Microsoft, in its continued efforts to turn anything into an Xbox, partnered with ASUS for a branded ROG Ally handheld gaming PC, and it's officially out tomorrow. But is it worth it?
I think that depends on quite a few factors, such as budget, what other handhelds you have (if any), and if you're looking to upgrade. At a hands-on event in Manhattan last week, I got some time to test out both the suped-up ROG Xbox Ally X and the base version ROG Xbox Ally, and I came away more impressed with the pricier model. But that doesn't mean the cheaper one should be ignored entirely.
For frame of reference, my experience with recent gaming handhelds includes the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2. With that in mind, I think that the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X feels like the one to go for if you're looking for the real deal when it comes to high-end PC handheld gaming, and it's the one I came away most interested in after some hands-on time with both devices.
It's shockingly light for the power that it holds, and it's the most ergonomic and comfortable handheld gaming device I've used, especially when compared to the Steam Deck or Switch 2. The grooved handles are shaped just like an actual Xbox controller, so the ROG Ally X mostly just feels like one of those, but with a big screen in the middle. It feels ripe for long play sessions without getting uncomfortable or having crampy hands, like so often happens with the Switch 2 for me.
As a Steam Deck user, I'm most likely to pick up the ROG Xbox Ally X over the base ROG Xbox Ally because the jump in power feels noticeable, whereas the base model feels similar to the Steam Deck when it comes to running and playing games. With the power cranked up on the Ally X, I was able go play titles like Gears of War: Reloaded and Doom: The Dark Ages at very high fidelity and buttery smooth frame rate.
Lowering the wattage significantly hampers graphical quality and how the game runs in general, but the battery lasts longer, and so that will likely be how most gamers play. Plugging the system into a power supply will be your best bet for performance, but unless you're a bed-rotting gamer like me, that won't be a huge selling point.
The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X feels strong enough to warrant the increased purchase price, but only for the most dedicated and hardcore. It boasts a stronger CPU, battery, and more RAM than the base model, which is mostly meant to be an entry point for console gamers looking to get into the PC handheld space, and specifically those with Xbox libraries to have playable immediately. The physical differences between the devices are negligible, other than the colorway and the X being a few grams heavier.
For Xbox players, the interface, controls, and everything about the device will be immediately familiar. The UI is very similar to what you'd find on an Xbox Series X or Series S, including a dedicated Game Pass tab, Xbox store, Cloud Gaming, and a library tab where you can find your games.
But even if you're not the most dedicated Xbox gamer, these handhelds both support multiple libraries for PC games, such as Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and others, meaning you can load these things up with whatever you already own (digitally) on top of things like Cloud streaming via Game Pass.
This sort of stuff makes the ROG Xbox Ally X even more enticing for PC enthusiasts who may already have dozens or more games on these launchers, ready to go for the handheld world.
This sort of thing is already possible on existing handhelds, like the Steam Deck and the ROG Ally of the past, but it's a new experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed having all of those games right there. You can do the same sort of thing on Steam Deck after installing Windows on it, but the ROG Xbox Ally models come with that functionality out of the box. Unfortunately, the different launchers weren't loaded onto the sample models I played with, so I can't comment on how seamless it is to swap.
One of the new features for the Xbox version of ASUS's handheld is the Handheld Compatibility Program (think Steam Deck's Verified system) that details how compatible a PC game is for the ROG Xbox Ally experience, so you can see at a glance how easy or difficult it will be to play the game. This lends itself well to bringing in new gamers to the handheld environment.
As far as more ease-of-access features go, the menu navigation on both ROG Xbox Ally models was very simple and intuitive. Most of it is done through the Xbox guide button on the top left of the device, which brings up a sub-menu where you can change things like whether it's in handheld mode or desktop control modes, and most importantly, the Operating Mode setting, which dictates how much power is being used to run the device.
Turbo mode is for better graphics performance and quicker battery consumption, while Performance mode is perfect for less demanding titles. Both handhelds look great with the same exact screen offering 120Hz refresh rate, 500 nits of beautiful brightness, and AMD VRR. Coupled with some very loud speakers that had games sounding crystal clear in a room full of gamers and reporters, it's clear that this is a high-quality handheld that ASUS has evolved with feedback over time.
It's really tough to recommend anyone drop $1,000 on a handheld, but if you're in the market for one as a hardcore gaming enthusiast and have the budget, I think the ROG Xbox Ally X is a good choice, especially since any sort of new Steam Deck model is likely a few years away.
And if you're not ready to drop a grand on a handheld but want to expand your Xbox gaming capabilities, then the ROG Xbox Ally may be worth picking up instead.
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The post ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X hands on: Probably worth the upgrade for the hardcore, but the base version is a great starter too appeared first on Destructoid.
