Steam Deck’s biggest competitor is now just $489 — Enjoy Xbox and PC titles on the go with this gaming handheld for Christmas

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The Xbox Ally, a more powerful version of the popular ASUS ROG Ally handheld gaming device, launched in October 2025. It’s designed to let you play Xbox and PC games while traveling.

This console offers solid performance and a clear screen, all at a great price. It’s comfortable to hold, and now it’s even more affordable – currently available at Amazon for just $489.00, down from its original price of $599.99.

Why buy the Xbox Ally?

I enjoy playing games on the Steam Deck, but the ASUS ROG Ally is a strong competitor, particularly for cloud gaming.

The controller has comfortable, sculpted grips designed like those on the Xbox Wireless Controller.

This device stays cool thanks to its quiet fans, and it’s easy to control. It features a vibrant 7-inch IPS display that shows clear, colorful images in 1080p, and supports refresh rates up to 120Hz for smooth visuals.

The Xbox Ally is powered by an AMD Ryzen Z2 processor, which helps it run less demanding games and stream titles from Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce NOW without much lag.

The Xbox Ally won’t be able to smoothly run visually intensive games like Cyberpunk 2077 at anything higher than low graphics settings.

It also offers 512GB of storage, but doesn’t include the HYPR-RX or AI features found in the Xbox Ally X. Gaming battery life is around 2 hours for demanding games, and up to 7 hours for less intensive or indie titles.

Okay, so the Xbox Ally and Ally X are awesome, but I’ve noticed they can fill up with games pretty quickly! Luckily, you can easily fix this by getting a good microSD card – it’s a total game changer for storage and lets you download way more titles.

Despite a few minor drawbacks, the Xbox Ally is a fantastic Windows 11 handheld device, particularly good for cloud gaming, and it’s currently available for a great price of $489.00 on Amazon.

FAQs

What games can I play on the Xbox Ally?

Because the Xbox Ally uses Windows 11, you can play a huge variety of PC games on it. This includes games from Xbox Game Pass, titles you already own, and games from services like Steam, the Epic Games Store, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Can I play games on the Xbox Ally without the internet?

Once you’ve downloaded and started a game while connected to the internet, you can then play it offline on the Xbox Ally to confirm you own it.

You need an internet connection to download games and extra content, play online with others, use Xbox Game Pass, and stream games.

Can it’s RAM be upgraded?

The Xbox Ally’s RAM is soldered into the motherboard, so you can’t replace it yourself.

Is the Xbox Ally safe to play while it’s recharging?

You can play games even while the device is charging. Once fully charged, it intelligently stops charging the battery to prevent damage from overcharging.

Arrives after Christmas and need a gift sooner? 

Need a last-minute gift? An Amazon eGift Card is a quick and easy solution! You can send it instantly by email or text, schedule it for later, and choose any amount between $5 and $2,000. Plus, the recipient can use it whenever they want, as the balance never expires – perfect if a gift you ordered won’t arrive in time for Christmas.

Amazon eGift Cards are a simple way to send a gift. You can choose a design, set the amount, write a personal message, and send it by email or text. You can even schedule when it arrives – instantly or up to a year in the future! There are no extra fees, and the gift card balance doesn’t expire, giving the recipient plenty of time to use it on millions of items available on Amazon.

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2025-12-20 19:11