ROG Xbox Ally X20 pre-orders are now live, and both the standalone handheld and lavish XReal AR Glasses bundle will hit shelves on October 15. If you've been waiting for a portable PC upgrade, that's not too long a wait, but I am wondering how many players will be rushing with cash in hand for an even pricier successor to an already expensive contender.
Serving as a revamped version of the ROG Xbox Ally X, the new Microsoft and Asus gaming handheld comes in at $1,299.99. For your money, you are getting a 7.4-inch 1080P 120Hz OLED display, but the X20 is rocking the same 24GB RAM and 1TB storage as last year's version. It's also got the same AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU at its core, so it's anything but a generational successor.
Yes, the ROG Xbox Ally X20 is a mid-gen refresh, one that comes as gaming handheld prices are really getting out of hand. Now that the Steam Deck OLED is sitting over $700, the proverbial pricing gloves are off for its competition. If anything, Asus has been the only portable maker sticking with its original MSRPs, but since this is an upgrade, we're now seeing those higher tags creep in.
Where to pre-order ROG Xbox Ally X20 in the US
Where to pre-order ROG Xbox Ally X20 in the UK
The semi-good news is that you won't have to opt for the full ROG XReal R1 Edition bundle. That would have forcibly furnished you with a pair of R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses as well as extras like a dbrand Killswitch and custom Pelican Case. Nice perks if you can afford it, but most players will be looking to keep those dastardly pre-order prices down.
It sounds bananas, but even at its current price points, the ROG Xbox range is still more attainable than its competition. You've got every other main portable PC player, like Lenovo and MSI, shooting well over $1,000, so there's something to be said about the white Xbox Ally staying strong at $599. I'm still not into paying that for a device that sits in the same performance band as handhelds from 2023, but hey, it beats paying into the thousands.
Don't get me wrong, it's nice to see new handheld gaming PC options emerge in the current climate. The part that hurts is the pricing, and while I don't like the narrative that "this is the way things are now", you're not going to get any normal pre-order prices until the situation with AI data centre demand blows over.
If you really aren't fussed about newfangled handhelds and sticking glasses on your face instead of using a gaming monitor, you'll want to get second-hand savvy. If you'd rather avoid taking your chances with eBay, I'd dive into open-box listings at Best Buy, as that will help you grab the base Xbox Ally for under $500 or even the beefier X model for $100 less than usual.
The emergence of the ROG Xbox Ally X20 means deciding if you want to pay top dollar for an OLED upgrade, or pay less for the existing LCD model. Both are pricey, but you'll be hitting the same frame rates on both, and not everyone's going to appreciate elevated contrast and colors on a smaller on-the-go screen.
- Handheld gaming PCs at Best Buy
- Gaming handhelds at Amazon
Swing by the best retro handhelds if you'd rather play classic capers on the go.
