Asus announces the new ROG Xbox Ally X20, featuring a 7,4-inch Nebula HDR OLED display with 1.400 nits peak brightness, but will not sell the Windows handheld separately at Computex 2026 for the time being, only as part of a package with AR video glasses.
The anniversary model retains the familiar AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor of the standard X model, but completely breaks with its predecessor in the rest of the case design and controls.
The display update in detail
The new OLED panel has grown from 7,0 to 7,4 inches (approx. 19 cm) compared to its predecessor, as Asus has reduced the top bezels. The resolution remains at 1.920 x 1.080 pixels in a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Brightness is key. While the old IPS panel topped out at 500 nits, the OLED screen delivers 600 nits in SDR mode and reaches a peak brightness of 1.400 nits with HDR content. The panel boasts VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 1000 certification and supports Dolby Vision. The variable refresh rate (VRR) of 30 Hz to 120 Hz remains, preventing tearing in the critical frame rate range. A new coating is designed to reduce reflections by 65 percent.
OLED cells are sensitive to heat. Asus therefore had to redesign the internal cooling system. The redesigned fans now direct the airflow more precisely around the processor to keep the screen's surface temperature low.
TMR sticks and case tuning
For the chassis, Asus uses semi-transparent black plastic, revealing the gold cooling elements and internal structure. The modifications increase the weight by 41 grams to a total of 756 grams. The case is also one centimeter wider and slightly thicker.
Instead of classic potentiometers or pure Hall-effect sensors, Asus uses TMR (tunneling magnetoresistive) analog sticks from GuliKit. This magnetic sensor technology is more precise, consumes less power than classic Hall sensors, and is inherently immune to stick drift.
The D-pad can be mechanically switched between four-way and eight-way modes, which reduces diagonal input errors, especially in fighting games. The ABXY buttons are now recessed more deeply and sit flush with the casing when pressed. The rear grip surfaces are now rubberized.
The controversial library button has been completely removed. It has been replaced by a multi-function action button: a short press takes a screenshot, a long press starts video recording. The storage remains at 24 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 1 TB NVMe SSD, but the card slot has been upgraded to the faster microSD Express standard.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 delivers exactly what the community has been missing from the current X model: a high-contrast, extremely bright OLED display with VRR and absolutely drift-free analog sticks. In direct comparison to the Steam Deck OLED, Asus offers the significantly higher raw performance of the Z2 Extreme chip paired with a true 1080p 122Hz panel.
The catch lies in the sales strategy. Asus is bundling the handheld tightly with the ROG Xreal R1 Edition 20 AR headset. Since the headset alone already costs around $850, the complete package becomes an extremely expensive investment. Anyone only looking for the handheld will be paying for peripherals they might not even want. Period. A standalone sale of the device is not planned at launch. This makes the device interesting only for absolute enthusiasts or collectors for the time being.
In this day and age xD unbelievable
1080p resolution in 2026 for over €1000 is WILD Hahaha
Just like with James Bond in 720p, Wild is also based on the PS5.
A worthwhile upgrade, but I'm happy with my X. A PC handheld shouldn't normally cost more than €1, but nothing is normal these days.
Do you actually play it a lot?
I'm still thinking about it... Apparently, Silent Hill 2 is only supposed to run at 30-50 fps and low resolution (<1080p) with low details.
I don't think it supports DLSS either, but it does support FSR… I still don't know if that would be worth it for me.
Yesterday I started Indiana Jones at 1080p with max settings and 60fps. It looks awesome, and Horizon 6 runs great on it too. I redeemed my Game Pass for the 3 months that came with the Ally. Everything runs smoothly. The only downside is the lack of HDR and OLED when I use the Ally via the docking station; you can clearly see the difference on the monitor because of the vibrant colors. I think it's worth it as long as it only costs €900, especially since the Steam Deck has become far too expensive for the performance it offers. Sure, there are better handhelds, but the ones coming out now will cost over €1000, and a handheld is too expensive for that price. With that money, it's better to upgrade your PC tower if you have any limitations. Regarding Silent Hill F, I can't say whether it runs smoothly, but I think there will be ways to increase the connection speed. For example, I've virtualized my RAM to 32GB and created a page file for the SSD (I have 4GB), so I can allocate more VRAM to the GPU. But I think you're more technically savvy than I am; you'll probably get even more performance out of it. I also experience a performance drop when I play games via the docking station because I have a double image if I need to access the OS (I'm not sure if that uses more resources, as I said, I'm not a very experienced PC user).
Yes, if you compare it to maximum hours, then the PS5 is clearly the main platform because that's where I have the most purchases. But I'd say I wouldn't give it up again; it's good to have options in case Sony has another one of its "five minutes of glory." The Ally is my first step into PC gaming, and I can expand further with either Steam Machine or Helix. And professionally, I'll need increasingly powerful hardware anyway. An Apple is out of the question for me.