Microsoft has officially entered the handheld gaming arena with the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, marking a historic collaboration with ASUS that could reshape portable gaming forever.

This isn't just another gaming device—it's Microsoft's bold answer to Nintendo's Switch dominance. The partnership represents "the tightest collaboration I've seen between the gaming organization and the Windows team in my three decades at the company," according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer.

What makes these handhelds special? They boot directly into a full-screen Xbox experience while maintaining Windows PC flexibility, allowing access to Xbox Game Pass, Steam, Epic Games Store, and other PC platforms in one unified library. The base Xbox Ally targets 720p gaming with AMD's Ryzen Z2A processor, while the premium Ally X pushes 1080p performance with the AI-powered Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip.

ASUS's Shawn Yen emphasized the collaboration's necessity:

"We know that to take this handheld experience to the next level, we cannot do this alone". 

The devices feature redesigned ergonomics inspired by Xbox controllers and custom Windows 11 optimization that frees up 2GB of RAM while reducing power consumption by a third.

Launch window: Holiday 2025, with pricing details coming soon.

The portable gaming wars just got more interesting.