Asus unveils ROG Xbox Ally X20 handheld with OLED display; AR glass bundled

Asus has introduced the ROG XBOX Ally X20, a special-edition gaming handheld featuring a 7.4-inch OLED display, AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, bundled with XReal AR gaming glasses

Asus has unveiled the ROG XBOX Ally X20, a limited-edition gaming handheld built on the foundation of ROG XBOX Ally X, to mark the 20th anniversary of its Republic of Gamers brand. The device introduces several hardware upgrades over the regular Xbox Ally model, including a new 7.4-inch OLED display, TMR joysticks, and a redesigned D-pad. Asus is also bundling the handheld with the ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming Augmented Reality (AR) Glasses.

 

The company said the handheld is powered by AMD’s Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor and comes with 24GB LPDDR5X memory and 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage. The device features a translucent black chassis with gold-coloured internal accents as part of the anniversary edition design.

 

ROG XBOX Ally X20: Details

The ROG XBOX Ally X20 is the first Ally-series handheld to feature an OLED display. It sports a 7.4-inch Full HD ROG Nebula HDR panel of a 120Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium Pro support, Dolby Vision support, and a peak brightness of up to 1,400 nits. Asus said the display carries a VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification and has a response time of 0.2ms.

 

According to the company, the handheld uses Corning DXC glass with an anti-reflective coating designed to reduce glare. Asus has also redesigned the cooling system to better manage heat around the OLED display and processor.

 

The handheld is powered by the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor paired with 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage. Asus said the device also supports Auto SR preview, a feature designed to upscale lower-resolution game frames for improved visual quality and smoother gameplay.

 

The company has also introduced several control upgrades. The handheld features new TMR joystick technology, which Asus says is designed to improve precision and reduce joystick drift. It also includes a Transforming D-pad that can switch between the standard four-way and the eight-way directional control, which is suitable for fighting games. Asus has additionally revised the face buttons and added a rubberised coating to the rear grips for improved handling during extended gaming sessions.

ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses

Asus is bundling the handheld with the ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses. The glasses use dual micro-OLED displays and are designed to function as an external display for the handheld. For the uninitiated, AR glasses are wearable devices that project digital information like text, 3D graphics, and video directly onto the user's real-world view.

 

According to Asus, the glasses can project a virtual screen measuring up to 171-inch when viewed from a distance of four metres. They support a refresh rate of up to 240Hz and feature a response time of 0.01ms.

 

The glasses also support native 3DoF tracking, allowing the virtual screen to move along with the user’s head movements. Users can alternatively enable Anchor Mode, which keeps the screen fixed in a specific position while gaming or watching content.

 

The AR glasses connect directly to the handheld through a single USB Type-C cable and are integrated with Asus’ Command Center controls.

Availability

Asus announced the ROG XBOX Ally X20 Bundle on June 1 as part of ROG’s 20th anniversary celebrations. The company has not yet disclosed pricing or market availability details for the bundle. It also remains unclear whether the devices will be launched in India or not.

Competition from MSI

MSI recently showcased its upcoming handheld gaming console, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, at a hands-on event in Taiwan ahead of its reported June 23 launch. According to MSI, the device will be the first handheld powered by Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme processor and will feature an 8-inch display of a 120Hz refresh rate and variable refresh rate (VRR) support. For the uninitiated, Intel recently released the Arc G3 Extreme processor to take on AMD’s Ryzen Z-series chips used in devices like the Asus ROG Ally, and the new ROG XBOX Ally X20, making them direct rivals.

 

The company has also introduced full-screen Xbox mode, a controller-friendly full-screen Windows 11 interface designed to provide a more console-like gaming experience. The device will feature redesigned ergonomic controls, Hall-effect triggers and thumbsticks, a new vibration motor for improved haptics, and support for Intel technologies such as XeSS 3 and Multi-Frame Generation. The handheld is set to be offered in a Void Purple colour option. Similar to the ROG Xbox Ally X20, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+’s availability or prices have also not yet been announced.