Xbox finally reveals new handheld, the ROG Xbox Ally X

It wasn’t just big game reveals at this morning’s Xbox Games Showcase; Xbox finally showed off their first handheld gaming PC, in two forms: the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X.

Set to capitalise on their Xbox Play Anywhere program – yes, this is an Xbox – these handhelds are built to make it easier than ever to access your favourite games from Xbox, Battle.net, and other leading PC storefronts, all from a single device.

There will be two versions available, one that’s more high-end and high-performance, the black, sleek ROG Xbox Ally X, and another that’s more entry-level for the casual gamer among us, the white ROG Xbox Ally.

The Xbox Ally has some familiar Xbox touches that separate it from the existing ROG Ally devices on the market. These include (from the official blog):

• Xbox button: With a dedicated Xbox button, players have access to chat, apps, and settings through an enhanced Game Bar overlay, allowing you to quickly switch between running apps and games.
• Contoured grips: Created with player comfort in mind, and using the same design principles as Xbox Wireless Controllers, the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X feature contoured handgrips to accommodate a wider range of hand sizes.
• Accessibility features: Game Bar and the Xbox app have also been optimized for handheld use, bringing along familiar accessibility features from Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, with much more to come in future.

You can check out detailed specs of each machine here, but the key differences come down to processing power, memory, storage, and battery; both devices will use the same display. The other key difference will of course be price; that wasn’t revealed as part of the Xbox Games Showcase, and considering the ROG Ally was already over $1000 (compared with the Steam Deck at a way more affordable price), I’m super curious to see where the cost will land on both versions, to see how competitive they’ll really try to be in this space.

The ROG Xbox Ally promises easy access to games, specifically calling out “Xbox, Game Pass, Battle.net, and other leading PC storefronts”. Of course, no mention of Steam specifically, but given the devices use Windows 11, that’s going to be something that’s surely integrated, just perhaps not as strongly marketed. A large part of their reveal mentioned Xbox Play Anywhere as a primary focus.

“With support for over 1,000 games, a single purchase means you can play with Xbox, including your progress and achievements, across Xbox console, PC and Xbox Ally—at no additional cost. And when you power on your Xbox Ally or Xbox Ally X, your favorite games are already there, ready to play. Whether you’ve been gaming on Xbox console, Xbox on PC, or in the cloud, everything syncs effortlessly. With Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) or Remote Play, you can access your full Xbox console library and keep playing—wherever you are,” says the blog post.

The handheld gaming PC market is more popular than ever; with the Steam Deck launching last year in Australia, and other players like ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion GO already available, Xbox are entering a crowded space. Still, with the devices launching this holiday season (with Australia confirmed in their launch plans), we won’t have long to see just how the ROG Xbox Ally family measures up.