Responding to long-time demand, Microsoft and Asus jointly announced the ROG Xbox Ally X in June. This portable device delivers a complete Xbox and PC gaming experience in a small, yet powerful, package.
Microsoft’s new Xbox Handheld Experience dramatically improves how players use Windows on their device, making it even better than the Steam Deck.
ROG Xbox Ally X pictures
Key Specs
- Screen: 7” 1080p IPS display with 120Hz refresh rate
- CPU/GPU: AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme with AMD Radeon Graphics
- Storage & Ram: 1 TB SSD, 24 GB LPDDR5X
- Networking: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- Audio: Dolby Atmos, stereo speakers, built-in microphone
- Connectivity: 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 USB 3.1, 1 Thunderbolt 4, MicroSD card reader
- Price: $999.99
Design
The ROG Xbox Ally X feels solid and well-made, as you’d expect from a high-end device with its price tag. It has a sleek, black finish and clear ROG Xbox branding, giving it a premium appearance.
The biggest improvement is the way it feels in your hands. Unlike flat grips on devices like the Steam Deck or older ROG Ally models, this version has grips shaped like those on an Xbox controller. They’re comfortable and secure, fitting perfectly into your palms with their curved design.
The back of the device features two customizable buttons located next to the handle. They’re conveniently positioned for easy access, but set in slightly so you won’t press them by mistake.
Okay, so the Ally X is definitely heavier than both my Switch 2 and my Steam Deck – it clocks in at 715g compared to their 534g and 669g. But honestly, the weight is really well balanced. I can play for hours – I just finished a long session of Forza Horizon 5 – and it doesn’t feel tiring to hold at all. It’s surprisingly comfortable, even after a while.
Features
While Asus doesn’t officially call it a follow-up, the ROG Xbox Ally X is a significant improvement over the original Ally, with upgrades to all its key parts.
The updated AMD Z2 Extreme processor is a significant upgrade over the original Z1, offering improved speed, lower temperatures, and better power efficiency. It also boasts double the RAM, increasing from 12GB to 24GB, which allows for smoother performance in demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077.
The Xbox Ally X has a much more powerful processor than the Steam Deck. It boasts eight processing cores, sixteen threads, and twice as many graphics cores, giving it a significant advantage. This, combined with an additional 8GB of RAM, makes a clear difference when playing graphically intensive games.
Similar to devices like the Ally and Steam Deck, this handheld includes a 1TB solid-state drive, which provides plenty of storage for most gamers. While a 2TB drive would have been even better, especially for those using Xbox Game Pass, it likely would have increased the cost.
The Ally X uses a traditional LCD screen instead of the more expensive OLED, but its display still delivers smooth, clear gaming thanks to a fast 120Hz refresh rate and technology that eliminates screen tearing and stuttering. It maintains a sharp picture with a 1080p resolution.
Controls
The ROG Xbox Ally X really stands out because of its comfortable grip, which is designed like an official Xbox controller. The handles are shaped to fit your hands much better than those on the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons, and they’re a major highlight of the device.
It also features impulse triggers similar to those on Xbox controllers, which provide gentle vibrations in your fingers during gameplay. While not every game supports this feature, it can significantly enhance the feeling of being truly immersed in the game when it does.
Xbox Handheld Experience
The ROG Xbox Ally X initially appears to be just another Windows-based handheld gaming device, similar to those inspired by the Steam Deck. However, its internal components set it apart.
It used to be difficult to play games on Windows 11 handhelds. You’d have to navigate a traditional desktop interface with a joystick, opening launchers and digging through menus just to start a game. Switching between applications was also a complicated process, requiring even more navigating and effort.
The new Xbox Handheld Experience is a major improvement. It redesigns how you move around in Windows, making the Ally a much stronger rival to the Steam Deck.
Similar to Steam’s Big Picture mode, the Xbox Ally X starts up directly into the Xbox app, letting you immediately play games from your Game Pass subscription and the Microsoft Store. The app now also connects to games you own on Steam, Epic, and GoG, making it a central place for all your games.
The Xbox Handheld Experience makes Windows much easier and more fun to use by changing it from a typical computer setup into something resembling a streamlined console interface.
Gaming Performance
The ROG Xbox Ally X delivers smooth performance with all types of games, whether you’re playing smaller indie titles or large, graphically intensive AAA releases.
Games like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Balatro, and Two Point Campus are perfect for playing on the go because they don’t require much power. This means they run smoothly and help your battery last longer, even during extended play sessions.
To really push the Ally X, I tested it with demanding games like Forza Horizon 5 and Cyberpunk 2077. In Forza, it consistently delivered 60 frames per second at 1080p resolution with high graphics settings, even in busy race scenes. Enabling AMD’s FSR technology and reducing a few settings increased the frame rate to around 90 FPS.
Cyberpunk 2077 ran surprisingly well in testing. It consistently hit around 60 frames per second with FidelityFX Super Resolution turned on, and even reached a very smooth 105 FPS when using AMD’s frame generation technology.
To get the best results, you’ll need to adjust some settings within the Asus Armoury Crate software. While this might use battery power more quickly, it will give you excellent performance when using the device on the go.
Because the Xbox Ally X runs on Windows 11, it avoids compatibility problems and anti-cheat issues that sometimes happen on the Steam Deck, which uses Linux.
Games such as Battlefield 6, which need Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 turned on to work, should play fine. However, some players might find the experience too intense or the screen too small for this type of fast-paced, first-person shooter.
Battery
How long the ROG Ally X’s battery lasts depends on the game you’re playing and its graphics settings. More demanding games will drain the battery faster.
Asus’ Armoury Crate software has four settings to optimize performance. When using the ‘Turbo’ mode for graphically intense games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Black Ops 6, I typically got between two and three hours of battery life.
Playing less demanding games, such as Silksong, Balatro, or Supermarket Simulator, and using Silent or Performance mode allowed for about four to six hours of playtime.
Okay, so the ROG Ally X’s battery life is seriously impressive. It’s got a huge 80Wh battery – that’s double what you get in the Steam Deck, and way more than other Windows gaming handhelds like the older ROG Ally or the Legion Go S. I’m talking a *big* difference in how long I can actually game on the go!
Verdict
The Steam Deck became the leading handheld gaming PC mainly because its SteamOS software made it incredibly easy to play games on the go. Until recently, Windows-based handhelds couldn’t compete with that ease of use.
Microsoft’s new Xbox Handheld Experience makes Windows 11 work seamlessly with controllers. It’s easy to use and eliminates the hassle of needing a mouse and keyboard. This improvement is exactly what the ROG Ally X needed to compete effectively with Valve’s handheld gaming device.
The Ally X costs around $1000, which is a significant investment, but its performance and ease of use make it worth the price. While it’s $350 more expensive than competitors like the Steam Deck and Legion Go S, you get double the processing and graphics power, plus a larger battery – meaning it will stay relevant for years to come. Unlike other Windows handhelds, the Ally X feels fully polished and ready to play right out of the box. If you’re new to PC handheld gaming, this is the best option to choose.
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2025-10-15 17:22