Sarah Bond explains the price of the ROG Xbox Ally

The president of Xbox defends the value of the new portable and advances that the company is still developing its own hardware.

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After its launch, the ROG Xbox Ally X has become one of the most discussed topics within the community. Its price (considered high by some players) has sparked debate, and Xbox president Sarah Bond has come out to clarify how the cost was determined and what role this new device plays in Microsoft’s strategy towards 2026.

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In an interview with Variety, Bond explained that the price of $599.99 for the Ally and $999.99 for the Ally X was set by ASUS, the hardware manufacturer, based on performance and components. According to Bond, the goal was to offer two models that cater to different player profiles, from those seeking portability to the most demanding in terms of performance.

Xbox defends the value of the Ally X and reaffirms its commitment to hardware

Bond assures that initial demand was overwhelming, with pre-orders sold out on the Xbox Store and other global distributors. “We feel very good about the value we’re offering for the price, seeing the reaction to the hardware“, she stated. For the Xbox president, the Ally represents another step in the vision that “gaming should be available anywhere, anytime, and with anyone“.

The executive also highlighted the collaboration with the Windows team to optimize the touch and controller experience in a keyboard-less environment, ensuring a fluid interface specifically designed for a portable format.

Regarding the future of Xbox, Bond was clear: the company is still working on its next generation of consoles. “We have our new hardware in development, and we’re already prototyping and designing with AMD“, she confirmed. Additionally, she left open the possibility that in the future, there may be portable consoles manufactured directly by Xbox, without intermediaries.

With Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Outer Worlds 2, and more releases on the horizon, Bond assures that this is just the beginning of a new era: “There’s a lot of innovation to come. We’ll continue to expand portable compatibility, improve the experience, and offer more options and games for all players.”