If you're not dialed into the handheld gaming device market, it might not be immediately obvious what the ROG Xbox Ally is. If you're wondering if it's a portable Xbox console then you would be halfway right, except it's more of a portable handheld PC with Xbox branding.
Think the Steam Deck or the existing ROG Ally handheld devices – both are handheld portable consoles that give you access to your Steam, Epic, GOG and Xbox PC games – with these new ROG Xbox Ally models allowing all that but with integrated Xbox hardware and software.
There are two models of this new system, the ROG Xbox Ally and the more-powerful ROG Xbox Ally X. For this review we were provided the standard ROG Xbox Ally model, so read on if you're interested to see if this £499.99 piece of kit is a good place to start if you're new to PC handhelds or want to see if it's worth the upgrade from a similar device.
First of all, let's take a look at the ROG Xbox Ally technical specifications:
ASUS ROG Xbox Ally | Handheld Gaming Console
Features at a Glance
| Display | 7” FHD (1080p) IPS, 500 nits, 16:9, 120Hz refresh rate |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor |
| Memory | 16GB LPDDR5-6400 |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon |
| Storage | 512GB M.2 2280 SSD for easier upgrade |
| Ports | 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort 1.4 / Power Delivery 3.0, 1x UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC), 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack |
| Network and Communication | Wi-Fi 6E (2 x 2) + Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Battery | 60W |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
The higher-end ROG Xbox Ally X model priced at £799.99 includes 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for fast load times, as well as an 80Wh battery. It's powered by the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor with a dedicated NPU that enables the latest AI features and high-fidelity visuals. It also supports intelligent upscaling and advanced graphics settings.
ROG Xbox Ally performance and games
Setting up the handheld out of the box was very simple and an easy process. I already have an existing Xbox Series X console and a gaming PC, so my Microsoft account was ready to go with all of my existing Xbox Play Anywhere games available.
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Once logged in, I was able to see games like my existing purchased Xbox games and any titles I have previously played on Game Pass. The ROG Xbox Ally also came with a free three-month Premium Game Pass subscription, which is the mid-tier membership and allowed me to check out the 200+ games in the catalogue and take advantage of things like cloud gaming.
During my time with the system, I tested a bunch of games across a number of PC platforms – from fully installed games to online cloud games – and it's fair to say that I surprisingly had very few issues with any of them in handheld mode, with an average battery life of around 4-6 hours after varying use and demanding games.
It's important to remember that despite the Xbox bells and whistles, this is essentially still a handheld PC that runs on Windows 11, so there will be times you'll have to play around with the system's built-in performance management software Armoury Crate and tinker with game settings to get optimal performance.
Games tested on ROG Xbox Ally: The Outer Worlds 2, Ninja Gaiden 4, Keeper, Hades 2 (Steam), Call of Duty: Warzone (Cloud), Avowed (Cloud), Doom: The Dark Ages, Blue Prince (Steam), Sega Mega Drive Classics (Steam), Shenmue 1 & 2 (Steam), A Monster's Expedition (Steam), Crazy Taxi (Steam), Sworn (Cloud), Asphalt Legends (Cloud), Supermarket Simulator (Cloud)
We had the chance to test the ROG Xbox Ally on a number of games including some upcoming big Microsoft Game Studios releases like The Outer Worlds 2, Ninja Gaiden 4 and Keeper, and it's commendable how they ran on the standard-model handheld, with smooth performance between medium and high settings mostly.
This was impressive as I thought a handheld would sacrifice both graphics and performance, and while it does in some areas and won't reach the fidelity of a console or gaming PC setup, I could see myself putting time into games like these for a few hours while I'm away from my Xbox or desktop.
Installing games from Steam was also a breeze, and I was able to play the recently-released Hades 2 flawlessly on my ROG Xbox Ally with no noticeable performance or graphical issues in handheld mode. I also loaded up wholesome puzzle games like Öoo, A Monster's Expedition and game of the year contender Blue Prince, which were great to dive into while laying in bed.
One game I had noticeable performance issues with is Doom: The Dark Ages. As a recent fast-paced game with gorgeous visuals, I was curious to see how it would hold up on the standard ROG Xbox Ally in handheld mode, especially as a Microsoft-owned title, but sadly it didn't meet expectations. With all settings on low and using a 720p resolution, it became almost playable but still retained stutters and murky graphics, which isn't really the way you want to play any game. Any settings above this weren't really playable at all.
It did surprise me that a Microsoft-owned game wasn't optimised for the standard model of the ROG Xbox Ally. If you're used to console, these visually demanding games are a reality check that you are using a handheld PC, and just like a PC, if your specs aren't up to scratch you're going to have issues running games on higher settings. As we didn't get the chance to test out the ROG Xbox Ally X, it's hard to say if the machine with more power is better equipped to handle games like Doom: The Dark Ages.
It's fair to say that despite that outlier, most games pleasantly surprised me in terms of performance. The standard ROG Xbox Ally won't perform miracles and run everything on very high settings with its limitations, but despite the sometimes-lengthy loading times and shader installations, everything from big new releases and indie games felt acceptable to play.
ROG Xbox Ally performance with Game Pass and cloud gaming
One of the most impressive aspects of the ROG Xbox Ally is the synergy with Xbox Game Pass and features like cloud gaming, which is surprising as it's something I've been skeptical of in the past – but being able to instantly load up games that have cloud gaming enabled and play right away is great.
Without Call of Duty: Warzone being installed, I was able to play it on the ROG Xbox Ally with no issues, and it ran smoothly and looked decent for a handheld. Being able to quickly jump into an online multiplayer game like that and play full matches with other people really amplified the benefits for those who travel or want a portable way to play games.
Cloud gaming will obviously depend on your internet connection, but cloud-based single-player games also worked flawlessly. I was able to load up my old save from Avowed without installing and immediately pick up where I left off with really smooth performance and solid graphics, as well as many other Game Pass games like Sworn, Asphalt Legends and Supermarket Simulator.
ROG Xbox Ally UI and Xbox software
One of the benefits of the ROG Xbox Ally compared to the standard models is that it boots directly into a sleek Xbox UI that allows you to manage all of your games in one place. The home menu shows you all of your recently played games regardless of platform, so it's nice to see your Steam library games listed side-by-side with Xbox games and any other platforms you have installed.
Overall the interface works well, and as it's the Xbox app loaded on to Windows 11, you can still go to the desktop and launch any apps you like. At times this can be clunky and hard to navigate because of screen text sizes and whatnot, especially if you're juggling both touch screen controls and the buttons on the device itself, but overall it works well for the most part.
There's also an Xbox game bar you can launch by tapping the Xbox button on the handheld – an exclusive dedicated Xbox home button like the native Xbox controller – which gives you quick access to recently played games, system settings, Microsoft Edge Game Assist, online friends and AI Gaming Copilot among other things.
ROG Xbox Ally hardware and comfort
Something that deserves praise with the ROG Xbox Ally is the design itself and just how comfortable it is to hold. The contoured grips that are inspired by the Xbox controller never get tiring to hold and naturally feel good to play with. This is backed up by good build quality in general, with satisfying Hall effect analogue triggers, nice clicky bumper buttons and a very fast fingerprint sensor on the power button that makes start-up and logging in seamless.
Other nice hardware features include two assignable back buttons and RGB lighting around the analogue sticks that look striking and can help you find them in the dark. If you're already used to the Xbox pad then picking up and playing with this will feel natural, even for those who have never used a handheld before.
ROG Xbox Ally - Connecting to a TV and docked performance
As a handheld PC, the ROG Xbox Ally also offers a solution for something I've wanted for a while and that's being able to hook it up to my TV in my living room. This isn't something you can do out of the box – you'll need to purchase a dock that can connect to the device and TV simultaneously (we recommend this Ugreen docking station), before you can access your PC libraries from the comfort of the sofa.
It's important to remember that you're still beholden to the limits of the device, so if you're fortunate enough to have a gaming PC in reach of your TV or a more-powerful gaming laptop, then that might be the better option. Our test was with the standard ROG Xbox Ally, and while it was impressive at handling most games, the max output is 1080p, and graphically intense games won't look or perform as good on a 4K TV as expected.
With that being said, once connected to the dock I mostly had no issues, but it's not as seamless as starting up a console and playing. Most games will start in 720p, so playing around with graphics settings to get the best balance of visuals and performance for a TV is vital.
Thanks to the system's two USB-C ports I was able to keep the Xbox Ally connected to the dock and powered while also connecting a wired controller. Most games played great while docked but there were definitely finicky moments with the controller. Sometimes we'd have to get up and go over to the docked Ally to use the touch screen for certain system pop-ups, as it's a PC and the controller wouldn't always work on system windows.
The device is Bluetooth-enabled though, so if you wanted to use mouse and keyboard with the Ally you can, and things like Steam's Big Picture mode mitigated any awkward back and forth between controller and having to directly interact with the system some of the time.
ROG Xbox Ally final impressions
The ASUS and Xbox partnership on this new range of handhelds can be considered a curious release, especially as most of what the ROG Xbox Ally offers can be found in previous ASUS ROG Ally models, as well as their Steam Deck competitors, only without the Xbox integration.
With recent price rises for Game Pass, a focus on flagship games releasing on other platforms and reports of retailers moving away from stocking Xbox hardware, the timing of the ROG Xbox Ally release seems questionable.
It doesn't take away from my overall good impressions of my hands-on experience with the system, but it's difficult to not see potential customers taking recent Microsoft business decisions into account when weighing up handheld options.
As someone who is mainly a PC and console player and hasn't really dipped into handheld PC devices before, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the standard model device handled most games.
As the name suggests, the ROG Xbox Ally is most suited to those heavily invested in the Xbox ecosystem. If you're someone who will play a lot of games through Game Pass and take advantage of the features tied to it like cloud gaming, then the ROG Xbox Ally is a really good option.
It's a very solid all-rounder and while I'll always prefer console and PC, if you travel or just want the portability options of being able to play games in bed, the ROG Xbox Ally is a good entry point into the handheld space that conveniently puts all of your Xbox, Steam and PC games in one place, with those making use of Game Pass getting the most out of it.
The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X release on 16 October 2025.
