ASUS ROG Xbox Ally Gets First Price Cut And It's A Big Deal
Affordable gaming is facing an existential threat from the rise of AI and the resulting insatiable demand for key components. This has led to a massive spike in PC DRAM prices, and storage solutions may not be far behind. The sliver lining is that we're in the midst of the holiday shopping season, and with it comes what is perhaps one last hurrah for upgrades before the landscape gets truly awful.
No, we don't have a lead on any DDR5 memory deals that are worth checking out, but for if you're wanting or willing to go the handheld route, the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally is on sale for the first time, and it's a big discount.
ASUS ROG Xbox Ally Is Over $100 Off
You can score the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally for $489.99 at Amazon (18% off, save $110) right now, and $499.99 at Best Buy. That's the lowest price ever on this handheld—instead of paying around $600 (or more after tax), the pre-tax cost is now below $500, making this an enticing deal.
Not be confused with the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X we reviewed, the non-X model is a toned down SKU at a more accessible price point, especially with this discount in play. Both this and the X model feature a 7-inch display with a 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 500 nits brightness.
They also share the same overall design language (except for color—the regular ROG Xbox Ally is white while the ROG Xbox Ally X is black) with an Xbox controller layout, 2x smaller rear buttons (compared to the ROG Ally), and front-facing setero speakers with Dolby Atmos support.
So, how do the differ? The ROG Xbox Ally's I/O consists of a 3.5mm audio jack, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports (10Gbps), and a microSD card reader, while the ROG Xbox Ally X adds a USB4 port to the mix.
As for the core hardware, the ROG Xbox Ally sports a Ryzen Z2 A processor (4C/8T, 2.8GHz to 3.8GHz, 4MB of L3 cache) based on Zen 2 with RDNA 2 graphics (8 cores at up to 1.8GHz), 16GB of LPDDR5-6400 memory, and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 solid state drive (SSD). The X model bumps those specs up to a Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme with a built-in APU, 24GB of LPDDR5X-8000 RAM, and a 1GB SSD (both of the standard M.2 2280 variety).
The X model is a bolder, faster handheld for sure, but the ROG Xbox Ally is no slouch on its own. Also, we were impressed with the battery live on the X model and suspect it's also a strong suit of the non-X model that's on sale.
Here are some more handheld deals...
- Lenovo Legion Go S (Ryzen Z2 Go, 16GB/512GB): $649.99 (5% off)
- Lenovo Legion Go S (Ryzen Z2 Go, 16GB/1TB) w/ GSF Kit: $699.99 (7% off)
- Lenovo Legion Go S (Ryzen Z2 Go, 32GB/2TB): $879.99 (12% off)
- MSI Claw A1M (Core i7 155H, 16GB/1TB): $564.99 (25% off)
Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle Is Still On Sale
Outside of the realm of the PC platform, the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle remains on sale for $449 at Walmart (save $50.01). We've also seen it drop in price at Amazon and Best Buy, though it hasn't been as consistently discounted at either retailer as it has been at Walmart.
One thing to keep in mind is that the bundle is already cheaper than buying the console and game separately, as Mario Kart World is a $79.99 title.
