When Microsoft announced the launch date of its first Asus-powered handhelds without announcing prices, I had hoped it was a sign the leaked prices were too high. I had hoped Microsoft would subsidize them the same way it subsidized the Xbox itself. Maybe it would send a shockwave through the handheld market like the Steam Deck’s console-like $399 price did in 2021!
I was too optimistic. Instead, Microsoft’s flagship handheld “Xbox” is a $1,000 portable — or $599 if you opt for a…
