Update: Linux Tech Tips has released their new video that showcases the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X, giving them a popular reveal, so give that a watch.
During today’s Xbox Games Showcase, Xbox revealed its upcoming handheld devices that are more of a collaboration with Asus. Introducing the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, which are spin-offs of Asus’s already established presence in the handheld PC gaming market. These two handhelds have been revealed to be released this Holiday 2025 season 2025, so expect to see them around Christmas time.
But more importantly, Xbox showed off the OS, which looks to be an updated version of its Xbox PC app running on Windows 11. However, unlike the experience we have now, it looks to be catered to the smaller screen of a handheld device, so not exactly the Steam OS experience we’ve been hoping for. Still, for those quick at it, it looks impressive, and I look forward to getting my hands on it, being that I’ve owned the ROG Ally and the ROG Ally X is my favorite handheld gaming device.
Something that is also interesting is that the Xbox button that sits on the left-hand side functions as a way to switch between games, which means it will have some sort of quick-resume option, similar to the Xbox Series X|S, and to me, that’s pretty awesome. Since now on the ROG Ally X, you have to close out the game to go to another game, unless you want the resources to wave goodbye. I’m looking forward to that.
SilkSong, a game that has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue, has also been shown, and it was revealed that it will be playable on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally / Asus ROG Xbox Ally X when the game finally launches. So hopefully, we won’t have to wait too much longer for the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date to be revealed.
Here are the specs for the Asus Xbox ROG Ally devices. Sadly, there’s no bigger screen than I hoped it would be.
| Xbox Ally (white) | Xbox Ally X (black) | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor (APU) | AMD Ryzen Z2 A | AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme |
| RAM | 16 GB LPDDR5X‑6400 | 24 GB LPDDR5X‑8000 |
| Storage | 512 GB M.2 2280 SSD (upgradeable) | 1 TB M.2 2280 SSD (upgradeable) |
| Display | 7″ 1080p IPS, 120 Hz, FreeSync Premium, Gorilla Victus | Same as Ally |
| Battery | 60 Wh | 80 Wh |
| Weight | ~670 g | ~715 g |
| Ports | 2× USB‑C 3.2 Gen 2, microSD, 3.5 mm audio jack | 1× USB4/Thunderbolt 4 + 1× USB‑C 3.2 Gen 2, microSD, 3.5 mm jack |
| Networking | Wi‑Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi‑Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Audio & Input | Contoured Xbox grips, Hall triggers, Xbox button | Same + impulse triggers, enhanced ergonomic grips |
| Software Experience | Windows 11 Home with Xbox full‑screen interface | Same |
| Release Window | Holiday 2025 | Holiday 2025 |
| Primary Purpose | 720p handheld gaming, efficient battery life | 900–1080 p performance with better ergonomics & power delivery |
Of course, while we don’t have official specs at the moment, we can speculate on the price. The current Asus ROG Ally and Ally X are already quite expensive, clocking in at $600 and $800, respectively. I have no doubt that these newer variants will be just as expensive, unless Xbox wants to eat the cost to get these into the hands of gamers. We’ll find out later this year.
