ROG Xbox Ally X Price Goes Up by Nearly $200 in Japan

The ROG Xbox Ally X has suddenly become much more expensive in Japan. The cost has risen by almost 200 dollars. Many gamers are upset by this increase. 

The price change for the handheld gaming PC reported by users initially appeared online; shortly after, gaming news outlets reported that the price had risen by 30,000 yen (almost $200) due to increases in prices for portable gaming consoles.

How Much Did the Price Increase?

Japanese outlets report that the price of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X has risen over ¥30,000 in value. This will significantly affect many people’s budgets for the device.

At this time, the ROG Xbox Ally X price increase appears to only impact Japan. No updates have been issued so far regarding the US, European, or other countries’ pricing changes.

Nevertheless, many gamers remain anxious that other areas will see the same type of price increase, too.

Why Did the Price Go Up?

Increasing prices for both memory chips and storage parts appear to be one of the major contributors to the price increase of the ROG Xbox Ally X vs. the original ROG Ally.

Due to the increase in production costs (caused by higher prices for memory and storage components), certain manufacturers have increased the price of their ROG Xbox Ally X devices.

According to reports, global DRAM and NAND storage prices have begun to rise again, and this trend has been impacting a variety of different technology products already. So this may not be just about one device.

What Is the Xbox Ally X?

Asus has created a Windows handheld gaming personal computer (PC) called the Xbox Ally X. They have collaborated with Microsoft’s gaming division, Xbox, in this development.

The Xbox Ally X is perfect for gamers who want to play their Xbox Game Pass subscription games as well as their PC game library while not at home. Compared to the original ROG Ally, the Xbox Ally X has improved portability, performance, and battery life.

The Ally X is competing with Valve’s Steam Deck and various other handheld gaming PC competitors; however, the Ally X is at the top end of the price range for handheld gaming PCs.

Even before the recent increases in retail pricing, the Ally X was already considered above the average retail pricing for handheld gaming PCs.

How Are Gamers Reacting?

Many gamers shared their thoughts on Reddit and other forums. Some people say rising hardware costs make this understandable. Many others are beginning to think the price was too much for no new hardware update. 

The price increase of nearly $200 for no new features has upset some customers. Some people are worried that if shortages of RAM continue, prices on other gaming systems will end up going up as well.

Could Other Countries See a Price Hike?

At the moment, Asus has not announced any global price change. The increase is only confirmed in Japan. But hardware pricing often depends on supply, currency rates, and production costs. If memory prices keep rising, other markets could also see adjustments. 

What This Means for Buyers

If you are planning to buy the ROG Xbox Ally X, this news is important. The price of technology in Japan has changed quickly and raises questions on whether this is an anomaly or a long-term trend.

The use of more powerful gaming handheld consoles is increasing, and these devices will be produced at a higher price than previous models.

At present, this device is among the best-performing Windows gaming handhelds available today; however, it recently saw its cost of being sold in Japan recently increased by over two times. It remains to be seen whether or not the increased price will remain a constant change or if it will represent the start of an ongoing trend for all gaming handheld devices.