ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X Review: Microsoft's First Handheld Is a $999 Gaming Beast That Changes Everything

After months of anticipation and countless rumors, Microsoft and ASUS have finally delivered something the gaming world has been waiting for: an official Xbox handheld. The ROG Xbox Ally X launched on October 16, 2025, marking the first-ever handheld partnered device between ASUS and Xbox. But at a steep $999 price point, does this Windows 11-based portable gaming PC justify its premium positioning? After extensive testing, here's everything you need to know about Microsoft's ambitious entry into the handheld gaming market. What Makes the Xbox Ally X Different? Despite the Xbox branding, the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X do not natively play Xbox console games—they play PC games. This is a critical distinction that potential buyers must understand upfront. What you're getting is essentially a powerful handheld Windows PC with Xbox's DNA baked into the experience, not a portable Xbox console in the traditional sense. The ROG Xbox Ally X features a 7-inch IPS LCD screen with 120Hz refresh rate, 500 nits brightness, and FHD 1080p resolution. While some competitors have moved to OLED displays, ASUS deliberately chose IPS to prioritize battery efficiency and maintain the device's power envelope. Under the hood lies serious hardware. The Xbox Ally X houses an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor paired with 24GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory and a massive 1TB M.2 SSD. This represents a significant upgrade over both the standard Xbox Ally and previous generation devices, with the new Zen 5 architecture delivering improved performance and efficiency. Design and Ergonomics: Xbox DNA in Handheld Form ASUS redesigned the Xbox Ally from the ground up to include signature Xbox features like the classic ABXY button layout, impulse triggers with extensive travel, and the requisite Xbox home button. For longtime Xbox users, this creates an immediately familiar experience that competitors can't match. The ergonomic improvements to the ROG Xbox Ally X are excellent, with dedicated textured grips allowing for a more secure hold—perfect for comfortable long sessions at home or on the go. The redesigned grips are more pronounced than the standard ROG Ally X, distributing weight more effectively to prevent hand fatigue during extended gaming sessions. However, the button layout has some quirks. New to the device is a dedicated 'My Library' button situated on the right side of the screen, with a dedicated ASUS 'Command Centre' button on the left, placed above the standard Xbox Menu/View buttons. Multiple reviewers noted accidentally hitting the Library button when intending to press Menu, which can interrupt gameplay by kicking you out of the game entirely. The impulse triggers essentially come with haptics similar to those on the PS5 DualSense controller, though without adaptive resistance. These triggers provide subtle vibrations during gameplay, adding an extra layer of immersion particularly noticeable in shooters during the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta testing. The Xbox Full-Screen Experience: Console on the Go When launching into the full-screen Xbox experience, the handheld isn't loading the full Windows OS in the background, freeing up system resources for better game performance. This approach addresses one of the biggest pain points of Windows-based handhelds: the clunky desktop interface that wasn't designed for controller navigation. The Xbox interface presents all your PC games through the Xbox app primarily, unifying your library in a console-like dashboard. You can access games from Xbox Game Pass, Steam, Epic Games Store, and other PC storefronts, with your save files, achievements, and social features synchronized across devices. Press the Xbox button for quick access to essential tools and customizable widgets with Game Bar. Hold the Xbox button to navigate all open apps. This streamlined approach significantly improves the Windows handheld experience, making it feel less like navigating a desktop OS and more like using a dedicated gaming device. Performance: Next-Gen Power That Delivers The AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor represents a substantial leap in handheld gaming performance. The Xbox Ally X can easily run Hogwarts Legacy and Final Fantasy XVI smoothly, even at medium-high settings, while both games struggled to run and stuttered often on the Z1 Extreme-powered ASUS ROG Ally X, even with low-quality settings. The more efficient 17W performance mode delivers almost the same FPS as gaming on the Ally X's 25W turbo mode. This efficiency breakthrough means you don't need to sacrifice battery life for performance—you can have both. During testing with demanding AAA titles, the Xbox Ally X maintained stable frame rates at 1080p resolution with medium to high settings. Games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ran smoothly at 30-40fps with balanced XeSS scaling, while lighter titles like Celeste and Hollow Knight Silksong ran flawlessly at locked 60fps. The improved GPU performance is equally impressive, with benchmarks showing substantial gains over the previous generation. The new architecture handles modern rendering techniques more efficiently, resulting in better visual quality without the performance penalty. Battery Life: A Genuine Improvement The Xbox Ally X comes with a larger 80WHr battery, and when combined with improved energy efficiency from its new chip, you get very solid battery life—just as long as you don't max out the power settings. Testing by playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at full HD on medium settings and max brightness showed the Xbox Ally X lasted just shy of three and a half hours, which is 30 minutes longer than the Legion Go 2. More impressively, compared to the original Ally X, the new device provided an extra hour of runtime. Battery life maxes out to 7.5 hours while gaming at 13W, with 3-4 hours of gaming at 17W. For indie games and less demanding titles running in Silent mode, users reported easily pushing past the four to five-hour mark, with some sessions extending significantly longer. One tester discovered an impressive efficiency edge case: after putting the system to sleep overnight for six hours, the battery had only dropped 2%. However, Windows 11 sleep functionality remains inconsistent, with other tests showing more significant battery drain during sleep mode. Display Quality: Good Enough, But Not Groundbreaking The ASUS ROG Ally X features a 7-inch, 1080p IPS display that doesn't have any glaring weaknesses, with excellent average response time regardless of frame rate, great VRR support, and solid color accuracy and saturation. During the day, brightness should be set to at least 80% for optimal experience, while at night, games can be enjoyed at 60% or even 50% brightness. The minimum brightness is low enough not to disturb a partner if you decide to play before sleep. However, the contrast is mediocre, and the max brightness could be higher, while the bezels are quite thick. The all-black design makes these bezels less noticeable than on the original ROG Ally, especially in dark environments, but they're still more prominent than competing devices. The decision to stick with IPS instead of upgrading to OLED was deliberate. ASUS prioritized battery efficiency and cost control over pure visual spectacle. While OLED would have provided deeper blacks and more vibrant colors, it would have also increased power consumption and pushed the already-high price even higher. Audio and Connectivity: Solid Foundation The speakers have the best stereo separation found in a PC handheld, on par with those on the original ROG Ally, though volume needs to be increased to about 45% or higher to match similar levels from competing devices. The max volume is high enough for an enjoyable experience unless you're gaming next to a train track. Connectivity options are comprehensive. The top edge houses two USB-C ports, a microSD card reader, and 3.5mm audio jack, with the leftmost port being Thunderbolt 4 compliant. This Thunderbolt 4 support means the port has enough bandwidth to support external GPUs like ASUS' recently updated XG Mobile graphics dock, future-proofing the device for users who want desktop-class gaming performance at home. Both USB-C ports support charging and display output, providing flexibility for various use cases. The UHS-II microSD card reader supports SD, SDXC, and SDHC cards with DDR200 mode, allowing for easy storage expansion when the 1TB internal SSD fills up. Software and Game Compatibility One of the Xbox Ally X's biggest advantages is its comprehensive game compatibility. As a Windows 11 device, it can run virtually any PC game from any storefront. Xbox Game Pass integration is seamless, allowing you to download and play hundreds of titles included with your subscription. Cloud gaming support enables streaming of Xbox console games you don't own on PC, though this requires a stable internet connection and Game Pass membership. Remote play functionality lets you stream games from your Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One console to the handheld when both are on the same network. The handheld compatibility program helps users understand when a game will work properly on the device. Look for checkmarks in the Xbox app while browsing your library or shopping for games—these indicators show which titles have been tested and verified for handheld play. Windows updates, Microsoft Store updates, and driver updates still need to be managed, which can interrupt the otherwise console-like experience. This remains one of the inherent limitations of Windows-based handhelds compared to purpose-built gaming devices. The Price Problem: Is $999 Worth It? At $1,000, the Xbox Ally X's biggest issue is its price, especially when the going rate for a premium handheld was more like $500 not long ago. This represents a significant investment, particularly when you consider that $999 is more expensive than an actual Xbox Series X console. For context, the standard ROG Xbox Ally offers similar features at $599 with a slower AMD Ryzen Z2 chip, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage, and smaller 60WHr battery. The $400 price difference buys you significantly more power and battery life, but whether that's worth it depends entirely on your use case and budget. It's cheeky to charge a grand for a handheld and not provide any extras to make it feel like you're getting a premium package, as the Xbox Ally X doesn't come with a carrying case or cleaning cloth. ASUS is trying to charge $60 for its official case, adding insult to injury for buyers already stretching their budget. Who Should Buy the Xbox Ally X? The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X makes the most sense for several specific audiences. If you're deeply invested in the Xbox ecosystem with extensive Game Pass libraries and Xbox Live friends, the seamless integration and familiar interface provide genuine value. The device truly feels like holding a portable Xbox, which competing handhelds can't replicate. Power users who want to play demanding AAA games on the go at respectable settings will appreciate the performance capabilities. The AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme delivers desktop-class gaming in a portable form factor, running games that would struggle or be unplayable on competing handhelds. Frequent travelers and commuters who game during their journeys will benefit from the improved battery life and ergonomic design. The ability to play for 3-4 hours on demanding titles or 5-7 hours on lighter games makes it viable for cross-country flights or long commutes. However, if you're looking for your first handheld gaming PC, you absolutely don't need to jump to the top end of the price chart. The standard ROG Xbox Ally at $599 or even the previous generation ROG Ally X provides excellent experiences for significantly less money. Final Verdict: Impressive but Expensive The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X represents Microsoft's vision for handheld Xbox gaming realized through partnership with an experienced hardware manufacturer. The combination of powerful internals, excellent ergonomics, streamlined Xbox software, and solid battery life creates one of the best Windows handheld experiences available today. The device delivers on almost all fronts as both the first official Xbox handheld and a more powerful AMD Z2 Extreme gaming device. Performance improvements are substantial, battery efficiency is impressive, and the Xbox-branded interface genuinely improves the Windows handheld experience. However, the $999 price point remains difficult to justify for most users, especially when comparable experiences are available for $400-600 less. The lack of included accessories, unchanged display from the 2023 original, and inherent Windows compromises prevent this from being an unqualified recommendation. If you have the budget and prioritize having the most powerful handheld with the best Xbox integration, the ROG Xbox Ally X won't disappoint. Just know that you're paying a significant premium for that cutting-edge performance and Microsoft branding—and you'll need to budget for a carrying case too.