Xbox Ally X pre-orders prove popular as retailers sell out in no time

The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is now available for gamers to pre-order, and it already looks to be in high demand. With a month to go until the two new Xbox handheld gaming PCs release to the general public, folks are already snapping up the devices at record speed, with stock limited, restricted, or already sold out at several major retailers.

As the spiritual successor to the Asus ROG Ally X, the new ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X will be the first Microsoft portables to launch onto the handheld market, with the company partnering with Asus to develop the product. We're already expecting to be a strong contender to join our best handheld guide, too, based on what we already know about its specs and performance, including in our recent ROG Ally preview.

Pre-orders for both the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X went live on September 25, with ROG Xbox Ally pricing confirmed at $599.99, with the ROG Xbox Ally X priced at $999.99.

Some stores, like Walmart, are still showing the product as available for pre-order ahead of its October 16 release date, although in Walmart's case here, only the base-model Xbox Ally is available.

Best Buy is requiring you to sign in to your account to purchase the handhelds, making it difficult to check local stock availability. One lucky Best Buy purchaser, shown in this Reddit post, also claims to have been able to secure a $100 discount on the Xbox Ally X via Best Buy Total membership, but we've not been able to confirm this elsewhere.

Amazon, meanwhile, is showing stock for the Xbox Ally in regions like the UK, but no pre-orders are available in the US at present.

Despite plenty of lucky buyers, it isn't all good luck. Readers over at the r/xboxally subreddit are already reporting stock shortages at some retailers worldwide. In the UK, retailers like Currys are showing the Xbox Ally X as out of stock, with only the cheaper Xbox Ally still available.

Meanwhile, at both the Xbox and Asus stores, both devices are showing as sold out in several locations. However, the Xbox store has reportedly shown stock for both handhelds at different points in the day, so you may need to keep checking it for updates.

CAPTCHA and holding queues, indicating high amounts of interested traffic, have also begun popping up at some retailers, too, including Currys in the UK and on the Xbox store itself.

With the Xbox branding and an Xbox controller-style grip design, this Asus handheld is already proving to be a popular one for gamers to buy. If you're interested in securing one before the release date, make sure to get your pre-order in early, as retail stock is already fluctuating, and there's no guarantee that we'll see more stock before either model launches.

Make sure to check out our Asus ROG Ally X review to see our thoughts on the company's last flagship handheld and why it proved to be such a good Steam Deck alternative. You can also check out our best gaming laptop guide if you're in the market for a bigger, but still portable, rig for gaming.

Excited to give this new Xbox handheld a try? Let us know your firm opinions on what you're expecting to see in our community Discord server with like-minded readers and staff.