Xbox President Sarah Bond: "It's All Asus, But We're Happy" About $1000 ROG Ally X Price

Xbox President Distances Microsoft from $1000 ROG Ally X Price Tag

Microsoft is firmly pushing back against any notion that it played a role in the substantial $1000 price point for the new ROG Ally X handheld console. Xbox President Sarah Bond has clarified that Asus alone was responsible for determining the device's cost. Microsoft's involvement, she stated, was limited to assisting with certain aspects of the development process.

Asus Dictated Pricing, Says Xbox Chief

"It's their vision for the market, their feature set, their understanding of what people want – they are the ones who determined the final pricing for the devices," Bond explained, emphasizing Asus's autonomy in the pricing strategy. Despite the high cost, Microsoft is reportedly pleased with the outcome due to overwhelming consumer demand. According to Bond, the device has completely sold out on the Xbox store and at numerous other retail outlets globally. It's a notable fact that the flagship model's cost eclipses that of the Xbox Series X or even the forthcoming PlayStation 5 Pro.

Microsoft's Role: Design and User Experience, Not Price

Microsoft maintains that their contribution was focused on the design, controller ergonomics, and user interface, rather than the financial aspect of the product. This strategic division of labor allows Microsoft to associate with innovative hardware without being held accountable for potentially steep price tags. The ROG Ally X, positioned as the premium offering in its series, boasts a formidable AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, 16 RDNA 3.5 compute units, and dedicated AI hardware, making it a powerful portable gaming rig.

Performance and Availability Beyond Windows

The ROG Ally X is not alone in the market; a slightly less powerful, standard ROG Ally is available for $600. Both devices operate on Windows 11, which has been meticulously optimized for the Xbox ecosystem, aiming to provide a seamless gaming experience. Enthusiasts, always eager to push boundaries, have already experimented with running Linux and SteamOS 3.8 on these consoles, yielding results that have reportedly surpassed expectations. While initial announcements suggested that both models would be available in Ukraine by mid-October, the official ASUS Ukraine website currently only offers a "notify me when available" option, indicating potential supply chain or regional distribution nuances.