When I cracked open the box for the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X, I had a moment of “Whoa—this is serious.” Slim form factor, solid grips, that weight you notice in your hands but that still says “I’m built for extended play.” The hype around this device has been real, and after logging hours playing everything from fast indie runners to heavier AAA titles, I can say: yes, this is one of the most ambitious portable gaming machines out there. But (of course), it’s not perfect.
Design & Build – Feels Premium, Plays “Handheld PC” Loud and Clear
First off: the physical experience. The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X doesn’t feel like a throw-away handheld—it has substance. Grips that wrap your hands, buttons and triggers that have weight to them, and a finish that you’re not scared to let others see (non-gamer friends would probably nod approvingly). Some previous handhelds felt “budget laptop in handheld body”—this one doesn’t.
Ergonomics is a highlight. Joysticks with better feel, stiffer springs, and better spacing of buttons. It’s comfortable enough that long sessions don’t immediately punish you. That said, yeah, you *feel* it after a while. Handheld PCs are still heavier than a Switch. Also, side note: if you’ve got small hands, like me, it might take a little time to get used to the new ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X.
Specs & Performance – Big Numbers, Real Results (Mostly)
Under the hood, you’ve got the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, 24 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD (and upgradeable), and a 7-inch 1080p 120Hz panel. That’s not petty. It means you can run modern games with settings that make you stop and say, “Hey, this *isn’t* just a mobile console.” In Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p on medium, I saw above 60fps plugged in.
Is it perfect? No. Graphically intensive games still need some tuning. I switched settings in a few big ones and found that to stay smooth, I sometimes had to drop resolution or tweak power modes. But the fact you’re even *choosing* that on a handheld is crazy in a good way.
Battery & Portability – Better Than Many, But Still Handheld Reality
One of the big upgrades over previous models is the 80 Wh battery—big for a device this size. I found in a real session, I got around 2.5 to 3 hours of heavier game use (1080p, medium settings) unplugged. Lighter indie titles gave me more time. But—it still doesn’t match console standby endurance or ultra-light handhelds.
If you’re going on a train ride or long flight, great—but if you’re expecting “all day” without a charger, you’ll probably still plug in. Worth noting: performance drops when unplugged because power modes throttle. Again—but you knew that.
Interface & Ecosystem – Windows 11, With Xbox Flair (and Frustrations)
This is where the “handheld that wants to be your PC” bit comes in. The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X runs full Windows 11, plus ASUS’s Armoury Crate interface and Microsoft’s “Xbox Full Screen Experience” mode. The promise: plug in, play Game Pass, Steam, Epic, whatever—launch games like on a console. In many cases, it works beautifully. I fired up titles, loaded into Game Pass, loaded Steam titles, and felt at home.
But the friction shows too. Windows 11 means updates, background services, and sometimes weird driver/launcher quirks. Some users reported setup required more time than “turn on & play”. (I nodded. I experienced some button noise issues, too.) So yes: you get power and flexibility; you also get complexity.
Screen & Audio – Solid, But Not Luxe
The 7-inch 1080p 120Hz panel is smooth and crisp. I really enjoyed smooth motion in platformers and shooters. But: it’s not OLED. Several users and reviewers pointed that out. So if you’re the kind that demands deep blacks and wow-that-contrast, you might feel a little “meh” compared to premium OLED handhelds.
Audio is better than many handhelds—speakers are punchy, controls are good, and grips help immersion. I would still use headphones for better sound when I could, but this handheld stands up enough on its own.
Gaming Experience – Where the Magic (and the Work) Happens
I played a mix of games: quick indie hits, heavier AAA, and emulators. What I found: when the device is optimised, it’s awesome. Little action games like Hades II ran beautifully, portability plus power made sense. AAA games like Cyberpunk or Returnal required tuning—but when tuned, they looked and felt *really good* for handheld play.
Comfort matters: the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X’s design, window to PC library, controller layout—these all give you that “big console in my lap” feel. If you’re used to just playing on a TV or a monitor, this will surprise you.
What’s Not Perfect – The Trade-offs You Should Know
- The price is steep. Yes, you’re buying top hardware, but this is a £799/ $999 device (or close) in many regions.
- Battery life, while improved, is still limited compared to home consoles.
- The display lacks the premium punch of OLED—contrast and vibrancy might disappoint some.
- Setup complexity: if you want plug-and-play simplicity, Windows handhelds add layers.
- The name “Xbox” in the title creates expectations of the Xbox console ecosystem; this is still a Windows machine—Game Pass & Play Anywhere are great, but streaming limits and library quirks exist.
Final Thoughts – Should You Get It?
If you’re a gamer who wants serious performance on the go, has a library of PC/Steam/Xbox Play Anywhere games, and isn’t afraid to tweak settings, the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X is absolutely worth your time. It represents one of the highest performance handhelds in the market right now, and it *delivers* in many ways.
But if you just want “grab & go, console simplicity”, cheaper price, OLED brilliance, or all-day battery without fiddling—there might be better fits. The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X is powerful, but it’s also ambitious. And with ambition comes some compromises.
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X Launch Information and Demo
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The product was provided to us for the express purpose of reviewing.
I had the help of my partner to compile the review, will upload new images soon.
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