ROG Xbox Ally X review in progress: Hold an Xbox in the palm of your hands
Up until now, Xbox was the only major platform left out of the gaming handheld space. Valve’s Steam Deck lets players play their Steam library on the go. Nintendo has the hugely successful Switch and Switch 2. And Sony recently made a comeback into the handheld space — harkening back to the PSP and Vita days — with the disappointing PlayStation Portal.
Now, Microsoft has finally stepped up to the plate with the ROG Xbox Ally X, a collaboration between ASUS ROG and Microsoft’s Xbox division. The new Xbox handheld promises to let you play your Xbox and PC games on the go, and it even features a new processor, the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, which offers more power than previous ROG models. It’s also a whopping $1,000.
So is it worth it? Here are my first impressions after unboxing the gaming handheld and spending about half a day playing.
How does ROG Xbox Ally X feel?
Right out of the box, the ROG Xbox Ally X is a bit on the heavier side, more similar to the Steam Deck rather than the lighter Switch 2 or PS Portal. Its size is comparable to the Steam Deck and PS Portal. However, the Switch 2 is superior with its slightly more compact design, especially when its Joy-Cons are detached.
I do love the ergonomics of the ROG Xbox Ally X, though. The integrated grips simulate the feel and comfort of a standard Xbox controller. Previous ROG Ally iterations didn’t have these kinds of grips, so that makes this a step-up already in that aspect.
The buttons are perfectly spaced out and have a satisfying, clicky feeling when pressed. The direction pad is excellent as well, which makes this gaming handheld a great way to play platformers. The thumbsticks are slightly diagonal from each other, similar to an Xbox controller. Overall, the ROG Ally X will feel very familiar to gamers in the Xbox camp, in a good way. The device even has a fingerprint reader, adding a layer of security while providing an easy way to jump right back in and play.
Playing the ROG Xbox Ally X: First impressions
When booting up the Ally X, it wastes no time telling you that it’s primarily a Windows PC handheld. The familiar blue Windows user interface had me select a language, install some updates, and then finally took me to the Xbox app. It looks strikingly similar to the Xbox app on PC. I wish the gaming UI was more unique to the Ally X, something the Steam Deck does well, but it is simple to navigate. However, so far, the Xbox UI suffers from a bit of lag and is prone to freezing. Sometimes, I’d try to open up the Microsoft Store or Xbox Game Pass, and the handheld would remain unresponsive.
At the menu on the right, you’ll see your three primary sources of games: Game Pass, your current library, and Cloud Gaming. Game Pass is Xbox’s signature gaming subscription model, which recently saw a price hike. I’m an Ultimate tier subscriber, so I have access to Microsoft's first-party games. Through it, I downloaded several games, including Doom: The Dark Ages, Avowed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I also downloaded several games I already own — Lies of P and Hotel Barcelona — both of which are Play Anywhere games.
It’s important to note that the only games that can be directly downloaded are ones available through Game Pass and Play Anywhere titles. The latter is a program that allows you to buy a digital game once through Microsoft, and play it on both an Xbox console and a Windows PC. Normally, you’d have to have to pay twice if you want to play a game on different platforms, but the Play Anywhere program is a convenient and consumer-friendly initiative. Unlike the Steam Deck, you can’t carry your entire library on the go, unfortunately.
When it comes to playing games, I've found so far that performance between titles is wildly inconsistent. Expedition 33 and Avowed had framerate and stuttering issues. Expedition 33’s battles require precise timing to dodge enemy attacks, so when I missed button presses due to these performance problems, it negatively impacted my gameplay. Avowed is a real-time action game, where a more stable framerate would allow me to react faster.
On the other hand, games like Doom: The Dark Ages and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle performed flawlessly. Doom is the fastest-paced game out of all of the ones I’ve tried on the handheld so far, and having the power to kill demons in the palm of my hands felt immensely gratifying. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s framerate held steady and was buttery smooth, making it the most immersive experience I’ve had yet.
I also tried out the Cloud Gaming capabilities for a bit and played about 30 minutes of Borderlands 4. With a solid WiFi connection, Borderlands 4 performed just fine with minimal hiccups. Borderlands 4 is not available on Game Pass, and it’s also not a Play Anywhere title. If you’re a Game Pass subscriber, using Cloud Gaming is a fantastic way to circumvent the ROG Xbox Ally X’s library limitations by letting you directly stream games from your Xbox account.
It seems like the optimization of each game will be on a case-by-case basis. In my limited day one experience, I've found that certain games seem to work better than others. I’m still testing it out, but it's certainly a capable handheld from what I’ve played so far, with a gorgeous display and solid ergonomics.
However, does the ROG Xbox Ally X justify its hefty $1,000 price tag? That remains to be decided, and I'll reserve judgment until I complete my full Xbox Ally X review, when I’ll be back with a more in-depth answer for Mashable readers.
ROG Xbox Ally X gaming handheld: By the numbers
The new ROG Xbox Ally X launched on Oct. 16 for $999.99. You can purchase the handheld at Best Buy, Microsoft, and ASUS.
This gaming handheld has some impressive specs:
Processor: New AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor
RAM: 24GB
Storage: 1TB SSD
Operating System: Windows 11
Refresh rate: 120Hz
Ports: Dual USB-C, 3.5mm audio jack, microSD
Display: 1080p LED
Weight: 1.58 pounds
