For $980, Can the ROG Ally Xbox X Beat Steam Deck and Switch 2?

The handheld gaming market keeps heating up. Xbox, in cooperation with ASUS, is ready to throw down with the ROG Ally Xbox X. But this handheld PC isn’t just slapping an iconic gaming logo on last year’s hardware. This version is packed with a Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip, a high refresh rate screen, as well as Windows and everything Xbox baked right in. If there’s any device that screams ‘premium handheld PC,’ this one practically embodies it.

However, as you should expect, it does not come cheap. According to leaked pricing reported by 3DJuegos, the standard ROG Xbox Ally will start at €599, while the upgraded Ally X is priced at a steep €899. That translates to roughly a whopping $699 and $980, putting it well above the Steam Deck OLED, Switch 2, and even the original ROG Ally! But with all that power packed inside, how does it actually stack up to the competition? Let’s quickly break it down.

Xbox ROG Ally Comparison with Other Handhelds

• ROG Xbox Ally X 1TB: $980 (€899).
• ROG Xbox Ally 512GB: $699 (€599).
• ROG Ally Ryzen Z1 Extreme: $699.
• ROG Ally Ryzen Z1: $599.
• Steam Deck OLED 1 TB: $649.
• Steam Deck LCD 512GB: $549.
• Nintendo Switch 2: $449.

No doubt that Xbox ROG Ally X is a powerhouse; Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme CPU and 24GB of RAM make it 15% faster than the original Ally. It also boasts a massive 80Wh battery, promising nearly three hours of intense gaming, 1 hour more than the Steam Deck’s 40Wh battery. The Switch 2 sits somewhere in between with 40-50Wh and should last around 2 hours of demanding gameplay, like Cyberpunk 2077 and Yakuza 0.

Related: Hollow Knight: Silksong Will Be a Launch Title for the Xbox Ally Handheld Platform This Year

Xbox ROG Ally X can be a bit heavier at 715g — compared to 534g for Switch 2 and 640g for Steam Deck. But it’s designed to cram the full Xbox experience into your hands. It sports Thunderbolt 4, USB4, microSD, and Xbox-style controls, giving it both robust connectivity and instant familiarity for gaming enthusiasts. Microsoft promises it’s ready for Xbox Play Anywhere, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Game Pass right out of the box. For now, though, it’s still not clear how long that Game Pass subscription lasts.

Compared to the Steam Deck’s insides and the Switch 2’s proprietary ARM-based CPU, the Ally X is in a different class altogether. But it does come at the cost of heat and size — and its premium price tag.

All in all, ROG Xbox Ally X is positioning itself as a no-compromise Windows handheld. If full-fledged specs, Game Pass access, and sleek Xbox integration are high on your list, it could be your dream handheld PC. But at nearly $1,000, for everyone else, the Steam Deck OLED is a better choice for that sweet value-to-performance ratio. Last but not least, the Switch 2 remains the king for those looking to dive into their Nintendo exclusives with better portability.

Full ROG Ally Xbox X Specs

The Xbox ROG Ally represents a significant upgrade over its predecessor, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in a handheld PC. Below are the complete specs for both the base Xbox Ally and Ally X versions.

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