The main issue with Windows handhelds is Windows, but the Xbox ROG Ally tries to fix that
TL;DR Microsoft has announced the Xbox ROG Ally and Xbox ROG Ally X handhelds, coming this holiday season.
These Windows handhelds boot directly into a controller-friendly UI and feature an Xbox button to summon the Game Bar overlay.
Microsoft has also turned off various Windows elements in the name of gaming performance.
We've heard for a while now that Microsoft and ASUS were working together on an Xbox-branded ROG Ally handheld. Now, the companies have indeed announced the Xbox ROG Ally and ROG Ally X devices.
These machines aren't actually handheld Xbox consoles, as they're still running Windows 11. However, Microsoft says it's made plenty of changes to the software experience. This is good news, as the UI and software experience have long been the biggest issues with Windows-based handhelds.
Major software changes
For starters, Microsoft says the Xbox ROG Ally handhelds will boot directly into the 'Xbox full screen experience' for a more intuitive and efficient handheld environment.
'With new modifications that minimize background activity and defer non-essential tasks, more system resources are dedicated specifically to gameplay,' Microsoft added. A Microsoft executive told The Verge that it managed to claw back 2GB of RAM by turning off the desktop wallpaper, taskbar, and a 'bunch' of other Windows processes. However, users can still jump into the traditional Windows environment if they'd like to do so.
These handhelds also offer an Xbox button to summon the Game Bar overlay, which includes ASUS Armory Crate integration. Finally, Microsoft notes that it's also optimized the lock screen and task switcher for controller input (better late than never, I guess). Otherwise, you can still access other stores on the device, including Steam.
Xbox ROG Ally: What about hardware?
The two Xbox ROG Ally models share several features, namely a 7-inch 120Hz IPS LCD screen (1080p, Gorilla Glass Victus), microSD expansion, M.2 2280 SSDs that can be swapped out, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 6E, and 65W charging.
The standard Xbox ROG Ally has an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, a 60Wh battery (up from 40Wh in the original Ally), 16GB of RAM, 512GB of internal storage, and two USB-C ports (USB 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort 2.1). However, the Xbox ROG Ally X model ups the ante with an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip (an upgrade from the vanilla ASUS ROG Ally X), an 80Wh battery, 24GB of RAM, 1TB of internal storage, and a USB-C port (USB 4.0 with Thunderbolt 4 compatibility).
Interestingly, ASUS claims that playing in Silent Mode on the Xbox ROG Ally X will 'feel like' playing in Performance Mode on the previous Ally X while still offering more battery life. Unfortunately, the company isn't dishing out specific battery life figures just yet.
Microsoft and ASUS haven't revealed pricing just yet, either, while only confirming that the handhelds will be available this holiday season. Expect to find the Xbox ROG Ally line in a variety of markets, including Australia, Europe, Japan, the Middle East, the UK, and the US. However, Microsoft adds that the handhelds will eventually be available in other markets where ROG Ally models are already sold.
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