Asus ROG Ally X20 OLED handheld starts at $1,300 with preorder options

Handheld gaming PCs have a reputation problem: buy the device, spend three hours tweaking power settings and frame limiters, play for twenty minutes, then watch the battery bar collapse. Every new release promises to break that cycle, and every new release asks buyers to trust the marketing one more time. The ROG Xbox Ally X20, […]

Almost a year after launch, the Asus Xbox ROG Ally is getting an upgrade--and a hefty price increase--in the form of the X20 model. Revealed earlier this year as part of a bundle sold with a set of XR glasses, Asus has opened preorders for the handheld gaming PC, with prices starting at an eye-watering $1,300 from the official Asus online store and Best Buy. What does an extra $300 get you? The biggest draw is the screen, as Asus has equipped this model with a 7.4‑inch 1080p OLED 120Hz HDR display. The shell is also constructed from translucent plastic so you can see the inner workings of the ROG Ally X20, and those internals include an 80Wh battery, 1TB of storage capacity, 24GB of DDR5 RAM, and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. The X20 also features a redesigned layout meant to improve airflow and thermal efficiency, as these units can get hot while running demanding games. Asus added that it has improved the D-pad and installed TMR magnetic induction analog sticks. The unit still runs on the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, which is capable of handling modern games smoothly. If you've got $2,500 to spare, you can also grab a bundle deal that includes the ROG Ally X20, a pair of 240Hz ROG XReal X1 glasses, a Dbrand Killswitch protective case set, and a Pelican case to store everything in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiYNNGR4uLo That's a lot of dough for a handheld, but it's not too surprising. The global shortage of memory driven by AI has seen component prices skyrocket, and several manufacturers of handheld gaming PCs have had to adjust their prices. Earlier this year, AyaNeo suspended preorders and early-bird sales of its Next 2 handheld in response to rapidly rising costs, while console prices are also feeling the pinch. The silver lining is that the makers of retro handhelds are filling the gap for affordable gaming on the go, and these cheap units make more sense than ever in 2026. Pricing for the $1,000 Xbox ROG Ally X and its smaller-specced $600 sibling hasn't increased (yet), and both machines are a pretty great option for playing PC and Xbox games on the go--if you can afford them. While both devices did have some teething issues with their software, recent updates have smoothed out these problems, and the Xbox app works well as a platform for users to launch games from Microsoft's store, Steam, and more.

The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 comes at a higher price, but not an obscene markup considering current handheld prices.

The ASUS ROG XBOX Ally X20 special edition is just as pricey as feared, but there's at least a standalone option.

Asus has revealed pricing for the standalone and bundled versions of the new ROG Xbox Ally X20 gaming handheld. Preorders are live.

The Asus Xbox Ally X20 looked like it could be one of the best handheld gaming PCs yet made - but originally, Asus wanted you to buy a bundle pairing it with pricy AR glasses. In July, we told you that bundle would no longer be necessary, and today it's official: you can pre-order a […]