Microsoft has officially announced the pricing for the highly anticipated ROG Xbox Ally handheld consoles, which are now available for preorder. The ROG Xbox Ally X, touted as the ultimate high-performance handheld designed for serious gamers, will retail for $1,000. In contrast, the standard ROG Xbox Ally, aimed at both casual players and avid enthusiasts, is priced at $600. This model can be pre-ordered from various retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.
The new ROG Xbox Ally handhelds are priced slightly higher than ASUS' existing ROG Ally systems, which range from $500 to $800. Microsoft and ASUS' ROG division showcased these devices during the Xbox Games Showcase at the Summer Game Fest in June, promising availability during the upcoming holiday shopping season.
While Microsoft initially announced that the consoles would hit store shelves by October 16, they only revealed pricing details recently. These handheld consoles are powered by Windows 11 and allow gamers to play any Xbox game they have purchased, whether on console or PC. Additionally, users can install PC games from any store directly onto the device.
One standout feature is the ability to stream Xbox games from your console throughout your home or via the Xbox Cloud Gaming service. Furthermore, players will have the convenience of picking up right where they left off when switching between devices. At launch, Xbox plans to designate thousands of games as Handheld Optimized or Mostly Compatible, ensuring a smooth gaming experience on handhelds.
In the United States, customers can preorder the consoles through the Xbox website, ASUS' website, or from local retailers such as Best Buy. Additionally, a SanDisk microSD card specifically designed for the handhelds, along with a SeaGate SSD that supports Microsoft DirectStorage, are also available for preorder.
The ROG Xbox Ally handheld consoles are also available for preorder in several international markets, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Slovenia, South Africa, Thailand, and Ukraine. All these markets, including the US, will receive the consoles on October 16, with plans for future availability in countries such as Brazil, China, India, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Philippines, and Switzerland.
With the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Microsoft continues to expand its gaming ecosystem, offering versatile gaming solutions for players around the world.
