Xbox unveils pricey new console that'll cost you almost four PS5s
It’s a terrible time to launch or purchase new gaming hardware, with GPU and RAM component costs at an all-time high.
Companies are, of course, going to pass that rise in cost onto the consumer; in fact, this may just be the only gaming generation to have consoles increase in price rather than fall.
A PlayStation 5 would set you back $499 in 2020. Today, you’re looking at $649 for the exact same console, albeit designed to feature a detachable disc drive.
And yet, Xbox’s latest piece of hardware has managed to make the pricey going rate for a standard PlayStation 5 look like a complete bargain.
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After previously launching the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X, tech powerhouses Xbox and Asus have now teamed up to unveil the ROG Xbox Ally X20.
The device features an upgraded OLED screen and a limited-edition design, with the base version setting consumers back by $1,299.
It gets worse, though, as the ROG Xbox Ally X20 Anniversary Bundle has been announced for a whopping $2,499.
For that price, you could secure yourself 3.8 PlayStation 5s, 2.7 PlayStation 5 Pros, 3.3 Xbox Series X consoles, or exactly five Xbox Series S consoles, to list a few examples.
Of course, no one has a need for 3.8 PlayStation 5s, but it’s merely a way to display just how pricey this new ROG bundle is, considering that’s 3.8 PlayStation 5s at their current price.
If you are interested in securing a ROG Xbox Ally X20, alongside the 7.4-inch OLED screen, it also features control improvements, and a new gold and black design.
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What’s included in the ROG Xbox Ally X20 Anniversary Bundle?
The existing ROG Xbox Ally X costs $999.99, so you’re looking at an extra $300 for the addition of the OLED screen, which is pretty steep.
If you opt for the ROG Xbox Ally X20 Anniversary Bundle, you’ll also get the ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses, the dbrand Killswitch for ROG XBOX Ally X20, and a custom Pelican Protector Case.
It’s all very nicely presented, but I’m not sure those added items do much to really sweeten the deal at that price, but to each their own.
The base version of the ROG Xbox Ally X20 doesn’t come with a case, just as the existing Ally and Ally X versions don’t either, which, you know, isn’t ideal for such an expensive bit of kit.
“Designed from the ground up to celebrate a 20-year legacy in gaming, the ROG XBOX Ally X20 is an instant showstopper,” reads a post on the ROG website.
“Featuring a semi-translucent black chassis that harkens back to earlier eras of gaming, it also offers a glimpse of the gold-accented internal structure and custom gold-plated fans.
“Complete with custom gold lighting around the joysticks, a backlit green XBOX button, and a custom gold-plated ROG 20th Anniversary badge on the back, this is the Ally that people will be talking about for years to come.”
If you do decide that you want to get these new products, pre-orders are open from today (August 25), with both the standard X20 and anniversary bundle launching on October 15.