We’ve been getting glimpses of a new model of Asus handheld gaming PC for months, via both leaks and official teases. The latest one comes from the US FCC, which apparently got its hands on two versions of the “ROG Ally 2” device. One is white and—while clearly different—follows the original design language. One is black and has an Xbox button.
Okay, that’s a bit dramatic. To be more precise, both white and black versions of the apparently bigger, chunkier handheld have an extra button above the D-pad. It’s just that the black one appears to have an Xbox logo on it, the same as Microsoft’s official controllers and others have had for decades. That would make sense in the context of that teaser trailer that Asus released with both ROG and Xbox branding featured, not to mention industry rumblings of a more definite Xbox-branded handheld. And don’t forget, Microsoft is pushing hard for people to think of the Xbox platform beyond console hardware.
A listing from Indonesia was apparently connected to an FCC filing by Twitter/X user Huang514613, who has leaked other hardware consistently. I can’t independently confirm that these are FCC regulatory photos, but they certainly match the agency’s documentation style that I’ve been watching for over a decade.
Other details can be gleaned from the photos as well, as The Verge reports. The most striking difference compared to the original ROG Ally and Ally X, which was broadly riffing on the Steam Deck, are the new handles. They’re more defined and controller-styled, extending from the main body a bit and clearly intended for extra long-session comfort. This wouldn’t be the first handheld gaming PC to feature distinct handle protrusions, but it would be the first among major PC manufacturers.
Zooming in on the photos reveals a few more tidbits. Based on stickers affixed to the rear, it looks like the device has the same 7-inch 120Hz screen as the previous designs (1920×1080, if that holds) and at least one version has 32GB of RAM. VideoCardz.com claims that the beefed up black model will use an 8-core, 36-watt processor branded as the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, along with an impressive 64GB of RAM. Presumably that would be different than the similarly-branded Ryzen Z2 in Lenovo’s newest handheld. Keeping in mind that an integrated graphics system needs to share memory between the usual Windows duties and the GPU, that could make this thing a portable powerhouse.
The two models identified by the stickers—RX73XA (black) and RC73YA (white)—match a listing from the Korean RRA certification agency. Listings at the FCC and other regulatory agencies indicate certification testing, and aren’t necessarily a 100 percent guarantee of a retail release… but I’d say at this point it’s far more likely than not that we’ll see these devices launch this year. Computex in Taipei is right around the corner.