As we know from the official specs revealed by Microsoft, the ROG Xbox Ally will feature a 7-inch IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate and not an OLED panel. OLED screens are known for their higher contrast and deeper blacks due to the technology that allows each pixel to turn off completely.
However, ASUS made the choice to use an IPS display instead of an OLED one, not just to lower production costs and the final price for consumers or to avoid the potential for burn-in, a common problem with OLED screens (though newer technologies have reduced this issue). Instead, ASUS chose IPS to keep VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). VRR is a technology that dynamically syncs the screen’s refresh rate, helping to improve image fluidity in games where the frame rate fluctuates or to reduce issues like stuttering.
Why ASUS Chose IPS Over OLED
According to Whitson Gordon from ASUS, although OLED was considered for the ROG Xbox Ally, the company ultimately decided against it because using OLED would have meant sacrificing VRR. It would also increase the energy consumption of the device and raise the price.
Gordon explained in an interview, “We did look at OLED again this year, we did some research and development, and even prototyped with OLED, but it’s still not where we want it to be when we factor VRR into the mix.” He continued, “We aren’t willing to give up VRR, I’ll draw that line in the sand right now.”
The ROG Xbox Ally will be available by the end of 2025 in two models: a base version with an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor and 16GB of RAM, and a more powerful ROG Ally X with an AI Z2 Extreme processor and 24GB of RAM. The official prices for these versions have not been announced yet.
