New images of the Asus ROG Ally 2, a console created with Asus and Xbox, have seemingly leaked online, via an Indonesian certification filing. The news was first reported by 91mobiles (via VideoCardz), with this website posting a range of images revealing a console of slim form factor with controller handles, covered with layers of finger prints and grime.
While the grime isn’t really the focus here, the console revealed has certainly been used well. It’s not often that certification models are revealed in such grubby fashion, with all sorts of slime and wear-and-tear across its screen and buttons.
Looking beyond the treatment of the console, the images reveal a lot about what to expect of this Xbox-compatible handheld. For one thing, the console strongly resembles the Asus ROG Ally, complete with the same font, and overall button layout.
There’s a new Xbox button included on the console, which is a key difference. The other most notable change is the device has handles, making it more like a traditional console controller.
The Asus ROG Ally is already a pretty ergonomic console to hold, but handles will undoubtedly add to the comfort of use, and likely offset any added weight or changes. It also better aligns this handheld console with other Xbox product, which is likely the intention here.
Read: Microsoft is working on a handheld gaming console
Per details surfaced by VideoCardz, there are actually two versions of Asus ROG Ally 2 revealed in the certification filing, a white model and a black model. The black model features an AMD 8-core 36W (Ryzen Z2 Extreme) processor, with 32GB LPDDR5X-8533 memory. The white model features an AMD 4-core 20W (AMD Aeirth Plus) processor, with 12GB LPDDR5X-8533 memory. Both feature a 7-inch 120Hz display.
We can assume another core feature will be direct support for Xbox, with easy access to cloud gaming, and to the Game Pass catalogue, via the new Xbox button. This is what will mark this console out as different, in a handheld gaming space currently dominated by the Steam Deck.
Positioning the Asus ROG Ally 2 against the Steam Deck, with exclusive features and direct support for Xbox feels like a clever decision. At the very least, it provides a point of difference, beyond more powerful innards.
What’s also worth noting as this leak spreads online is that Microsoft is also planning its own handheld console in future, which is believed to be separate to this seemingly leaked console.
“Longer term, I love us building devices,” Phil Spencer, Microsoft Gaming CEO said in late 2024. “And I think our team could do some real innovative work.”
Any creation would be informed by lessons learned from the existing handheld market, and “what’s happening now.” When pushed on the topic, Spencer expressed a desire for the potential Microsoft handheld to play games locally, rather than being a cloud-based handheld. The newly-revealed Asus ROG Ally 2 is likely part of these plans, but for now, it does appear Xbox is still keen to build its own proper, proprietary handheld as well.
Until we hear more, we can look forward to seeing an official reveal for the Asus ROG Ally 2 in future, should these leaks prove to be accurate.
