The handheld console market is thriving—the ROG Xbox Ally’s release has been confirmed. Not only that, there are two versions on the way, with a more premium ROG Xbox Ally X joining the lineup as well. Working in collaboration with ASUS, Microsoft’s handheld for Xbox has been confirmed after months of rumors swirling around the possibilities. Now, this isn’t the internally designed version that fans had been hoping for, but ASUS has already had considerable experience with manufacturing similar handhelds, so it isn’t surprising that Microsoft has chosen to rely on them for its handheld foray.
The Xbox handheld does not have a release date but it is expected to launch right in time for the 2025 holiday season, which is a logical choice as an immediate release would see the handheld completely overshadowed by the Nintendo Switch 2 and the burgeoning demand for it. Pre-orders have not been opened yet but you can sign up to be informed when it opens up. While you wait, let’s look at the ROG Xbox Ally specs and see what’s on offer.
The new ROG Xbox Ally is a sight to behold—chucky and well-rounded. (Image: ROG Xbox Ally)
ROG Xbox Ally release Confirmed by Microsoft—a New Handheld Gaming Gadget Is on Its Way
The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are two new handheld gaming consoles that are the result of the collaboration between ASUS and Microsoft. The X model is expected to be the superior of the two, marketed as a “high-performance” alternative for “the most demanding players.”
The two consoles are “built to make it easier than ever to access your favorite games—from Xbox, Battle.net, and other leading PC storefronts—all from a single device.” This showcases the focus on bringing PC gamers to a new platform and echoes a great push from the gaming industry to make handhelds the perfect mid-way point between PC and console gamers.
Xbox ROG Ally Features—What Sets the New Handheld Apart?
The Xbox gaming handheld coming in 2025 is expected to be a game-changer for gamers and the company alike, but what makes it so special? The Xbox Wire showcase gave us some insight into the upcoming device, so let’s break down what it has to offer.
Multiple Play Options
Players can use the handheld to play natively, via the cloud, or remotely with their Xbox console in another room. This marks another step forward for the Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) system that has been gaining popularity.
Windows 11 OS Integration
The new Xbox handheld console is expected to work on Windows 11 and this brings many PC capabilities to the console, including support for a wider catalog of games and the ability to use apps like Twitch and Discord.
A Happy Middle with Windows and ASUS Capabilities
The Xbox Game Bar built-in overlay provided with Windows 11 for PC games will be integrated within the Xbox ROG Ally’s features, making it easier for gamers to navigate across the interface. A dedicated Xbox button will allow users to bring up the Game Bar and other connected features instantly.
Taking some of ASUS’ capabilities into account as well, you will be able to use the company’s Armory Crate to give players more control over their device’s operations. Many gamers have hated this particular feature in the past so some may be divided on its inclusion here, but the system is arriving all the same.
ROG Xbox Ally Specs—It’s Where the Magic Lies
The popularity of the ROG Xbox Ally will depend on its capabilities, and all of the key specs have been laid out by Xbox. Both consoles will operate on Windows 11 OS but will rely on different AMD Ryzen processors to keep it up and running. Features like the assignable back buttons, 6-axis IMU, and contoured grips from the Xbox Wireless controllers are also common to both, but the X variant will support additional impulse triggers for enhanced control.
The consoles both offer a 7-inch screen with a 1920×1080 resolution IPS display, 500 nits brightness, and 120Hz refresh rate. Both will be similarly protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and DXC Anti-Reflection for some safety and anti-glare support.
The ROG Xbox Ally X has a bigger battery at 80W, a better processor with the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip, improved port capabilities, and is slightly heavier as well. We’re sure the price for the ROG Xbox Ally X will also be higher, but just what the difference in pricing will be remains unknown.
| Specifications | ROG Xbox Ally Specs | ROG Xbox Ally X Specs |
| Dimensions | 290.8×121.5×50.7mm, 670g | 290.8×121.5×50.7mm, 715g |
| OS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor | AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme Processor |
| Memory | 16GB LPDDR5X-6400 RAM, 512GB SSD | 24GB LPDDR5X-8000 RAM, 1TB SSD |
| Storage | 512GB M.2 2280 SSD for easier upgrade | 1TB M.2 2280 SSD for easier upgrade |
| I/O Ports | Two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort 2.1 / Power Delivery 3.0 | One USB4 Type-C with DisplayPort 2.1 / Power Delivery 3.0, Thunderbolt 4 compatible |
| One UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC, and SDHC) | One USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort™ 2.1 / Power Delivery 3.0 | |
| One UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC, and SDHC; UHS-I with DDR200 mode) | ||
| Audio Jack | 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack | 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack |
| Battery | 60Wh | 80Wh |
Xbox Handheld Release Date, Pricing, and Pre-orders—What Do We Know?
With regard to the Xbox ROG Ally’s release and pricing, the company has chosen to stay quiet for now. We know that the handheld will be launching closer to the holiday seasons and will be initially available at select locations—Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
There are no details about the pricing or the pre-order timelines, but Xbox reassured fans that it will reveal more in the coming months. For now, you can sign up for the mailing list to know when pre-orders open up. With the recent price hikes announced for the Xbox hardware, we don’t expect the handheld to be cheap.
What Else Do We Know from the Xbox ROG Ally Showcase
There are many reasons to be excited about the release of the ROG Xbox Ally, particularly its ability to sync your play across your Xbox devices. You should be able to purchase the console and play your games immediately, accessing your aggregated gaming library from Xbox, Game Pass, Battle.net, and other leading PC storefronts. So of course this means your Steam games will be playable as well, challenging the recent expansion on Steam OS to other handheld consoles.
Xbox is also working on a program to help gamers identify which games have been optimized for the upcoming handhelds, which should be interesting. The Xbox team also mentions the Gaming Copilot accessible through the Game Bar, designed to help you “get to your favorite games faster, improve your skills, and connect you with your friends and communities.” Not to be forgotten, Xbox also announced that Roblox will also be natively playable on the gaming handheld for the first time ever.
Are You Excited About the Xbox Handheld Coming Out in 2025?
All in all the response to the upcoming Xbox handheld console has been mostly positive. Microsoft is making a very dedicated attempt to expand into the gaming market more than it already has with its Xbox Series X|S consoles and its PC game store is already a gaming staple. With the upcoming handheld, the company may successfully encroach into handheld gaming territory.
The aggregated gaming library also sounds like a good thing in our books, even for other Windows 11 devices, so overall, we’re excited about the ROG Xbox Ally’s release and ready to explore what it has to offer.
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