The Asus ROG Ally series, those handheld gaming PCs, first hit the scene in 2023 and captured global attention. Boasting high performance at a relatively accessible price, Asus doubled down in 2024 with the ROG Ally X, signaling their intent to remain a serious player in the handheld market.

On the 16th, Asus unveiled the new ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X in collaboration with Microsoft. Priced at 799,000 KRW and 1,299,000 KRW respectively, the ROG Xbox Ally X model commands a 100,000 KRW premium over the standard Ally X, reflecting its upgraded processor. Gamemeca got an early look at the unit courtesy of Xbox to put it through its paces.

Unboxing the ROG Xbox Ally X, the first thing that hits you is the design. While most handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go, the standard ROG Ally, or the Steam Deck lean towards a rectangular, slab-like aesthetic, the ROG Xbox Ally X takes a bolder approach. It mimics the curves of an Xbox controller, featuring prominent grips on both sides. It is a design choice that will inevitably divide opinion.

But hold it in your hands, and the logic becomes clear. It prioritizes functionality over pure aesthetics, offering surprising comfort and stability. The grip is excellent, and as an 'X' version, it includes those satisfying impulse triggers. Plus, the joysticks are accented with the signature LED lighting we've come to expect from the Ally line.

At 715g, the ROG Xbox Ally X is technically heavier than the 669g base Steam Deck. As someone who finds prolonged sessions with a Steam Deck while lying down to be a bit of a wrist-killer, I expected the worst. Yet, the ROG Xbox Ally X’s ergonomic distribution of weight makes it feel surprisingly light and comfortable for long-term play. It’s a testament to the fact that raw numbers don't tell the whole story.

The integration of the Xbox Game Bar and Asus software is noteworthy. Unlike its predecessor, the ROG Xbox Ally X features a dedicated Xbox button. Tapping it opens the Game Bar. However, it's not without its quirks; it occasionally triggers Steam’s 'Big Picture' mode if you don't manually configure the settings, which can be a bit of a nuisance.

Functionality mirrors the standard PC Xbox Game Bar, now bolstered by Copilot AI beta features for when you're stuck in-game. My gripe, however, lies in how the 'Command Center'—the heart of Asus's device tuning—has been merged into the Game Bar. It feels cluttered and less intuitive than having a dedicated, separate interface.

Armoury Crate remains the go-to for performance tweaking. In manual mode, you can push the power output up to 35W SPL, 45W SPPT, and 55W FPPT—effectively overclocking the device to squeeze out every drop of performance.

Furthermore, the device comes with the standard Xbox library integration found on PC. If you haven't used it, the convenience is genuinely surprising. It centralizes every game installed on your device into one view—a godsend in our current landscape of fragmented launchers like Ubisoft Connect, Steam, GOG, EA App, and the Epic Store.

I tested the unit with Avowed, Elden Ring, Little Nightmares 3, Cyberpunk 2077, and Silksong. Titles that don't push the hardware to its absolute limits, like Little Nightmares 3 or Silksong, ran beautifully in Turbo mode.

Surprisingly, Avowed, an Xbox first-party title from Obsidian, struggled to hold 60fps. It felt like an optimization hurdle, requiring me to drop the graphical settings lower than what the auto-detect suggested. Conversely, Cyberpunk 2077 ran smooth as butter without any tweaking required.

Vibration support is present in almost every game except Elden Ring, adding a nice layer of immersion. Little Nightmares 3 managed a solid session, draining the battery from 95% to 10% over about two and a half hours in Turbo mode. Cyberpunk 2077, with ray tracing off and medium settings, maintained a stable 60fps.

Elden Ring, however, was a headache. While frame rates were fine, the game would crash after 5 minutes in Turbo mode or 20 minutes in overclocked mode. Compatibility felt hit-or-miss; the game often failed to recognize the handheld as a controller, defaulting to keyboard prompts and failing to summon the virtual keyboard for character naming.

Every handheld inevitably faces the Steam Deck comparison. The Deck is a purpose-built gaming machine with a bespoke OS, while the ROG Xbox Ally X is a Windows 11 machine that happens to be a handheld. You get the full PC experience, for better or worse.

The biggest drawback is the Windows 11 baggage. Despite Asus touting a custom UI, it’s still fundamentally Windows 11. If you find the default Windows 11 experience clunky compared to Windows 10, this won't change your mind.

However, if you want a handheld that doubles as a portable productivity tool, Windows 11 is the king. While few people buy these for spreadsheets, the familiarity of Windows is a comfort for many local users who might find SteamOS a bit restrictive.

The ergonomics are undeniably superior to the Deck. The weight distribution is excellent, and the impulse triggers add a tactile layer of fun, even if the vibration isn't quite as punchy as a dedicated Xbox controller.

The ROG Xbox Ally X is a compelling choice for those seeking a new handheld. At 1,299,000 KRW, it’s a pricey investment, and you’ll have to contend with the quirks of Windows 11. But for the improved balance, those triggers, and the Xbox ecosystem integration, it’s a solid contender.