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Best Buy Has Excellent Condition Asus ROG Xbox Ally Handheld Gaming PCs for Less Than $500
Best Buy is selling "excellent condition" open-box Asus ROG Xbox Ally handheld gaming PCs for under $500, offering a notable discount on a device that has otherwise held its retail price since launch. The deal is significant because handheld gaming PCs have generally become more expensive, but Asus's Xbox Ally range has bucked that trend, prompting IGN to now favour it over rivals such as the Steam Deck for offering comparable performance at a lower cost.
The standard Asus ROG Xbox Ally, launched in October 2025 with an AMD Ryzen Z2 A chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, is priced at $497.99, down $100 from its $599.99 retail price. It runs Windows 11 but boots directly into the Xbox app for a streamlined, console-like experience. Best Buy is also discounting the more powerful Xbox Ally X, which features a Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, to as low as $838.99 from its usual $999.99, with both units covered by Best Buy's Geek Squad verification and a 15-day return policy.
In short
- Best Buy discounts open-box Asus ROG Xbox Ally to $497.99
- Xbox Ally X also reduced, to as low as $838.99
- IGN now recommends Xbox Ally over the Steam Deck
Explained simply
Handheld gaming PCs are portable devices that allow players to enjoy demanding video games on the move, combining the performance of home consoles with portability. The Asus ROG Xbox Ally, launched in October 2025, is a recent entry in this category that runs Windows 11 but boots directly into the Xbox app, providing a streamlined gaming experience. These devices represent a growing segment within the gaming hardware market.
The market for handheld gaming computers has historically been characterised by high prices, with limited options available to consumers. The Asus ROG Xbox Ally stands out for offering performance comparable to the market-leading Steam Deck at lower pricing, making handheld gaming more accessible. This pricing approach reflects broader competition between manufacturers to capture share of what many see as a significant emerging market.