Gaming laptops and desktops have quietly crept up in price this year, partly due to tariff pressures and supply chain shifts. Handheld gaming PCs, though, have held their ground. And right now, one of the best entry points in that category just got $100 cheaper.
Both Amazon and Best Buy have dropped the Asus ROG Xbox Ally to $499.99 as part of their respective Memorial Day sales, down from the standard retail price of $599.99. According to deal tracker Eric Song at IGN, this matches the all-time low price the device hit on Black Friday, making it the best the handheld has ever been priced.
What the ROG Xbox Ally actually is
The naming here trips people up, and understandably so. The ROG Xbox Ally is not an Xbox console. It launched in October 2025 as a Windows 11 handheld, but instead of booting into Windows Explorer, it drops you straight into the Xbox App. The practical effect of that is real: background system resources normally eaten up by non-gaming Windows processes get freed up, which translates to better performance without requiring a hardware upgrade.
Think of it less like an Xbox and more like a Steam Deck running a Microsoft-flavored OS. The experience is tailored specifically for gaming, and the Xbox ecosystem integration means your existing Game Pass library is right there from the moment you turn it on.
The key here is understanding which Ally model this deal covers. This is the standard ROG Xbox Ally, not the higher-end Xbox Ally X. The standard model runs an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor paired with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a 512GB SSD. The Ryzen Z2 A sits in roughly the same performance tier as the Steam Deck's APU, which means it handles the vast majority of PC games well, but won't push demanding titles like Crimson Desert or Monster Hunter at high settings.
For the library of games it targets, though, that's rarely a problem.
The deal and where to find it
This deal is live at both Amazon and Best Buy simultaneously, so if one sells out, check the other. Memorial Day sale pricing typically runs through the holiday weekend.
Here's the lowdown on the specs at this price point:
The $499.99 price point puts the ROG Xbox Ally in direct competition with the base Steam Deck OLED, which sits at $549.99. For players already invested in the Xbox or PC Game Pass ecosystem, the Ally's native Xbox App integration gives it a practical edge over setting up a fresh Steam library.
Handheld gaming as the value play right now
What most players miss when looking at handheld PCs is just how wide the compatible game library actually runs. The ROG Xbox Ally isn't locked to a curated storefront. It runs Steam, Epic, GOG, Xbox, and any other PC launcher you install. That flexibility is a big part of what makes the $499.99 price feel legitimate rather than a compromise.
For anyone curious about how the device holds up across specific titles, our game reviews cover a wide range of PC games that translate well to handheld play. And if you're deciding between handheld options or figuring out how to get the most out of a new device, the gaming guides section has you covered on setup tips and game-specific performance notes.
The Memorial Day window is short. If the ROG Xbox Ally has been on your radar, this is the moment to move on it.
