Adam Patrick Murray is a person on a mission: Make the Asus ROG Ally carry out higher when the warmth is on. He’s already tried out re-applying thermal paste to the hand-held PC’s AMD Z1 Extreme APU, with outcomes that had been conclusive, if lower than dramatic. In the newest PCWorld YouTube video, he’s again to check out options from our viewer group, a couple of thermal paste model and a pad with completely even utility.

After operating baseline benchmarks and cracking open the retail ROG Ally unit, Adam disconnected the ability, obtained the inventory double-fan cooler off the first PCB, and cleaned off the unique thermal paste. He then utilized Kryonaut Thermal Grizzly, a well-liked aftermarket paste for desktop gaming PCs. He then re-assembled the Ally, did extra benchmarks, and re-did the entire course of, eradicating the Kryonaut paste and making use of a custom-cut thermal pad, PTM7950. It’s an interface materials that stays in a single piece for a straightforward, OEM-style utility.

The outcomes? Unlike the enhance in thermal efficiency in the same Steam Deck, the ROG Ally doesn’t appear to get an enormous enchancment with new thermal paste alone. With the time and supplies it takes to do this, to not say the chance anytime you expose a tool’s central processor, you’re higher off leaving your Ally be.