I played with the ROG Xbox Ally, upcoming Xbox handheld
Microsoft revealed a long-term Xbox handheld console running Windows 11 on Xbox Games Showcase – Two models called Rog Xbox Ally and Rog Xbox Ally x – And I quickly spent a short time playing with one.
Unfortunately, we were unable to take photos or videos of the demo as the hardware we tested was not final. This was revealed when the specified guide had problems with the unit and HDMI connection. Playing with the Xbox full-screen experience and various settings menus, I was able to play the first few minutes of Gears of War Reloaded, released this summer.
See this: Everything announced in 16 minutes at the Xbox Game Showcase
The device holds very comfortably with a slightly textured grip. I felt that the face buttons, triggers and analog sticks were all very similar to what I’m used to with an Xbox controller.
What’s really exciting is the ability to download games, download remote play from Xbox, and stream from the cloud. PlayStation Portalcan only be streamed and played remotely. This is one of the main benefits of being within the Xbox ecosystem. Whether it’s an Xbox console, PC, Cloud, or this new handheld, you can play the game on any device, regardless of where you purchased it. This more open-platform approach makes Xbox Ally spiritual and tighter to the steam deck compared to the Nintendo Switch, which can only run Nintendo games.
When shipped, expected to be in time for winter break, you will be able to navigate your Xbox game library and several other marketplace installed games through a full-screen Xbox app that combines your Xbox game library with a single Xbox experience. The company mentioned Xbox, particularly Game Pass, battle.net (Owned by Microsoft) and “Other major PC storefronts”, I hope steam. Like Xbox, each game has an icon depicting it from which platform. In my demo, the only example in another storefront was Hearthstone. battle.net icon.
Xbox Ally Consoles uses a game bar. If you use the Xbox app on your PC, you will see what’s familiar. In fact, when you press the new Xbox button, you’ll see a guide for almost the same version when you play an Xbox game on your PC. However, just like what you saw on the Steam deck, there is also a new Command Center tab on the far left to adjust power and performance settings.
The Game Bar allows you to quickly jump to your home screen, library, game launch, open apps, chat with friends, adjust settings, and more. And this game bar works with Asus’ Armory Crate Overlay. This is a bit worrying, as Armory Crate usually feels like unnecessary bloatwear, but when you test your device later this year, you’ll see if ASUS strips it to proper functionality.
As it is a Windows 11 device, you can also launch and use apps such as Discord, Twitch, and Access Game Mod. Xbox Ally attaches boots directly to the “Xbox Full Screen Experion” similar to how the steam deck begins in Big Picture mode. The full-screen experience is optimized specifically for handheld games, and Xbox has taught us that devices minimize background activity and allocate more system resources to gameplay, like game modes. This means more memory and potentially higher frames for the game.
rog all and Ally X It’s been out for a while, but the Xbox model has some unique features. In addition to the Xbox button, the Rog Xbox Ally also has a larger contour grip. Previously, Rog Ally is more rectangular. The Xbox Ally is closer to the design of the PlayStation portal, with a dedicated, slightly separated hand grip that mimics the look and feel of a standard game controller. I also upgraded the components with the ASUS version.
The handheld comes in two options: the white Xbox Ally and the more powerful Xbox Ally X with black. The low-end allies are equipped with an AMD Ryzen Z2A processor, come with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, weighing 23.6oz (670 grams) and a 60WH battery. The Ally X has an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, weighs a little more at 25.2 ounces (715 grams) and has an 80WH battery.
Both models come with the same 7-inch, 120Hz 1080p screen as the original ASUS version of the device. There is also an RGB light surrounding the analog stick. I hope this can be turned off when playing in real time on the device. I felt the Ally X was heavier, but once again, the recently released Switch 2 and My Steam Deck OLED are pretty heavy, so I think it’s the weight of the handheld these days.
Xbox has yet to disclose its pricing or release date, except for “this holiday.”