ASUS ROG Xbox Ally — Microsoft unveils «its own» portable console with Ryzen Z2 chip

Recently, more and more portable game consoles have been appearing on the market. And these are no longer just toys, but full-fledged pocket computers that can even compete with laptops. This is facilitated by productive AMD mobile processors. And that’s where Microsoft and ASUS come in with their joint announcement a pair of new ROG Xbox Ally consoles. This is not just a continuation of the familiar ROG Ally series, but an attempt to create a portable gaming platform based on Windows 11.

Specifications of the ROG Xbox Ally

New ROG Xbox Ally portable game consoles are based on chips AMD Ryzen Z2 Series. It sounds like an Xbox in your pocket, but in reality — it’s a full-fledged Windows 11 computer system, only with a seriously redesigned interface and a focus on gaming experience.

Microsoft and ASUS offer the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X models, which differ slightly in terms of specifications:

• The ROG Xbox Ally has a Ryzen Z2A chip, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB M.2 2280 storage device;
• The ROG Xbox Ally X offers a more powerful Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, 24 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of storage.

Both models have 7-inch IPS screens with FHD (1080p) resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate. Detailed specifications of both devices are presented in the following table.

Given the specs, this is not just a «laptop», but a serious candidate for the role of a mainstream gaming device for travel and the couch.

Software platform

Despite the name, this is not a real Xbox in the form of a portable console. Microsoft decided not to split the brands, but simply made an exclusive version of Windows 11 for Ally. And it’s more than just a launcher for all your PC games, but also deep optimization that frees up resources for gaming and improves energy efficiency. So, this version:

• has a new Xbox App that runs in full screen mode;
• disables unnecessary Windows background processes (even the Desktop);
• reduces standby power consumption by three times;
• frees up to 2 GB of RAM for gaming;
• allows you to unlock Windows with a gamepad;
• supports convenient multitasking with the updated Xbox Game Bar and Alt+Tab.

All in all, this is Microsoft’s first serious attempt to adapt Windows to be controlled with a joystick, not a mouse and keyboard. Perhaps this is the case when «gaming Windows» will finally start to be a pleasure rather than an annoyance.

Microsoft promises that starting in 2026, the new features will be available for other portable devices, including the original series of ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go and others. But for now, this is all exclusive to Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X.

The launch of these new products is promised for the pre-holiday season, although prices have not yet been disclosed.

So far, it looks like ROG Xbox Ally — is a cross between a gaming laptop і portable console. The mix of Windows, Xbox, and Ryzen sounds interesting, promising easy access to Steam, Xbox Game Pass, and demanding board games in one pocket-sized format. How this explosive mix will work in reality will be demonstrated by tests and reviews after the devices are released.