By: Nick Gambino
Microsoft announced a pair of handheld versions of the Xbox console last year. Now the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X are finally available for preorder.
With the Microsoft handheld gaming devices going on sale, we’re finally finding out how much they will cost. This detail was left out of any previous announcements. The more stripped down ROG Xbox Ally will go for $599.99 while the ROG Xbox Ally X will fetch a hefty $999.99.
The more moderately priced Ally (it’s still $150 more than the Nintendo Switch 2) was designed for the more casual gamer. This is ideal for those who don’t need it to be an advanced gaming device. The handheld features an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor chip and 16 GB RAM. The onboard storage tops out at 512 GB. However, there’s a microSD slot so you can store plenty more games.
The ROG Xbox Ally X takes everything up a notch. The AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip gives it a lot more oomph than its more subdued counterpart. Memory also gets a shot in the arm here coming in at 24 GB RAM. The SSD can store up to 1 TB which is impressive. If you need even more, it’s also got a microSD slot for additional game storage.
The more advanced model has more going for it in almost every aspect of the device. This includes a bigger battery to more advanced ports. However, what’s curious is the display is exactly the same in both models.
So it’s up to you whether the more powerful processor and better RAM and storage are worth the extra $400 you’ll have to shell out for the ROG Xbox Ally X.
You can pre-order the Xbox handheld gaming devices right now from any of several online retail outlets – Asus, Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and of course Xbox and the Microsoft Store. You can only get the Ally X at the latter.
They hit shelves officially on October 16.
