For the last few years, gaming handhelds have flooded the market. They all want to dethrone the Steam Deck as the best portable gaming device.
The Xbox Ally is one of the newest competitors. Microsoft partnered with ASUS to create this type of the ROG Ally console. You get high performance for Xbox games in a comfortable handheld design.
The regular price sits at $599.99. Amazon just dropped the price by 18% as January ends. You can grab the Xbox Ally for $489.99 right now, but this deal won’t last long.
Xbox Ally Handheld Gaming Console Features
The Xbox Ally is packed with good hardware that makes it a real contender in the handheld gaming space.
You get an AMD Z2 Series processor in the gaming console. This chip keeps games running smoothly at 30fps or better. Play your games offline or stream them through Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce NOW without performance drops.
The 7-inch FHD IPS touchscreen handles the visuals. It supports 120Hz refresh rates with Variable Refresh Rate technology. The screen resolution hits 1920x1080p for sharp image quality.
The display reaches 500 nits of brightness at peak levels. It uses a 16:9 aspect ratio and covers 97% of the sRGB color spectrum, so your games look crisp and colorful on this screen.
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The Xbox Ally has some other features worth noting. The grips mirror the Xbox controller design, so they feel natural in your hands during long play sessions.
A quiet cooling system runs in the background to stop overheating. Two USB-C ports let you charge the device and connect accessories at the same time.
The Xbox Ally has a few weak points that are worth mentioning. It lacks HYPR-RX support, which the Xbox Ally X uses to boost performance. Storage sits at just 512GB, which fills up fast with modern games. The $599 price tag hits your wallet hard compared to other handhelds on the market.
The storage problem has a simple fix. We put together a list of the best microSD cards for the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. These cards expand your storage without breaking the bank. Plus, this 18% discount drops the Xbox Ally down to $489.99 on Amazon.
Deals on this handheld don’t pop up often. If you want to play Xbox games anywhere without paying full price, grab this offer while it lasts. The $110 savings make the Xbox Ally much easier to justify.
Xbox Ally Handheld Gaming Console Battery Life
Battery life on the Xbox Ally varies based on what you play. Heavy games like Cyberpunk 2077 will kill the battery in under 2 hours. Lighter 2D games and smaller 3D titles give you closer to 8 hours of playtime.
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Switch to Windows Mode for basic tasks, and you get different results. Browsing the web or typing notes stretches the battery to about 13 and a half hours. Your usage determines how often you need to plug in.
Xbox Ally Handheld Gaming Console Performance
Your choice depends on where you play. Use Turbo Mode (25W-30W+) when the device is plugged in. This mode pushes framerates higher but drains power fast.
Performance Mode (15W-18W) works better for portable gaming. It balances decent performance with longer battery life. This setting makes sense when you can’t access a charger.
