Asus' Next-Gen OLED Handheld Is Here At A Premium Price

Gaming is transforming into a very expensive hobby. You've probably heard about all the console price hikes, but few have felt the sting quite like the PC gaming market. RAM prices are increasing, GPU costs are skyrocketing, and even Intel CPUs are becoming more expensive. Sometimes, you have to ask if the price is worthwhile, especially when considering portable gaming PCs that aren't laptops.

Asus just announced a new entry in its ROG Xbox Ally line of devices: the ROG Xbox Ally X20. This model boasts an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor and ROG's new 7.4-inch Nebula HDR OLED display. Oh, and did we mention that Xbox Ally X20's shell is translucent black with gold trim? Because translucence is making a comeback — it makes it easier to tell when dust is starting to build up and it's time to clean the device. If you want to pre-order the handheld, prepare to shell out $1,299.

Of course, like many products in the gaming industry, the console (and its premium price) is only half the story. Asus is also offering "the ultimate bundle," which supposedly takes your gaming experience to the next level. $1,299 gets you the standalone ROG Xbox Ally X20, but for $2,499, you also get a 68-watt adapter, custom Pelican Protector carrying case, a protective Dbrand Killswitch shell, and limited edition Xreal gaming AR glasses. Why look at your console's screen when you can wear an accessory that projects the action everywhere you look?

The Asus ROG Xbox Ally family of consoles is already expensive. The standard Xbox Ally costs $599.99 on the Asus e-shop, while the more powerful ROG Xbox Ally X retails for $999.99, also through the Asus e-shop. So how does Asus justify the Xbox Ally X20's price? Well, it ain't the processor.

According to a handy comparison chart in Asus' press release, the Xbox Ally X and X20 have a few things in common. They have the same processor, 24 GB of RAM, a 1 TB SSD, and impulse triggers (the Xbox's version of the PS5 DualSense's adaptive triggers), but that's it. The Xbox Ally X20 boasts a bigger and better screen — 7.4-inch OLED FHD compared to the Ally X's 7-inch FHD — and a microSD Express slot, as well as superior controls such as TMR joysticks and redesigned buttons. And we can't forget about the novel transforming d-pad that swaps between shapes to suit different game genres. Fingers crossed it comes standard with the upcoming Project Helix controller.

While the ROG Xbox Ally X20 doesn't sound like the biggest of upgrades compared to the Xbox Ally X, on paper, its specs read like they might blow the Steam Deck OLED out of the water. Eight more GB of RAM, vastly more powerful CPUs and GPUs, and a larger native game library. If you have been eyeing a portable gaming PC, the ROG Xbox Ally X20 might be up your alley. Sure, it is more expensive than the competition, but it's still cheaper than most gaming laptops.