ROG XBOX ALLY

ROG & Xbox Push to Close the Gap Between Console & PC Gaming

- By Brendan Frye

When ASUS and Microsoft teased that they were working on a new Xbox device together, I had to admit I was excited. The handheld gaming space has become crowded, with devices competing for attention in a market that demands both power and portability. But after spending considerable time with the ROG Xbox Ally, I can see how this partnership delivers clear improvements for players and offers an overall better gaming experience for anyone looking to explore the PC handheld market.As the marketing materials and trailers tease, the ROG Xbox Ally brings together three major players—ASUS, Xbox and Windows—to create something that feels like a true evolution of what came before. Under the hood, this handheld runs on an AMD Ryzen Z1 processor with four cores and eight threads, paired with AMD Radeon graphics. For comparison, the ROG Xbox Ally X features the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme.

The device operates at a power draw between five and 15 watts, providing solid efficiency without requiring frequent trips to a power outlet. It also comes with 16 GB of high-speed LPDDR5-6400 memory and 512 GB of PCIe 4.0 storage, providing enough space for several AAA games or a range of indie titles without needing to clear the drive.

There are already plenty of strong PC-based handhelds on the market, but what makes the ROG Xbox Ally stand out isn't the hardware, though its specs are impressive for a device that weighs just 670 grams. The real selling point is the overall gaming experience. Microsoft and ASUS have built a new full-screen Xbox interface specifically for this handheld, and it changes how you interact with games from the moment you power it on. The setup process has been refined to work seamlessly with the device's controls, allowing you to navigate entirely with the thumbsticks and buttons instead of fumbling with touchscreen inputs.