Is the Asus Xbox Ally Priced Too High to Compete?

Asus is stepping into the gaming handheld market with a new device called the Xbox Ally. This gadget looks like an Xbox controller split in half with a screen in the middle. It's not made by Microsoft, but it's still part of their vision for Xbox hardware. The big question is: will people be able to afford it? Rumors say the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X might cost as much as, or even more than, the current ROG Ally and ROG Ally X. The basic model could be around 600 euros, and the more powerful one might be 900 euros. That's about $700 and $1, 050 in U. S. dollars. But remember, prices can change based on where you live and things like tariffs. It's still early, and Asus has time to change the prices before the handhelds come out later this year. But the leaks make people worry. Handheld PCs are already expensive, and Asus recently raised the price of the ROG Ally X in the U. S. from $800 to $900 because of tariffs. We hoped Microsoft would help keep the prices low, but these leaks make us doubt that. Right now, the cheapest good handheld is the LCD version of the Steam Deck. Most people choose the OLED version for $550. Lenovo's Legion Go S is also affordable at $600. Windows devices usually cost more than those with SteamOS. If the Xbox Ally costs the same as the ROG Ally, it means Microsoft isn't giving Asus a discount, even though the device has an Xbox button. That's a problem because handheld PCs don't sell as much as they should. The ROG Xbox Ally runs a special version of Windows made for handhelds. It focuses on the Xbox app but should also let you play games from other places like Steam and Epic Games Store. You can still boot into the full Windows OS, so you won't be stuck with just Xbox games. There are some good things about the Xbox Ally. It has access to Game Pass games and supports Thunderbolt 4 USB-C with DisplayPort 2. 1, making it easy to connect to an external monitor or TV. It might also support Asus' eGPU for better graphics when docked. But if Xbox wants to create a console-like PC experience, it needs to let users customize it. We don't know if it will be as easy to customize as SteamOS. Valve's platform has a big developer community that makes the device more than just a portable gaming box. A Windows handheld could do even more, but if it costs way more than a Steam Deck, it might not help Microsoft's gaming struggles.