Asus ROG Unveils Xbox Rival Steam Deck Challenger

Xbox Ally Emerges as ASUS ROG Partnership During SGF 2025

Launching This Holiday Season!

Microsoft's Xbox Games Showcase 2025 unveiled two groundbreaking Xbox-branded handheld devices developed in partnership with ASUS. Named the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, these portable gaming systems combine Xbox and Windows capabilities into a streamlined console-like experience. The presentation made waves when gameplay footage of Hollow Knight: Silksong appeared - confirming the long-awaited title is indeed real and playable.

Developed under the codename Project Kennan, both devices feature a unified gaming interface optimized for handheld use. The systems boot directly into a full-screen Xbox dashboard showcasing your complete game library, including titles from Game Pass, Steam, Epic Games Store, and Battle.net.

The white Xbox Ally serves as the entry-level model, designed for 720p gaming with AMD's Ryzen Z2 A processor, 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, and 512GB SSD storage.

In contrast, the premium black Xbox Ally X targets 900p-1080p resolution with significantly upgraded specs: AMD's Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip with 50 TOPs NPU capability, 24GB high-speed RAM, and 1TB SSD - all powering a 7-inch 1080p 120Hz display.

Microsoft's Shawn Yen highlighted "efficiency is our superpower" as a core design philosophy. The Ally X boasts an industry-leading 80Wh battery, while the base model features a substantial 60Wh power pack (50% larger than the original ROG Ally). Combined with Microsoft's optimized Windows 11 OS, these devices promise extended battery life and seamless performance.

The surprise Silksong demo sent shockwaves through the gaming community, signaling Microsoft's serious commitment to handheld PC gaming. With superior hardware, intuitive interface, and major exclusives, the Xbox Ally series is poised to reshape the portable gaming landscape. The gauntlet has been thrown - now we wait for Valve's response.