Here's where to buy Xbox ROG Ally X and Xbox ROG Ally in the UK and US
The first official Xbox PC gaming handhelds finally have a release date.
Asus has announced its Microsoft-branded Xbox ROG Ally PC gaming handhelds will be playable at Gamescom in Cologne on 20th August, with retail availability to follow on October 16th. Both bring new AMD processors and Microsoft's redesigned Xbox UI for Windows, which could make them one of the best Steam Deck alternatives yet. Our hands-on impressions were positive, so we've rounded up the retailers expected to offer Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally pre-orders when the time comes.
Of course, it's worth bearing in mind that both models are just that, Steam Deck competitors - set up to outperform previous Windows-based devices like the ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. They're not full portable Xboxes that can play your entire Xbox game library on the go, despite Microsoft's "this is an Xbox" branding. Instead, you'll have access to a selection of Xbox titles that can run natively on PC, as well as the option to stream games via XCloud or from your internet-connected Xbox console via Xbox Remote Play.
That said, the Xbox Ally devices still look well worth your attention. A streamlined version of Windows and an improved Xbox launcher app ought to increase performance, bring in games from multiple storefronts and otherwise paper over the less controller-friendly segments of Windows that you still have to interact with on past Windows handhelds. And while the entry-level Xbox Ally comes with a modest AMD Z2 A chipset, the Xbox Ally X will be the first handheld released in the west to come with the more powerful - and more efficient - Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chipset.
Where to buy Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally: UK links
There are relatively few UK retailers with mentions of the Xbox Ally consoles, but Smyths has a page up offering pre-orders and the Xbox Store includes an info page; you can sign up for pre-order updates. We'll update this section with more retailer links and details as we have them.
ROG Xbox Ally X |
ROG Xbox Ally |
Where to buy Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally: US links
American retailers seem to be slightly ahead of their British counterparts when it comes to producing product pages for each model, though it's still just a handful of sites that are offering this - including the Xbox store and Best Buy.
ROG Xbox Ally X |
ROG Xbox Ally |
Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally: specs and features
Here's how the two Xbox Ally devices compare. Expect roughly Steam Deck levels of performance - maybe slightly better - from the mainstream Xbox Ally, while the Xbox Ally X ought to deliver a noticeable improvement in efficiency and top-end grunt over existing Z1 Extreme devices like the original ROG Ally and upgraded ROG Ally X.
| Model | ROG Xbox Ally X | ROG Xbox Ally |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme (8 Zen 5/5c cores, 16 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores, 50 XDNA2 AI TOPS) | AMD Ryzen Z2 A (4 Zen 2 cores, 8 RDNA 2 GPU cores) |
| Memory | 24GB LPDDR5X-8000 | 16GB LPDDR5X-6400 |
| Storage | 1TB 2280 NVMe SSD | 512GB 2280 NVMe SSD |
| Screen | 7-inch 1080p 120Hz VRR display | |
| I/O | 1x USB 4 Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, UHS-2 Micro SD card reader w/ UHS-1 DDR200 mode, 3.5mm | 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, UHS-2 Micro SD card reader, 3.5mm |
| Dimensions | 291x122x51mm | |
| Design | 715g, L/R Xbox Impulse triggers | 670g, L/R Hall Effect triggers |
| Battery | 80Wh | 60Wh |
| Price | £££££ | £££ |
As well as having the benefit of newer AMD CPU and GPU architectures - 16 RDNA 3.5 graphics cores, three Zen 5 cores, five Zen 5c cores - the Z2 Extreme used in the ROG Ally X also has 50 TOPS of AI capabilities. It's not clear what gaming tasks, if any, this would be used for, but it's an interesting deviation over the Z2 Extreme chips found in the MSI Claw A8 handheld that's thus far only been released in China.
Despite their varying internals, both machines come with the same dimensions, have the same screens and have only a few minor design changes - including a larger 80Wh battery on the Xbox Ally X vs 60Wh on the Xbox Ally. Xbox impulse triggers, a USB 4 port and support for faster UHS-1 Micro SD cards round out the other physical changes, which is reflected in a higher weight of 715g vs 670g. You can read more in our Xbox Ally / Ally X hands-on piece from Gamescom.
Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally: rumoured UK, US and EU prices
Thus far, the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X haven't been officially priced, but the rumours are out there. Dealabs is reporting that the Xbox Ally X will cost $900, while the Xbox Ally will retail for $550. For European markets, the prices are €900 and €600 respectively. Assuming the information is accurate, that should translate into British prices of roughly £800 for the Xbox Ally X and £520 for the vanilla Xbox Ally, though anything up to £900 or £600 is possible.
Wrapping up
That's all the info we have for now! Stay tuned for more links, prices and other information as we get it.