Xbox Unveils Impressive New Console That Doesn't Come Cheap
On Sunday, 7 June, many of us will be tuning into the latest annual Xbox Showcase, hoping to catch a glimpse of the company’s new-gen console, Project Helix.
The showcase will kick off at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST - and we’ll be here bringing you all of the event’s biggest headlines live.
Ahead of the event, though, Xbox has decided to unveil one new piece of hardware early, and that’s the ROG Xbox Ally X20 OLED model.
Last year, Xbox teamed up with ASUS to launch both the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, with the latter being a more premium version.
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Both products are essentially handheld PCs that provide access to both Xbox and PC software.
That means you can enjoy your Xbox’s UI and store as well as storefronts like Steam.
The ROG Xbox Ally X20 OLED model, perhaps unsurprisingly, introduces an OLED screen, which the two original base models do not have.
The X20 OLED Model Could Be Xbox’s Priciest Launch To Date
I have to say though, as an owner of an Xbox ROG Ally X, I can’t fault the pre-existing screen quality.
For those who yearn for top-of-the-range visuals though, the ROG Xbox Ally X20 OLED model’s 7.4-inch, 1080p display should satisfy your needs with its refresh rate of 120Hz.
It’s also set to come with Dolby Vision HDR and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.
Aesthetically, this model doesn’t look too different from the original ROG Xbox Ally X, although here the black plastic is slightly transparent, harkening back to consoles of yesteryear.
There’s also some nice, unique gold detailing on the back to mark the 20th anniversary of the ROG brand.
Unfortunately, neither Xbox nor ASUS have confirmed when the console is set to release or how much it’ll cost.
We do, however, know that the ROG Xbox Ally X20 OLED model will only be available in a bundle where it’s strangely being paired with augmented reality glasses.
You seemingly won’t be able to purchase the ROG Xbox Ally X20 OLED model without also getting the ROG XREAL R1 Edition augmented reality glasses.
Those retail for a whopping $849.99.
The pre-existing ROG Xbox Ally X costs $999, so if we’re looking at a bundle that bundles a more premium version of this with those aforementioned AR glasses, we’re likely looking at a cost exceeding $1,800.
Outside of the visual and aesthetic changes, the ROG Xbox Ally X20 OLED model is pretty on par with the ROG Xbox Ally X.
It’ll boast an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 1TB of SSD, and 24GB of memory, plus come bundled with three months of Xbox Game Pass Premium.
Very few gamers will likely be looking to splash the cash on this bundle, so here's hoping that Xbox’s mainline Project Helix is slightly more affordable.
READ MORE: Steam Hardware Price-Hike Makes This Xbox Handheld More Valuable Than Ever