ROG Xbox Ally X handheld gets major price hike in Japan and Australia

ASUS and Microsoft released the ROG Xbox Ally X gaming handheld late last year, positioning the Windows-based device as more of an Xbox console thanks to the introduction of the Xbox Full Screen Experience for Windows. Launching with an MSRP of $999 in the US, and powered by the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip with integrated Radeon 890M GPU, it's one of the most powerful portable gaming options on the market today.

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And now, in certain regions, it's also among the most expensive, thanks to price increases driven by the current memory and storage crisis that is disrupting all corners of the consumer technology market. In Australia, the already high $1,599 AUD price (about $1,125 USD) has received an unannounced $200 price increase to $1,799 AUD (about $1,265 USD).

This price is already reflected at retail outlets in the country, with additional reports indicating that the ROG Xbox Ally X price increase has also hit Japan. There, the handheld has seen its price increase by ¥30,000, around $200 USD. It's unclear whether the price increase will hit more markets in the coming days or weeks, but based on ASUS's response to the Australian price increase, it's very likely.

In a statement provided to PC Gamer, an ASUS representative confirmed that the price increase was due to the company, like others, "navigating significant, sustained increases in the cost of critical components like CPUs and GPUs, driven by global demand and manufacturing expenses." Translation: the AI memory and storage crunch is well and truly here, no matter the device.

ASUS adds that it "worked to absorb these rising costs," but the scale of the "industry-wide pressures" meant it had no choice but to raise prices. This is important because it reflects industry reports, trends, and analysis we've been seeing that show the price of memory has been increasing and will continue to increase at a rate notably higher than anyone had anticipated.