I opened ASUS' gigantic $2,499 ROG Xbox Ally X20 Pelican case, and there's a lot to unpack, literally

This might be the most over-the-top gaming handheld unboxing I've ever done

What does $2,499 worth of ROG Xbox Ally look like?

Well, apparently it looks like an enormous, heavy-duty Pelican case that feels like it should contain either extremely expensive gaming hardware or something you've been tasked with delivering to a secret government facility.

Inside is the new ROG Xbox Ally X20 (now available at Best Buy), ASUS' limited-edition handheld celebrating 20 years of its Republic of Gamers brand, along with the new ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 AR glasses, a custom dbrand Killswitch and skin, and all the accompanying accessories.

There's even an empty cutout where you can add your own Xbox controller, which is objectively kind of fun (as it implies I'm going to show up randomly to public places carrying this kit, which is certainly a baller move).

And yes, I unboxed the whole ridiculous thing (see video below):

Let's talk about this Pelican case

The first thing you'll notice is that ASUS didn't exactly go for subtlety.

The X20 bundle arrives inside a custom Pelican Protector Case, with everything nestled into its own section. And having now handled the thing, I can confirm two things: it's incredibly substantial, and it has some of the most satisfying, snappy latches I've ever used on a case (with holes for padlocks, natch!).

Opening it feels like an event.

That's appropriate because the hardware inside isn't exactly normal either. The X20 uses a translucent black chassis with gold accents underneath, giving it a distinct throwback look that fits the 20th-anniversary theme without making the handheld look like a toy.

Even the Xbox logo/button now glows green (and you can set it to static, pulsing, or fading), which is really sharp-looking and reminds you this is XBOX FIRST.

More importantly, I've now spent some actual time using the X20, and I'm warming up to this thing considerably.

That OLED display really does make a difference

The centerpiece is ASUS' new 7.4-inch ROG Nebula HDR OLED display, a 1080p panel capable of 120Hz with FreeSync Premium Pro and VRR support from 30Hz to 120Hz. It can also reach a claimed 1,400-nit peak brightness.

And yeah, it's good.

The OLED panel is one of those upgrades that becomes immediately obvious when you put the X20 in front of you. It's a significant improvement over the display on the existing ROG Xbox Ally X and gives ASUS' latest handheld some real visual punch.

I spent most of the evening trying various games, including one of my recent favorites, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor (Xbox Play Anywhere; also on sale right now for under $8!). That game has, in my opinion, some outstanding HDR graphics that really shine on this device.

Perhaps even more surprising are the speakers.

They're absurdly loud. In fact, they're the loudest speakers I've heard on a gaming handheld so far, and between the audio and that OLED screen, the X20 makes a surprisingly strong first impression before you even start digging into performance.

Underneath all of that is AMD's Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, paired with 24GB of LPDDR5X memory, a 1TB M.2 2280 SSD and an 80Wh battery. ASUS has also redesigned the cooling system, while TMR joysticks, a transforming D-pad, and rubberized grips round out some of the hardware changes.

Then ASUS throws a 171-inch virtual display into the box

Because apparently a $2,499 bundle needs more toys.

The ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses (MSRP: $849) can create a virtual display of up to 171 inches viewed from roughly 13 feet away. They use Micro-OLED panels and support up to a 240Hz refresh rate, along with native 3DoF tracking and an Anchor Mode that can keep the virtual screen fixed in position while you move your head.

You also get a custom dbrand Killswitch (see our review) designed for the X20, complete with an exclusive skin and stick caps. I'm torn about using it. On one side, it's an excellent case with a cover, making it perfect for tossing in the bag. On the other, you're now covering 80% of the translucent case, which seems kinda sacrilegious.

There's a 68W charger in the package too, along with the various accessories for the glasses.

It's basically the "give me everything" configuration.

$2,499 is bonkers, but thankfully you don't need to spend that much

Let's be realistic: $2,499 for a gaming handheld bundle is an enormous amount of money.

This isn't the mainstream X20 package. It's a collector's bundle for the hardcore ROG enthusiast who wants the limited-edition machine, AR glasses, custom accessories, and a Pelican case capable of making the whole setup feel like precious cargo.

The good news is that ASUS isn't forcing you to buy all of that.

The ROG Xbox Ally X20 is also available by itself for $1,299, compared with $999 for the existing ROG Xbox Ally X. Both the standalone X20 and bundle are available in the U.S. through ASUS and Best Buy.

And after spending more time with it, that's the version I'm increasingly interested in.

At $1,299, the X20 certainly isn't cheap either. But the combination of its excellent OLED display, booming speakers, unique translucent design and other hardware improvements is making it feel like a much more substantial upgrade over the current Ally X than I initially expected.

I'll have a lot more to say about that very soon.

Stay tuned to Windows Central for my full ROG Xbox Ally X20 review in the coming week, where I'll answer the question that really matters: is ASUS' new $1,299 handheld actually worth it?

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.