ASUS has officially pulled the curtains back from its upcoming ROG Xbox Ally Series. Initially believed to be the Ally 2, the new gaming handhelds are formally known as the Xbox Ally X and Ally.
As the names suggest, Asus is releasing two variants of its gaming console, and they’re made in partnership with Microsofts Xbox division. As such, the software runs a special edition of ROG Armoury Crate OS, designed to be seamless and less “power consuming”, despite still running on Windows 11. “We wanted to create an authentic Xbox experience in a handheld form factor,” explained Roanne Sones, CVP at Xbox. “With ROG, we made it happen on the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X.”
As soon as players power on the device, they enter the full screen Xbox experience. Powered by Windows 11 underneath, this software has been optimized for the ROG Xbox Ally, reducing system overhead and offering easy joystick and button navigation. Quick access to settings and customizable widgets are available via Game Bar with a single press of the Xbox button. But with the full freedom of Windows 11 running under the hood, games and mods from other sources are still easily accessible. The ROG Xbox Ally series offers the power of Xbox, the craftsmanship of ROG, and the versatility of Windows, all in one cohesive device.
Both the Xbox Ally X and standard non-X run on the same display as the original consoles. In other words, it’s a 7-inch FHD IPS 120Hz with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and supports AMD’s FreeSync Premium anti-tearing technology.
Internally, the Xbox Ally X is powered by AMD’s latest Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme SoC, has 24GB LPDDR5X-8000, 1TB PCIe 4.0 storage in the M.2 2280 form factor, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, and massive 80Whr battery. This, however, translates into a hefty console, weighing in at 719g. On the outside, the handheld as one USB4 port, a USB-C 32.2 Gen2 port, one UHS-II microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack.
Moving over to the Xbox Ally, the console is similar in shape and size, except that it is powered by the lesser Ryzen Z2 A processor; has 16GB LPDDR5X-6400; half the storage capacity; and dual USB-c 3.2 Gen2 ports instead of one USB4 power. Oh, and it’s even got a smaller 60Whr battery but on the plus side, it’s lighter than the X version at 670g.
Both the ROG Xbox Ally X and Ally feature specially contoured grips, inspired by the Xbox Wireless controllers and even have tilted displays that Xbox says is done on purpose for improved viewing ergonomics. Regarding availability, Asus says that the new gaming handhelds is set to launch “this holiday” in the following countries:
- Australia
- Belgium,
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea
- Mexico
- The Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
As you’ve noticed, Malaysia is not on that list and as such, we do not have local pricing or availability.
(Source: ASUS PR)
