As a gamer, I’m thrilled to share that Microsoft, in partnership with Asus, has finally unveiled their jointly built handheld gaming PC, dubbed the ROG Xbox Ally. Now, they’ve released a fresh video, offering an up-close glimpse into this portable powerhouse. The video highlights some of its key features, particularly emphasizing how it delivers a console-like gaming experience, all without the hassle of tweaking Windows settings.
Initially, the video’s first part highlights the less potent non-X version of the ROG Xbox Ally, which relies on an AMD Ryzen Z2A chip instead of the Z2 Extreme chip found in the ROG Xbox Ally X. This handheld device appears to be exclusively available in white and comes equipped with 16 GB of LPDDR5X-6400 RAM, a storage capacity of 512 GB due to an NVMe drive, and a 7-inch screen boasting a resolution of 1080p, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and FreeSync Premium for variable refresh rates.
In the latter part of the video, there’s a lengthier discussion about the ROG Xbox Ally X. A member from its development team even went as far as to call it “the best handheld I’ve ever used.” The ROG Xbox Ally X, available in black, features the Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip and boasts 24 GB of LPDDR5X-8000 RAM. It also comes with 1 TB of NVMe storage. Similar to the Xbox Ally, the Xbox Ally X sports a 1080p 120 Hz display with VRR support.
Roanne Sones from Xbox referred to the ROG Xbox Ally X as “an absolute powerhouse.” It’s packed with all the advanced features, reaching the highest level of both storage capacity and performance, as well as utilizing an impressive chip.
Gabriel Meng from Asus’ ROG division characterized the Ryzen Z2 Extreme as an incredibly potent chip, essentially the pinnacle of performance in a portable gaming device. It excels at delivering impressive performance, all while keeping energy consumption in check to aid in preserving battery life.
Remarkably, the video showcases preliminary models for the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X, which were initially fashioned in a makeshift cardboard case. Inside this DIY enclosure, the wiring and circuit boards were organized to facilitate testing by developers. Furthermore, these components were connected to a screen to ensure that the hardware possessed the necessary power for running demanding games.
Developers from the ROG Xbox Ally units within the company discussed their collaboration with Microsoft. This partnership was established so Microsoft could manage the software aspects, ensuring Windows ran smoothly on portable devices, while Asus could concentrate on developing and perfecting the hardware.
A member of the Asus ROG team, Whitson Gordon, expressed his idea for the partnership with Microsoft: “Let’s transform the [ROG Ally] software so it resembles an Xbox, while preserving all the excellent aspects of Windows.” Essentially, he suggested we should make it a console that lives up to the reputation of the Xbox.
This year, you’ll find both the Asus ROG Xbox Allies, specifically the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X, on store shelves.
Read More
2025-06-09 14:41