Xbox’s First Portable Gaming Console Feels Like a Missed Opportunity
Nintendo did it. Sony did it. Even Sega did it. And now Microsoft has finally released its own dedicated handheld gaming device… sort of.
Unveiled yesterday at the summer Xbox Games Showcase , the Asus ROG Xbox Ally is closer to a Steam Deck than a PSP or Nintendo Switch. It’s essentially a variation on Asus’s existing portable gaming PC, the ROG Ally , but with Xbox-style grips, an Xbox button, and a sleeker take on Windows that skips most of the fluff and takes you straight to the game launcher (where you’ll find all of your various game stores, including Steam and Epic), which you can control entirely with your controller.
In other words, this is not a portable Xbox, but a pocket-sized gaming PC with the Xbox branding.
The best Windows gaming experience at a reasonable price
While this may be disappointing for Xbox fans, on the surface it’s at least potentially great news — perhaps even everything PC gamers have been asking for from a Windows-powered gaming handheld for a while, since the operating system in its current form isn’t very user-friendly when controlled with a controller-based device. And booting directly into the Xbox app isn’t just more immediate; Microsoft says the handheld will actually skip loading certain parts of Windows, which could make the OS lighter and actually improve performance. Finally, systems running Microsoft’s OS could potentially compete with the likes of Steam Deck, especially since Microsoft says the new Xbox gaming handheld will soon be coming to other devices, some of which are already on the market.
Still, Microsoft doesn’t have to compete with just Steam Deck anymore. Notably, this announcement came the weekend after the Nintendo Switch 2 launched, and it’s hard not to notice that it’s at least a little dated.
Also, the ROG Xbox Ally is ugly. While official dimensions have yet to be released, it also feels a bit thick and heavy. Pricing hasn’t been revealed yet, but based on the specs Microsoft has suggested and current ROG Ally prices, we can probably expect the two models of this thing (ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X) to cost around $600 and $1,000, respectively.
That might seem reasonable for hardcore gamers, but next to the sleek, Apple-eqsue $450 Nintendo Switch 2 or even the $400 Steam Deck, it’s a big ask, and it reminds me of other expensive Steam Deck competitors we’ve seen before. Especially since, according to an interview with Asus VP of consumer Sean Yen with Game File , Microsoft says the new device will target resolutions between 720p and 900p, and up to 1080p (depending on the model), which is roughly equivalent to what the Steam Deck currently offers. Games may run at slightly higher frame rates, but it won’t be a game-changer. Casual gamers may not even notice the difference.
In short, it’s a more iterative change than it seems appropriate for a debut portable console. There are advantages to being a more user-friendly Windows-based handheld gaming console — Steam Deck can’t run games with anti-cheat, for one — plus the Xbox experience is supposed to make non-Steam games launch faster than they would on Steam Deck (which can also run games from other launchers, but only after it’s gone through a few hoops). But Steam Deck has always been my go-to portable gaming PC for a reason: It’s affordable, easy to use, and has reasonably good performance. The ROG Xbox Ally seems poised to take on the mantle of simplicity, but I’m skeptical that the performance boost (it’ll use a newer processor than Steam Deck) will be enough to justify the cost.
Not quite a portable Xbox
The result? An Xbox handheld that isn’t a gaming experience for Xbox fans, but rather an Xbox skin on top of a boutique option that’s only ideal for the most dedicated fans. It’s not the worst thing in the world, but it’s a missed opportunity, especially compared to the shiny new Switch 2.
By the way, I played with the Switch 2 over the weekend, and this thing is sleek. My full review isn’t ready yet, but in short, it’s thin, light, looks a hell of a lot better than the Xbox handheld, plays like a dream, and is still cheaper than the upcoming Xbox device. Sure, it’s limited in ways that a full-fledged PC doesn’t, but that also makes it more affordable. The Switch 2 feels like a glimpse into the future of mainstream handheld gaming, while the Xbox handheld feels more like a stopgap. (Though I’d still recommend the Steam Deck to most handheld PC gamers, and the Switch 2 to any console fan looking for a new handheld.)
Maybe I’m expecting too much. It’s a lot to think that Xbox will be able to compete with Nintendo in its first attempt at a handheld. But the company’s “ This is Xbox ” campaign has also been relentless in promoting its cloud streaming and Game Pass experience on its hardware, and a sleeker, more affordable Xbox handheld would be a great addition to that and help it carve out a niche as a Steam Deck-like for people coming from console gaming, or a handheld for Switch gamers who want something more hardcore. Instead, this feels like a nice upgrade for people who already bought into the idea of ROG Ally, and nothing else.