Move over Nintendo Switch 2 – Microsoft has revealed the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X

Microsoft has announced an Xbox take on the Asus's ROG Ally handheld gaming PC: meet the ROG Xbox Ally.

Shown off at the Xbox Games Showcase 2025, this version of the ROG Ally comes in two variants. While both machines have a 7-inch 1080p display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a white Xbox Ally version targets 720p gaming, somewhat like the Valve Steam Deck, and a the black Xbox Ally X console aims for 900p to 1080p gaming.

Both of these Ally consoles-meet-PCs use AMD Ryzen chipsets; the more powerful black machine has the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip, while the Xbox Ally uses the Ryzen Ryzen Z2 A. The latter comes with 16GB of LPDDR5X-6400 RAM and 512GB of M.2 2280 SSD storage, while the Xbox Ally X comes with 24GB of LPDDR5X-8000 RAM and a 1TB SSD.

Unlike Asus' current ROG Ally and ROG Ally X, the Xbox version has a tweaked design with contoured grips that echo the shape of the current Xbox Wireless Controller. And as one would expect, both Xbox Allys sport the Xbox 'ABXY' button layout and a dedicated Xbox home button.

Much like the Xbox Wireless Controller, the Xbox Allys have hall-effect impulse triggers, which should feel familiar to Xbox Series X and Series S gamers and give the handheld machines some of the best analog game controller triggers around (at least in my humble opinion).

In terms of ports, the Xbox Ally has two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports that support DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery 3.0 , and uses a UHS-II microSD card reader for storage expansion.

The Xbox Ally X has one of the above USB-C ports, but also has one USB4 Type-C port with DisplayPort 2.1, Power Delivery 3.0, and Thunderbolt 4 support. It also comes with a microSD card reader.

Both handhelds have a 3.5mm headphone jack, and offer Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4  connectivity.

Windows 11 meets Xbox customization

While the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are attention grabbing, the current crop of handheld PCs already have Xbox game support via Windows 11 and Xbox Cloud Gaming. But the experience hasn't always been slick, with there being a solid argument that Windows can hold back handheld gaming, especially when compared to the Steam Deck.

But Microsoft has worked to optimize Windows to work particularly well on the Xbox Allys, with the operating system booting into new full-screen Xbox experience, which pulls in Xbox games, as well as those from other storefronts/PC gaming platforms such as Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Tweaks to the Xbox app and the Game Bar have been made to help them be more handheld-friendly, and the latter to integrate Asus' Armoury Crate.

All of this should make it easier to access Xbox games, other PC games, cloud streaming and apps like Discord from one easy interface.

If the Xbox Allys can deliver on solid handheld performance, we could be looking at an impressive alternative, or in some cases a complementary console, to the Steam Deck.

And these Allys will need to impress given the Nintendo Switch 2 is holding a lot of the handheld gaming linelight; check out our Nintendo Switch 2 restocks coverage for a taste of how it's kinda tricky to get Nintendo's console. But a portable Xbox in this Ally guise is definitely worthy of stealing some brief attention from the Switch 2.

Right now, we don't have any detail on the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X's release date or price, but expect the latter to be in line with what the current Allys cost.

Are you interested and keen for an Xbox Ally? Let me know in the comments.

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