ROG Xbox Ally X20: Why fans are calling its $1,299 price “shockingly good”

Asus has revealed the price of the new ROG Xbox Ally X20. The handheld is now available for pre-order in the US for $1,299 and is set to launch on October 15. We have already covered its specs and pricing in a separate article and also taken a look at the ROG accessories shown at Gamescom (in German / including the “ultimate gaming suitcase”). But the community's reaction is also interesting: Although $1,300 seems extremely expensive at first glance, many users are actually relieved.

Users on Reddit had expected a price somewhere between $1,400 and $1,600. “Honestly not too bad all things considered” reads one of the top comments in the thread. Redditor u/Sabotstruck even calls the price “shockingly good” given the current state of the market.

When $1,300 suddenly seems cheap

Not everyone agrees, however. The fact that a $1,300 handheld can now be considered attractively priced has some users shaking their heads. “You know it’s bad when a $1,300 price tag is pleasantly surprising to some people,” writes u/BlueBack_. The positive response therefore has less to do with the price being low and more with the current state of the market.

At a time when hardware prices continue to rise and comparable premium handhelds such as the Lenovo Legion Go 2, MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and OneXPlayer 3 are even more expensive, such a price apparently seems affordable. Had Asus charged $1,300 for a gaming handheld just a few years ago, the response would probably have been significantly more critical.

The upgrade itself doesn't convince everyone either. The larger OLED display, TMR sticks and new D-pad have been well received, but owners of the Xbox Ally X may find the improvements too minor to justify upgrading. The decision to once again use the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme is a particular point of criticism. Some users therefore prefer to wait for the next generation or buy the X20 second-hand later on.

Is the ROG Xbox Ally X20 attractive at a price of $1,300? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.