ROG Xbox Ally
| Codename | "Project Kennan" |
|---|---|
| Developer | |
| Manufacturer | Asus |
| Product family | ROG, Xbox |
| Type | Handheld game console |
| Release date | late 2025 |
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen Ally: Z2 A Ally X: AI Z2 Extreme |
| Memory | (LPDDR5X Ally: 16 GB Ally X: 24 GB) |
| Storage | M.2 SSD Ally: 512 GB Ally X: 1 TB |
| Display | 7” IPS, Full HD (1920x1080 pixels), 500 nits, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E (2 x 2) Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 290.8*121.5*50.7mm |
| Weight | Ally: 670g Ally X: 715g |
| Predecessor | Asus ROG Ally |
| Website | rog |
The ROG Xbox Ally is an upcoming handheld gaming computer co-developed by Asus and Microsoft, and manufactured by Asus as part of the Republic of Gamers (ROG) and Xbox brands. A successor to the Asus ROG Ally, it will be released in late-2025.
History
[edit]Images of the device, then known under the codename "Project Kennan" (and referred to by some outlets as the "Asus ROG Ally 2", under the presumption that it was a Microsoft-branded variant of an ROG Ally successor), were leaked by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in May 2025 as part of its certification process.[1][2]
The device was officially unveiled during Microsoft's annual Xbox Games Showcase presentation on June 8, 2025.[3] Prior to the announcement, Windows Central reported that Microsoft had allegedly cancelled a planned first-party Xbox handheld console in favor of focusing on "Project Kennan", as well as optimizations to Windows 11 to better support gaming handhelds.[4][5]
Specifications
[edit]The ROG Xbox Ally will be released in two models; both models will feature AMD Ryzen Z2 APUs, with the low-end Ally featuring a Ryzen Z2 A (a quad-core processor based on Zen 2 microarchitecture with eight RDNA 2 graphics cores), and the Ally X featuring the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme (a hexa-core processor based on Zen 5 microarchitecture with sixteen RDNA 3.5 graphics cores and a neural processing unit).[6] The two models will feature 16 and 24 GB of LPDDR5X RAM respectively, and have 512 GB and 1 TB of internal storage respectively. Both models use a 7-inch, 120 Hz 1080p IPS LCD display with variable refresh rate.[7] Use of an OLED screen was considered, but rejected because of concerns for power draw when combined with variable refresh rate.[8]
The devices will ship with Windows 11; they will be the first Windows devices to support a new mode that boots the system directly into the Xbox app, without loading the full Windows shell by default. The mode provides a console-like experience with less resource and power consumption, with Microsoft estimating savings of up to 2 GB of memory and a two-thirds reduction of idle power consumption. This mode will be a timed exclusive to Asus ROG devices on launch, and will be made available to other Windows-based gaming handhelds in 2026. The Windows user interface also received additional features designed to improve navigation on game controllers, including additional system settings available from Game Bar, controller support on the lock screen, and a new task switcher design.[9][10][11]
See also
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References
[edit]- ^ Phillips, Tom (2025-05-07). "Xbox handheld photos leak, showing off Asus-made Project Kennan". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ^ Preston, Dominic (2025-05-07). "Microsoft and Asus' Xbox handheld appears in leaked photos". The Verge. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ^ Escobar, Krysta (2025-06-09). "Microsoft enters portable gaming with new ROG Xbox Ally devices". CNBC. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
- ^ Corden, Jez (2025-05-29). "EXCLUSIVE: Xbox's first-party handheld has been sidelined (for now)". Windows Central. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ^ Corden, Jez (2024-11-13). ""Longer term, I love us building devices, and I think our team could do some real innovative work." The Xbox handheld is real — but it's at least "several years out."". Windows Central. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ^ Khullar, Kunal (2025-06-08). "AMD unveils Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme with AI processing NPU, expands family with two new chips for handheld gaming consoles". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ^ Higham, Michael (2025-06-08). "Hands-On With the Xbox Ally X, the New Gaming Handheld from Asus and Microsoft". IGN. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ^ Gilbert, Fraser (2025-06-11). "ASUS Explains Why The ROG Xbox Ally Doesn't Have An OLED Screen". Pure Xbox. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
- ^ Warren, Tom (2025-06-12). "Microsoft just teased its next-gen Xbox console, and nobody noticed". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2025-06-13. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ^ Warren, Tom (2025-06-08). "This is how Microsoft is combining Windows and Xbox for handheld PCs". The Verge. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ^ Corden, Jez (2025-06-08). "The "Xbox Ally" handheld shows big boosts to Windows PC gaming". Windows Central. Retrieved 2025-06-13.