Everyone's fawning over the new kid on the block today. The Xbox ROG Ally X is here and, by all accounts, it's ushering in a new future for handheld PC gaming. That's an expensive future, though, with the new model coming in a lofty $999 MSRP.
I've been running the OG Asus ROG Ally since launch and it's still booted up every night for some cozy gaming. It's also down as low as $376.99 open box at Best Buy right now (was $649.99), though I'd probably upgrade to an 'Excellent' condition model for $399.99 instead. That's a record-low price on one of the best gaming handhelds of the last few years, I've only seen it at $449 at its very lowest in the past.
I say cozy games because I have, I'll be honest, been left behind by blockbuster recent releases. Indiana Jones was a struggle, Doom: The Dark Ages is only just playable (and far less enjoyable), and even Avowed gave it something to think about. Spiritfarer? Tiny Bookshop? This is your bread and butter.
Stop reading now if you want to play large-scale releases with intense graphical requirements. Those kinds of games are reserved for the more expensive devices. If, however, you just want to snuggle down with some relaxing adventures at the end of the day, I couldn't recommend the Asus ROG Ally Z1E enough.
But Tabs, I hear you say, the Nintendo Switch 2 is only a little more expensive and has a massive catalog of cozy titles to choose from. I know, I'm in the lucky position to have both devices in my roster, and I'll tell you why I default to Asus's device.
Games are much, much cheaper. In fact, over the last two years there have only been one or two times when a game has been the same price on Nintendo Switch as it was on either Steam, Epic, or Xbox, let alone cheaper.
I keep receipts. The only game I picked up on Switch because it was cheaper was Potion Craft Alchemist Simulator. That's out of the 39 titles I've completed on the ROG Ally since release.
Aha, so what about Steam Deck?
Absolutely, go for a Steam Deck if you know you're only going to rely on Valve's storefront for your lighter titles. We have this argument almost constantly on the GamesRadar+ hardware team and I'm firmly in Asus's camp.
Admittedly, Xbox has nerfed my previously rock-solid Game Pass argument with its recent price increases, but there are still benefits to maintaining your freedom to shop wherever you want. Being tied into a single marketplace is why console gaming is so much more expensive compared to PC. Yes, you can sideload other storefronts onto your handheld, but if you're not particularly tech savvy you'll want to stick to Asus's more open approach.
Ultimately, the handheld you choose is going to depend on what you want to play and how much you want to pay.
Today's Asus ROG Ally deal certainly isn't good value if you want to push the latest releases to solid 60fps rates in decent settings - your $400 is much better put towards a more substantial device. If you're looking to catch up on older blockbusters (I completed Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Fallout 4 on this machine with no hitches) or whittle down an indie backlog, with the freedom to dabble in Epic and Game Pass, this is the deal you need to see.
- See all gaming handhelds at Best Buy
- Asus ROG Ally Z1E (open box) |
$649.99$376.99 at Best Buy - Xbox ROG Ally X | $999.99 at Best Buy
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