Technically speaking, it's true, even if the XBOX Ally X is actually manufactured by ASUS. Okay, maybe Asha doesn't really have anything to do with it - having only picked up the mantle of CEO a few months ago - but it's still an interesting thought.
ASUS Launches XBOX Ally X20 Bundle At ROG 20th Anniversary Event
The bundle includes the refreshed XBOX Ally X20 as well as the ROG XREAL R1 gaming glasses. For those who don't know, the XREAL R1 glasses connect over USB-C to your device, projecting up to a 171 inch virtual screen in front of the user at 1080p 240Hz.
Unlike the other Edition 20 products, the Ally X20 isn't just an aesthetic upgrade. It has a number of meaningful upgrades over the regular Ally X, several of which were highly requested by the community. After the recent launch of Intel's more powerful and efficient Arc G3 Extreme handhelds, it looks like these upgrades couldn't have come at a better time for the Ally, although a bit of a spec bump from the original Ally's Z2 Extreme APU + 24 GB of RAM would have been appreciated. Alas, with AMD content to roll RDNA 3.5 graphics into rebranded APU parts for the near future, one can hardly fault ASUS for sticking with the same chip.
XBOX Ally X20 Gets An Upgraded OLED Screen, TMR Joysticks, And Reworked Cooling
The main highlight of the upgrade list is definitely the switch to a 7.4" OLED panel from the original Ally's 7" IPS display. It keeps the same 1080p 120Hz configuration as the old display, but provides a much better experience thanks to better colors and contrast, while fitting within the same chassis as the original Ally, but with improved airflow to the hardware.
In addition to the upgraded display, we also get TMR joysticks that replace the original's stick-drift prone potentiometer sticks. There's also a reworked cooling solution that should reduce surface temperatures to protect the OLED display, though we'll have to wait for a full review to see exactly what's changed.
Aesthetic and Ergonomic Upgrades
The Ally X20 also gets several aesthetic changes. The most immediately obvious one is the now transparent body, as well as the gold accent side buttons. Flip the device over and you can see the center inlay is now gold colored as well, with a 20th anniversary badge to top it off. You can see the fan shrouds through the transparent back cover as well, and they appear to be gold, which looks fantastic. Rounding off the aesthetic changes, the XBOX logo now lights up green.
The ergonomics have also been revised, with the face buttons now sitting flush when depressed to assist thumb sliding maneuvers. The bigger change however is the D-pad, which can now be twisted to toggle between 4-way and 8-way operation, a boon for fighting games.
Price and Availability
ASUS hasn't revealed anything about the price of the bundle so far - or even if the Ally X20 will be available separately, though logic would dictate that it will. Given that the original Ally X costs $999 and the ROG XREAL R1 costs $850, we're probably looking at something around the $2,000 mark for the bundle. Assuming a small price hike for just the handheld, $1100 to $1200 doesn't sound too bad when you consider that the Steam Deck OLED now runs for a cool $949 in its 1TB configuration.
About the author: Rayan is an aspiring Computer Engineer, currently pursuing his undergraduate studies. He built his first computer in the pandemic, and has been hooked on the hobby ever since. He brings a unique blend of academic knowledge and technical know-how to his articles, which include everything from detailed instructional guides to performance comparisons in wccftech hardware section. When not stressing out over finals or writing articles, you can find him reading fantasy books or hitting the gym.
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