ROG Xbox Ally X20 pre-orders go live with a larger OLED and new design

ASUS has finally put a price on the standalone ROG Xbox Ally X20, revealing at Gamescom that its flashy OLED handheld will cost $1,300 / €1,400 / £1,300. That's a hefty $300 premium over last year's ROG Xbox Ally X, but this isn't simply an anniversary-themed reskin.

The ROG Xbox Ally X20 first caught attention when ASUS unveiled it in June as part of its 20th anniversary celebration. Its biggest upgrade is the display, swapping the standard Ally X's LCD for a much larger 7.4-inch OLED panel. ASUS has also thrown in TMR thumbsticks, MicroSD Express support, and a translucent-style chassis accented with gold details.

Originally, ASUS intended to sell the X20 exclusively as part of a much more expensive package that included its ROG Xreal R1 Edition 20 XR glasses. The company has since changed course and will offer the handheld separately, making it considerably easier to buy without committing to the full anniversary bundle.

Under the hood, however, the X20 doesn't offer a major performance jump over the existing Ally X. It uses the same processor, along with 24GB of memory and a 1TB SSD. Windows 11's Auto Super Resolution AI upscaling is also supported, although the feature is currently available as a preview to members of the free Xbox Insider Program.

That doesn't mean ASUS hasn't made substantial changes. While the translucent shell and anniversary branding initially make the X20 look like a collector's edition, the more interesting improvements are found underneath. The display, controls, storage expansion, and other hardware refinements make this more of a mid-generation refresh than a simple commemorative model.

The OLED panel is undoubtedly the star of the show. The larger screen should make games look considerably better than they do on the current Ally X, while the TMR sticks and MicroSD Express support add some welcome quality-of-life improvements. The X20 isn't faster than its predecessor, but ASUS is clearly betting that a better overall experience is worth the premium.

For buyers who want the complete anniversary package, the ROG Xbox Ally X20 with ROG Xreal R1 Edition 20 XR glasses costs $2,500 / €2,600 / £2,300. That bundle also includes a dBrand Killswitch protective case and a custom Pelican case for carrying the entire setup.

Both versions are scheduled to launch on October 15, with pre-orders already available through the ASUS US store and Best Buy. As always, for more news on gaming hardware, handheld PCs, and the latest industry developments, be sure to follow our dedicated hardware coverage.