Players seeking a high-end alternative to the Steam Deck were attracted to the ASUS ROG Ally, a gaming handheld featuring the AMD Ryzen Z1 series. Despite its allure, the device had its flaws. One notable issue was the malfunction of the SD card slot, potentially causing damage to inserted cards.
Introduced in June of the previous year, the Ally came under scrutiny when ASUS acknowledged that certain units might experience SD card-related issues. In response, the company released software and firmware updates intended to enhance system reliability by adjusting minimum fan speeds.
Nevertheless, these actions did not completely address the issues, leading the company to revise the warranty terms. ASUS has decided to extend the ROG Ally coverage from 12 months to 24 months. Alongside this extension, the company will compensate users for any damaged SD cards, either based on the card’s purchase price or its fair market value.
This warranty revision is specifically for customers in the United States. However, users in regions such as the European Union typically have a 24-month warranty already, so this update doesn’t significantly impact these gamers. Notably, there’s no indication of reimbursement for damaged SD cards mentioned here.
ROG Ally SD Card Reader
We have become aware that a small number of SD card readers in the ROG Ally (2023) RC71L may not perform as expected. We are therefore extending the warranty on the SD card reader from twelve to twenty-four months.
We will reimburse you for SD cards damaged by the SD card reader if you send the card(s) to us along with proof of purchase when you return your Ally for RMA service. If you do not have proof of purchase for your damaged SD card(s), we will reimburse the card’s(s’) fair market value as determined by us.
If you previously sent your Ally to us for warranty service and did not receive a reimbursement for a damaged SD Card, you can contact us to discuss receiving reimbursement. In lieu of RMA service, you can return your Ally to us for a full refund within 90 days of purchase if you purchased your Ally (2023) RC71L from ASUS directly.
For other countries, if you are currently experiencing issues with your SD card reader, please contact your local customer service to request an RMA for your unit.
— ASUS
Source: ASUS