Is it an Xbox, or is it a PC? Well, everything is an Xbox, at least according to Microsoft — but the upcoming Xbox Ally X is kind of both. It's a handheld gaming PC with an ergonomic design that resembles the grips of an official Xbox Series X|S controller, built by ASUS ROG in partnership with Xbox.
Yes, it's the same ASUS ROG behind the excellent ROG Ally handheld and its beefed-up variant, the even better ROG Ally X. That's partly why the naming convention carried over, but it gets an extra "X" to really make it an Xbox (though, the non-X, white Xbox Ally isn't called the Xbox Ally S, for some reason).
The new releases come in two forms: First, the WD_BLACK SN7100X NVMe SSD for ROG Xbox Ally (X) & PC, which is a fairly standard M.2-2280 SSD with specs that echo its already-existing WD_BLACK SN7100 PCIe Gen 4 drive.
Second, the SANDISK microSD Card for ROG Xbox Ally (X) isn't too dissimilar from its existing SanDisk Extreme microSDXC UHS-I cards, promising "up to 200MB/s read speeds".
Rapid load times for big AAA titles and smooth in-game performance with up to 200MB/s read speeds.
Sandisk, microSD Card for ROG Xbox Ally (X)
Smallprint on the microSD card clarifies that "proprietary technology to reach speeds beyond UHS-I 104MB/s, require compatible devices capable of reaching such speeds". That means you would need Sandisk "QuickFlow" support built into your chosen card reader, as the Xbox Ally does.
This is all different from the recent microSD Express technology that Nintendo's Switch 2 console spearheaded, by the way, so the Xbox Ally X won't be the first PC handheld to use it. Instead, this is more like a straightforward branding campaign that helps casual buyers buy the right kind of storage expansion for their handheld, as long as the price is right.
Getting the price right is a key factor for drives like these, because if they're limited in number at the manufacturing stage, then the chances are they'll be more expensive than a comparable drive from Sandisk or any of its competitors. When it comes to the WD_BLACK SN7100X in particular, it'll be a hard sell if other PCIe 4.0 drives with matching specs are on sale for less.
Once you've installed an M.2 solid-state drive, it's mostly forgotten about. On the other hand, Sandisk offers a 1-month trial of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with its "exclusive" variant, which could be the deciding vote if a rival drive were more expensive than a single month's subscription.. which will soon increase.
Until we can dig into a real-world sample of the Xbox Ally X, I won't suggest that these drives are "essential" to a prospective buyer. Still, if the availability holds up and the price tag follows the same trend as comparable SSDs and microSD cards (I've used Sandisk Extreme variants for years), then I don't see a reason to dissuade anyone from buying one of these licensed models.
I already think that the Xbox Ally X has a fair price tag (at least in the United Kingdom, where I am), so the notion that I could have a ready-made selection of SSDs at my disposal for future upgrades is pretty comforting. On the other hand, I rarely fill up the 1TB SSD in my desktop PC, let alone my handhelds, but that's on me.
Do I need a microSD card if I buy an Xbox Ally X?
No, it isn't necessary to use a microSD card with the new Xbox Ally or the Xbox Ally X. These expansion cards offer extra space to install more games and apps, but it's all complementary to built-in storage that comes with the handheld.
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