Five Reasons Why I'm Incredibly Excited For The ROG Xbox Ally Handheld

I'm keen to see the price tag. Based on the fact that I haven't had a handheld since the GBA, I might just go ahead and invest - simply based on everything it can do (in and outside of playing Xbox games). I had no idea Play Anywhere had 1300+ games going for it...

Are most games that come to Game Pass play anywhere too?

How excited will you be when it comes out around £6-700? As other Ally handhelds are? I can’t see MS subsiding it like they would if it was their own product.

As always the price is going to be the issue.

I've said it multiple times that I had no interest in this and was looking forward to the official Xbox one in a few years but after the showcase in definitely a feeling a little college girl curious about this. Definitely won't be a day 1 purchase, I'll hold out to see how it actually performs, costs and I'll need to see how much of an issue if any it being PC gamepass vs console this is for me.

Im quite happy with my ROG Ally X, but I can't imagine it being priced less than a PS5 pro. In the US, the Ally X is $899.99 at Best Buy.

Definitely excited to see and hear morr about the feature set, but I can't imagine it will be a significant technological leap over many of the handheld PCs on the market.

If you need it so bad, just get the normal Rog Ally X right now as it’s exactly the same thing as the Xbox branded one, if you’re waiting for the Xbox UI for Windows 11 they already said it’ll be released for all PC handhelds with W11.

Now that I know it’s basically the same as the other Ally models where it’s a handheld PC where you can download from Steam, I’m now more interested but it’s the price that would prevent me from actually buying it. If I ever went for one it would have to be the Xbox Ally X but I’m not paying more than £600 for it, couldn’t justify paying that much for a handheld and it’ll probably only be £100-£200 less than the next gen consoles.

@Kaloudz Whether Game Pass games are Play Anywhere or Not doesn't really matter as you get Game Pass for PC with Game Pass Ultimate anyway so you can always download and play Game Pass games on the RoG Ally.

For example, if you wanted to play a game that isn't Play Anywhere but is in Game Pass, you can download it via Game Pass and play on either PC, Xbox or both with the exact same Save file too.

The success of this new product from Xbox and Microsoft all depends on how much they cost. If Xbox prices this closer to a $1,000, it will not be successful. They just raised the prices on Series S and Series X. I do understand the whole supply chain issues and now tariffs. I really thought after 5 years on the market, Series X would cost $399 and Series S $199 by now.

We're living in a time when companies such as Microsoft and Sony are not lowering the prices of their (old) consoles but raising them. When you think about it, these consoles came out in 2020 and by the time they launched, the hardware was already old. And now they're raising the prices on these old consoles.

So with regards to GamePass, if Xbox really wanted it to take off, lowering the prices on their consoles would greatly help, especially Series S at $200 or $199, people would buy it, especially parents buying it for their kids. Take advantage of other companies (Sony) raising prices and lower your prices to get it into more players hands, that's the ultimate goal, isn't it?

Over the years, I've been a great supporter of Xbox and have convinced family and friends to buy an Xbox over Playstation. But now with the raising of prices on their very old consoles instead of lowering them, I can no longer recommend the Xbox brand. All of these companies only care about profits and their stock prices. Employees are only a number for them, so many layoffs, especially in the tech industry and the gaming industry.

The success of this portable Xbox will solely depend on the pricing and judging from what Xbox has done lately, it will be expensive....

This does absolutely nothing a Rog Ally without Xbox branding could do, right?

You guys realized what we have just seen? Its not about asus collab or this particular handheld at all.
This is the OS and UI of next xboxes going forward. All of them. By Ms and not by Ms.

This is a big gamble of Ms:
If they get proper support of our existing xbox libraries natively (not cloud) and
If they new OS is more or less stable closer to steamOS (i dont think it will ever be as stable but it does offer more though),
Then its going to be insane and I personally pick this over 1-2 sony exclusives per year (that if sony can block it which we dont know yet)

Even the price point to me is not that important as you will save on the long run with free online, steam/gog/epic libraries. If it will be around 1k for base model - thats fine.

In a different world I would buy this day 1. In this tariff times in Canada, it’s very hard to rationalize this purchase. Seems like a well made product though….

@ChrisDeku its has new UI which is the most exciting and , xbox controller-like grip.

I agree thou its a beta test and sort of the in the middle device between regualr PC/handhels and a console.

@AlwaysPlaying yo 1200 for ally after tax in Toronto is freaking joke. Man I just got switch 2 for almost 800 after tax…insane times. And our salaries are same or lower than in US

6. It’s size and weight remind me of the old OG Xbox!

Would be alot more interested if I didn't buy a gaming laptop a few months ago

I'm sure the white one will be the 'affordable' version and whilst I do expect it to cost probably Series X type money, I also think that is 'reasonable' for an all in one device that doesn't require a TV/Monitor. It also has a Rechargeable battery as well - both of which are not supplied with a Series X.

Of course you don't expect or need a Battery (although rechargeable battery packs in the Controller would help) and you buy a Console to plug into your TV/monitor. But Screens - especially decent quality, cost money.

I know Steamdeck and Switch 2 may well have a cheaper price point - which is where the Wite RoG Xbox Ally is likely to be positioned - maybe more expensive but more capable. I wouldn't be surprised if the Black version, the Xbox Ally X, is closer to $1k - but that is the 'Premium' version with more expensive hardware inside too - more RAM, more vibration motors etc.

My only issue with my RoG All is that they shrunk the controls and buttons so it may 'look' like an Xbox controller layout, but doesn't feel like it and thanks to muscle memory, I struggle to hit the buttons. What I want is an Xbox Controller that's cut in half and a decent screen inserted between them - this RoG Xbox Ally appears to have essentially done this.

@FraserG

So, there we go! I've been holding off on buying a handheld PC for years now, but the ROG Xbox Ally looks like it'll finally tempt me into purchasing one.

Same here. I almost bought the first handheld PC, Steam Deck, but Asus ROG Ally X is the one I was waiting for all these years. It will also be my first Non-Nintendo handheld.

The big question is if/when will the xbox interface be available to all pc handhelds like steamOS?

I would convert my current rog ally to it but not sure yet if I will upgrade to the xbox ally.

@BacklogBrad same. Have the OG Ally z1x and that tiny battery could use all the OS optimisation it could get. Patiently waiting on that jsaux 65wh battery coming to the UK...

And there in lies the only reason this really exists. It’s a tech demo for Windows Gaming Edition. Not being able to play console games on what is being sold as a genuine bona fide Xbox is frankly a dealbreaker.

People can literally buy an Rog Ally right now lol

I’m very interested, but that interest is tempered by how much one will cost. Fingers crossed for a compelling reason to save my rewards points up!

it's staggering, but not surprising, how many people online seem to think this is a portable xbox, and that they can play all of their XBOX games (purchased on console) on it.

I honestly think XBOX has been a bit naughty in how this was advertised, as the average bloke doesn't seem to realise this is not what they think it is. They think it's a portable xbox, not a windows handheld!

@BAMozzy I don't use GP PC (even though I have it as part of Ultimate), so I have to ask - does everything that comes to Game Pass Xbox also go to Game Pass PC? Like, are they both exactly identical? Or does one get games that the other doesn't?

@Kaloudz Not exactly the same - for example Gears Tactics, Flight Sim and Age of Empire 4 came to PC & PC Game Pass before they were even released on Xbox so they can have 'different' games but most of the Day 1 big Game Pass releases, especially if they are releasing on both PC & Xbox the same day, are on both Game Pass lists. Games like Starfield, CoD, Indiana Jones, Forza, Doom etc are all in PC Game Pass. I haven't checked 'every' game but it seems that the majority are on both with maybe a few 'differences' which maybe just down to not releasing on both platforms.

Certainly the Xbox owned games are on both, the games you can rely on coming to Game Pass and in fairness, most of the announced 'coming to Game Pass' games Day 1 do release on both simultaneously. Its the odd 'indie' or older AAA (not Day 1) games that tend to be on one but not the other.

I don't know what the percentage of Common games they share is but I'd think it was 90%+ but maybe it just seems that way to me as EVERY game I want to play seems to be on both...

after checking comments here and there on YouTube and social media, I see a huge hype for this ROG Xbox Ally. Many people say they're happy to skip the Switch 2 in favor of the Xbox handheld. And honestly, I feel the same way. It's the only console offering a unified game library, where you can access on the same place all your Game Pass titles, Xbox games, Steam, Epic, and Battle.net. Xbox Play Anywhere is a major selling point, making it more appealing to keep buying games on the Xbox store. Add to that better performance, longer battery life, and an interface that kill all non-gaming processes, it’s a brilliant idea. Plus, with the ergonomics of Xbox controllers and haptic feedback, this really feels like the ultimate console.

I am glad you like and excited for you. It's only the beginning is the big takeaway, can hopefully only get better from here! Smaller form factor will be appreciated in time!

@Kaloudz Same here, last handheld I had was an Advance SP, so I'm excited and I'm honestly thinking of buying one

@Rog-X this is such a lost comment lol. Have fun with the delusion.

This thing is already causing so much confusion. It will not be able to play Xbox games. You will not be able to play Xbox game pass games. You will only be able to play PC games. So, you will have to subscribe to PC game pass. And everyone seems to think this is exactly the same as the existing handhelds. The the x version of the new handheld has a brand new chip in it that was just announced at CES earlier this year.

Out of my 115 console games, I think less than 10 are Play Anywhere. Definitely not worth it in my case.

@Vipor007 Man the SP was amazing looking. That's the flip one isn't it? The one that opens and folds?

@BAMozzy That's good enough for me. If the vast majority are cross service available, that's all that I would care about. I wouldn't want to, say, miss out on Expedition 33, but then again, I wouldn't really be missing out if I can play the Xbox on an evening anyway.

Honestly, I'm quite excited. I get that it's not technically an Xbox and that it does more, but I'm pretty stoked to learn more about it. Price is the major factor for me. I also hear that the batteries on these things only last a couple of hours. Is that right?

As much as I love the idea of the Xbox Ally, I am going to hold out hope for a TRUE XBOX handheld CONSOLE, one that plays my entire Xbox library natively. We know Microsoft is making a Xbox portable console, it was out on hold recently but most rumors point to it being on hold because it's waiting for AMD and their next gen APUs so my guess is the truly Xbox handheld console will probably be released as part of the Xbox next gen plans.

I can see an Xbox handheld console replacing the Xbox Series S next generation. It'll be the entry level device that can run all the games (just like the Series S) albeit at lower resolutions. My guess is it'll also include a dock to play on the TV as well similar to switch and steam deck.

As for the Xbox Ally and the Xbox Ally X as much as I am drooling over these devices I'm afraid the price will be too much. If the Ally Xbox launched at $399 and the Ally Xbox X launched at $599 then it'd be something worth considering up if it costs anywhere near the Asus ROG Ally X ($799) then it's just a hard no.

If Microsoft launched a true Xbox handheld console that they could eat the cost like on all consoles, then I could see a portable Xbox next gen launching at $449 and the Series X Successor launching at $599. That's historically a decent launch price. Hopefully the next gen consoles will launch after the cheeto in office is done with his tariffs pissing contest lol

I’ve just upgraded to Switch 2 and my problem is I don’t really travel often enough to justify investing in more than one handheld at a time. It’s why I held off buying Steam Deck OLED, even though I was very tempted. I don’t want to lug around two handhelds with accessories with me, just one takes up enough space in a backpack or suitcase! A generational leap over Switch 2 would certainly tempt me, but by that time Nintendo will probably have a Switch 2 OLED Pro model on the market.

@Kaloudz Battery life on the OG RoG wasn't great - they put a 40w/h battery in it to keep it lightweight but that also meant that if you run it at 15w (with some overhead for powering screen, fans etc) you'll get about 2hrs - but the new RoG Xbox Ally X has a 80w/h battery and supposedly better efficiency so should get more than 'double' the play-time.

The White Xbox Ally does have a smaller battery but also doesn't have haptic feedback triggers and they all have different power modes so you can decide to increase 'play time' or increase the power for better performance. New AAA games may require more power to get adequate performance so you'll get a shorter battery life than playing old games that run perfectly well with 'low' power modes and get more play-time.

It's basically a Windows based PC - just that 'windows' has been stripped (or at least certain elements are not turned on) so that it is better optimised for gaming specifically. That's why it runs the PC versions of Games, not the Console versions. That's why you can also play Steam or any of the other PC options but unlike a PC, it also boots straight to your games like a Console.

I thought the OG RoG Ally (and the other PC Handhelds) would be the 'perfect' transitional hardware for Console gamers looking at maybe branching out to PC. However, that still has a lot of the issues Console gamers feel when moving to PC. The Xbox Ally looks to be even more of a 'hybrid' - PC games with a more Console like UI designed for Controller use - not K&M like the Windows Desktop.

weird that the most notable xbox youtubers are trying to push this as a xbox console and will play ps games..

I am super interested, I like being able to get my Xbox library and also a much easier way to just have my Steam (including PlayStation games) and GOG library properly integrated together. The X version is probably at least as powerful as a decent gaming laptop so that's pretty decent if you stick it in a dock and play on TV etc.

At the moment I have a OLED Steam deck I stuck a 2TB SSD in so if I factor the price for the deck and the SSD I guess that was about 600 altogether maybe so if they are past that and pushing 700 to 800 that's going to be hard sell even with this being decently more powerful. Will have to wait and see.

@Kaloudz Yeah I had the Tribal version which looked awesome

@BAMozzy Totally appreciate you for all of that mate, and in general for your informed and in-depth responses. I'll probably wait on price and make a decision from there, but I'd definitely want to be able to play (untethered) for a good 3-4 hours. Do we know what the charge time is for these devices? Do they support some sort of rapid charge that doesn't take 12 hours to refill the power? Lol.

My RoG ally takes about an 1-1.5hrs to charge from 0 and reaches about 80% in 40-50mins with the supplied 65w Charger. That's the OG RoG ally with a 40w Battery so I'd assume an 80w battery would take twice as long with the same charger.

As for untethered play, my OG RoG Ally can get 3-4hrs of untethered play - but not with modern AAA games. If you are playing some old games that are not pushing the CPU/GPU - even in its lowest power mode, then you'll get a much longer use from it.

Its not just the games you play, but the way you use the RoG Ally too. For example, you can disable VRR and cap the screen to 60fps, turn the brightness down etc to reduce the screens power consumption. You don't need it on max brightness (unless playing in a Bright room or outside) and don't need VRR or 120hz if the game runs flawlessly at 30 or 60fps.

The fact is that there are games going back 'decades' available to play, some via emulation so you can play Super Mario Bros or Sonic the Hedgehog and these are not pushing the CPU or GPU on low power so not even using 15w.

Point is that 1-2hrs often mentioned with these devices is because they are 'worst' case scenarios - what you get if you turn up the RoG ally to its max power mode, turn everything up to get the highest frame rates and/or res possible in the most intensive latest games. If a game can't really hit 30fps at 720p in low power mode with low settings, then maybe you'll want to use 'turbo' mode or boost that (like overclocking on a PC) to sacrifice battery life for better visuals/frame rates.

You have a Battery that will last 1 hour if the device runs at 40w (or 2hrs at 20w or 30mins at 80w if you could run it that high) in the OG RoG Ally, but the RoG Xbox Ally X has a 80w/h battery so should last twice as long. Actually should last longer because they have improved the efficiency and removed some of the 'Bloat' from windows so it shouldn't be as power hungry.

I'm sorry I can't really tell you what the RoG Xbox Ally will be like to charge and how long you can expect to game in one untethered session but hope this helps clarify the situation around battery life in general

@IOI
I have a ROG Ally and the experience is more Windows than XB (Boots to Windows Desktop/ASUS Game App). From what I have seen of the ROG Ally X UI booting directly as an XB device, the Windows background stuff running less, the hardware form looks better, and there is a longer lasting battery, more CPU power, memory, and storage in the device. The only resemblance to the current ROG Ally is it is made by ASUS and looks similar.

I'm not sure how you can say just get the current ROG Ally because they are the same. That is no where near anything that resembles the truth.

@johnedwin
If it allows you to play Steam games then it allows you to play a lot of the recent PS exclusives. Ghosts of Tsushima, The Last of Us, Spider-man, Uncharted, Helldivers, Ratchet & Clank, Horizon, etc.

@NeoRatt Lmao that Xbox UI is literally just Windows 11 in a different coat of paint and they already said all handheld PCs with Windows 11 will eventually get that same UI, and aside from some design tweaks it’s the exact same device that has been sold for 2 years or a year for the Ally X, you could’ve played all your Sony Steam titles there but it’s now news because it has an Xbox logo?

@IOI
Yes, the UI can probably be shipped on existing handhelds.

ROG Ally X has a Ryzen AI Z2 processor... ROG Ally is a Z1 which is a full generation difference. ROG Ally X has 24 Gb of RAM but ROG Ally only has 16. ROG Ally X has 1 TB storage and is M.2 2280 not M.2 2230. ROG Ally X has a 80W battery not 40W in ROG Ally. ROG ally has only a USB-C port whereas ROG Ally X has USB4 Type-C and USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C. ROG Ally X has Bluetooth 5.4 while ROG Ally has bluetooth 5.2. That is a lot of technical differences.

There are almost no internal components that are exactly the same. Again not sure how you can say these are the same devices. They are clearly a generation apart from each other.

As for the UI on older devices. I have seen MS do that before. The new UI will not be optimized on those devices and will be slower if MS history is a guide.

@NeoRatt You got many specs wrong for the current Rog Ally X and it all feels like comparing the iPhone 15 to the 16, virtually the same devices with some tweaks, not a generation apart from each other at all lmao

The point still stands, if you want to wait 6 months to spend $800 on that thing to not be able to play your owned consoles games as any other current PC handhelds then go ahead.

@IOI
That can be said on any device now-a-days. There are very few devices where there is anything more than an incremental change. Using your arguement I might as well buy a Xbox One X instead of an XBox Series X because Series X was only incrementally better and the Xbox One X have the same UIs. The only real difference is the storage device. Everything else is virtually the same or only incrementally better. LOL.