Following months of anticipation, the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are finally here, and thanks to some pretty impressive hardware, they could be the Steam Deck rivals we've been waiting for. In this guide, we've put together all the details we know about the consoles from Microsoft and Asus, so you can decide whether you might want to pick one up for yourself.
If you already know you're leaning towards picking up the premium option, see our ROG Xbox Ally X review for our in-depth thoughts. Or, if you're wondering what Valve might have up its sleeve to combat a new wave of Steam Deck alternatives, take a look at the latest with our Steam Deck 2 guide.
ROG Xbox Ally release date
The ROG Xbox Ally release date was October 16, with the premium ROG Xbox Ally X also launching on the same day. That means you can now go out and buy either of the handhelds, depending on your budget and hardware requirements.
ROG Xbox Ally specs
You can check out the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X's specs here.
| ROG Xbox Ally | ROG Xbox Ally X | |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen Z2 A | AMD Ryzen™ AI Z2 Extreme |
| Display | 7-inch 120Hz IPS (1080p) | 7-inch 120Hz IPS (1080p) |
| Battery | 60Wh | 80Wh |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5X-6400 | 24GB LPDDR5X-8000 |
| Storage | 512GB | 1TB |
| Weight | 670g | 715g |
| Size | 290.8 x 121.5 x 50.7mm | 290.8 x 121.5 x 50.7mm |
If you're already up to speed on some of the best handheld consoles on the market, you might notice that the specs of the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are very similar to the Asus ROG Ally and Asus ROG Ally X, respectively. The big difference is the Xbox-inspired design, which you don't get on the Asus-branded devices.
@pockettactics Our first impressions of the Xbox Ally @gamescom are in, and despite the high price, we may be sold 💸 #Xbox #ROG #Handheld #Gaming #Gamescom
ROG Xbox Ally price details
The ROG Xbox Ally is available for $599.99 / £499.99, while the ROG Xbox Ally X is $999.99 / £799.99. That price is pretty much what we were expecting after months of leaks and rumors before the launch, and puts the cheaper version around the same cost as the 512GB Steam Deck OLED and the new Lenovo Legion Go S.
What's the difference between the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X?
It can be confusing when a brand launches two similarly named devices, but the main difference between the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X is in terms of hardware specs. The Xbox Ally X's 80W battery is bigger than the Xbox Ally's 60W cell, and the X comes with an AMD Z2 Extreme processor, which is a little more powerful than the Xbox Ally's Z2 A chip. However, both are capable of running the best Steam Deck games without tanking the performance settings.
As well as having a bigger battery and more powerful processor, the Xbox Ally X also beats out the slightly less premium model by packing 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. For context, the Xbox Ally comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which, while not as impressive as the X, should still provide pretty rapid load times and enough space for more than a few games.
In terms of design, there's little to separate the two handhelds, with both boasting 7-inch 120Hz refresh rate displays and contoured grips inspired by Xbox's home console controllers. That said, the ROG Xbox Ally X has impulse triggers, which are a pretty big deal for fans of FPS games who need ultra-responsive controls, as well as a 3.5mm headphone input. It's also slightly heavier than the base model, weighing 715g.
That was our guide to everything you need to know about the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X. For more portable gaming goodness, be sure to check out our guides to the best gaming tablets and the best retro handhelds while you're here. Or, if you haven't yet, see our Nintendo Switch 2 review to see what we made of 2025's biggest new console launch.