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ROG Xbox Ally vs Ally X: Specs, Price, and Release Date Revealed

Updated: Sep 27

The U.S. pricing for the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X handheld devices has been revealed.


According to listings on Best Buy, the base ASUS ROG Xbox Ally (white edition) is listed at $599.99, while the upgraded ROG Xbox Ally X (black edition) comes in at a hefty $999.99.


Both consoles are set to release globally on October 16, 2025, with pre-orders already live at major retailers like Best Buy, ASUS, Amazon, and Walmart in the U.S.


ROG Xbox Ally Handheld gaming console with buttons and joysticks, displaying a settings menu on screen. "ROG" logo visible. Background shows a tiled wall.

What’s the Difference Between the Ally and Ally X?

At first glance, both handhelds look nearly identical, sharing the same 7-inch FHD IPS touchscreen (120Hz, 500 nits) and Windows 11-based OS. But under the hood, they differ significantly:

  • Xbox Ally (White)

    • Price: $599.99 / £499.99

    • Processor: AMD Ryzen Z2 A

    • Memory: 16GB LPDDR5X

    • Storage: 512GB SSD

    • Battery: 60Wh

  • Xbox Ally X (Black)

    • Price: $999.99 / £799.99

    • Processor: AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme with NPU (Zen 5, RDNA 3.5 GPU)

    • Memory: 24GB LPDDR5X

    • Storage: 1TB SSD

    • Battery: 80Wh


In short, the Ally X offers more power, memory, and battery life, plus slightly improved ergonomics thanks to bulkier controller-inspired grips.


How Does It Compare to Other Handhelds?

The ROG Xbox Ally series enters an increasingly crowded handheld market, competing directly with the Steam Deck, Lenovo Legion Go, MSI Claw, and even the Nintendo Switch 2.


The standard Ally’s $599 price point matches the launch price of ASUS’ original ROG Ally (Z1 non-Extreme), effectively replacing that SKU. For context, the Steam Deck OLED costs $649 for its 512GB model, while the Switch 2 retails at around $449.


That positions the Xbox Ally as a competitive option, though the Ally X’s $999 price tag puts it closer to premium gaming laptop territory.


Xbox’s Handheld Play Anywhere Push

This collaboration between Microsoft and ASUS is part of Xbox’s broader “Play Anywhere” strategy, allowing gamers to access their libraries across devices. Both handhelds feature an official Xbox button, optimized controller grips, and full support for services like Xbox Game Pass, Steam, Epic Games Store, and Battle.net.


Microsoft has also been working on a new handheld mode for Windows 11, designed to streamline performance and improve navigation on smaller screens.


Pre-Orders and Availability

Best Buy, Walmart, ASUS, and Amazon (for the base Ally only) are currently taking pre-orders in the U.S. Meanwhile, UK gamers can grab theirs from retailers such as Argos, Currys, and Smyths.


Accessories are also available, including the official ASUS ROG Xbox Ally Premium Case ($69.99), which launches alongside the consoles.


According to Xbox Wire, preorders are available in 38 countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Slovenia, South Africa, Thailand, and Ukraine.


Preorders are currently unavailable in Brazil, China, India, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Switzerland. However, Xbox has mentioned they will be available in the future, though no specific reason for the delay has been provided.

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