Microsoft and ASUS Unveil ROG Xbox Ally X and Ally Handhelds with Ryzen Z2 Chips and Enhanced Xbox UI

Microsoft and ASUS have officially announced their next-gen gaming handhelds — the ROG Xbox Ally X and the updated ROG Xbox Ally. These new devices blend ASUS’s high-performance hardware with a custom-tuned Windows gaming experience tailored specifically for handheld play.

Hardware Upgrades: Ryzen Z2 Chips & More

Both models are powered by AMD’s new Ryzen Z2 chips:

ROG Xbox Ally X: Ryzen Z2 Extreme, 24GB LPDDR5X 8000MHz RAM, 1TB storage

ROG Xbox Ally: Ryzen Z2 A, 16GB LPDDR5X 6400MHz RAM, 512GB storage

The Ally X clearly targets enthusiasts with more memory, faster RAM, and greater storage capacity.

Xbox-Inspired Design & Controls

Microsoft claims the new design is influenced by the Xbox Wireless Controller, with prominent hand grips extending from the sides. The button layout remains consistent with previous Ally models, based on Xbox controller ergonomics. Notably:

Both devices have similar button layouts

Ally X features impulse triggers, while the regular Ally sticks with hall effect analog triggers

A dedicated Xbox button has been added for seamless navigation

Display & Build

7-inch 1080p 120Hz LCD with FreeSync Premium

Corning Gorilla Glass Victus + DXC Anti-Reflection coating

No OLED option (yet)

Ports & Connectivity

Both handhelds offer:

Dual USB-C ports (Ally X includes USB 4; Ally has dual USB 3.2 Gen 2)

UHS-II microSD card slot

3.5mm headphone jack

Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.4

Battery:

Ally X: 80Wh

Ally: 60Wh

Custom Windows Gaming UI

The ROG Xbox Ally devices will run a custom version of Windows optimized for handheld gaming, including:

Xbox Full Screen Experience – a controller-friendly UI that prioritizes performance by limiting background processes.

Compatible with Microsoft Store, Steam, Epic Games, and more.

Microsoft is also launching a new handheld optimization program, similar to Valve's Steam Deck Verified badge.

Bonus Features

Game Pass included (duration not yet disclosed)

Roblox is getting a handheld-optimized version launching alongside the new devices

Gaming Copilot will also be present (but you can ignore it if you like)

Global Availability

Both the Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally will launch this holiday season in over 30 countries including:

United States, Canada, UK, Australia, Japan, Germany, France, India, Saudi Arabia, and many more.

Pricing and availability details will be revealed soon.