A portable Xbox has been announced

It's been buzzing for a long time and the leaks have been both numerous and credible with hints even from Asus and Microsoft, but now it's finally official: Asus and Microsoft are joining forces to launch two new handheld gaming machines with a full Xbox focus. The names? The ROG Xbox Ally and the more lavish ROG Xbox Ally X.

The latter is undoubtedly the most interesting, with surprisingly powerful hardware under the hood. We're talking about AMD's new Ryzen Z2 Extreme - a customised processor that, according to Asus and Microsoft themselves, will offer "a real powerhouse" combined with improved energy efficiency. In addition, the machine has received a full 24 GB LPDDR5X RAM and 1 TB M.2 SSD - so there will be no shortage of storage space and speed.

The battery is said to be really powerful, which along with improved cooling and newly designed fans (developed with a focus on efficiency) should provide significantly longer and cooler gaming sessions. The ergonomics have also been significantly upgraded with better grip, more robust joysticks, and yes, of course, there is a dedicated Xbox button on the front. The Xbox app is also built directly into the system.

What about the screen? It measures 7 inches, runs Full HD at 120 Hz with FreeSync Premium support, perfect for Game Pass streaming as well as traditional PC gaming.

The launch will take place sometime this winter, but what you'll have to cough up to snag one remains to be seen. Asus and Microsoft are still keeping the price under wraps.