One of the most interesting announcements to come from the recent Xbox Games Showcase came with the reveal of theROG Xbox Ally, with Microsoft gearing up to make an extremely ambitious move into a whole new industry of hardware. Powerful handheld gaming devices are clearly carving out a place for themselves among more traditional products, with Xbox’s simultaneously growing commitment to things like Cloud Gaming painting an interesting picture of the platform’s future.
While there were major announcements for things likeThe Outer Worlds 2as well as the reveal ofCall of Duty: Black Ops 7, theROG Xbox Allyreveal has arguably caused the most discussion following the Showcase, with comparisons predictably being made to the other major handheld devices on the gaming market. The Steam Deck in particular is already being touted as the direct competitor to the ROG Xbox Ally, with things like the pricing and performance capabilities of both devices now being available for comparison.
The ROG Xbox Ally and the Steam Deck Compared
The recent announcement of the ROG Xbox Allywas preceded by many rumors and theories about Microsoft potentially entering the handheld space, although this confirmation came in a different way to what many fans were initially thinking. As opposed to an entirely original in-house handheld, the ROG Xbox Ally is in direct partnership with ASUS, more specifically its Republic Of Gamers brand.
The Xbox Ally will essentially act as a portable PC, working off of Windows 11, with the ability to play a huge range of games on the go.Boosted by the likes of Cloud Gaming and Remote Play, the device will even offer support for non-Microsoft gaming stores like Steam, Epic Games Store, Battle.net, and many more launchers. Surprisingly, the ROG Xbox Ally is aiming to release around the end of the year, offering two distinct models with varying price points.
Thestandard version of the ROG Xbox Ally is currently estimated to retail at around $700, while the more powerfulROG Xbox Ally X is roughly estimated to release at the heftier $1000 range. Based off these early estimations,both launch models of the Xbox Allywill be more costly than the recently released Nintendo Switch 2, which itself retails at around $450. More direct comparisons are being made with Valve’s popular Steam Deck, however, with its own main categories retailing at the following prices:
Comparing the Hardware of the Steam Deck and ROG Xbox Ally
While the Steam Deck may offer more affordable gaming against the reported price points of the upcoming Xbox Ally, the hardware capabilities of both platforms are a particular point of interest. As the newest handheld on the block, Microsoft needs to make a real statement of intent with the Ally’s power, and its premium model stacks up very wellagainst the Steam Deck’s best offerings.
16GB
24GB
512GB
1TB
64GB / 256GB / 512GB
512GB / 1TB
7" FHD (1080p), 120Hz
7" LCD, 60Hz
7.4" OLED, 90Hz
RDNA 3
RDNA 2
SteamOS
It is clear that elements of the Xbox Ally X such as its RAM and its refresh rate are clear points of pride for Microsoft compared to the Steam Deck models, with its battery power and GPU also having clear benefits over competing models. Of course, the Steam Deck still remains a much more affordable and already-established handheld model, yet the performance upgrades of the ROG Xbox Ally models and their compatibility withmoney-saving services like Game Passcould see the upcoming hardware act as a real threat to the pre-established market of handheld devices.
