Several Asus Xbox Ally X handhelds appear to have been delivered two weeks early

Asus Xbox Ally X handhelds have seemingly made their way to some customers over two weeks before the scheduled release date, according to several posts on Reddit. The posts appear to show the new handheld arriving in a sealed box, and then unboxed with the OS on display, and even some gaming shots. However, one of the Reddit posts has already disappeared, as has the user who posted it.

Whether or not the Asus Xbox Ally X is going to earn a spot on our best gaming handheld guide remains to be seen, but these early peeks at the new console, due out later this month, show some promise. It also helps that the Xbox Ally price is quite reasonable, outside the US at least.

Luckily, one post still remains active, and it shows a sealed Xbox Ally X unit, but it is followed up with additional images of the console being used to play Helldivers 2. Further proof has been provided to show the handheld running various programs, and CPU-Z to show the specs, including the 24GB of memory, but there's no definitive proof that this was a retail unit delivered early.

Most of the comments from other users demonstrate jealousy over the early access, but a few comments enquired about the early performance and ergonomics of the handheld.

The original poster, u/IAm-WilliAm, is complimentary of the handheld, stating that despite having no prior experience with previous Asus handhelds, they find that the grip "feels great in the hands." They also admit to owning a Steam Deck, but don't make any direct comparisons between the two consoles.

The chances are, if you've pre-ordered an Xbox Ally handheld, you'll still have to wait for the official release date to receive your handheld. However, we're keen to see if more units make their way into customers' hands ahead of schedule.

If you received a bit of tech before the release date, would you post your good fortune on social media or keep it to yourself? Let us know over on our community Discord server.