white ROG Ally, which comes with a 512GB SSD as standard, we recommend doubling the internal storage with a 1TB SSD, or quadrupling it to 2TB if you can afford it. One specification that is crucial to know is that the standard ROG Ally is only suitable for the 2230 format of M.2 SSDs.

If you own the newer black ROG Ally However, because this handheld is only compatible with the larger 2280 size M.2 SSDs, there is a wider range of options at multiple price points. Note: Some Ally X owners are enabled Reddit report that there is enough internal space for an M.2 SSD with a built-in heatsink, although some owners note that not using it doesn’t seem to affect performance.

Before we move on to installation instructions, we’ve put together a handful of compatible models for the ROG Ally for you to choose from, followed by recommendations for the Ally

2230 format SSDs for ROG Ally

2280 format SSDs for ROG Ally

Start disassembling – carefully

A general rule before opening a device is to turn it off first. Not only that, draining the battery is never a bad idea during this process. Asus recommends discharging the battery to approximately 25% before using ROG Ally, as a charged battery poses a potential fire hazard if something goes wrong.

Then remove your microSD card from the slot. Doing so will minimize the chance of it accidentally breaking (I say this because it unfortunately happened to me).

Place the console face down on a table or use a flat surface that is free of debris, ideally a surface like the anti-static silicone pad I’m using in the photos.

To access the internal components of the ROG Ally, you will need to use a #0 Phillips screwdriver to remove five screws. Note that a sixth screw, located at the bottom center of the calculator, is designed to be loosened, but not removed, so don’t continue.

Once the screws are removed (again, except the bottom center one), gently slide a soft flat edge (such as a guitar pick, pry tool, or plastic card) between the plastic casing to release the clips around the edge of the back cover. You’ll know you’ve done this correctly when you hear a click and the back cover separates from the chassis. Carefully lift the back cover away and place it in a safe place.

Before you do anything else, disconnect the battery. The instructions are the same for both ROG Ally and ROG Ally To do this, simply use the flat edge of a plastic tool to gently push the metal locking bar away from the connector that holds the ribbon cable in place. It is important that you do not attempt to lift the bar as this could damage it and prevent it from locking back into place.

Once the locking bar has been pushed back, use a flat tool under the connector and gently lift the cable out of the socket. This doesn’t have to take much effort. Once you disconnect the cable from the motherboard, you no longer have to worry about the battery.

Remove the plastic cover that shields the SSD

Once you get to see the inside of the ROG Ally, you’ll see a piece of plastic covering the SSD. This is attached with a little bit of glue, so you can easily pull it off. You may want to keep it instead of throwing it straight in the trash like I did. On the ROG Ally

It’s time for the main event. Under the black sheet of plastic, the original SSD that came with your device will be visible next to the fan on the left side of the Ally (in the ROG Ally under the battery cable and a removable thermal cover). Using a Phillips #0 screwdriver, remove the single screw securing the SSD to the M.2 socket. The SSD should rise slightly and you can then gently pull the SSD out of the socket. Do not attempt to lift the SSD while removing it as this may damage your handheld and/or SSD.

Set aside the old SSD, which you can reformat to use as you see fit.

At this point you can insert your shiny new SSD into the now empty socket. Make sure the pins of the SSD match the socket and insert it gently without much pressure. You’ll know you’ve done it right once the small notch on the bottom of the SSD lines up with the hole for the screw you removed earlier. Screw it back in. You’re almost done!

Reassembling your ROG Ally means doing everything you just did to disassemble it, but in reverse.

To reconnect the battery, remove the connector from the ribbon cable and reinsert it into the socket. You can use your fingers or a soft object to gently push it into the holder until you hear a small click. Then use your flat edge to push the locking bar back into place over the connector.

Once you’ve retained the small plastic sheet you removed earlier, you can stick it back in place. However, if you were like me and threw it away in a hurry, don’t worry; it won’t hinder your Ally’s performance.

Finally, you can reattach the back cover. Simply press the lid back into its original position until you hear the clips click into place. If the back cover is still a little loose, that’s no problem. Once you tighten all the screws you removed earlier, it will be secured in its original position.

The final step to get your Ally ready for gaming is to restore the Windows operating system. To do this, plug the Ally back in and turn it on. It should automatically boot into the BIOS menu. If not, try turning on the system while pressing and holding the Power button and the Volume Down button at the same time.

Once you are in the BIOS menu, use the touchscreen to go to the Advanced tab and select Asus Cloud Recovery. From there you should be able to follow the prompts to download and reinstall the operating system. Although you will need to re-download and re-install any games you had stored on the original SSD, you are otherwise good to go. Good luck, and have fun.