You can now drop $900 on the best gaming handheld with all the storage, but there’s already one way to save a couple hundred dollars
The ASUS ROG Ally X just got even more expensive with a new 2TB variant, but Best Buy is making it easy to trade up.
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What you need to know
Gaming handhelds don’t get much better than the ASUS ROG Ally, and the best version of it you can buy is the premium ASUS ROG Ally X. This gaming handheld was already exorbitant with an $800 MSRP, but ASUS apparently decided that price wasn’t high enough and is preparing to release an evenmoreexpensive variant. The ASUS ROG Ally X with a staggering 2TB of SSD storage is dropping on Dec. 9, 2024, and you canpreorder it for$899.99 at Best Buy.
Fortunately, Best Buy is running a limited-time promotion on both the current 1TB ROG Ally X and the upcoming 2TB model that can save you up to $230 on either. All you have to do is trade in your original ASUS ROG Ally, and you can score $50 off the ROG Ally X and an additional $180 Best Buy gift card. Yes, that full amount even applies to the entry-level ROG Ally model, as long as it’s in good condition and you have the original charger.
You can keep scrolling for more information on this handheld and the promotion on it, or skip the reading and hit the links below to take advantage.
ASUS ROG Ally X (2TB)Preorder:$899.99 at Best Buyor$669.99 with eligible trade-in
“There is no denying that the ROG Ally X is better than the original Ally in several different ways. The battery lasts much longer, the black casing looks better, the handheld has better ergonomic grips without being too heavy, and the updated buttons and joysticks are responsive. Plus, games run smoothly on the handheld, and the IPS screen still displays imagery really well, thanks to its color gamut and VRR support.” — Rebecca Spear
Windows Central review ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
👉See at:BestBuy.com
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I love my ROG Ally X, but not everyone needs quite so much handheld
I actually use anASUS ROG Ally Xevery day and owned the originalASUS ROG Allybefore it, and I can state that both handhelds are excellentandthe ROG Ally X really is a considerable improvement over its predecessor.ASUScurrently stands at the top of the Windows-powered gaming handheld market and provides some strong competition for theSteam DeckandNintendo Switch, so an ultra-premium flagship model isn’t entirely unreasonable.
The upcoming ASUS ROG Ally X is utterly identical in every way but one to the model you can go out and buy today; that is to say, it’s an awesome handheld gaming PC with great performance, ergonomics, features, and even battery life. That one difference? A 2TB SSD, which is currently the largest you can find in this form factor (even if you decide to upgrade the SSD yourself). $900 may seem steep, but you’re getting the best.
•Best Xbox/PC headsets•Best Windows laptops•Best laptops w/ num pads•Best Xbox storage•Best sim racing PCs•Best ROG Ally accessories•Best gaming laptops•Best Xbox controllers
That means everything great about the ASUS ROG Ally X will remain true with this model, except you’ll have as much storage as possible for all thebest PC games. You can read ourASUS ROG Ally X reviewfrom my colleague Rebecca Spear for an in-depth breakdown of this gaming handheld, but I’ll summarize from my own experience. The ROG Ally X is the best current handheld in my opinion, just narrowly beating out the capable Steam Deck because of the excellent hardware and larger games library.
This handheld is surprisingly comfortable to hold for long gaming sessions, the battery boasts greater than average endurance, the screen still looks and feels great, and ASUS has a proven track record with consistent software and firmware support thanks to Armoury Crate.Windows 11also gives you access to countless PC games, even if the operating system itself still feels rough in the handheld form factor. I still wish we had an OLED display option, but that may have to wait for a future upgrade.
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The ROG Ally X is also supported by a healthy accessory ecosystem to make it even better, and is fully viable as a complete Windows PC with a docking station. Yes, you can hook up an external monitor, mouse and keyboard, and more and use it just like you would a desktop.
If you’re interested, you can preorder theASUS ROG Ally X with 2TB of SSD storage for$899.99 at Best Buy. You’ll get your new gaming handheld onDec. 9, 2024, just in time for the holidays. If you don’t need all that storage but still want the best handheld, theROG Ally X with 1TB of storage is still available for$799.99 at Best Buyand has amassed an impressive collection of positive customer reviews.
Either way, you can trade-in your original ASUS ROG Ally (any model, even the Ryzen Z1 variant) and get $50 off your purchase and an additional $180 Best Buy gift card to go toward your new ROG Ally X. The only requirements? That your ROG Ally be in good working condition and have the original charger.
ASUS ROG Ally X (2TB)Preorder:$899.99 at Best Buyor$669.99 with eligible trade-in
“There is no denying that the ROG Ally X is better than the original Ally in several different ways. The battery lasts much longer, the black casing looks better, the handheld has better ergonomic grips without being too heavy, and the updated buttons and joysticks are responsive. Plus, games run smoothly on the handheld, and the IPS screen still displays imagery really well, thanks to its color gamut and VRR support.” — Rebecca Spear
Windows Central review ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
✅Perfect for:Those who want the absolute best Windows-powered gaming handheld with the most storage possible, and for those who have an original ASUS ROG Ally and want an upgrade.
❌Avoid if:You already own an ASUS ROG Ally X, as you’re better off buying your own 2TB SSD and installing it yourself.
Display:7-inch IPS LCD, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 500nits max brightness, multi-touch support, AMD FreeSync support.Processor:AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme w/ Radeon graphics.Memory:24GB LPDDR5 @ 7,500Mhz.Storage:2TB NVMe M.2 2230 PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD.Dimensions:279.9 x 111 x 24.6mm (11.02 x 4.37 x 0.97in)Weight:678g (1.49lbs).Warranty:12-month Standard.Launch date:Dec. 9, 2024.
👉See at:BestBuy.com
Return period:15 days.Price match?Yes (Also applies within return period).Free shipping:$35 minimum.Membership:My Best Buy w/ free shipping, exclusive deals, 60-day return period, & expanded support.
Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter@BoddyZachary.
