I tried the ROG Xbox Ally X and it has huge potential, if Windows 11 can be optimised for gaming

Having spent some time playing on the ROG Xbox Ally X at Gamescom, I came away excited about the potential of the newest premium gaming handheld, as long as Windows 11 doesn't hold it back in terms of performance.

It's official! Xbox's highly anticipated gaming handhelds, made in collaboration with ASUS ROG, are coming on Sunday, October 12. The ROG Xbox Ally X and the more budget-friendly ROG Xbox Ally will hit shelves before the festive period, and yet, Xbox isn't yet confirming the prices for the new devices. A report from Dealabs earlier this month claims that the premium handheld will be $899.99, while the non-X model will cost $549.99, but no matter how much I pried, Xbox would not confirm the final prices.

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Joining the party

So, what do we know? Well, quite a lot, actually. We know that the ROG Xbox Ally X will be a premium handheld option, competing against the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and the ROG Ally X, but thanks to its new AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme APU, it should have the edge performance-wise, thanks to its upgraded RDNA 3.5 graphics. And that's not all, because practically all of the talk at the event was about its UI, and how similar it was to the Xbox console experience, and the fact that Microsoft has been working behind the scenes to optimise its operating system. It'll still run Windows 11, but it won't be a standard version of the software; it'll be less bloated, lighter and more optimised for gaming. That's the plan, anyway.

In terms of resolution, it'll come with a 7-inch FHD (1080p) IPS display, that reaches 500 nits and is 120Hz, in what is a very, very similar (if not the exact same) display to that of the ROG Ally X. It also has the same 24GB LPDDR5X memory, with 1TB of storage and the same 80Wh battery too.

But what isn't the same is the design. The ROG Xbox Ally X features Xbox controller-like grips on either side of the device, and there are specific buttons for the Xbox Game Bar, too. Although the device is heavier than its competitors, the new grip design means that it doesn't feel that way at all. It's super comfortable and ergonomic, and as someone who uses an Xbox controller (a Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, if you must know), I was a massive fan of how it felt in the hands.

Although I didn't have an FPS counter and only had limited time with the device on a limited number of games, the performance looked and felt great, too. From what I could tell, games like Hogwarts Legacy, Lies of P, and Gears of War: Reloaded could be played at more than acceptable frame rates.

There's still a lot more testing needed to give you a definitive answer about the device's performance, whether it's playing games locally or streaming them from the cloud, but it's certainly looking good. That's the most exciting thing about this device, because if Microsoft and Xbox can get Windows 11 in a more optimised state for gaming, and anywhere close to how optimised SteamOS is these days on devices like the Lenovo Legion Go S, not only does that make this device much more compelling, it's also a great thing for future Windows 11 devices.

If the rumoured price is correct, the ROG Xbox Ally X could be one of the most expensive gaming handhelds on the market. But if Xbox can match its superb ergonomics with best-in-class performance, there's no denying that this sort of first-party device could become the gaming handheld to have in 2025 and beyond.