Asus ROG Xbox Ally X
Specifications
Price comparison
Reviews for the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X
Source: The Shortcut
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X just entered the chat as the serious contender for gaming handheld of the year. It’s not only the first Xbox handheld, but it’s the first gaming handheld that doesn’t feel or perform like a cumbersome PC. This is the first Xbox handheld that comes running a streamlined version of Windows 11 with fewer background processes. Its unique Xbox UI also almost completely eliminates having to deal with the desktop experience with frustratingly tiny touchscreen icons. Performance on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is higher and more efficient thanks to the new AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor inside. I was able to run Hogwarts Legacy at a high-quality setting and still have a smooth frame rate.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 08/22/2025
Source: Trusted Reviews
Technically, as this is running Windows 11 Home underneath, it is possible to use the device as its own PC – there are enough ports for connecting things such as a mouse and keyboard, or hooking it up to an external display with the Thunderbolt-capable USB-C ports on top. With this, you could also install another OS, such as Bazzite, although by doing so, you’d lose out on all the Xbox-first software stuff that this handheld is arguably built around.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 08/22/2025
Source: Tom's Guide
If that price leak turns out to be true (and I’m praying it is), these are incredibly strong handhelds. Of course, the base model Ally is less potent, but it can still do the job with a little tweaking. But the Ally X really comes in heavy with performance from that Z2 Extreme, which is unlocked by removing the background burdens of Windows 11. And of course, there will be curation of the games tested by Xbox itself to ensure handheld compatibility too. It’s clear that Microsoft and Asus have thought of everything heading into the launch, and while it’s way too early to definitively confirm their greatness (that will come with a full review), they left a fantastic first impression.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 08/20/2025
Comment
AMD Radeon 890M: The most powerful AMD iGPU as of mid 2024. It features 16 RDNA 3.5 architecture CUs (1024 unified shaders) running at up to 2,900 MHz. On average, the 890M finds itself very close to the GTX 1650 Laptop making it possible to play 2024 AAA games at 1080p with most settings set to Low.
With these GPUs you are able to play modern and demanding games fluently at medium detail settings and HD resolution.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
Ryzen Z2 Extreme: A relatively powerful Strix Point family processor for handhelds with a mix of three Zen 5 and five Zen 5c cores running at 2 - 5 GHz. Compared to the similar Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, the Z2 Extreme does not offer the Ryzen AI NPU.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
7.00":
It is a small display format for smartphones. You shouldn't be severely defective in vision, and you won't see much detail on the screen and only have a small resolution available. For that, the device should be small and handy, easy to transport.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.Asus: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. is a major Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer based in Taipei, founded in 1989. Under the Asus brand name, the company manufactures a wide range of products, including laptops, desktops, motherboards, graphics cards, monitors, smartphones and networking equipment, complete systems and PC components for end users.
Under the ROG (Republic of Gamers) brand name, ASUS manufactures gaming laptops known by gamers for their powerful specifications, dedicated graphics cards, high refresh rate displays and advanced cooling systems.
Beyond gaming, a wide range of notebooks are offered for different needs and budgets, from ultra-slim and lightweight ultrabooks to versatile 2-in-1 convertibles and budget-friendly options. In 2023, Asus had a 7% global market share of the PC market.
Customer satisfaction with ASUS notebooks concerns performance, the features, and the good price-performance ratio of ASUS notebooks. However, as with any brand, there are occasional reports of problems such as overheating, driver compatibility, or build quality issues.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.
