Though it’s been years since PSPs were all the rage and Nintendogs got regular walks, Microsoft is launching its first-ever family of portable consoles later this year: The Xbox Ally and Ally X, long-rumored handhelds that finally got unveiled this week.
Specs: Comfy Xbox-like controllers, a 7-inch screen, and double the storage of the Nintendo Switch 2, which came out five days ago. The higher-powered Ally X also boasts a “cutting-edge” processing chip, per IGN, and about as much memory as a regular Xbox.
- Your digital Xbox games will be playable on the Ally, either via cloud gaming or a remote connection, meaning you can play at home and away.
- The device’s new Xbox app can also import games from Steam, the preeminent platform for buying PC games. PlayStation started selling some of its games on Steam in recent years, so Xbox’s new handheld will support some of its rival’s coveted content.
But it’ll probably cost you. Microsoft developed the Xbox Ally with electronics company Asus, which has been producing handheld consoles since 2023. Asus’s latest device before the Xbox Ally is priced at $800 (to start) and has a less advanced processor…so start saving up. For context, the Switch 2 costs $450 and the Steam Deck—Xbox Ally’s main competitor—maxes out at $650.—ML