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Microsoft and ASUS Reveal ROG Xbox Ally: A Novel Handheld Gaming PC for Xbox Enthusiasts

Prime Highlights

  • Microsoft collaborates with ASUS to introduce two handheld gaming PCs, the ROG Xbox Ally and the high-end Ally X, designed around an Xbox-first Windows experience.
  • Both products launch in holiday 2025, providing extensive Xbox integration in addition to PC and cloud gaming features.

Key Facts

  • Both handhelds come with a 7-inch 1080p screen at 120 Hz variable refresh rate.
  • ROG Xbox Ally is driven by AMD Ryzen Z2 A with a 60 Wh battery; the Ally X makes use of the more potent Ryzen Z2 Extreme and an 80 Wh battery.
  • The hardware is set to retail between $599 and $999 in the 2025 holiday season.

Key Background –

Microsoft’s interest in handheld gaming hardware traces back a few years, but earlier tries at making an Xbox-branded handheld were scrapped in favor of prioritizing the Windows gaming ecosystem. The new devices arise from the in-house project codenamed “Kennan” and take advantage of ASUS’s experience with handheld PCs using the established ROG Ally platform, optimized for Xbox gaming.

Regulatory documents and leaks showed two proposed designs: a black Xbox-labeled device and a white one, both with Xbox-themed buttons and logos. They have AMD’s new Ryzen Z2 series of processors with solid CPU and GPU power tailored to portability in gaming. The base model runs the Ryzen Z2 A for 720p gaming with judicious battery consumption, and the Ally X for full 1080p performance with the Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip.

Much of the attraction lies in Microsoft’s new software strategy. The “Xbox Full Screen Experience” adjusts Windows 11 to yield a streamlined, controller-optimized interface that conceals the normal desktop and simplifies gaming navigation. The new UI is also backed to support a broad variety of PC games as well as Xbox services such as cloud gaming and remote play. Microsoft is aiming to bring this software update to older ROG Ally handhelds too, widening its reach.

Strategically, Microsoft is looking to bring Xbox and PC gaming ecosystems closer than ever before, taking down the barriers between console, PC, and cloud play. This action directly confronts Valve’s Steam Deck dominance and moves handheld gaming PCs into mainstream consumption.

By releasing these products in the 2025 holiday season, Microsoft aims to tap into the increasing base of gamers who want high-quality portable gaming, using the strength of the Xbox brand and the versatility of Windows to form an exciting new product category.

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