As the previous report noted, this price hike likely comes down to the fact that the ROG Xbox Ally X uses higher-speed and higher-capacity RAM than the ROG Xbox Ally. The former is equipped with 24 GB of LPDDR5X-8000 RAM, while the latter runs on 16 GB of LPDDR5-6400 RAM. Costs associated with storage may have also played a role here, since the Xbox Ally X has 1 TB, while the Xbox Ally only has 512 GB.

The Japanese market saw a steeper price hike, with a difference of almost $200. In the country, the ROG Xbox Ally X is now priced at ¥169,800 (roughly $1,109)—a ¥30,000 (roughly $196) increase over its previously costing ¥139,800 (roughly $913).

Asus and Microsoft aren’t the only companies to have been affected by the global shortages in memory modules. Valve had to recently update the Steam Deck listing to warn buyers that there might be intermittent stock shortages. Along with this, the company has also confirmed that production on the Steam Deck 256 GB LCD has been halted, and that the SKU will no longer be available once existing stock runs out.

The company’s upcoming Linux-based pre-built PC, the Steam Machine, has also been affected, with Valve noting that the spike in memory prices had caused it to “revisit our exact shipping schedule and pricing.”

“Our goal of shipping all three products in the first half of the year has not changed,” explained Valve. “But we have work to do to land on concrete pricing and launch dates that we can confidently announce, being mindful of how quickly the circumstances around both of those things can change. We will keep you updated as much as we can as we finalize those plans as soon as possible.”

Another recent report has indicated that Sony’s next-gen console plans may have been hit particularly hard, with the company now eyeing a 2028 or 2029 launch for the PS6. While no official announcement has been made yet, “people familiar with the company’s thinking” have noted that this will end up being a major blow to Sony’s console launch strategy.

Nintendo is similarly also rumored to be looking at price hikes for the Nintendo Switch 2. While it has enough in stock for the time being, Nintendo’s desire to expand its audience by ensuring market penetration will likely involve acquiring more memory modules in some way, which in turn could lead to a price increase for the console.

Interestingly, the lower-end ROG Xbox Ally will hang on to its current price of ¥89,800 (roughly $584). Neither Asus nor Microsoft have made any comments about this price hike, and while the reasons might still be unknown the current state of the memory market and RAM prices likely had a major role to play in the matter.

The ROG Xbox Ally X is noted as having faster RAM than its lower-end counterpart, which might have contributed to the price going up. Compared to the Xbox Ally X’s 24 GB of LPDDR5X-8000 RAM and 1 TB of storage, the Xbox Ally only has 16 GB of LPDDR5-6400 RAM and 512 GB of storage.

When it comes to pricing decisions, Microsoft hasn’t been making them on its own. Xbox president Sarah Bond confirmed back in October 2025 that it got input from Asus on how it should be pricing both the Xbox Ally and the Xbox Ally X. She noted that the experience and insight Asus has with the hardware market and the handheld system’s feature set helped in deciding the prices.

“We looked at, how do we create multiple options for people? And it really was Asus, because this is their hardware,” Bond explained. “That is all of their insight into the market, into the feature set, into what people want, to determine the ultimate prices of the devices.”

While both the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are on the pricier end of the spectrum when it comes to handheld gaming PCs, Bond noted that early response and pre-order figures had been quite positive, saying that “the reaction was overwhelming demand for the [ROG Xbox Ally X].”

“We sold out on the Xbox Store. We sold really quickly at a number of other places around the world,” she said. “I feel really good about the value that we’re giving gamers for the price, based off the reception to the hardware.”

The memory shortage has also been hitting Valve’s handheld PC—the Steam Deck—quite hard. The company recently updated its Steam listing for the device, noting that some regions may see out-of-stock messages for the Steam Deck OLED. Along with this, Valve has also confirmed that production of the Steam Deck LCD 256 GB variant has ended, and once current stocks run out, there will be no more available.

Similarly, the Steam Machine has also been hit. The company confirmed that memory prices had forced it to “revisit our exact shipping schedule and prices”. While it didn’t reveal a new launch date for the Linux-based pre-built gaming PC, it confirmed that its plans to launch it, along with the Steam Frame and new Steam Controller, in the first half of 2026.

Rather, the company cited supply chain fluctuations for both graphics cards. Among the variety of factors at play, Asus also cited memory supply constraints having affected the production of these GPUs, and as a result, making resupplies more difficult. Support for the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB cards is expected to continue. Asus is working with its manufacturing partners in efforts to stabilize its supply chains.

“The GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB have not been discontinued or designated as end-of-life (EOL). ASUS has no plans to stop selling these models,” said Asus in its press release.

“Current fluctuations in supply for both products are primarily due to memory supply constraints, which have temporarily affected production output and restocking cycles. As a result, availability may appear limited in certain markets, but this should not be interpreted as a production halt or product retirement.”

As for what might have caused many to believe that Asus was halting support for its GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB graphics cards, the company noted that “certain media”, referring to YouTube channel Hardware Unboxed, which was originally told by Asus that the GPUs will stop being available, “may have received incomplete information from an Asus PR representative regarding these products.”

The worldwide memory shortage has affected a number of different PC hardware companies, with even Nvidia having addressed the fact that its supply chains for graphics cards have been hit. “Demand for GeForce RTX GPUs is strong, and memory supply is constrained,” said the company in an earlier statement. “We continue to ship all GeForce SKUs and are working with our suppliers to maximize memory availability.”

As for the cause behind this memory shortage, it largely comes down to suppliers having signed major deals with AI companies like OpenAI to supply them with memory modules. Due to this, various PC components like RAM, NAND-based SSDs, and even some HDDs are facing supply chain issues. As noted in our own feature piece about this shortage, the cost of RAM has spiked up high enough that, when building a new PC, one would have to consider the fact that a significant chunk of the budget will likely go towards getting 32 or 64 GB DDR5 RAM kits. Contrasting this with consoles makes building a new PC in current market conditions an untenable proposition for many.

With no end to this memory shortage in sight for the foreseeable future, things are also looking quite grim for upcoming gaming hardware releases. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, for instance, has noted that the company is paying attention to RAM prices for the time being. Rumours have also indicated that next-generation consoles might get pushed back by a year in hopes of more reasonable memory prices.

The ROG Flow Z13-KJP features a 13.4-inch IPS touchscreen display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels coming in at a 16:10 aspect ratio, and a refresh rate of 180 Hz. Powering this is an AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 16-core 32-thread processor with a clock speed of 3.00 GHz and 80 MB cache, capable of boosting up to 5.1 GHz, 128 GB of LPDDR5X 8000 RAM, and a Radeon 8060S GPU. For AI workloads, the tablet also features an AMD XDNA NPU that is capable of up to 50 TOPS (trillion operations per second).

It will also include a keyboard with chiclet-styled keys and 1-zone RGB backlights, along with a host of I/O options, like a 3.5 mm combination audio jack, an HDMI 2.1 FRL port, two USB 4 Type-C ports with support for DisplayPort and power delivery, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port with data speeds of up to 10 Gbps, a microSD card reader, and support for the XG Mobile GC34 for the use of external GPUs.

Asus and Kojima Productions have described this collaboration as one that combines their philosophies: “For those who dare” for ROG and “We are those who play” for Kojima Productions.

“Playing and challenging are always intertwined, sparking creation and forming the very foundation of our evolution,” said Kojima and Shinkawa in a joint statement. “Designed as a device equipped by Ludens, the symbol of ‘those who play’, we hope this machine will become a partner in a new adventure for all of you Ludens who continue to embrace play and challenge.”

“I wanted to create a gadget that belongs to Ludens, and I integrated that into this PC design. Parts and designs are inspired by Ludens and has its essence,” said Shinkawa in a statement of his own.

While the specs of the ROG Flow Z13-KJP might be impressive on paper, the biggest selling point of the tablet is clearly Shinkawa’s design. Featuring a CNC-milled chassis and carbon fibre for reinforcement and looks, the tablet looks like it might have been ripped right out of one of Kojima’s games, where Shinkawa served as art director.

Alongside the ROG Flow Z13-KJP, the partnership between Asus and Kojima Productions also includes the release of a host of accessories, including the ROG Delta II-KJP gaming headset, the ROG Keris II Origin-KJP Edition mouse, and the ROG Scabbard II XXL-KJP mouse mat. With black, white and gold color schemes, the entire line-up seems like it was designed to be used together. The tablet itself also comes with its own Death Stranding-styled carrying case.

Asus hasn’t yet announced any pricing details or release date for the tablet and various accessories, aside from a launch window in the first half of 2026. For a closer look at the tablet and the various Kojima Productions-related accessories, check out the image gallery below.

The crux of the Default Game Profiles feature is that it provides “hand-crafted per-game” settings that can be applied directly to the game and the overall system through the Command Center. It is also only available when using the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X on battery, and can’t be enabled if you try playing the system while plugged in.

When the feature is enabled, there are two possible outcomes. If a game falls short of the target frame rate, the game profile works to boost the handheld systems’ power to reach the desired target. Through this, some battery life is traded for improved performance. On the other hand, if a game is running at over the target framerate, the game profile instead trades some power to maintain the target FPS while also saving some battery life.

Default Game Profiles is currently supported across 40 games, and while a full list isn’t available, some of the titles that will use the feature include Gears of War: Reloaded, Fortnite, and Hollow Knight: Silksong. Check out a list of 16 games that Xbox has confirmed to be making use of the feature below. It is worth noting that the feature extends to first and third-party releases, but the confirmed list so far is largely made up of titles published by Xbox Game Studios.

Along with this, the update also brings in some smaller improvements to the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. These include improved gamepad response after logging in, quicker library loading, improved Cloud Gaming page performance, a new Game Gallery filter that can filter titles depending on their performance, and a host of bug fixes and stability improvements.

Xbox has also confirmed that it is investigating player feedback as it works on future updates for the devices. Some of the enhancements that the company is working on include reliability of sleep and wake and more options for formatting microSD cards. Next year will also see an update for the ROG Xbox Ally X that brings with it AI-based features, including Automatic Super Resolution and highlight reels.

For more details about the ROG Xbox Ally X, check out our review of the handheld gaming PC.

Confirmed games with support for Default Game Profiles:

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• Call of Duty: Warzone
• DOOM Eternal
• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• Forza Horizon 5
• Gears 5
• Gears of War: Reloaded
• Gears Tactics
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Minecraft
• Sea of Thieves
• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Fortnite

Along with these new features – which also includes improvements to the FPS Limiter option and a host of bug fixes – the update also brings with it new versions of the BIOS firmware, power delivery firmware and AMD GPU drivers to help improve performance and consistency of the devices. For more details about these updates to the three devices, check out the patch notes below

Also check out our review of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X for more details about the handheld gaming PC.

Full Asus ROG Allly series November 18, 2025 update patch notes:

On ROG Ally (RC71), ROG Ally X (RC72), ROG Xbox Ally (RC73YA), and ROG Xbox Ally X (RC73XA)

ACSE 2.1.15.0 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE

New features and improvements:

• Added CPU P-core / E-core options under Performance → More Settings page (ROG Xbox Ally X RC73XA only).
• Added an option to Enter or Exit the full screen experience using key bindings under Keymap → Action.
• Added an Update Notification feature in Command Center.
• Integrated AMD Radeon Chill behavior into the FPS Limiter function.
• Adjusted FPS Limiter option from 45 → 40 FPS to better align with the device’s 120hz panel refresh rate.
• Changed the bottom bar button color to a gray color design.
• Added Windows Power Mode options to the Manual Operating Mode page.
• Improved gyro aiming algorithm to enhance precision with the gyro sensor.

Bug fixes:

• Enhanced the online update process.
• AMD RSR is now set to Off by default for RC73 models.
• Added support for Wi-Fi captive portals.
• Changed the default sleep time from Never to 5 minutes.

On ROG Xbox Ally (RC73YA)

MCU 322 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Added a debug interface.

BIOS 315 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Improved power consumption in Modern Standby.
• Optimized BIOS update flow with a refined mechanism for adapter plug-in detection.
• Fixed a bug where Cloud Recovery may hang on reboot.

Power delivery firmware V10.1.2.27 on 11/19 through Windows Update

• Improved power consumption in Modern standby.

AMD GPU driver V25.10.25.27 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Improves overall gaming performance and fixes an audio issue related to Auto Super Resolution.

On ROG Xbox Ally X (RC73XA)

MCU 321 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Improved haptics for Impulse Triggers.

BIOS 312 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Optimized BIOS update flow with a refined mechanism for adapter plug-in detection.
• Improved Cloud Recovery user experience.

Touch panel firmware V09 on 11/19 through Windows Update

• Overall stability improvement.

Power delivery firmware V10.1.2.15 on 11/19 through Windows Update

• Improve firmware stability.

AMD GPU driver V25.10.25.27 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Improves overall gaming performance and fixes an audio issue related to Auto Super Resolution.

AMD Chipset driver V7.03.26.2151 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Overall system performance improvement.

While discussing the launch of the ROG Ally series a few years ago, Wu acknowledged that the market has grown quite a bit since then, and even Microsoft has been taking the handheld segment more seriously with its more recent updates to Windows.

“As many of you know, we introduced the first-generation ROG Ally 2-3 years ago as a market pioneer,” said Wu during the investor call. “Over the past couple of years, this new category, especially within the Windows ecosystem and creating this particular new category, has proven itself to be highly successful. We believe that we have achieved our original goals in terms of premium positioning and creating a new growth driver in the gaming segment.”

As for its more recent launch of the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, Wu spoke about the collaboration with Xbox, and how the market has responded generally positively to it. Wu noted that the market seems ripe for more premium, high-end devices. He also acknowledged snags in the supply chains, and said that Asus was working with its component suppliers to ensure that the demand is adequately met.

“That is why we launched the 3rd-generation ROG Ally last month,” said Wu. “It featured deeper collaboration with Xbox. Since its launch, we see that the market response for it has been extremely positive. Particularly, there has been an appetite for the premium higher-end models exceeding our expectations.”

“In fact, these high-end variants are currently in short supply. We are working closely with key component suppliers to ramp up production and fill the demand gap that currently exists. Our goal for the ROG Ally is to remain a core pillar within the Asus gaming portfolio, while also driving tangible revenue and profit growth for the company.”

The Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X were launched worldwide just last month. The Xbox Ally is priced at $599.99, while the more powerful Xbox Ally X has a higher price tag of $999.99. In an interview from shortly after launch, Xbox president Sarah Bond spoke about the pricing of the two devices, and how Xbox worked with Asus to reach these price points.

“We looked at, how do we create multiple options for people? And it really was Asus, because this is their hardware,” Bond explained. “That is all of their insight into the market, into the feature set, into what people want, to determine the ultimate prices of the devices.”

For more details about the handhelds, here is everything you need to know. In the meantime, also check out our review of the more powerful Xbox Ally X.

In an interview with Variety, Bond revealed that quite a few things were taken into consideration when deciding on the prices, including input from manufacturing partner Asus.

“We looked at, how do we create multiple options for people? And it really was Asus, because this is their hardware,” Bond explained. “That is all of their insight into the market, into the feature set, into what people want, to determine the ultimate prices of the devices.”

Bond also went on to note that the high prices of both of the devices, especially when compared to competing devices like the Steam Deck, didn’t really affect early sales of the handhelds in an adverse way. Speaking about opening up pre-orders last month, Bond said that “the reaction was overwhelming demand for the [ROG Xbox Ally X].”

“We sold out on the Xbox Store. We sold really quickly at a number of other places around the world,” she said. “I feel really good about the value that we’re giving gamers for the price, based off the reception to the hardware.”

She has referred to this positive early response to the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X as “a real confirmation of something that we know and have been working towards for a really long time, which is gaming should act like all entertainment: it should be something you can have with you anywhere. You should be able to play any game you want with anyone you want on any device.”

In the same interview, Bond also spoke about the future of Xbox at Microsoft, and how the company still wants to continue making things, including next-gen gaming hardware. She said that Microsoft is in the process of designing and prototyping its next hardware outing, which will feature an AMD-developed chip powering it under the hood.

“We are 100% looking at making things in the future,” said Bond. “We have our next-gen hardware in development. We’ve been looking at prototyping, designing. We have a partnership we’ve announced with AMD around it, so that is coming. What we saw here was an opportunity to innovate in a new way and to bring gamers another choice, in addition to our next-gen hardware. We are always listening to what players and creators want. When there is demand for innovation, we’re going to build it.”

In the meantime, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X were launched worldwide just last week. The Xbox Ally runs on an AMD Ryzen Z2A CPU, has 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB storage, while the Xbox Ally X has an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme CPU, 24 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage. For more details, here is everything you need to know about the two handhelds.

How It Stacks up to Competitors

First, I found it helpful to think of the Xbox ROG Ally X as an Xbox themed expansion pack to last year’s ROG Ally X. It’s a substantial expansion, but it’s not quite a new sequel altogether. Considering the sheer power of yesteryear’s Ally X, that’s nothing to laugh about; in fact, it marks it as the most powerful handheld console on the market. With AMD’s latest Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip, faster 24GB memory, and an AI-ready NPU, it delivers up to 30% better performance while running cooler and longer on the same battery as last year’s model. It’s also generally more efficient and powerful than the Steam Deck OLED and Legion Go. Though, display buffs will no doubt enjoy the larger refined screen the Legion Go provides over the Xbox Ally X’s 7 inch FHD one. The 1080p 120Hz display is kept remarkable glare-free throughout my entire time with it, which I appreciate.

It’s the ergonomics and … Xboxiness of it that provide that special sauce for me. The impulse triggers, enhanced haptics, and textured grips are some of the most enjoyable and durable I’ve felt. I’m reminded of the old Duke controller, that’s how darn good this feels. You can’t get that with the Steam Deck or Legion Go. On the software side, it boots into a console-inspired Xbox interface while retaining full Windows 11 flexibility.

Ergonomics

Enough about comparisons though, once you get your hands on the joysticks of this thing, you can’t help but want to game for hours. There’s some high quality rubber with some tough textured grip around the sides of the sticks, giving it a premium feel. Gliding the sticks feels silky smooth and clicking them in feels like second-nature if you’re an Xbox player.

Regarding the grip and contour, I occasionally get some palm fatigue from the wide handle-grasping after long sessions. But overall, the lightweight design and smooth contours make it easy to hold for hours. The upside to the large handles is the grip. The texture and contour of the handles securely locks the console in place, and I never had the thought that it might slip or drop. For such a bulky looking device, it sure is light and secure in the hands.

Build quality is strong with this Xbox-branded Ally X. The rugged, high-grade plastics give it a tough, durable feel that inspires confidence. It’s great not needing to be overly protective when handling the thing. It may be the most expensive handheld on the market, but at least it feels like it can withstand some abuse.

That said, dust does tend to gather around the screen edges and the base of the thumbsticks. And since the joysticks aren’t Hall Effect, there’s no guarantee they’ll remain drift-free over a long stretch of time.

Oh, and you’ll be smearing dust on it quite often considering the display doubles as a touch screen. The d-pad is so close to the screen that it’s incredibly easy to accidentally tap or swipe it, causing interface and control swapping to occur. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve miss-clicked or interrupted navigation because of the low d-pad proximity with the screen.

Another small thing to note are the sound of the clicks and presses. The face buttons on this are noticeably louder than on PlayStation or Nintendo controllers, with the D-pad producing a crunchy click that’ll grab attention in quiet environments. The triggers, however, are the opposite, responding with soft clicks and dead silent presses from the shoulder buttons. In short, this is the latest in the line of Xbox controllers. It’s got that nostalgic Xbox feel and contour with a premium touch.

Setup and Onboarding

It’s also got some of the classic Xbox flair with its presentation. I was greeted with a sleek activation animation when booting it up, and I admit that I smiled when the RGB lighting illuminated both thumbsticks (easily customizable, by the way). Since I’m not much of a QR code instructions reader, I just winged it and jumped in without much tutorializing. If it’s your first time using a hybrid Windows gaming handheld, you’ll be met with some confusion, especially since the onboarding process is very light.

All your updates and controller mappings are handled through Windows 11 or Armoury Crate, ASUS’s built-in interface for all things ROG Ally. It’s easy to jump between apps and game launchers — just press the Xbox button or use the cursor to minimize like you would on any PC. The hybrid Windows/Xbox setup makes control customization simple, with both console and desktop modes fully mappable through Armoury Crate.

That said, I wish switching between the two modes could be done with a single button instead of diving into the game bar overlay each time. Still, you can set one of the sticks to act as a mouse or use the touchscreen to navigate Windows, then flip back to console mode when you’re ready to game.

The on-screen keyboard is large enough for most hands, but an external keyboard is definitely better if you plan to do a lot of typing. For casual users or kids, the fundamental controls are pretty straightforward: the Xbox menu button alone can handle most app swapping. But for some, the hybrid control scheme might feel confusing and unintuitive.

Performance With Game Tests

I stress tested the Xbox Rog with six beefy games. Forza Motorsport, Microsoft Flight Sim 24, Gears Reloaded, GTA 5, Resident Evil 2 Remake, and the oft-maligned Ghost Recon Breakpoint were my guinea pigs and they suited the task admirably. Among all six, Forza Motorsport struggled the most to both look and feel spectacular, but none of them failed to perform well. During my time testing Forza Motorsport, I was able to push the framerate to 60 and beyond, but only by sacrificing visual elements like detailed window reflections, track fidelity, or car detail. Running it on a balanced high setting delivers smooth performance as long as the Ally X is set to Performance or Turbo mode. If you prefer a quieter, fanless experience, you’ll have to give up the kind of visual fidelity and framerate that makes these racing sims pop. That trade-off applies to most games I tested, but it was most noticeable in Forza.

Resident Evil 2 and GTA 5, on the other hand, are so well optimized that I rarely saw frame dips or stutter, even on very high settings. And unlike racing titles, the occasional inconsistency in detail doesn’t stand out as much — after all, ultra-detailed cars racing across flat, textureless tracks is far more jarring than a zombie missing some extra pores and cuts.

Naturally, cranking everything to max will increase loading a bit, but the Xbox ROG isn’t meant for ultra settings anyway. The $1000 machine contains the most powerful handheld GPU available right now. Even so, the Xbox ROG can handle most modern games smoothly at high settings without major compromises.

Fan noise stays manageable most of the time. You’ll really only notice it in Turbo Mode, where it ramps up under heavy load; not quite helicopter levels, but definitely small leaf-blower levels. I didn’t feel confident running my test games in Silent Mode unless I was okay with lower graphics or fluctuating framerates. For indie or lighter titles, though, Silent Mode is pretty dang ideal.

Battery Life & Heat

The real big drawback playing any handheld device game on high settings is battery life. Even with the top-of-class 80wh battery, you’ll need to charge often when engaged in high performance gameplay. I’ve had the charge go from 90% to 10% in just an hour of Forza Motorsport on high-ish settings. And this with the Turbo setting on in the Armoury Crate, by the way, so the fans are at full capacity.

Thankfully, though, it doesn’t take an unreasonable amount of time to top up a charge. Roughly 50 minutes or so from empty to full, so not bad. But you can easily sneak in 2 hours of of your favorite games with a 30 minute charge so long as you’re playing on medium graphics settings. In everyday use, the Ally X’s endurance depends heavily on what you’re doing. You can expect around 6 hours and 30 minutes of battery life when running light apps or indie games and roughly 2 hours for well-optimized AAA titles.

I’m pleased to say the heat from Ryzen’s new chip is very livable. Even when throttling the system on ultra graphics, the vent areas never got blisteringly hot. Oh, it gets hot, yes, but not uncomfortably so. Silent mode dissipates no heat whatsoever, so if you’re in an already warm climate, that’s the comfortable option for sure. All told, the Xbox ROG is the most quiet, and coolest, gaming device I have besides my Switch 2 and 3DS, and I have a lot of devices.

User Interface

Speaking of graphics modes and cooling fans, all of that and much more is controlled through the device’s dedicated hub named the Armoury Crate. Switching between performance modes is easy breezy: just pull up the Command Center and tap one of the four presets. Users can get as personal as they want with the extensive customization options inside Armoury Crate. Want fan #1 running at 90% speed once the system hits 70°C? No problem — that’s fully adjustable, along with a wide range of other performance and thermal parameters. You also have full control mapping customization across two distinct modes: Gamepad and Desktop.

The system’s hybrid nature between Windows and Xbox interfaces makes this handheld unique, but it’s also where things can get messy. During my time recording footage for this review, I experienced noticeable lag when switching between desktop and console modes. At times, the UI simply wouldn’t recognize the Windows cursor, forcing me to fiddle back and forth until it responded. To be fair, that was mostly while capturing footage, which puts extra strain on the system, but even in normal use, transitions between desktop cursor mode and console mode can occasionally misbehave.

Armoury Crate itself doesn’t support cursor control, which makes its anti-desktop design especially odd — particularly since it’s the very app used to switch control modes. The Xbox button’s quick menu also can’t be navigated with the cursor, which feels unnecessarily restrictive. In short, the hybrid setup works, but it could be a lot smoother and more seamless — especially if you’re multitasking or running other programs.

The in-built recording features are another mixed bag. The built-in recorder doesn’t function properly inside the Armoury Crate app. Recordings and screenshots only function in-game or through the Xbox app. It also refuses to record the home menu, blocking capture entirely.

Speaking of not functioning, I strongly recommend avoiding running two games at once. It completely eats up system resources and occasionally even registers inputs in both games simultaneously. At one point, I accidentally changed the language in Resident Evil 2 while enthusiastically crashing my Civic Type R in Forza. Lesson learned.

A final note on the UI. Both the Xbox and Armoury Crate UIs can be a bit sluggish when waking the system from sleep or booting up, but the lag disappears after about ten seconds. Though, don’t be too suprised if switching between apps lags out input for a tiny bit; it’s happened to me several times.

As for Game Pass, sign-in and game management are fairly straightforward, though offline play can occasionally throw up small quirks or “can’t verify license” pop-ups which override other apps.

I did have a brief moment of terror where I thought the system had completely bricked. It wouldn’t power on, the indicator light was off, and charging did nothing. After some research, I found out this is a known quirk with the high-powered Ryzen chips used in the Rog Ally X, and apparently the enhanced z2 chip inside this $1000 beast does the same. The solution is a series of force restarts that I won’t get into here, but it’s worth addressing that when all the lights go out and nothing works, look up some fixes and you’ll find solutions (unless yours really is bricked).

Controls, Haptics & Audio

I’m getting painful flashbacks of the $1000 handheld not turning on now, so let’s turn to the wonderful world of Xbox controllers, shall we? The Xbox-ified analog sticks offer a generous dead zone range, giving me precise control whether I’m carving corners in Forza or lining up destroying locusts in Gears of War.

The impulse triggers feature integrated haptic motors. They’re not as dynamic or powerful as the DualSense haptics on the PlayStation 5, but they do a perfectly serviceable job of adding tactile feedback that keeps gameplay immersive. If the rumble feels a little too faint out of the box, you can easily tweak the intensity in Armoury Crate. Each controller side even has separate top and bottom vibration zones, though I did notice the right-side vibration is slightly weaker than the left.

But the real standout here is the audio. The built-in speakers are simply phenomenal. The volume range on the Xbox ROG is nothing short of spectacular — easily the most dynamic stereo setup I own, even compared to my smart TV, laptop, and Switch 2. It’s not just about loudness either; there’s real clarity and punch here. The system delivers clean highs, deep lows, and a remarkably high peak threshold for a handheld device.

If you want to play more quietly, there’s a standard headphone jack that outputs equally crisp sound, and Bluetooth pairing with wireless headphones is also supported for those who prefer a cable-free setup. Whether you’re blasting music or playing in bed with headphones, Xbox ROG’s sound profile impresses.

Console Storage

If you’re as much of an audiophile as myself, you’re probably wondering how many video game soundtracks you can install on here. Oh who am I kidding, that storage will just be filled with AAA games. Well, that’s where the Ally X upcharge establishes its value—that beefy 1 terabyte storage. After updating the system and installing Armoury Crate, the Xbox app, and other built-in tools, I had around 830GB of usable space left. With the massive file sizes of modern games, expect room for roughly six to eight AAA titles plus a handful of smaller indie games before space starts running thin.

Thankfully, microSD expansion is simple and painless, though swapping out the internal SSD is a much more involved process that requires a guide and some mechanical confidence.

What’s Included and What’s Not

It’s worth noting that a docking station isn’t included in the box. You’ll need to purchase one separately, preferably through Asus for full compatibility. The good news is that the USB-C and USB4 ports fully support video output, so TV or external monitor setup is doable for those wanting a traditional setup.

So what do you get besides the machine itself? Well, about what you’d expect. The most notable thing is three months free of Game Pass premium, giving newcomers to Xbox’s ecosystem lots to play right away. There’s also a dedicated charger and cardboard stand. Yeah, cardboard. It’s probably the cheapest handheld stand I’ve ever seen and it’s not any more stable than it looks. The charging cable, on the other hand, is solid: durable, thick, and a decent length. Just be aware that the power brick gets quite hot while charging. For $1000 you’re not getting any other accessories like a dock or adaptor, just the charger and the stand, but it’s the thought that matters, right?

Who’s This For Anyway?

But those eyeing this top-of-the-line handheld aren’t demanding a diamond stand. This is for the gamers wanting the best handheld experience on the market today. Game-Pass subscribers who are always on the go have everything they could want with the Xbox Rog Ally X. And Windows PC users also get a level of portability with the precise feel of a console all in one.

I’m not convinced tech infants or younger children will find the hybrid nature all that intuitive, but at such an exorbitant price point, it’s clearly aimed at a more dedicated audience anyway.

Final Value Assessment

The Xbox ROG Ally X delivers top-tier performance with dynamic hybrid portability. It’s like a portable Windows PC and Xbox Series S all in one. It’s not absolute perfection, but the functional execution of such a hybrid concept outweighs the confusing layouts and occasional bugs. Even without the inclusion of accessories for docked play and the like, this all-in-one handheld hybrid console exudes performance and power. For hardcore gamers seeking a portable machine that can handle all the modern AAA titles with the versatility of a Windows PC, the Xbox ROG Ally X stands out as a premium choice worth the investment.

Despite the presence of some truly versatile devices, the new handhelds are poised to make their presence felt, coming with a lot of nifty features that could make them quite appealing to both Xbox loyalists and newcomers alike. But are they going to be worth your money? We’re here with a list of things you should know if you’re planning to invest in one yourself.

Let’s get started!

1. A Familiar OS With a Familiar Twist

The Ally and Ally X may not be the first handhelds that operate on Windows 11. But they’re going to be much better to navigate thanks to an Xbox-styled overlay that many early previews of the two devices have been praising – and with good reason.

Windows 11-based handhelds in the past have suffered from performance issues thanks to the OS eating up a lot of RAM, while touch-based controls have often made their UI quite unintuitive. Having a familiar Xbox overlay that mimics Microsoft’s iconic consoles solves both those problems, making them easy to use while freeing up memory that can then be used by what the devices are meant to run: their games!

2. A Design That’s Appealing and Functional

One of the areas which Xbox has had an edge over other gaming platforms in the past has been in its controllers. While its rivals have since caught up and come up with solid designs on their own, the Xbox controller continues to be quite an appealing option.

It’s a good thing, then, that the two devices are modelled around bringing the Xbox controller’s iconic layout to their designs, alongside a build quality that has kept them feeling sturdy yet light in their players’ hands. That’s great news considering that portability is part of the appeal of a handheld gaming device, and having one that can withstand a bit of wear and tear while remaining easy to use is definitely a plus.

3. Build A Library of Games

While bringing over your library of Xbox games could be among the most appealing facets of the ROG Ally and Ally X, the fact they they run on Windows 11 means that you also have access to your game libraries on other storefronts, with Steam, Epic Store, and Battle.net being among the options that previews of the two devices have revealed.

This gives you a lot of freedom to play on your terms, and is a welcome addition that makes these handhelds quite versatile indeed.

4. Performance Profiles

We already know that the Xbox ROG Ally X is the beefier of the two devices, but new information shows that it brings a very significant upgrade to the table. That’s because of its Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip and an XDA NPU that could make it quite future-proof, with the ability to use AI and upscale titles that are compatible with it.

While the standard Xbox Ally is certainly capable in its own right, the Ally X is designed for hardcore users who might wish to dock it to external 4K monitors and run games at their highest settings, all while Discord or other applications are open in the background. You might want to consider which one suits your needs before you fork over your cash.

Another thoughtful addition is that games will now be clearly labeled to show how well they perform on the handheld, a small but meaningful detail that’s easy to appreciate.

5. A Glaring Omission

Many previews of the two devices lamented the lack of an OLED display, despite the LCD on both devices being quite capable of handling the job of making your games immersive and running at smooth framerates for the most part. Considering the price of these two handhelds, an OLED might be a major factor in influencing purchasing decisions for a few very discerning players.

But for most of us, the displays on board are going to be more than enough to get the job done, and perhaps even help keep the prices down.

6. Boost Your Performance With ROG Accessories

If you’ve got the luxury of spending a little extra on your purchase, you could consider pairing the Xbox ROG Ally X with the ROG XG Mobile 25, essentially giving it a boost in processing power roughly equivalent to that of an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU. That’s sure to make resource-intensive games run like a dream either on the device or on a compatible monitor.

That could make your Ally X a very versatile gaming device indeed. Sadly, Ally’s lack of a USB4 port isn’t going to let it take advantage of this boost. It is what it is.

7. Memory and Storage

While the two devices’ specs have been known for quite a while at this point, we still think it’s a good idea to discuss a few crucial differences between them. Aside from the lack of a USB4 port, the Ally comes with only 16GB of memory and a 512GB M.2 2280 SSD, which you can upgrade with a 2280-size SSD or a UHS-II microSD card.

The Ally X once again gets the upper hand over its sibling, bringing 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD that’s upgradeable with a 2280-size SSD. It’s quite a gap and justifies the differences in their prices, which we’re going to be talking about a little later down the line.

8. Your Devices, Your Setup

An advantage that both devices share is the ability to rig them up with external monitors, keyboards, and mouse setups, and Xbox controllers. That could make them perfect for those of you who like more options while you game at home, while continuing to retain the joy of gaming on the go. It’s a great way to have the best of both worlds at your fingertips, all the time.

9. Xbox Game Bar Integration

If you’re somebody who makes use of Xbox Game Bar, know that it comes integrated with the UI on both the Ally and Ally X. It’s a nifty little addition that could bring its users a lot of value, allowing easy screen grabs, performance monitoring, social features, and a variety of widgets that you can customize to your liking.

It’s a great way to make your shiny new devices feel uniquely yours while offering very useful features that could make your gaming experience on either device feel just like it does on a PC or console.

10. Xbox Cloud Integration

While we knew that Xbox Cloud integration was making its way to both the Xbox Ally and Ally X, you might be interested to know that you’ll need an active Game Pass subscription if you want to stream your games on the go.

That could be a downer if you disapprove of the new price hikes on Xbox’s subscription service, but on the bright side, you could just stick to your own library of games across storefronts.

11. Playing Things Cool

Previews suggest that while temperature management is quite efficient at keeping your device cool enough in your hands, the onboard fans do get quite loud. If that’s something you’re likely to find off-putting, perhaps investing in a nice pair of earphones alongside your new handheld could help offset that particular disadvantage.

In the long run, it’s still a good thing to have a device less prone to overheating, and we’d say that the loud fans on these bad boys are a worthy trade-off.

12. A Weight on Your Wallets

All of the great features we’ve listed above don’t come cheap! The ROG Xbox Ally comes with a $599.99 USD price tag, while the Ally X carries a hefty $999.99 USD! Preorders have been available for a while now, so go ahead and get one if you’ve been keen on owning either one of these solid handhelds.

13. Watch Out for Play Anywhere

If you’re primarily picking up either the Ally or Ally X to play your library of Xbox games on the go, you’re going to want to check up on how many of them are actually playable on your new handheld. That’s because only games that are compatible with the Xbox Play Anywhere service, which lets developers release games for both Xbox and PCs with a unified store listing, can actually run on the new handhelds.

For all their Xbox branding, they are still Windows 11-based PCs at their core. A relatively simple workaround for new releases not compatible with the service would be to simply purchase their PC versions of either Steam or the Epic Store, though.

14. Watch out for Crashes

A few previews pointed out the potential for crashes on the new handhelds, but also iterated that those issues could very well be ironed out closer to the final release. It could simply be that the preview devices carried software versions that are going to be further optimized ahead of the devices’ final release.

15. Asus Armory Crate Launcher Built-In

For you ROG fans out there, the Xbox Ally and Ally X come with an Asus Armory Crate built in, giving you a suite of tools to further fine-tune your gaming experience on either device. It’s an extensive suite of tools that can bring you a lot of options to customize things exactly to your liking, and it is a welcome addition to this collaboration between Xbox and Asus.

And that’s a wrap on everything you need to know before you decide to splurge on either the Xbox Ally or Ally X! Are you going to be grabbing one on release, or perhaps wait for a sale? Let us know in the comment