The ROG Xbox Ally X has become more expensive in Japan. Reports link the increase to the ongoing global memory and storage shortage. Asus’ premium Xbox-branded handheld now costs nearly $200 more in the country. However, the lower-end ROG Xbox Ally keeps its original price.
Japanese website Otaku Souken (via VGC) first reported the change. The ROG Xbox Ally X price rose from JPY 139,800 ($910) to JPY 169,800 ($1,106). That equals a jump of JPY 30,000, or about $200. Meanwhile, the standard ROG Xbox Ally with 16GB RAM still sells for JPY 89,800 ($585).
Asus has not officially announced the increase. Still, the updated price appears on the company’s official Japanese store and major online retailers.
Memory Shortage Hitting Gaming Hardware
Asus has not given a reason for the hike. However, reports point to shortages of memory and storage components. Limited supply of RAM and SSDs has pushed hardware costs higher.
Recently, prices of consumer memory, storage drives, GPUs, and some gaming consoles have increased. Strong AI demand for chips has also tightened supply. As a result, RAM and SSD prices have surged. In some cases, they have doubled or even tripled.
Consoles and Handheld PCs Also Affected
Video game consoles face similar pressure. Sony and Microsoft already raised PS5 and Xbox Series S/X prices in 2025. This happened even before the current shortage became severe.
Windows-based handheld PCs from Asus, MSI, and Lenovo also crossed the $1,000 price mark last year. Bloomberg also reported that Nintendo may raise the Switch 2 price in 2026 due to the chip crisis.
Availability has also dropped. Valve recently confirmed the Steam Deck OLED went out of stock in the US because of limited RAM and storage supply.
Next-Gen Consoles May Be Delayed
The chip crisis could delay future consoles. Reports suggest Sony may postpone the PS6 to 2028 or even 2029. Earlier expectations pointed to a 2027 launch.
Microsoft is also reviewing its next Xbox launch plan. The device is believed to be a Windows-based PC-console hybrid.
Valve’s upcoming Steam Machine may slip as well. The company first planned an early-2026 launch. Now it targets the first half of 2026 due to pricing challenges.
Launch Details
Asus launched the ROG Xbox Ally X and the standard Xbox Ally in October 2025. Both handhelds use AMD Ryzen Z2-series chipsets. They run Windows 11 with a custom Xbox interface.