The latest gaming initiative from Xbox is not about introducing a new console but about a series of high-end handheld gaming PCs that come with a hefty price tag. After several months of anticipation and speculation, full pricing details have emerged. You can now pre-order both the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X today, with the base model priced at $600 and the premium Xbox Ally X available for $1,000.

The more affordable ROG Xbox Ally features an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, boasting eight RDNA 2 cores with a peak frequency of 1,800 MHz. This is quite similar to the Steam Deck, which is nearly half the price and utilizes the lightweight, Linux-based SteamOS. Not an ideal start for Microsoft.

On the other hand, the Xbox Ally X, launching at $1,000, incorporates the upgraded Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip. Benchmark tests show this new chip only marginally outperforms the previous Z1 Extreme model, providing a meager 12% performance increase in Cyberpunk 2077 at a power consumption of 25 W.

In real-world scenarios, the Z2 Extreme only delivers a noticeable advantage over the Z1 Extreme in lower power settings, revealing bandwidth limitations that hinder this new CPU’s full potential. Comparisons with the Ryzen Z1 highlight the lackluster advances made, especially since the Z2 Extreme is less capable than Intel’s HX 370 chip while still being more expensive.

For customers considering purchasing either version of the Ally, it may be wise to await further reviews and evaluations before committing, despite what might be an impressive design and functionality.