Asus ROG Ally X Price Revealed: A Steep $999.99
▼ Summary
– The ROG Xbox Ally handheld PC gaming line was announced in June with an October 16 launch date, and preorder pricing was revealed as $599.99 for the base model and $999.99 for the ROG Xbox Ally X.
– The base model’s price is comparable to competitors like the Steam Deck OLED and Nintendo Switch 2, while the Ally X is significantly more expensive than most other gaming handhelds.
– The high price of the ROG Xbox Ally X is partly due to premium components, including a Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor and an NPU for future AI enhancements in games.
– Despite many handheld users playing less demanding games, Asus claims the ROG Xbox Ally X offers up to a 30% performance boost in high-end games compared to the 2024 ROG Ally X.
– The new ROG Xbox Ally X also reportedly achieves up to twice the battery life of the ROG Ally X on certain games, according to pre-release tests.
The highly anticipated Asus ROG Ally X has finally had its pricing details confirmed, with the premium model setting a new benchmark at $999.99. This announcement follows the initial reveal of the handheld PC gaming line by Asus and Microsoft earlier this year, which promised an October 16 launch. While the base model ROG Ally will be available for $599.99, the spotlight is firmly on the top-tier X variant and its advanced specifications.
This pricing strategy positions the standard ROG Ally as a direct competitor to devices like the Valve Steam Deck OLED, Lenovo’s Legion Go S, and the Nintendo Switch 2. However, the ROG Ally X enters a different league altogether with its significantly higher cost. The premium is largely justified by its powerful internals, including a Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor and a dedicated NPU. Asus emphasizes that this neural processing unit future-proofs the device for an era where AI-driven enhancements in gaming are expected to become standard.
While some gamers might question the need for such high-powered hardware in a portable format, especially for enjoying popular indie titles, Asus is targeting a different audience. The company’s internal testing reportedly shows the ROG Ally X delivers a substantial performance boost of up to 30% over the 2024 ROG Ally model when running demanding games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Beyond raw power, a major quality-of-life improvement comes in the form of battery life. For a game like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Asus claims the new hardware can achieve up to twice the battery life compared to its predecessor, addressing a common concern among handheld gamers.
(Source: Ars Technica)
