Surprise, surprise: The ROG Xbox Ally X just got a AU$200 price hike in Australia
Why? I think you can guess.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
The ROG Xbox Ally X was already expensive when it launched late in 2025, but its Australian RRP of AU$1,599 has just increased to AU$1,799. That AU$200 increase is pretty significant when you consider that other consoles, like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, usually get price hikes in increments of AU$30 to AU$50.
In other words: If you wanted a ROG Xbox Ally X and didn't buy one yesterday, you're probably kicking yourself. I've reached out to Asus for more information on the price increase, and will update when I hear back. The price rise is reflected by all retailers that sell the unit directly in Australia, including JB Hi-Fi and ASUS direct.
It's pretty easy to put the pieces together ourselves though. The RAM and storage crisis is in full swing and few gaming hardware makers are unaffected by it. It's affecting Steam Deck OLED supply in some regions, and it's reportedly prompting Nintendo to reconsider its price for the Nintendo Switch 2. Sony is also reportedly looking to delay the PS6, while Valve has confirmed its Steam Machine and Steam Frame hardware has been pushed back due to the shortages.
The Ally X is one of two Xbox-branded handhelds released last year. It's the more powerful device: the lesser ROG Xbox Ally hasn't received a price increase from its AU$999 RRP, and in fact, can usually be had for at least AU$100 cheaper (such as what Amazon is offering at the moment). Dave James reviewed the Ally X last year and liked it, but noted even then that it's a pricey beast.
According to VGC, the ROG Xbox Ally X has also copped a price increase in Japan of the equivalent of AU$200.
The RAM and storage crisis can be mostly blamed on the AI boom, which is sucking up all available resources so that blue-tick X users can generate cringe-inducing approximations of Star Wars and declare the film industry is over. The CEO of Phison thinks many consumer electronics manufacturers "will go bankrupt or exit product lines" by the end of the year thanks to the crisis.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

