ROG Xbox Ally – the Xbox handheld that's secretly a Windows PC

By Ricardo de Jong ·

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White ROG Xbox Ally handheld seen from an angle, with the ROG and Xbox logos on its 7-inch screen

For years, Xbox fans asked Microsoft for a handheld. For years, they got a phone clip and a speech about the cloud. Meanwhile Nintendo sold a few hundred million handhelds and Valve built the Steam Deck.

The ROG Xbox Ally is the answer, sort of. It’s a handheld gaming PC made by ASUS and designed with Xbox, and it boots straight into an Xbox-style screen instead of the Windows desktop. Your Game Pass library, your Steam games and your Epic freebies all live on one 7-inch device.

It’s not a Switch killer. It’s something more interesting: an Xbox you can take on the train.

White ROG Xbox Ally handheld seen from the front, with the ROG and Xbox logos on its screen

What is the ROG Xbox Ally?

It’s the cheaper of two Xbox handhelds ASUS released on October 16, 2025. The black ROG Xbox Ally X is the expensive one. This white model starts at $599.

On the outside, the big change from the older ROG Ally is the shape. The grips are bigger and modeled on the Xbox Wireless Controller, so it looks like someone stretched a controller around a screen. Inside it runs Windows 11 Home, but you land in the Xbox “full screen experience”: a console-style launcher that also loads less of the Windows background stuff.

The key specs, according to ASUS:

  • 7-inch 1080p touchscreen, 120Hz with FreeSync Premium, 500 nits
  • AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD plus a microSD slot
  • 60Wh battery; Amazon’s listing says 30 minutes of charging gets you from 0 to 50%
  • Hall effect triggers, two assignable grip buttons, HD haptics and a gyro
  • Two USB-C ports with DisplayPort, so you can hook it up to a TV
  • 670 grams (1.48 lbs)

The good and the not-so-good

What I like:

  • One device for all your PC stores. Game Pass, Steam and Epic side by side, and Xbox Play Anywhere games pick up where you left off on your Xbox or PC.
  • The grips. Reviewers at Notebookcheck and Stuff found the new Xbox-style grips very comfortable for long sessions.
  • The battery. Notebookcheck counted it as a strong point, and 60Wh is a big step up from the original Ally’s 40Wh.
  • The screen. Notebookcheck called the 120Hz panel with VRR high quality, and 1080p on 7 inches looks sharp on paper.

What could be better:

  • Performance. Notebookcheck found it usually a bit slower than the Steam Deck OLED, because the Z2 A chip uses AMD’s older Zen 2 design. The site sees it as a better fit for older and less demanding games than for the newest blockbusters.
  • The software is still Windows underneath. BGR called the full screen experience a real step up from the desktop, but still a skin on top of Windows 11.
  • The price. At $599, Notebookcheck thought it was hard to justify against cheaper rivals.

Who is the ROG Xbox Ally for?

Xbox and Game Pass players who want their library in a backpack, and PC gamers who’d rather not fiddle with Linux. It’s a great fit for indie games, older AAA titles and cloud gaming. Plus anyone who simply loves the Xbox controller shape.

Skip it if raw power is the point. The Ally X has a much faster chip, for a much bigger bill. If you only play on PlayStation, the PlayStation Portal streams from your PS5 for less. Other handheld PCs, like the MSI Claw, are worth comparing too. And if you’d rather plug in a proper controller when docked to a TV, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 works with Windows.

Where can I buy the ROG Xbox Ally?

ASUS sells it on Amazon. At the time of writing (October 2026) the white 512GB model is about 600 bucks, and Amazon’s listing includes three months of Xbox Game Pass Premium. Watch out for third-party listings with odd storage upgrades and higher prices: the one below is the ASUS model.

The Xbox handheld is real. It’s just wearing a Windows sweater.