Latest news with #Xbox-branded
Engadget
4 days ago
- Engadget
We might not be getting that handheld Xbox for some time
A lot of people (not least Engadget 's own Sam Rutherford ) have been asking Microsoft to make an Xbox-branded handheld for a long time. And it looked for a while like we might be getting exactly that in the not-so distant future. But Microsoft's priorities have reportedly shifted to improving the widely criticised performance of Windows 11 on existing third-party PC gaming handhelds. In an exclusive report, Windows Central claims that a dedicated Xbox handheld system, which could have launched in 2027 alongside the successor to the Xbox Series X, isn't the company's main area of focus right now, even if it remains keen on the idea. An internally developed handheld, for which Windows Central 's Jez Corden says he has seen a number of different codenames, is not currently being worked on, and he adds that no layoffs have taken place as a result of the strategic shift. While a native Xbox device might be some way off, the report makes clear that Microsoft is still very much active in the handheld market. A third-party console that it has been working on with ASUS, codenamed "Project Kennan", is still targeting a 2025 launch. It's likely this device, which could be equipped with AMD's Z2 Extreme chip, will ship with an improved Windows 11 experience better suited to a controller interface. The software's awkward integration in early iterations of PC handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally has been a big problem, and it's partly why people are so excited about the SteamOS experience no longer being exclusive to the Steam Deck. The Lenovo Legion Go S started shipping with SteamOS running out of the box this week, the first handheld not made by Valve to do so.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Microsoft could launch Xbox handheld console with custom AMD chip: Report
Microsoft is reportedly working on its own handheld Xbox gaming console, and new information about its hardware has emerged. While Asus is set to release an Xbox-branded handheld device soon, Microsoft's version is believed to feature a custom processor developed by AMD. This move comes ahead of Microsoft's planned launch of a next-generation gaming console expected in 2027, which aims to compete with the rumoured PlayStation 6. According to a leak shared on the NeoGAF forums by user KeplerL2, Microsoft will equip its handheld device with a custom low-power accelerated processing unit (APU) designed by AMD. The leak does not include further details on the chip's power use or technical design. This custom AMD chip is said to power the "real" Xbox handheld console coming directly from Microsoft, which differentiates it from other Xbox-branded handhelds made by third-party manufacturers such as Asus. Also read: Apple Arcade to add UNO: Arcade edition, What the Car? and more in June game lineup Other Xbox-branded handheld devices from different manufacturers will likely use a variety of processors. These include AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme, Intel's Lunar or Panther Lake CPUs, Nvidia's N1, and the Snapdragon X Elite 2. Earlier rumours suggested Microsoft's device might use an ARM-based chip, which raised questions about its ability to run older Xbox games. If the leak holds true, the custom AMD processor could allow better compatibility with a wider range of Xbox titles. Also read: Google I/O 2025: AI Mode rolls out in Search, know how it will benefit users No official release date has been announced for Microsoft's handheld console. Meanwhile, Asus is expected to launch its Xbox-branded model soon. The Asus ROG Ally 2 recently appeared on the US FCC website along with the 'Project Kennan' variant, which features a black finish and an Xbox button. The black version reportedly uses an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme (36W) APU and 64GB of RAM, while a white version comes with a less powerful AMD Aeirth Plus (20W) APU. Both models are expected to have a 7-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. Also read: Google I/O 2025: Gemini Live with camera now free for everyone, Veo 3 for AI Ultra and other reveals Asus has hinted at a new ROG Ally console with upgraded hardware, although it did not confirm if it will carry the Xbox brand. Microsoft responded to Asus's social media post with a meme, which may indicate ongoing collaboration on the Project Kennan handheld device. Mobile finder: iPhone 16 LATEST price, specs and all details
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Handheld Xbox console images leak just weeks before Switch 2 launch
If you haven't gotten your Nintendo Switch 2 preorder in yet, there may be another option on the table in the near future. Leaked photos from a potential FCC product listing seem to confirm the existence of an Xbox-branded handheld gaming PC, made in partnership with Asus. The device, which was discovered in an Indonesian listing by 91mobiles (before Videocardz found the FCC listing, with photos via The Verge), looks to be a new iteration on the existing Asus ROG Ally handheld gaming PC — but with a new button with the Xbox logo. The Xbox logo is faint, but it's there. To be extra clear, this seems to be a listing for the ROG Ally 2, and the Xbox machine seems to be a variant of that rather than a new, distinct piece of hardware by itself. Specs reportedly listed in the FCC filing include a 7-inch 120Hz display and an 8-core AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme CPU, which dwarfs the 4-core CPU in the non-Xbox-branded white version of the ROG Ally 2. While these details are promising, we haven't been able to locate an FCC listing that matches these details. Xbox has been rumored to be working on a handheld gaming console for a while now, but it wasn't until a recent report from The Verge that we knew it would be made by Asus. SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorder guide: Track latest restocks, see our first-hand impressions As The Verge pointed out, this device is likely not far off from being announced if FCC certification is already underway. The biggest questions at this point relate to how exactly it works. Is there any kind of special Xbox-themed OS built into the black ROG Ally 2, or is it just Windows? Does the Xbox button just open the Xbox Windows app during gameplay? Are there any differences in game compatibility between the black and white ROG Ally 2 models? We don't know the answers to any of those questions yet. However, the device at least seems to exist. It probably won't be long now before we hear everything we need to hear about it.
Engadget
07-05-2025
- Engadget
ASUS and Microsoft's Xbox-branded handheld appears in leaked FCC photos
New photos leaked from the FCC appear to confirm that an Xbox-branded handheld gaming console is coming soon. A listing shows two versions of ASUS's ROG Ally 2 handheld, a dark model with a dedicated Xbox labeled button at the top left and a white version with the same button blacked out. The latter could carry a different function or be removed altogether from the production model, according to the leak (related to Wi-Fi modules) from Videocardz seen by The Verge . The models otherwise look identical but carry different specs, according to other parts of the listing. Both have 7-inch 120Hz displays, but the ROG Ally 2 Xbox version (RC73X1) will come with an AMD 8-Core 36W Ryzen Z2 Extreme and 64GB LPDDR5X memory, while the regular model (RC73YA) will pack an AMD 4-core 20W AMD Aeirth Plus chip (memory unknown). Compared to the ROG Ally, the Rog Ally 2 has a thicker design and more rounded grips. It also offers a pair of USB-C controllers, along with HDMI and 3.5mm connectors, according to the rear view. It's not yet known what the Xbox button will do, but Microsoft is expected to add features like support for the Xbox Game Bar, Play Anywhere functionality and Game Pass Ultimate. It could go even deeper, possibly launching the Xbox app on Windows, according to Videocardz . Some peripherals like the Backbone One already carry an Xbox button to open up the Xbox guide, show available games and more. We'll have to wait and see more details, but as Engadget's Sam Rutherford put it, "the case for an Xbox handheld seems so obvious it's kind of surprising Microsoft didn't announce one years ago."
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
Microsoft Reportedly Working on Handheld Set to Launch Later This Year
There's been plenty of speculation on when Microsoft was going to enter the handheld gaming fray. It appears that the Xbox maker has something in the works that may be further along than expected. Microsoft is working with an unknown manufacturer to make its own Xbox-branded gaming handheld, according to a report from Windows Central on Monday. The device, reportedly codenamed "Keenan," will be more PC-focused, run on Windows, and center around Microsoft's own digital platforms such as the Microsoft Store and PC Game Pass. This handheld, however, is not necessarily a first-party Xbox handheld, but more of a partnership with the unknown PC gaming company to produce a device that will have the Xbox brand and is expected to come out later in 2025. The report also states that the next Xbox has been given the greenlight. Microsoft will reportedly release a premium successor to the Xbox Series X in 2027. Microsoft didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Xbox boss Phil Spencer has spoken in the past about creating a gaming handheld, and Jason Ronald, Microsoft's vice president of Xbox Gaming Devices & Ecosystem, told The Verge in January that the Windows handheld gaming device experience would change later this year. While the Nintendo Switch formalized mobile gaming for a new era of handhelds with large central screens, the arrival of Valve's Steam Deck in 2022 pushed that product category into a new era as a portable device that could run PC games. Other competitors have launched since, but Valve's handheld remains the king of its niche. A handful of gaming devices using Windows have come out in recent years such as the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go, but the implementation of that operating system has made those devices less enjoyable to use than the Steam Deck, which runs its own Steam OS for gaming. Having Microsoft involved in the development of the handheld device could finally do the trick of making a Windows handheld that can compete with the Steam Deck, which dominates the handheld PC gaming space.
