Microsoft Unveils ROG Xbox Ally Handheld PCs at Games Showcase

At the Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, Microsoft unveiled two new portable gaming PCs. The new ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, which were created in partnership with Asus, are the company’s first portable devices bearing the Xbox name. Designed for portable gaming, the Ryzen Z2 A CPU powers the former, while the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chipset powers the latter. In addition to having 7-inch 120Hz LCD panels, both models have a redesigned grip that looks like an Xbox Wireless Controller.

According to Microsoft, the new ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X gaming handheld PCs will go on sale this holiday season in Australia, France, Japan, Singapore, the UK, the US, and 21 other countries. The ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X are expected to debut in India at some point, since the handhelds will be made accessible in other territories where ROG Ally series products are offered later.

In the upcoming months, the Xbox parent company will provide more information regarding pre-orders, compatible accessories, and pricing.

The Redmond-based tech giant claims that the 7-inch full HD LCD panels on the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X have a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a maximum brightness of 500 nits. The panels have a DXC Anti-Reflection coating on top, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection, and Freesync Premium technology from Asus for less screen tearing.

According to Microsoft, gamers can access their library across several PC shops.

The handheld gaming PCs have new contoured grips to fit a wider range of hand sizes, but the front fascia and button arrangement are still comparable to those of their regular Asus counterparts. Additionally, a new Xbox button with an improved Game Bar overlay provides gamers with instant access to chat, apps, and settings. Although the button configurations of the two versions are similar, the Xbox Ally X features enhanced impulse triggers and the Xbox Ally has hall effect triggers.

The ROG Xbox Ally, according to Microsoft, is powered by an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor with 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM and 512GB of inbuilt SSD storage since it is intended to offer excellent value for casual gamers. With its top-tier hardware, the ROG Xbox Ally X is aimed at die-hard gamers. Under the hood, it has an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chipset, 24GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and twice as much storage as the ROG Xbox Ally variant.

The Xbox full screen experience, which is intended for handheld gaming, is reportedly included with the portable gaming PCs. Windows 11 has been modified by Microsoft to reduce background activity and postpone non-essential processes. More system resources are allegedly made available for the gaming as a result, which could lead to improved performance and greater frame rates.

Along with the standard home, library, launch games, and chat choices, the ROG Xbox Ally series devices now have an enhanced Game Bar that incorporates Asus’s Armoury Crate, providing instant access to input controls and advanced device features. Additionally, players get access to a combined gaming library that includes their Xbox, Game Pass, Battle.net, and other PC shop games.

The ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X versions will be natively optimized and playable on the first day of Microsoft’s partnership with Roblox to launch its new mobile gaming PCs. Additionally, it is working with partners that are game developers on a new initiative that will assist in identifying games that are optimized for portable devices. Through the Game Bar, users can access the AI-powered Gaming Copilot, which acts as a personalized companion to speed up game launches, teach users new abilities, and foster community connections.

The tech behemoth claims that the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X have 60Wh and 80Wh batteries, respectively. There is a 67W charging stand included with both models.

Here’s how the specs compare between the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X: