What just happened? Photos of two Asus ROG Ally 2 devices have leaked online, and one of them appears to be the "Project Kennan" Xbox-branded handheld that has been rumored for some time. Both look visually similar, apart from a button with the Xbox logo on one of the machines.
The images come via an FCC listing for the Wi-Fi module included in the two devices. The white handheld is likely the Asus ROG Ally 2, while the black version is believed to be the Project Kennan device that Microsoft is testing.
The photos show how the black handheld has a button above the D-pad with a hard-to-see Xbox logo on it. The same button is on the regular ROG Ally 2, just without the logo – it's expected that this will be removed or perform a different function in the final version.
The listing also reveals some of the specs, which include a 7-inch, 120Hz LCD display, an 8-core, 36W AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme CPU in the Xbox version, and a 4-core, 20W chip in the regular ROG Ally 2. They're likely running full versions of Windows 11, too, and the molded grips are thicker than those in the original ROG Ally.
Late last year, Xbox chief Phil Spencer said Microsoft was working on a handheld but it was years away from release. However, a report in March claimed that despite Spencer's words, Microsoft was planning to launch its Project Kennan device before the end of 2025. That same report said it will feature an Xbox guide button and incorporate Microsoft's console design language.
Asus often launches new products at Computex, including the original ROG Ally in 2023, so we could see the successors released during the show, which starts on May 20.
One thing we don't yet know is the price. It's possible that the US tariffs could push this higher than expected, and the fact that Microsoft raised the base price of Xbox consoles significantly last week doesn't bode well for those hoping for something less expensive.
First look at Asus ROG Ally 2 and Microsoft's Project Kennan handheld
