The ROG Xbox Ally launched to solid reviews this past week, with many praising its performance capabilities in a vacuum, while criticizing the cost and questioning how much of an Xbox product this really is. Well, we now know that at least when it comes to pricing, Microsoft gave free rein to Asus to ask what it felt was right for the hardware. In a new interview with Variety, Xbox President Sarah Bond detailed how the company developed the Xbox ROG Ally with Asus, along with teasing next-gen hardware to come.
Xbox is one of three players in the mainstream console market, alongside PlayStation and Nintendo. These three differentiate themselves from PC by offering an integrated package that has a much better value proposition. For instance, even today, the PS5 hardware for ~$500 is a great deal, considering similar performance would likely cost you more on PC. That's what makes the Xbox ROG Ally a wild card, because it isn't exactly affordable — $599 for the base unit and $999 for the Xbox Ally X is a bold demand.
