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Asus Rog Xbox Ally X tested: a first step, but (still) Xbox-unworthy

Item: ASUS ROG XBOX Ally X
Rating: 3
Author: Philipp Rüegg

Philipp Rüegg

15.10.2025

Translation: machine translated

Pictures: Philipp Rüegg

Microsoft's not quite official Xbox handheld wants to stand up to the Steam Deck. The direction is right, but there are still many construction sites.

The news that Microsoft is developing its own gaming handheld was met with much anticipation. Especially when it was announced that, despite the Xbox brand, it would not be a closed system. Then came the first setback: Asus, not Microsoft, is producing the handheld. Even though the Rog Ally X from the Taiwanese company is one of the most popular Windows handhelds, many wanted a real Xbox handheld. Microsoft allegedly decided against this due to too high minimum order quantities on the part of AMD. There was probably no voucher workaround like there is here

The device is now available in two versions. The colour scheme remains true to the current Xbox series range. The white version is the cheaper, less powerful version and is called the Asus Rog Xbox Ally. The black model also has an X at the end and has the more powerful hardware with more RAM and a larger memory. The official prices are 600 and 900 euros respectively. Definitely not a bargain and not even a case is included. I received the Rog Xbox Ally X from Microsoft for testing.

The handles are unusual, but comfortable.

Windows handheld version: a step forward, but unworthy of Xbox

There are many handhelds with Windows. They usually score highly in terms of performance, but are held back by the non-optimised operating system. The Rog Ally X is the first device to be officially delivered with the «Xbox Full Screen Experience». This is a slimmed-down mode in which Windows requires fewer resources and the user interface is optimised for handhelds.

The main menu corresponds to the normal Xbox app. From there, I can install games from the Game Pass, but also from Steam, Epic Games, etc. For these games, however, I have to switch to the respective stores to install them. I can then launch them in the Xbox app.

I can also launch games from other launchers from the Xbox app. The library doesn't look particularly pretty.

The Xbox app only works poorly as a control centre. You can tell that it was developed for a desktop system. I can't scroll through the side menus with the shoulder buttons, but have to navigate there with the D-pad or analogue stick. And the list of my most recently played games is very short with only four entries. I have to switch to the library for more. At least there is a dedicated button for this. None of this looks really nice, especially for games that don't come from the Xbox app. It all looks very functional and is still a long way from SteamOS.

I like the Xbox Game Bar, which I open with the Xbox button, better. It corresponds to the slimmed-down version that I start on the PC with Windows + G. I can also start games from there, switch to Steam, chat with friends or make settings. It's a shame that the widgets don't offer carousel navigation. With ten tabs, it takes me a while to click all the way through. And I could add more cards for Spotify, YouTube etc. in the Widgets Store. Nevertheless, it is by far the best optimised element of the handheld version of Windows.

The Game Bar is always just a keystroke away. I start games or make settings from there.

I can switch to normal desktop mode at any time. There, and only there, I can install other Windows programs such as Discord. When switching back, however, it is recommended to perform a restart. Only then will unneeded background processes be deactivated and I can benefit from the performance optimisation.

The main problem with Windows handhelds remains system overlays. Unlike the Steam Deck, not everything comes from a single mould. I'm constantly switching back and forth between multiple systems and interfaces. There's Armory Crate, Asus' centre for software and driver updates, device settings or when I want to start games from there. I also use a dedicated button to open the Asus Command Centre. There I can adjust the performance, display FPS or change the resolution. The Command Centre is the first tab of the Xbox Game Bar. The customised design makes it feel like a foreign object.

Because it's an Asus device, there's also the Armory Crate software for performance customisation and other options.

I have most of my games on Steam, so I need this app frequently - another user interface. And because Steam has its own extremely useful in-game UI, I also interact with it regularly. To open it, I press the two menu buttons at the same time. Like so many things, the command doesn't always work. The Xbox Full Screen Experience feels like a beta.

The same applies when I download games. If the device is not connected to the power supply, it switches to standby by default after a short time and the download stops. The Steam Deck is so clever that it waits until all downloads have finished.

Speaking of standby: this is an elementary function of gaming handhelds. Since the first Switch, I've relied on the fact that I can send the device to sleep at any time and resume the game at a later time without interruption. The Steam Deck also does this. With Windows, it's still a game of chance. Sometimes it works, sometimes I stare at a black screen and sometimes the game continues to run at full power until the battery runs out.

The software doesn't seem to be perfectly matched to the hardware yet. When switching between apps or waking up from standby, it sometimes happens that a game is displayed very small. And when I type something in Steam, sometimes the Steam keyboard opens, sometimes the Windows keyboard and sometimes first one and then the other.

Sometimes a game looks like this when it wakes up from standby.

The fact that I can't bypass the Windows lock screen is also annoying for a handheld. After all, the fingerprint scanner is usually so fast that it's only visible for seconds. Nevertheless, everything takes longer than on the Steam Deck. This starts with the setup. Although a few windows have been removed, the Windows setup process still requires patience - even afterwards. It takes one to two hours for all Windows, Windows app and Asus driver updates to be completed. After all, the WLAN chip is snappy.

The Rog Xbox Ally X is a toy and toys are supposed to be fun. I don't notice much of that at first.

Hardware: handy, noisy buttons and no OLED

When a new handheld is introduced, the first thing I always check is whether it has an OLED display. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the Rog Xbox Ally. Asus has opted for a 7-inch LCD screen with 1920 x 1080 pixels, without HDR, but with 120 Hz. The reason for this is that they didn't want to do without VRR. The variable frame rate helps to display games smoothly even at a few frames per second. This is also possible with an OLED, but then the price increases and battery performance suffers. This compromise was therefore chosen.

The Steam Deck (top), the Rog Xbox Ally X (centre) and the Lenovo Legion Go S (bottom) are similar in size, but only the Steam Deck is available with an OLED display.

Although I can understand the decision, I am disappointed. In direct comparison with the Steam Deck or the new Lenovo Legion Go 2, the Rog Xbox Ally X looks paler. The colours are less vibrant and the black isn't completely black. However, if you don't have several devices for a comparison like I do, you will be satisfied with the display of the Ally X.

What stands out even before the display quality is the design. The Rog Xbox Ally X looks as if an Xbox controller has been torn in two and a display glued in between. Pretty is different, but the unusual grips are definitely ergonomic. The design is reminiscent of the Playstation Portal. I can even get through longer sessions without cramped hands. This makes the Ally X seem lighter than the 715 grammes it weighs. For comparison: The Lenovo Legion Go S weighs 730 grammes, the Steam Deck OLED 640 grammes and the Switch 2 only 534 grammes.

The grips are inspired by the Xbox controller and fit comfortably in the hand.

Buttons and sticks are comparable to those of Xbox controllers. The analogue sticks are pleasantly thick and offer a good grip. Shoulder buttons also click comfortably and the impulse triggers are equipped with individual vibration motors. This is quite nice in games like «Forza Motorsport» or «Roadcraft», but I'm used to more since Playstation's dual-sense controllers.

The D-pad is a little too stiff, but otherwise fine. The A, B, X and Y buttons are more annoying. They are extremely loud. When I'm travelling on the train, I'm constantly looking around nervously to see if anyone is staring at me in annoyance. Fortunately, nobody talks to each other in Switzerland. The menu buttons are a good size and are easy to reach with your thumbs, just like the fingerprint scanner on the power button. There are two - still only two - additional buttons on the back. A touchpad is incomprehensibly still missing.

A performance first

The Rog Xbox Ally X is equipped with the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme. It also comes with 24 gigabytes of LPDDR5X RAM and 1 terabyte of storage in the form of an M.2-2289 SSD. On paper, the handheld is one of the fastest on the market. This is also confirmed by the benchmarks. I selected the «Turbo» preset for the test. This runs the device at maximum performance.

The graphics should be taken with a grain of salt. I didn't realise until this test that handhelds don't use their full power when running on battery. In previous benchmarks, I usually plugged in the power supply. With the Rog Xbox Ally X, I consistently tested on battery power and will continue to do so with future devices. These are the decisive values for portable devices. With the mains adapter, the Xbox Ally X achieves over 15 per cent higher values.

Even in battery mode, the Rog Xbox Ally X beats the competition in all games except «Cyberpunk 2077». With a power supply unit, the lead grows to ten per cent. However, despite the new AMD chipset and the more efficient Windows mode, the difference is limited.

Quiet and long-lasting

At 80 Wh, the battery is the same size as the older Rog Ally X. Nevertheless, the Xbox Ally X lasts 20 minutes longer. In my «Cyberpunk 2077» test scenario, it lasts two hours. The Lenovo Legion Go S runs out of power after just 90 minutes. The Steam Deck OLED remains the frontrunner with 130 minutes.

The fans in the Rog Xbox Ally X do a good job. They are inaudible in games such as «Hollow Knight: Silksong» and the like, which do not push the system to its limits. With demanding games such as «Doom: The Dark Ages» they are audible, but only if I turn the volume all the way down. Otherwise, the noise disappears behind the game sound. Even at maximum load, they never whistle annoyingly and their volume is usually bearable even then. When I download games at full speed, the fans are at their loudest. Fortunately, this never lasts long.

The fans usually remain pleasantly quiet.

The Asus Rog Ally X will be available from 16 October. The device was provided to me by Microsoft for testing.

In a nutshell

An Asus handheld with Xbox stickers

An official Xbox handheld, with optimised Windows, an open system and convincing hardware? It would be nice. Instead, with the Asus Rog Xbox Ally X, we not only get the most unwieldy name, but a device full of compromises. Yet it does a lot of things right. The special grip shape makes the Rog Xbox Ally X perhaps the most ergonomic handheld ever. The battery lasts an astonishingly long time and the fans are usually pleasantly quiet.

The operating system remains the centrepiece and the main problem. The slimmed-down Windows has good approaches and is definitely a welcome improvement on the desktop version. I particularly like the new Game Bar. Nevertheless, the handheld still feels like Frankenstein's monster. Asus' Armoury Crate, Steam, Windows: everything is intertwined and clouds the user experience.

I also hoped for more from the hardware. No OLED, no HDR, buttons that are far too loud and only marginally faster than the competition. Xbox consoles, especially the current ones, are great machines that carry the Xbox name with pride - no matter what you think of the serendipitous brand. With the Rog Xbox Ally, the round X logo is no longer a seal of approval. The software is too unfinished and the hardware too mediocre for that. Windows handhelds still have a long way to go to catch up with SteamOS. If you are often travelling outside of Valve's backyard, then the Rog Xbox Ally X is still one of the best alternatives.

Pro

Ergonomic
persistent
Slimmed-down Windows is faster and easier to use

Contra

still feels like a beta
no OLED and HDR
Very loud buttons
Too many systems that overlap

Game consoles

New

CHF892.–

ASUS ROG XBOX Ally X

23 people like this article

Philipp Rüegg

Senior Editor

Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.ch

As a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.

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