After more than a decade of rumors and anticipation, Microsoft has officially unveiled its first handheld gaming consoles, the ROG Xbox Ally and the more powerful ROG Xbox Ally X, both developed in partnership with Asus. This marks a significant step for Xbox, finally entering the portable gaming market and allowing gamers to access their Game Pass library on the go. The devices will launch at the end of 2025, with exact pricing still under wraps, but both are positioned to compete directly with the Nintendo Switch 2 and Valve’s Steam Deck.

Both models feature a 7-inch 1080p display, with the standard Ally running on an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. The Ally X, designed for more demanding gamers, boasts an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of RAM, and double the storage, making it suitable for high-performance gaming and advanced AI features. Each device is equipped with design elements inspired by the Xbox Wireless Controller, including contoured grips and a dedicated Xbox button for quick access to chat, settings, and apps.

A standout feature is the new Xbox full-screen mode, which boots up as soon as the device is powered on, optimizing the Windows-based system for handheld gaming by minimizing background activity and maximizing performance. This ensures improved memory usage, higher framerates, and a more immersive experience. Accessibility features from Xbox consoles and Windows PCs have also been integrated, making the devices user-friendly for a broader audience.

The ROG Xbox Ally series supports not only native Xbox games but also titles from other storefronts like Steam and EA Play, thanks to its Windows foundation. Players can enjoy games natively, via cloud gaming, or remotely from their home console. However, the robust hardware does come at a cost: the devices are heavier than typical handhelds, with the Ally X weighing 715g compared to the Switch 2’s 534g.