The ROG Xbox Ally is the handheld PC I've been waiting for

• ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X hit stores on Oct 16 - Asus hardware meets Xbox design.
• Ergonomics nailed: Xbox-style handles, comfortable weight distribution, refined ROG design.
• Windows 11 gains console-like mode, trims background tasks, fast switching; performance and battery TBD.

Over eight years ago, video game giant Nintendo changed the game with its hybrid Switch console, which bridged the traditional divide between gaming handhelds and full-blown home consoles. The Switch's clever dockability resonated with many gamers, and it also had the ripple effect of spurring the creation of an all-new product class of PC gaming handhelds.

The likes of Valve's Steam Deck,Lenovo's Legion Go, andAsus' ROG AllyProve that x86 architecture with discrete graphics can be viably fitted into a handheld device, and that full-fat PCs can step up to the role of offering a console-like experience when the time calls for it.

Notably absent from the handheld party until now has been Microsoft, with the company offering no first-party portable hardware to showcase its Xbox and Windows 11 gaming ecosystems.This all changed back in June, when it was revealed that Microsoft and Asus were teaming up to bring a duo of Xbox-branded ROG Ally devices to market.

...I've had the opportunity to get hands-on time with both units.

While pricing remains uncertain, we now have official confirmation that both the entry-level ROG Xbox Ally and the higher-tier ROG Xbox Ally Xwill reach store shelves on October 16of this year. Both Microsoft and Asus have been showcasing the two up-and-coming handhelds at the currently-ongoing Gamescom 2025 convention in Cologne, Germany, and I've had the opportunity to get hands-on time with both units.

Here are my thoughts after spending several minutes using the ROG Xbox Ally series in person.

Asus nailed the ergonomics

Both ROG Xbox Ally models are remarkably comfortable in the hand

Right off the bat, I can safely say that I'm a fan of the ROG Xbox Ally from an external design perspective. I've always found ROG handhelds to be both well-built and aesthetically pleasing, and this entirely carries over to the new hardware on offer.

Building upon the shell design of Asus' existing ROG Ally and ROG Ally X models, the ROG Xbox Ally series features prominent handles inspired by the Xbox controller, offering a genuinely comfortable grip. Weight distribution also seems well-calibrated—the higher-end ROG Xbox Ally X weighs 1.58 lbs (715g), slightly more than the base model's 1.48 lbs (670g), but neither feels particularly heavy.

...these new devices make the older ROG Ally X look sharp and unnaturally angular by comparison.

After spending several minutes with the ROG Xbox Ally in my hands, I picked up older ROG handhelds to directly compare the in-hand feel. In my opinion, these new devices make the older ROG Ally X feel sharp and unnaturally angular by comparison.

To drive home the Xbox part of the product offering, the devices also include a prominent Xbox logo button, colored face buttons that match those found on Microsoft’s official controllers, and a signature green color accent lit by default for the LED light rings flanking each analog stick.

The software is slicker than I expected

Microsoft's attempt to console-ify Windows 11 goes deeper than the surface

While I didn't get a chance to benchmark gaming performance, the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X's upgraded internal specifications are sure to deliver a graphical punch. They seem to be a modest spec bump over the existing ROG Ally X, which already performs relatively well by handheld gaming PC standards.

The updated internals and the ergonomically refined, Xbox-clad exterior are both major wins for the ROG Xbox Ally series, but the real show-stopper is undoubtedly on the software side. Microsoft has been hard at work improving Windows 11 for the paradigm of handheld PCs, and it's using the ROG Xbox Ally as a springboard to launch its vastly overhauled OS experience.

The build of Windows 11 flashed on the ROG Xbox Ally is unique in that it features an important superpower. The device is capable of booting into a console-like interface environment that is touch and gamepad friendly, which immediately solves the issue of Windows being unintuitive on small, mouse and keyboardless displays.

...the process of switching between desktop and gaming mode is more seamless than I had anticipated.

Importantly, this new console-like software mode goes deeper than skin deep. Behind the scenes, Microsoft has worked to disable background tasks that affect gaming performance, while also disabling the desktop and taskbar shell components for a more streamlined OS with less computational overhead to worry about while gaming.

The software running on the demo units I tested is not finalized, and therefore is still subject to further changes and improvements. There was no way for me to verify whether this simplified Windows 11 experience improves gaming performance and standby time to levels comparable to the Steam Deck or the Switch 2, but I will say that the process of switching between desktop and gaming mode is more seamless than I had expected.

Within the gaming launcher's sidebar, a setting is available for switching to desktop mode. The process is nearly instantaneous, to the point where I was shocked at how quickly the familiar Windows 11 desktop appeared on screen. To return to game mode, you can do so without rebooting the device, although a prompt strongly encourages you to press the restart option to ensure system optimization and game compatibility.

The road forward

Handheld gaming PCs have legs

For as long as I've been a gamer, one thing has remained entirely consistent: my preference for handheld consoles over their home console and desktop PC counterparts. My earliest gaming memories were facilitated by Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP from the early 2003 era, and I've always valued portability and a flexible gaming experience over access to a bigger screen or more power. Now, with today's dockable gaming systems being part of the equation, I can essentially have my cake and eat it too.

While the ROG Xbox Ally series isn't a substitute for my dream mobile gaming device — a first-party Surface Xbox — it certainly does look, feel, and behave much like how I'd envision such a device to do so. Even in my brief hands-on time with the two upcoming Asus handhelds, I can tell that serious effort has gone into the consolization of Windows 11, which bodes well for the platform's future.

I can tell that serious effort has gone into the consoleization of Windows 11.

Regarding the physical hardware, it brings a touch of Xbox style into the mix, along with subtle design adjustments that result in a refined (and very comfortable) gaming experience. Most importantly, it achieves this without needing to be connected to a wall outlet. While I can't yet comment on the extremely important metrics of performance, efficiency, and battery life, the combination of mature Asus hardware and renewed Windows software has me incredibly excited about what's coming next in the handheld PC space.

If the ROG Xbox Ally series is priced at least somewhat competitively, I think Microsoft and Asus might have a real winner on their hands.