Asus and Microsoft will be launching their ROG Xbox Ally series of handheld gaming PCs starting October 16, according to an Asus announcement that went out today.

Regular folk can now play on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, even if they still can't preorder it yet.

After several weeks of rumours, both Asus and Xbox have announced when their collaborative handheld consoles will be available to buy. The ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally will go on sale in the UK and other regions on 16 October 2025 – a date that has leaked in recent times.

The most notable difference between the Xbox Ally and the Steam Deck is the operating system. Like the ROG Ally, the Xbox Ally will also use Windows 11, while the Steam Deck uses Valve's SteamOS.

Asus and Xbox have introduced a ROG Ally Certified program that will help players discern what will work on the upcoming handheld, and what won't.