Xbox Ally X vs Ally X: Which gaming handheld is better?

When I first did our ASUS ROG Ally X review, I walked away feeling very impressed with this device. It offered some very nice improvements over the original ASUS ROG Ally gaming handheld.

Now we've got the new Xbox Ally X coming out Holiday 2025, and it seeks to improve the handheld PC gaming experience even further (as announced during Xbox Games Showcase 2025).

I've taken time to compare the Xbox Ally X against the ROG Ally X, and there are some serious differences you're going to want to know about. Let's get started.

By the way, you might also want to check out my Xbox Ally vs ROG Ally comparison, which shows how the white handhelds match up to each other.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Specs

ROG Xbox Ally World Premiere Reveal Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase - YouTube

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To start things off, take a look at the Xbox Ally X and ROG Ally X specs to see how they compare and differ.

Now that you've taken a gander at the specs, let's go through these handhelds' similarities and differences to discuss how these features will affect you as a potential handheld owner.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Price

PRICE WINNER: It's too early to tell. Until the Xbox Ally X price gets revealed it's hard to compare prices between it and the Ally X. It's very likely that the Xbox Ally X will cost more, though.

One of the things that we didn't learn about the Xbox Ally X during the Xbox Game Showcase is how much it will cost. We do know that it releases Holiday 2025, though.

That said, the Xbox Ally X will likely cost more than the Ally X due to the fact that it uses the new AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme and has improved features like the fresh casing with larger grips.

The Ally X offers two configurations: A 1TB option that sells for $899.99 at Best Buy or a 2TB option that sells for $999.99 at Best Buy.

It's worth noting that the ROG Ally X handhelds have gone up in price by $100 in the last few months, likely due to the US-China tariff situation. We'll have to wait and see if the price will ever come back down.

Historically, the ROG Ally X has regularly gone on sale during big deal events like Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day, and other deal times. As such, it might be possible to get the Ally X at a lower price if you buy at the right time.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Performance and storage

PERFORMANCE WINNER: The new Xbox Ally X will likely be able to run games better due to its next-gen AI Z2 Extreme processor and its Windows-reducing capabilities. We'll be sure to test this when we can.

The Xbox Ally X utilizes an AI Z2 Extreme APU (accelerated processing unit), which is the next-gen offering compared to the ROG Ally X's Z1 Extreme.

Now, the Z2 Extreme is supposed to have better performance by at least 10-15%, which isn't all that much. But when coupled with the Xbox Ally X's other new features, it theoretically creates a notably better device that should be able to run games more smoothly and allow the battery to last a little longer.

Of course, the Xbox Ally X doesn't just have the Z2 Extreme, but rather the AI Z2 Extreme, so that does mean that the Xbox Ally X is technically an AI PC, complete with an NPU (neural processing unit) on the SoC (system on a chip).

In case you didn't know, an NPU takes some of the load off of the CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit) so that a system can run more efficiently. This usually results in a device offering better performance overall.

Now, many people will point out that the AI PCs typically aren't meant for gaming, but this is a special case since we are dealing with a handheld rather than one of the best gaming laptops or best gaming desktops.

AI PC laptops are known for trading off performance for a lighter design and better battery life, and those are the kinds of things you typically want for one of the best gaming handhelds.

As of right now, the only mainline AI PC gaming handhelds on the market are the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and 7 AI+, and these devices have both impressed us greatly, as seen in my MSI Claw 8 AI+ review.

The big difference between the Claw 8 AI+ and Xbox Ally X is that MSI's handheld has an Intel APU (accelerated processing unit) rather than an AMD one.

We'll be sure to test the Xbox Ally X's AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme as soon as we can get our hands on one, to see how well it performs.

Now that we've discussed the processor, let's take a look at the other specs that can affect performance.

Both the Ally X and Xbox Ally X have 24GB RAM, so they're similar in that way. However, the Ally X has more storage options since users can choose between a 1TB SSD configuration or a more expensive 2TB SSD configuration.

As of right now, the Xbox Ally X is only available with a 1TB SSD.

Of course, both devices also have a microSD card slot, so you can easily add more game file space using one of the best ROG Ally microSD cards.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Display

DISPLAY WINNER: We have a tie since the Xbox Ally X and Ally X both use a 7-inch IPS touchscreen that supports VRR and up to 120Hz.

I was really hoping that the Xbox Ally X would have an OLED display, but apparently it uses the same screen or a very similar panel to what the ROG Ally X uses.

Both have a 7-inch IPS FHD touchscreen that supports up to 120Hz refresh rate and also supports VRR to help game visuals look smoother.

RELATED: IPS LCD vs OLED vs tandem OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED: Which is the best display?

I've used my Ally X for hundreds of hours and I can say that while the screen isn't the most impressive one I've ever seen, it more than does the job. Colors look vibrant and details are very crisp, so I expect the same for the Xbox Ally X.

Who knows. Maybe we'll get an Xbox Ally X OLED sometime down the road.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Buttons, joysticks, and grip

CONTROLS AND GRIPS WINNER: The Xbox Ally X has many of the same buttons, but the vastly improved grips and Xbox button make it the better device.

I've previously compared the original ROG Ally X layout to an Xbox controller, so it's not too surprising that the Xbox Ally X layout isn't all that different from the Ally X.

They both have large ABXY buttons, joysticks, triggers, bumpers, a menu button. However, the new Xbox Ally X has an Xbox button in place of the Ally X's Armoury Crate button.

Design-wise, the one huge difference is that the new Xbox Ally X has contoured grips that are far more pronounced than the original Ally X. As such, it's very likely that the Xbox Ally X will be more comfortable to hold during long gaming sessions.

Because those grips are so long, though, I could see Xbox Ally X kickstand accessory cases (similar to the dBrand ROG Ally X Killswitch) being a little silly looking. We'll have to see what people come up with, though.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Compatible games & Operating system

SOFTWARE WINNER: While both are Windows devices, the Xbox Ally X will have an Xbox full-screen mode that should help the system feel more like a console.

It's important to note that both the ASUS ROG Ally X and the new Xbox Ally X run Windows 11, so they can both access Steam, Xbox app, Battle.net, and much more.

However, the Xbox Ally X will have a new Xbox full-screen experience that minimizes background Windows programs and turns off others to help the system run more smoothly. In other words, it should make the Windows handheld feel more like a console interface.

In theory, the Xbox full-screen experience should help improve performance and lengthen battery life on the Xbox Ally X, too.

Users will also be able to customize settings, remap buttons, and launch games right from a handy Xbox program.

Meanwhile, the ROG Ally X has a software called Armoury Crate that also provides many of these helpful features. For instance, I highly recommend going in and adjusting VRAM on ROG Ally X or maybe even enabling AFMF 2 to increase performance.

However, I often have to go into a program called AMD Software on my Ally X to further enable some settings. I'm hoping this won't be the case with Xbox Ally X.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Battery life

BATTERY WINNER: The new Xbox Ally X has the same battery capacity as the Ally X, but it supposedly has features that will make it more power efficient.

While both the Xbox Ally X and Ally X have a 80Whr battery, the previously discussed Xbox full-screen experience and AI processor should make it so the new Xbox Ally X lasts longer.

Officially, Xbox states that the Xbox Ally X will reduce idle power consumption by one third.

Once we get our hands on the new Xbox Ally X, we'll conduct our own testing to see how long the battery actually lasts.

Just note that most PC gaming handhelds really don't have the best battery life, so we don't expect this device to be a huge improvement over other devices already on the market.

In my own testing, the Ally X tended to run out of juice within two hours and 10 minutes when I was playing more intensive games at max TDP (thermal design power), which is better than the measly 51 minutes that the original Ally lasted at these same settings.

However, if you change to lower settings and play less graphically demanding or processor-stressing games you can get the Ally X to last for a few hours.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Which should I buy?

BEST OVERALL: The Xbox Ally X will have a better processor, improved grips, and a better interface experience. As such, it is the device we recommend most.

I have loved my ROG Ally X and can easily recommend it to anyone looking for one of the best PC gaming handhelds on the market right now. However, the Xbox Ally X, is going to offer an even better playing experience.

In the end, if you want the less expensive option or something you can buy right now, you should consider the Ally X. But if you want the latest and greatest handheld, you'll want to wait until Holiday 2025 for the Xbox Ally X.

The contoured grips, Xbox full-screen experience, and AI Z2 Extreme processor make it the more compelling premium gaming handheld of the two.