“Gaming is for everyone,” as Xbox marketing likes to remind us, and that now includes people on the go. Well, people on the go with a lot of disposable income.
On Thursday, Microsoft finally revealed the official price points for its upcoming handheld devices, ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, releasing on Oct. 16. The base model, the ROG Xbox Ally, will cost $599.99. The more advanced option, ROG Xbox Ally X, will cost $999.99.
There had been a lot of speculation — and some leaks — about the price points. The most recent reports of leaked retailer prices placed the base model at $549.999 and the “X” at $849.99. In other words, Thursday’s news is going to be met with some serious jeers, especially for gamers who hoped to get the top-of-the-line option for $150 less.
For those for whom money is no object, pre-sales are now open. The ROG Xbox Ally X is a Best Buy exclusive.
An unknown factor in the pricing has been the Trump tariffs impact on prices for U.S. consumers. Just last week, Microsoft announced it is raising the prices of its consoles again.
Like the handhelds, the Xbox Series X is the pricier (and more-powerful) model. Both “X” options are black; the Xbox Series S, the entry-level model, and the regular ROG Xbox Ally are both white. So that’s a very visual shortcut.
Xbox co-developed the handhelds with Asus. Technically, these are Windows-based handheld PCs and not directly Xbox handhelds. They are Asus ROG Allys with an Xbox button and some other Xbox-specific features.
The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X will run Windows 11 Home on a seven inch display. The X has 1TB of storage, the base model has 512GB. The X model has a better battery life, more memory and a stronger processor.
The handheld price reveals were timed to Xbox’s Tokyo Game Show presentation. We already had price tags for a pair of ROG Xbox Ally (and Ally X) accessories built by Asus. There’s a hardshell carrying case with a built-in stand and accessories pouch for $69.99, as well as an AC adapter with an HDMI 2.0 port and two USB 2.0 ports for $99.99. The charger dock can connect the handheld to a monitor (or a TV).