In October 2025, the world saw the release of the long-awaited Xbox Ally, an improved variant of the critically acclaimed ASUS ROG Ally Gaming handheld built to play Xbox and PC games on the go.
It's a modest console with reliable performance, a crisp display, ergonomic grips, and an affordable price tag that's become even cheaper as its $599.99 MSRP has been slashed down to $489.00 at Amazon.
Why buy the Xbox Ally?
While I personally prefer using the Steam Deck for playing games locally, I can't deny that the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally gives it some healthy competition, especially when it comes to cloud gaming.
It features ergonomic grips inspired by the Xbox Wireless Controller's grips, which are very comfy to hold.
It also has an efficient cooling system with silent fans to prevent distracting noise, responsive controls, and a 7-inch IPS display capable of rendering images with 1080p resolution, accurate colors, and up to a 120Hz Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support.
The Xbox Ally also has an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor to enhance its performance so it can run indie and graphically modest AA games, or stream games via Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce NOW smoothly with ease, with little noticeable latency.
However, the Xbox Ally will struggle to run graphically demanding AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 above low settings.
Its other considerations include a storage size of 512GB, no HYPR-RX or AI enhancements (which are included in the Xbox Ally X), and somewhat shorter battery life for gaming (2 hours for demanding games and 7 hours for indie/lower-end titles).
However, you can upgrade its storage issues by picking up the best microSD cards for Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X to fix this handheld's limited capacity to store games.
If you can put aside some gripes, the Xbox Ally is a great Windows 11 handheld for cloud gaming, especially now that it's on sale for $489.00 at Amazon.
FAQs
What games can I play on the Xbox Ally?
As the Xbox Ally runs Windows 11, it is capable of running nearly every PC available in some capacity via Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Play Anywhere, PC Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Remote Play, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Steam, and Epic Games Store.
Can I play games on the Xbox Ally without the internet?
Yes, you can play games offline on the Xbox Ally once you have downloaded and launched them online once to verify your ownership of them.
Aside from that, the internet is required to download games and their DLC, access online multiplayer, access Xbox Game Pass, and stream games via Cloud Gaming services.
Can it's RAM be upgraded?
The Xbox Ally's RAM is soldered into the motherboard, so you can't replace it yourself.
Is the Xbox Ally safe to play while it's recharging?
It can be played while it is recharged via charging plugs. Once it's fully powered, excess power bypasses the Xbox Ally's battery so it doesn't suffer from being overcharged.
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