Between the Switch 2, the Steam Deck, and even the PlayStation Portal, handheld gaming is bigger than ever. Despite having some amazing games on the Xbox Series X and S, console sales this generation have been lackluster at best. Xbox has made a lot of gambles to try to stay competitive, such as Game Pass and making the biggest acquisition in gaming history with Activision Blizzard, but the question still remains how it will manage to regain its foothold in the industry after falling so far behind. One idea that has been teased many times concerns a dedicated Xbox handheld device that has many fans intrigued. After tons of rumors and speculation, Xbox finally revealed a dedicated Xbox handheld made in partnership with ROG.
There are a few important pieces of information we’re still waiting for, but I have rounded up everything we know so far.
ROG Xbox Ally release date
Both versions of the ROG Xbox Ally will hit store shelves on October 16, 2025.
ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Ally X specs
The ROG Xbox Ally is based on the ROG Ally, but is an upgrade over the last version. Just like there is the Xbox Series X and S, there are also two versions to pick from: the ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally. The X will be the slightly more powerful version, but here’s a full breakdown of how the two compare, taken directly from the official Xbox website.
| ROG Xbox Ally X | ROG Xbox Ally | |
| Controls | Contoured grips inspired by Xbox Wireless Controllers deliver all-day comfort, complete with impulse triggers for enhanced control. ABXY buttons / D-pad / L & R impulse triggers / L & R bumpers / Xbox button / View button / Menu button / Command Center button / Library button / 2x assignable back buttons / 2x full-size analog sticks / HD haptics / 6-Axis IMU |
Contoured grips inspired by Xbox Wireless Controllers deliver all-day comfort, complete with impulse triggers for enhanced control. ABXY buttons / D-pad / L & R impulse triggers / L & R bumpers / Xbox button / View button / Menu button / Command Center button / Library button / 2x assignable back buttons / 2x full-size analog sticks / HD haptics / 6-Axis IMU |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen™ AI Z2 Extreme Processor | AMD Ryzen™ Z2 A Processor |
| Memory | 24GB LPDDR5X-8000 | 16GB LPDDR5X-6400 |
| Storage | 1TB M.2 2280 SSD for easier upgrade | 512GB M.2 2280 SSD for easier upgrade |
| Display | 7” FHD (1080p) IPS, 500 nits, 16:9 120Hz refresh rate FreeSync Premium Corning Gorilla Glass Victus + DXC Anti-Reflection |
7” FHD (1080p) IPS, 500 nits, 16:9 120Hz refresh rate FreeSync Premium Corning Gorilla Glass Victus + DXC Anti-Reflection |
| IO Ports | 1x USB4 Type-C with DisplayPort™ 2.1 / Power Delivery 3.0, Thunderbolt™ 4 compatible 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort™ 2.1 / Power Delivery 3.0 1x UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC; UHS-I with DDR200 mode) 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack |
2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort™ 1.4 / Power Delivery 3.0 1x UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC) 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack |
| Network and Communication | Wi-Fi 6E (2 x 2) + Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 6E (2 x 2) + Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Size | 290.8*121.5*50.7mm 715g |
290.8*121.5*50.7mm 670g |
| Battery | 80Wh | 60Wh |
As impressive as those specs are for PC enthusiasts, they don’t mean a lot to console gamers. If you want more direct comparisons, I have compared the ROG Xbox Ally X vs. Steam Deck and the ROG Xbox Ally X vs. Switch 2 so you can get a better idea of how this system stacks up to something you are more familiar with.
ROG Xbox Ally price speculation
We all expected the price to be announced with the release date during Gamescom 2025, but that wasn’t the case. For now, neither Xbox nor Asus has given any clue as to what the price will be, leading me to believe it is likely to be higher than we hope.
The last major price leak was that the ROG Xbox Ally and X would cost around $700 and $1,000, respectively. Again, this was a rumor and was stated months ago. Even if it were true at the time, things almost certainly have changed in light of things like component costs and tariffs.
ROG Xbox Ally features
While Xbox opted to partner with Asus to make the ROG Xbox Ally instead of building its own from the ground up, this handheld will still have all the features you would expect and more.
Unlike the previous ROG Ally handhelds that launched directly into a Windows 11 UI, the ROG Xbox Ally will take you straight to the Xbox GameBar, where you can instantly access games from Game Pass, Battle.net, Steam, and more without having to mess around with a virtual desktop. This will make it far more approachable to the average player who wants as few barriers between starting up a handheld and playing their games. If you are a power user who wants to tinker with settings and perhaps do things with the handheld it wasn’t technically designed to do, that is still an option.
Beyond all your PC storefronts being available, Xbox Cloud gaming will also be available if you want to stream games rather than download them.
ROG Xbox Ally games
The biggest selling point for the ROG Xbox Ally is how it will unify all your PC storefronts into one convenient system. It is confirmed that you will be able to launch games straight from your Steam, Epic, Battle.net, and Xbox libraries from the new UI without having to jump through any hoops like you would on the Steam Deck.
Not all games will be tuned to be played on the handheld, and the most demanding games won’t be able to keep up with your PC or home console, but this will be the most powerful handheld yet and should hold up quite well.
In short, if you’ve got a library of PC games already, or access to Game Pass, then you can take all those games with you onto the ROG Xbox Ally.
