I caved and purchased the Xbox ROG Ally X — sunsetting my Steam Deck for good

by

Pre-orders for the Xbox ROG Ally X are now open! They’re expected to ship on October 16th. It was a perfect morning – cool autumn air and strong coffee – which meant I was definitely ready to spend some money I probably shouldn’t have.

It seems the Xbox ROG Ally X is surprisingly popular! Even though it’s expensive, people are buying it quickly. I believe I got one of the last units available at Currys in the UK, as they’re now sold out.

A fair price I couldn’t ignore

Although £799.99 is a considerable expense, I surprisingly don’t mind paying it, especially considering prices in the UK. It’s unusual to find a good exchange rate here, but this time it feels right. For that price, you get a powerful AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of RAM, and a large 1TB solid-state drive. This handheld is the first one that truly feels like a worthwhile upgrade, allowing me to play new games without constantly having to adjust the settings.

Why this one cracked me

I really thought the Steam Deck would be the only handheld gaming device I’d ever need. I’ve been a dedicated user since it first came out, and I defended its flaws – like its size, battery life, and struggles with demanding games – for a long time. But I’ve come to realize it has limitations. While I’m excited about Lenovo’s Legion Go S and its SteamOS compatibility, it didn’t offer enough improvements over the Deck to make me want to spend the money on it.

The Xbox ROG Ally X feels like a significant upgrade. With its faster processor, much larger memory, and spacious 1TB storage, plus a comfortable design, it seems like a worthwhile investment that should stay relevant for years to come. I’m hoping it’s ‘future-proof,’ and upcoming features like AI upscaling and frame generation make that feel more realistic.

My Steam Deck is now a family heirloom

I almost sold my Steam Deck to justify buying something else. I figured I could get around £200 for it, even used. But I quickly realized I couldn’t bring myself to do it – it felt like betraying a device that’s been so reliable. It deserves better than being sold on eBay.

We’ve had some adventures together. I once tried to customize it and accidentally broke it, requiring a full replacement. It even stopped working earlier this year, but Valve’s amazing support team helped me revive it. After nearly losing it twice, I’ve really grown attached to my Steam Deck.

Rather than keeping it for myself, I’m passing this knowledge on to my oldest child, like a treasured heirloom. I wonder if I should make a bit of a ceremony out of it – perhaps light some candles while I show him how to choose a theme for his own new project. It’s something to consider.

Buyer’s remorse incoming…

To be honest, I’m a little worried this might be a bad financial choice. I’m switching from the simple, reliable SteamOS to Xbox’s Windows-based handheld, and I might end up regretting it. I could have waited for reviews of the Xbox ROG Ally X to see if it’s any good, but they’re selling out so quickly that I decided to take a chance and buy one now.

I think I snagged the very last one at Currys in the UK – they sold out right after I placed my order! It feels like it was meant to be, so I’ll keep you updated on how it goes.

As a tech fan, I always try to stay updated, and I find Windows Central’s Google News feed super helpful! It’s a great way to make sure I don’t miss any of their latest news, interesting insights, or cool features – it keeps them right at the top of my feed, which is awesome.

Read More

2025-09-26 15:10