There’s nonetheless time to avoid wasting huge on the primary official Xbox gaming handheld. The Asus ROG Xbox Ally, which launched in October with a $600 MSRP, is on sale for $489 at Amazon and Walmart, $490 at Best Buy, and $520 at Target. It’s nonetheless not completely clear when this deal ends, however it’s nonetheless out there as of December 17. The $489 value at Amazon is an all-time low for the lately launched Windows gaming handheld. Amazon has additionally restocked the official Xbox Ally 2-in-1 Premium Case.If you decide up the Xbox Ally at Amazon, you must also take a look at a number of the third-party equipment out there now, together with docking stations, display protectors, journey circumstances, and microSD UHS-II playing cards. Though it is bought out most of the time at Amazon, the official Xbox Ally 2-in-1 Premium Case is at present out there to order. $489 (was $600) The ROG Xbox Ally is an entry-level Windows gaming handheld with spectacular options and efficiency for the value. The Ryzen Z2 A chip is akin to Steam Deck’s customized AMD APU, and in the event you enhance the TDP–at the expense of battery life–the Xbox Ally can outperform the Steam Deck OLED. For reference, the Steam Deck OLED 512GB mannequin retails for $549.The Xbox Ally has a 1920 x 1080p IPS show with 120Hz refresh price and help for VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium. If you are evaluating to the Steam Deck OLED, Valve’s handheld has a 7.4-inch 1280 x 800p OLED show with HDR and 90Hz refresh price. So the Steam Deck wins in panel sort and measurement, however the Xbox Ally wins in decision and refresh price. That stated, to get the perfect efficiency on Xbox Ally, you’ll typically wish to lock the decision at 720p, so the Xbox Ally does not at all times take full benefit of its benefits.The Xbox Ally is arguably probably the most snug Windows gaming handheld available on the market right now. Asus opted for the PlayStation Portal strategy by basically splitting the Xbox Wireless Controller in half and connecting it to every facet. Along with all the buttons, triggers, and bumpers discovered on the Xbox Wireless Controller, the Xbox Ally has two remappable again buttons. It additionally has movement controls and HD haptics.One of the large promoting factors of the Xbox Ally is the customized, console-inspired dashboard that’s simpler to make use of than the normal Windows interface. The Xbox Ally has a 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, a microSD UHS-II card slot to broaden storage capability, two USB-C ports, and a headphone jack.Check out the Xbox Ally’s specs and options beneath. If you wish to learn extra in regards to the Xbox Ally and the higher-powered $1,000 Xbox Ally X, take a look at our purchasing information and our evaluation of the Ally X.Specs:Processor: AMD Ryzen Z2 ARAM: 16GB LPDDR5X-6400Storage: 512GB M.2 2280 SSDDisplay:7″ IPS touchscreen (Gorilla Glass Victus)1920 x 1080120Hz refresh rateVRR supportedAMD FreeSync PremiumController Design:Contoured gripsHall Effect triggersShoulder bumpersABXY bumpers2 remappable back buttonsAnalog sticks with light rings6-Axis motion controlsHD haptics5 menu/settings buttonsPorts:2x USB 3.2 Type-C3.5mm audiomicroSD: UHS-II reader (only UHS-II)Network: Wi-Fi 6E / Bluetooth 5.4Battery: 80WhBattery life: 1.5-5 hoursWeight: 670gDimensions: 290.8 x 121.5 x 50.7mm Game Pass Ultimate subscribers have a built-in library of hundreds of games for the Xbox Ally. Whether you already have a subscription or not, you’ll want to purchase your membership from a major retailer instead of directly through Microsoft. The price of Game Pass Ultimate increased to $30/month in October, but major retailers still sell prepaid codes for $20/month.Docking Stations for Xbox AllyROG Xbox Ally docking stations for TV mode and chargingIf you want to play your Xbox Ally on your TV or use it as a regular PC–you can switch to the standard Windows OS interface–you’ll need a USB-C docking station. The official Asus ROG Xbox Ally 100W Charger Dock will set you back $85 (was $100), but there are solid third-party options that work well and come with a stand. UGREEN’s 6-in-1 Docking Station is on sale for only $30 (was $46) for a limited time. You can upgrade to a 9-in-1 model with additional ports for $46 (was $60).The JSAUX Docking Station & 100W Charger is available for $50 (was $70). This one is nice because it also comes with the AC adapter, so you’ll have a second charger. If you don’t need an extra charger, you can get the same JSAUX 6-in-1 Docking Station for $33.24 (was $40). Another notable option is iVanky’s 14-in-1 RGB Docking Station for $65 (was $80). It doesn’t include an AC adapter or USB-C cable, but it has more ports for accessories and is capable of 144Hz refresh rate. All of the docks in the list below support 4K resolution but refresh rates vary; we’ve included max refresh rates when displaying games in 4K in parentheses.Xbox Ally Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorsThe Xbox Ally has a scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass Victus screen, but it never hurts to add a screen protector to pricey handhelds, even if it’s just for your own peace of mind. Plus, screen protectors are cheap. You can get a 2-pack of JSAUX’s tempered glass anti-glare screen protector with an alignment frame for $11.59 (was $13). Two of the biggest names in the screen protector market, amFilm and iVoler, have 3-packs for $9-$10 without an alignment frame.Xbox Ally Carrying CasesXbox Ally 2-in-1 Premium CaseThe official ROG Xbox Ally carrying case retails for $70. It has a built-in stand and comes with a removable pouch for accessories. On the back are the words: “This is an Xbox case.” It’s a really good hardshell case, however in the event you do not wish to spend $70 on a carrying case, there are quite a few third-party choices to take a look at.JSAUX’s hardshell journey case is simply $25.19 (was $28), and a number of other smaller manufacturers have carrying circumstances for round $30. Here’s an inventory of a number of the best-selling ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X circumstances on Amazon.Xbox Ally Grip Cases & Thumbstick GripsThe Xbox Ally already has nice ergonomics, however so does the Steam Deck, and that hasn’t stopped gamers from shopping for ergonomic grips. One of the advantages of a grip case past enhancing consolation is defending the hand held from drop injury when outdoors of a journey case. For a premium possibility from a significant accent model, take a look at Dbrand’s Killswitch Travel Case for $72 (was $80). Dbrand’s Killswitch sequence is unbelievable, and Best Buy lately began carrying choose Dbrand grip circumstances. We have not examined the Xbox Ally Killswitch, however the Switch 2 Killswitch is the perfect ergonomic grip we have tried for Nintendo’s new console. You may discover a a number of budget-friendly choices from generic manufacturers on Amazon, together with this in style $20 silicone grip case with a built-in stand.microSD UHS-II Cards for Xbox AllyAs talked about, you may broaden the Xbox Ally’s storage with microSD playing cards. Unfortunately, the entry-level handheld is proscribed to UHS-II playing cards; the Xbox Ally X can learn UHS-I playing cards, that are cheaper and simpler to search out in greater capacities. We’ve rounded up a number of choices beneath. The most reasonably priced is Kodak’s 256GB microSD for $45.60. For 512GB, the Gigastone Ultimate Pro is the most cost effective we noticed at $100.Kodak UHS-II microSD (300MB/s)Lexar Professional Gold UHS-II microSD (280MB/s)Nextorage UHS-II microSD (280MB/s)Gigastone Ultimate Pro UHS-II microSD (280MB/s)Sign up for GameSpot’s Weekly Deals Newsletter:
More