ASUS ROG Xbox Ally Gaming Handhelds Revealed: Specs, Store Support And More
Following weeks of anticipation filled with leaks, rumors, and teasers, Microsoft and ASUS have jointly revealed the first official Xbox gaming handhelds called ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X. At first glance, it may seem like these are simply re-badged ASUS ROG Ally / Ally X handhelds with Xbox branding, but there's actually more to it than that.
Having moved beyond the teaser phase (at least for the most part - we're still waiting for information on price and a release date), we have full sets of specifications to share. Both the ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Ally X share some core features, including a 7-inch IPS display with a 1080p resolution (1920x1080, 16:9 aspect ratio), 120Hz refresh rate, 500 nits brightness, and FreeSync Premium certification.
They also both serve up Wi-Fi 6E (2 x 2) and Bluetooth 5.4 wireless connectivity and come with a 65W charger and stand, and they both run Windows 11 Home. However, there are some key differences.
Starting with the ROG Xbox Ally X, the higher end model employs a new AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor. The core specs are the same as Ryzen Z2 Extreme (8C/16T, 16 GPU cores, LPDDR5X-8000 memory support, 15-35W configurable TDP), except the new AI variant adds a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) to the mix with 50 TOPS (peak) on tap for AI workloads.
The X model also features 24GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory, a 1TB M.2 2280 solid state drive (SSD), an 80Wh battery, and wired connectivity that consists of 1x USB4 (DisplayPort 2.1 / Thunderbolt 4 / Power Delivery 3.0), 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (DisplayPort 2.1, Power Delivery 3.0), a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.
As for the ROG Xbox Ally (non-X), it also features a new AMD processor, but it's the Ryzen Z2 A chip that now sits at the bottom of the Z2 series stack. The new addition sports a 4-core/8-thread configuration based on Zen 2, eight GPU cores, LPDDR5-6400 memory support, and a configurable 6-20W TPD.
Other differing specs include 16GB of LPDDR5X-6400 memory, a 512GB M.2 2280 SSD, a 60Wh battery, and wired connectivity consisting of two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports (DisplayPort 2.1 / Power Delivery 3.0), a micro SD card reader, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. In other words, it trades the USB4 port on the ROG Xbox Ally X for a second USB 3.2 Gen 2 port.
The controller options are slightly different too. Both feature HD haptics, though the ROG Xbox Ally X features "impulse triggers for enhanced control" while the regular ROG Xbox Ally X uses hall effect analog triggers. Both devices have a dedicated Xbox button.
Microsoft's New Xbox Experience For Handhelds
On the software side, Microsoft said it's introducing a new Xbox experience for handhelds.
"When you power on your Xbox Ally, you’ll boot directly into the Xbox full screen experience, a new feature optimized specifically for handheld gaming. With new modifications that minimize background activity and defer non-essential tasks, more system resources are dedicated specifically to gameplay. That means more memory, higher framerates, and a fully immersive experience for players—all made possible by the versatility and freedom of Windows," Microsoft explains.
The other big thing here is an aggregated gaming library offering up quick access to games from Xbox, Game Pass, Battle.net, and "other leading PC store fronts," which presumably includes Steam.
Microsoft and ASUS have not yet shared any pricing details or even a precise release date, though both indicated that the new ROG Xbox Ally / Ally X handhelds will be available this holiday season in 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, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with more markets to follow.
Additionally, Microsoft said it will be accepting preorders "soon," and it has a sign-up page where you can share your email to be notified when preorders go live.
