Microsoft is rumoured to be partnering up with PC-maker ASUS for an Xbox-branded version of its ROG Ally handheld, and now we may have got our first glimpse at the device.
A series of images published to the Federal Communications Commission in the United States were spotted by 91 Mobiles and shows a pair of devices, one in black and the other in white.
The darker device seems to have an Xbox button nestled on the front of the device. That looks like the one being made in partnership with Microsoft, for obvious reasons. Curiously the white model does not have the Xbox buttons so that may be another Asus-branded ROG Ally device.
The ‘Xbox version’ looks to have the edge in power as it as listed with the an AMD 8-core 36W Ryzen Z2 Extreme CPU and 32GB RAM. The white model’s internals speak of a 4-core AMD 20W Aerith Plus chip with 16GB RAM.
The listings mention a 7-inch 120Hz display on both models. The images also show a unique design that’s not dissimilar to a Nintendo GameCube controller with a pair of USB-C ports. The images were published by Videocardz this week and they seem to confirm that the long-awaited handheld gaming device might be here sooner rather than later.
Opinion
The time is right for Microsoft to get this handheld out there, running the Xbox OS and giving gamers access to Game Pass on the go with a controller experience that matches the console. The Asus ROG Ally X is one of the best devices out there so we’re happy Microsoft’s first steps into the handheld market will be based on this. Hopefully it arrives sooner rather than later.
