A New Player in Handheld Gaming
The handheld gaming market is heating up in 2025. With the Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, and Sony’s PlayStation Portal dominating conversations, Microsoft and Asus are now stepping forward with the ROG Xbox Ally, a handheld console built to make Xbox gaming more portable than ever.

Microsoft confirmed during Gamescom 2025 that two models—the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X—will launch later this year. The announcement focused on hardware and features, but the company notably avoided confirming official pricing.

ROG Xbox Ally vs Xbox Ally X

The two models mirror the Xbox Series X and S philosophy, offering different performance tiers:

• ROG Xbox Ally X: AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, 24GB LPDDR5X memory, 1TB SSD, 80Wh battery, USB4 connectivity, and a 7-inch FHD IPS panel at 120Hz with Gorilla Glass Victus. Weight: 715g.
• ROG Xbox Ally (standard): AMD Ryzen Z2 A, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 60Wh battery, dual USB-C ports, and the same 7-inch 120Hz display. Weight: 670g.

Both handhelds include Xbox-style grips, impulse triggers, haptics, and customizable back buttons, ensuring familiarity for console fans.

Xbox-Centered Experience
Unlike previous ROG Ally devices, the Xbox edition boots directly into Xbox GameBar, giving instant access to Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and major PC platforms such as Steam and Epic Games. For advanced users, Windows 11 desktop mode is still available, creating a hybrid system that balances console simplicity with PC flexibility.

Price Speculation and Competition

Leaks suggest the base model could cost around $700, while the Ally X might reach $1,000, but tariffs and market positioning may shift this. Microsoft could lean toward aggressive pricing to drive Game Pass adoption in the handheld space.