Now that both the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X have been fully unveiled during Gamescom 2025, my skepticism is waning. In fact, you could say I’m optimistic about the upcoming handheld. I like that Xbox is working with its game studio partners to test and optimize the best PC games for handheld compatibility,

We presume the same release schedule applies to the more powerful ROG Xbox Ally X. Both versions of the upcoming handheld are official, with ASUS and Microsoft having previously announced the collaboration on an Xbox-themed version of the ROG Ally. However, they've been coy in regards to releasing timing and price points.

The most notable difference between the Xbox Ally and the Steam Deck is the operating system. Like the ROG Ally, the Xbox Ally will also use Windows 11, while the Steam Deck uses Valve's SteamOS.