A handheld barely two months old is already being offered at a lower price, a small sign of how quickly the newest machines in a crowded market must bend toward their buyers. The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally, born of a partnership between a hardware maker and Microsoft, now sits at $490 instead of $600 through the holiday season, bundled with a promise of streaming and game access. Its arrival is less a revolution than a reminder that the portable gaming market is still negotiating its place between the PC, the console, and the living room.
ASUS ROG Xbox Ally Hits $490, an 18% Discount Weeks After Launch, With Game Pass Premium Included
An 18% cut, less than two months after launch
Mark
So the headline is a price cut. Why does it matter?
Mimi
It's a $110 drop, 18%, from $600 to $490, and the device launched less than two months ago. That is quick for a new product.
Luke
Worth saying what we know. Kotaku reports the price at Amazon. The piece doesn't say how long it lasts beyond the holiday season, and it doesn't give a record-low history beyond the headline's claim.
Mark
What is the device, exactly?
Mimi
An ROG Ally refreshed with Xbox branding, made by Asus with Microsoft. It has a Ryzen Z2 A chip, a redesigned Windows interface and a dedicated Xbox button.
Mark
Does it only play Xbox games?
Mimi
No. It supports Steam and the Epic Games Store, and it can stream from an Xbox console or Microsoft's cloud.
Luke
The claims that it is smoother and a strong contender are Kotaku's characterization and the maker's promises. The article cites no benchmarks.
Mark
And the Game Pass bundle?
Luke
It's in the headline, three months of Premium, but the body never explains it. I wouldn't assume the details.
Mimi
The Ally X is the pricier option, with a 1TB SSD and an 80Wh battery. No price is given for it in this piece.
Der Puls
- The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally has dropped 18% from $600 to $490 less than two months after its launch.
- The discount arrives during the holiday rush, pressing directly against the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2.
- Buyers are being pulled toward a handheld that boots into a PC library, streams from Xbox consoles and the cloud, and bundles three months of Game Pass Premium.
- The deal is pitched as lasting through the season, but the bundle terms go unexplained and the pricier Ally X has no price or discount reported yet.
A handheld barely two months old is already being offered at a lower price, a small sign of how quickly the newest machines in a crowded market must bend toward their buyers. The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally, born of a partnership between a hardware maker and Microsoft, now sits at $490 instead of $600 through the holiday season, bundled with a promise of streaming and game access. Its arrival is less a revolution than a reminder that the portable gaming market is still negotiating its place between the PC, the console, and the living room.
The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally, a handheld that went on sale less than two months ago, is already cheaper. Amazon has it at $490, down from $600, an 18% discount the offer ties to the holiday season. The headline also promises three months of Xbox Game Pass Premium, though the terms are left unexplained.
The device comes from a partnership between Asus and Microsoft. It takes the ROG Ally and adds official Xbox branding, which Kotaku calls the nearest thing to an Xbox handheld, and it is clearly aimed at the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2. An AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor and a redesigned Windows interface promise smoother play, with an Xbox App that boots straight into the PC library and a dedicated Xbox button.
The library is open to Steam, the Epic Games Store, and others, and games can be streamed from a home Xbox or the cloud. It carries 16GB of RAM, 512GB of expandable storage, and a 7-inch 1080p screen at 120Hz, weighing just under 1.5 pounds. Buyers who want more can look to the ROG Xbox Ally X, which offers a stronger processor, more memory, a 1TB drive, and a larger battery, though no price for it has been reported.
The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally, a handheld that went on sale less than two months ago, is already cheaper. Kotaku reports that Amazon has it at $490, down from its original $600. That is 18% off, or $110, and the offer is pitched as running through the holiday season. The headline also says three months of Xbox Game Pass Premium come with it, though the body of the piece does not go into the terms.
The device is the product of a partnership between Asus and Microsoft. It takes the existing ROG Ally and adds official Xbox branding. Kotaku frames it as the closest thing yet to an Xbox handheld, which it says shouldn't be expected from Microsoft directly. It is aimed at the Steam Deck and the Nintendo Switch 2.
The changes from the earlier ROG Ally begin with the processor, an AMD Ryzen Z2 A, and a redesigned Windows interface. Both are meant to make gaming and menu navigation smoother. Players can boot directly into their PC game library from a new Xbox App interface. A dedicated Xbox button on the left side opens the Xbox Game Bar.
The library is not limited to Xbox titles. The handheld supports Steam, the Epic Games Store and other platforms. It can also stream games from a user's Xbox console or from Microsoft's cloud service.
The hardware specs are as follows: 16GB of dual-channel RAM and a 512GB PCIe Gen4 M.2 SSD, with storage that can be upgraded. The screen is 7 inches, 1080p, with a 120Hz refresh rate, which Kotaku says puts it level with high-end handhelds such as the Steam Deck. At just under 1.5 pounds, it weighs about the same as that device.
The chassis takes cues from the Xbox wireless core controllers, with contoured grips meant to be comfortable over long sessions. Two USB-C ports allow it to connect to a TV. The 60Wh battery charges quickly, reaching 50% after half an hour on the charger.
Buyers who want more can look at the ROG Xbox Ally X. It has an upgraded processor, more RAM, a 1TB SSD that doubles the base model's storage, and an 80Wh battery for longer play. Kotaku does not give a price or a discount for that model.
The piece is a shopping post, and its verdict that the series is a strong contender is Kotaku's own. What to watch is whether the $490 price holds through the holidays, and whether the Ally X sees a similar cut.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally series is shaping up to be a strong contender in the portable gaming market.— Kotaku
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