Open Box ASUS ROG Xbox Ally Handheld: 7" FHD 120Hz, Ryzen Z2 A, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

flaminspeed

Jan 12, 2026 10:24 PM

22 Comments

Joined Nov 2016

flaminspeedJan 12, 2026 10:24 PM

22 Comments

Get the X variant or don't get it at all. Everyone I know has returned this for that version for a reason.

datasian

Jan 12, 2026 10:43 PM

215 Comments

Joined Jan 2008

datasianJan 12, 2026 10:43 PM

215 Comments

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank datasian

I have to say that SteamOS does run really well on my Asus ROG Ally (not this particular one but the original) compared to Windows and the 25H2 full screen experience. SteamOS just starts up and gets out of the way. Windows still has a few things that gets in the way that full screen experience tries to suppress. FSE tries to replace the launchers and still launches them anyways. When you're trying to swipe up to get to the keyboard (not sure why but some games don't trigger the Windows on-screen keyboard every so often), FSE gets in the way.

3

deee5

Jan 12, 2026 10:44 PM

897 Comments

Joined Nov 2011

deee5Jan 12, 2026 10:44 PM

897 Comments

Legion Go regularly goes for $500 used

Quote from mr0x

:

You must have good eyes. 1280x800 and that screen size I can't tell.

Legion Go 2 might be an option at 1920x1200 resolution but it is crazy expensive, in the range of a gaming laptop with OLED screen.

a lot of people don't realize they need glasses or have a stigmatism. The screen is bigger than a cell phone and much lower res.

MagentaCorn9165

Jan 12, 2026 11:26 PM

120 Comments

Joined May 2025

MagentaCorn9165Jan 12, 2026 11:26 PM

120 Comments

Quote from Groundskeeperwilly

:

I know right. Then we moved on to india, brazil after turkey got zapped. Now those are gone too

Argentina.

deee5

Jan 13, 2026 12:23 AM

897 Comments

Joined Nov 2011

deee5Jan 13, 2026 12:23 AM

897 Comments

Z1 for $100 or this?
Mainly emulation and remote to pc

Last edited by deee5 January 12, 2026 at 04:25 PM.

slippydealer

Jan 13, 2026 2:28 AM

434 Comments

Joined Aug 2008

slippydealerJan 13, 2026 2:28 AM

434 Comments

Quote from DilroopG

:

Most games where you'd use pads for ends up feeling too small for the screen size, it's more suitable to play thumb stick input based games on handhelds.

I've played through a variety of old point and click adventure games on the SD, and I found the pads much nicer than touchscreen or sticks, personally. I also didn't feel like the screen size was too small for the games.

The pads are also decent for things like old mouse-focused FPS games that were not originally made to be played with sticks.

2

Oboogienyc

Jan 13, 2026 4:21 AM

391 Comments

Joined Jan 2014

OboogienycJan 13, 2026 4:21 AM

391 Comments

This system is a flop. Can't play my full Xbox library and it's a Windows computer end of the day with all its updates and BS..

1

evila

Jan 13, 2026 5:02 AM

2.7K Comments

Joined Jan 2010

evilaJan 13, 2026 5:02 AM

2.7K Comments

isn't the spec out of date？or it's OK because it can now run the steam os?

RacingSOUL

Jan 13, 2026 12:49 PM

317 Comments

Joined Dec 2017

RacingSOULJan 13, 2026 12:49 PM

317 Comments

Quote from FeistyMarmot1232

:

How does it give you $100 per year? $180/yr and then they give you $100 back?

Probably plays A LOT and does all the reward quests like a 2nd job for $100/year. It is doable and, I guess, worth it if you are a kid.

Even then, I don't spend that on much on games a year. Im so glad Steam is around with their great sales. Buy once with huge discount on sale and enjoy forever with free online play. Besides, CS2 skins controversy, it is the only large company left who aren't "evil" like the rest. Waiting for better FEX/wine/proton support for Android to unleash phones power! Thanks Gabe!

Last edited by RacingSOUL January 13, 2026 at 04:59 AM.

1

JJpeppers

Jan 13, 2026 1:13 PM

1.6K Comments

Joined Aug 2019

JJpeppersJan 13, 2026 1:13 PM

1.6K Comments

Quote from mr0x

:

OLED is so much better for gaming and I wouldn't get this.Get Steam Deck OLED. The refurb ones that were on sale were about this price. They are sold out now but might come back soon.

I disagree on oled . Yea colors are better but viewing angle and contrast sux. If you play in a well lit room or outside forget it . My QLED tv blows oled TVs away also

1

deee5

Jan 13, 2026 1:27 PM

897 Comments

Joined Nov 2011

deee5Jan 13, 2026 1:27 PM

897 Comments

Seems strange to want the steam os, can you play the free epic,etc games?

mr0x

Jan 13, 2026 1:39 PM

1.6K Comments

Joined Jun 2005

mr0xJan 13, 2026 1:39 PM

1.6K Comments

Quote from JJpeppers

:

I disagree on oled . Yea colors are better but viewing angle and contrast sux. If you play in a well lit room or outside forget it . My QLED tv blows oled TVs away also

What? OLED's viewing angle and contrast sucks? You're getting confused with some other screen.

Also, OLED mainly for gaming is not about colors in the screen; it's how it behaves when there is movement in the screen and response times.

1

mr0x

Jan 13, 2026 1:55 PM

1.6K Comments

Joined Jun 2005

mr0xJan 13, 2026 1:55 PM

1.6K Comments

Quote from deee5

:

Legion Go regularly goes for $500 used

a lot of people don't realize they need glasses or have a stigmatism. The screen is bigger than a cell phone and much lower res.

You might also need glasses as well.

You're holding those devices too close to your eyes if you're seeing pixels.

Have you had your eye exam?

m0rality

Jan 13, 2026 2:27 PM

1K Comments

Joined Feb 2017

m0ralityJan 13, 2026 2:27 PM

1K Comments

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank m0rality

Quote from mr0x

:

OG Legion Go has Z1 extreme which is twice as fast as Z2 here.

Screen resolution is also different. 2560x1600 on the legion vs 1080p here. Although OG-LG used tablet screen and tearing happens vertically if you get tearing. You can run games at 1280x800 on that screen.

Also, OG-LG has bad cooling and overheats and shut down unless you full blast fans.

All the OG handhelds had their own unique issues.

As an OG Legion Go owner:

1. Zero issues with the device overheating. I dont see any comments on Reddit in the Legion Go forum

2. I use the Legion Go 1 regularly. The fact that it is a tablet screen is irrelevant. What is relevant is the following: (a) it is a native portrait screen, on occasion you get a screen orientation issue (it is rare) and (b) the screen does not have VRR (in some cases devices like the Ally and Legion Go S will have better screen performance above 48 fps because VRR will kick in and smooth out "tearing" that can occur from frame rate inconsistencies. However, in practice the Ally Z2A isn't going to play anything above 48fps that will cause problems with Legion Go)

3. The Ally Z2A wont come close to a Legion Go 1 in performance. It will surpass the Legion Go 1 in ergonomics and battery life.

3

m0rality

Jan 13, 2026 2:34 PM

1K Comments

Joined Feb 2017

m0ralityJan 13, 2026 2:34 PM

1K Comments

Quote from deee5

:

Steam Deck is too low res for me to consider

You cannot readily distinguish the resolution difference on a 7-7.5" screen at arms length. What matters in these devices is color reproduction, contrast, and brightness. At 8-8.5" you may start to notice a difference, but you aren't holding a gaming device on your face like a phone or tablet.

The other factor that matters is performance, memory, and VRR. A higher performance device will enable better frame rates, resolution, and textures. VRR will prevent tearing (ie graphical artifacts due to frame rate changes) with games that run above 48fps...which IMHO is less useful on slower devices because they can't run demanding games at higher frame rates.

Open Box ASUS ROG Xbox Ally Handheld: 7" FHD 120Hz, Ryzen Z2 A, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

$463

$600

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