A handheld console once priced for the ambitious gamer has been pared back to a more modest sum just ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, a familiar seasonal turn in the long cycle of consumer hardware. The entry-level Asus ROG Xbox Ally now sits at $499 at Best Buy, a figure only a little above the lowest it has ever reached, and it comes with three months of Game Pass Premium. The bargain is real, but it is the quieter, less powerful sibling of the flagship, and the buyer who chooses it trades raw strength for comfort and a pleasant software experience. Whether that trade is wise depends on th
Asus ROG Xbox Ally Drops to $499 at Best Buy Ahead of Memorial Day
Just $10 shy of its all-time price low
Mark
So what's actually on offer here?
Mimi
Best Buy has the entry-level Asus ROG Xbox Ally at $499, which is $100 off. It also comes with three months of Xbox Game Pass Premium.
Mark
Is that a record low?
Mimi
Not quite. It's $10 above the all-time low, so it's close but not the floor.
Luke
Worth noting the price comparison: the article gives $1,000 for the Ally X versus $600 for this model at full price. That's the outlet's framing, so check Best Buy's own listing.
Mark
What makes the handheld appealing beyond the price?
Mimi
The reviewer loves the Xbox interface. It skips the normal Windows desktop, which they say helps performance and battery life.
Luke
Those benefits are the reviewer's impression. No battery figures or frame rates are given.
Mark
And the weaker chip?
Mimi
It's an AMD Z2 A instead of the Z2 Extreme. After some settings tweaks, the reviewer says it lands near Steam Deck performance.
Luke
Again, that's one reviewer's claim, and it depends on tweaking. How much tweaking, and for which games, is unknown.
Mark
Anything about timing?
Mimi
It looks like the sale ends after Memorial Day, though the article hedges with 'looks like.'
Der Puls
- Best Buy has slashed the entry-level ROG Xbox Ally to $499, a $100 drop that arrives just before Memorial Day and fires up the hunt for a Steam Deck alternative.
- The bargain comes with a catch: this base model runs the weaker AMD Z2 A chip, so it trails the pricier Ally X and lands roughly at Steam Deck levels once tuned.
- Shoppers face a ticking clock, since the reviewer expects the sale to vanish after Memorial Day, leaving little time to decide.
- The Xbox interface and comfortable grips win praise, yet hardcore players may balk at the performance ceiling, setting up a choice between value and power.
A handheld console once priced for the ambitious gamer has been pared back to a more modest sum just ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, a familiar seasonal turn in the long cycle of consumer hardware. The entry-level Asus ROG Xbox Ally now sits at $499 at Best Buy, a figure only a little above the lowest it has ever reached, and it comes with three months of Game Pass Premium. The bargain is real, but it is the quieter, less powerful sibling of the flagship, and the buyer who chooses it trades raw strength for comfort and a pleasant software experience. Whether that trade is wise depends on the player, and the window to make it is short.
Best Buy has trimmed the price of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally to $499 ahead of Memorial Day. That is $100 below its usual price and only $10 above its all-time low, and the purchase includes a voucher for three months of Xbox Game Pass Premium.
This is the entry-level model, not the stronger ROG Xbox Ally X, which Tom's Guide lists at $1,000. The base unit shares the Ally X's design, with controller-style grips and balanced weight that keep hands comfortable through long sessions, even on a flight.
The reviewer's warmest praise goes to the Xbox interface. Compared with the standard Windows 11 experience on other handhelds, it is easy to navigate, opens settings instantly, and even rivals SteamOS. Because the Windows desktop does not run underneath, performance and battery life benefit.
The compromise is the processor. This model uses an AMD Z2 A chip instead of the Z2 Extreme, so it falls short of the Ally X in power and efficiency. With some settings adjusted, the reviewer says it plays at roughly Steam Deck level. Hardcore players may be disappointed, but the reviewer judges that trade fair at this price.
The verdict is that the ROG Xbox Ally is a good Steam Deck alternative, with a fine feel in the hands and a wonderful interface. The result rests on one outlet's testing and tuning rather than a published benchmark. The sale appears to end after Memorial Day, so buyers have a short window to act.
Best Buy has cut the price of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally to $499 ahead of Memorial Day. That is $100 off the usual price, and only $10 above the lowest price the handheld has ever carried. The deal includes a voucher for three months of Xbox Game Pass Premium.
This is the entry-level model in the Xbox Ally line, not the more powerful ROG Xbox Ally X. The two are separated by a wide gap in price. Tom's Guide puts the Ally X at $1,000, against $600 for the standard model at its regular price. At $499, the base unit sits well below both.
The cheaper machine shares its design with the Ally X, which runs an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor. According to the Tom's Guide reviewer, the controller-style grips and even weight distribution make it comfortable to hold for hours, including on a long flight, where hands shouldn't tire quickly.
The reviewer's strongest praise goes to the software. The Xbox interface sets this handheld apart from other Windows-based gaming devices, and the reviewer calls it a revelation compared with the standard Windows 11 experience. It is easy to navigate, gives instant access to settings, and in the reviewer's view even gives SteamOS a run for its money. The Windows desktop isn't running underneath, which the reviewer says improves both performance and battery life.
The tradeoff is the processor. This unit uses an AMD Z2 A chip rather than the Z2 Extreme, so it doesn't match the performance or efficiency of the Ally X. The reviewer says that with some changes to the console's settings, it performs at roughly the level of a Steam Deck. That may disappoint hardcore gamers, but the reviewer judges the compromise acceptable at the lower price.
The verdict is that the ROG Xbox Ally makes a good Steam Deck alternative: it feels great in the hands and the Xbox interface is wonderful to use. The piece is a recommendation from a single outlet, and the performance comparison reflects that reviewer's own tuning rather than a published benchmark.
Timing matters. The sale appears to end after Memorial Day, so shoppers considering a Windows handheld have a short window to lock in the $499 price at Best Buy.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
With some settings tweaks, the base ROG Xbox Ally performs at around the same level as the Steam Deck.— Tom's Guide reviewer (paraphrased)
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