ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X Review: Pricey versatility

With Microsoft and Xbox seemingly in a phase of exploration with both the brand and its hardware, the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X feels like it might be the first real step into melding the company’s console and PC plans into a single, cross-platform ecosystem.

I am not the most technical when breaking down stuff like this, so I wanted to focus on the various ways I think the Xbox Ally X slots into my own day-to-day gaming experience. And for that, I did do some intensive testing by trying to use only the Ally X after getting it set up, until the embargo lifted. 

And with that experiment reaching its end, I can easily report that the system was up to the task and will find itself replacing at least a portion of my time spent using my gaming PC because of how well it performed. But I can’t necessarily recommend it for anyone looking for a handheld of their own.

My handheld gaming devices see a lot of use as I do things away from my TV. Whether that be playing Donkey Kong on my back porch or doing runs of Hades 2 while watching football, I have become accustomed to holding a console equivalent in my hand—and I can see myself doing that a lot with the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X. 

First impressions mostly centered around how hefty the system felt compared to my Steam Deck or Switch 2, largely because the controller grips tricked my hands into thinking I was using my preferred PC controller with some extra baggage. It was a quick adjustment, and, after a week of play, I think I prefer it generally to both for longer play sessions in handheld. 

After running direct comparisons with a few different games, I can comfortably say I prefer the feel of the Xbox Ally X to the Steam Deck when playing first-person shooters and other action-intensive titles. It just feels like something I am used to, as I use an Xbox One controller when playing on PC, and have for years. 

Once you get everything set up, bouncing around installed storefronts such as Steam or Epic Games is easy, though it does require some getting used to compared to simply being in a single ecosystem like on the Steam Deck. But I had no issues once I got things rolling and was impressed with how responsive the Xbox App was in facilitating all of the other storefronts, prompting you to install things where necessary or allowing full access and launch options when selecting games. 

You will also run into some games that don’t know how to fully interact with the system, like when I was testing out Star Wars Squadrons, which launched in full-screen mode like normal, but the proportions were completely off. Again, something you can fix with a bit of trial and error, but it can cause frustration if you just want to plug and play your games. 

But that is the drag of the Xbox Ally X, and the ASUS ROG family in general—a lack of guide to features and the constant butting heads of different software. When compared to SteamOS, the ROG Ally will have you deal with some of the game launchers running up against each other when you try to do certain things.

I’ve had to manually tap the app I want to open or swap around programs pretty much every time I hit the overlay button because Steam wants to open over something like GOG or the Xbox app. It also led to several instances where I would launch a game in Steam without realizing it, only to hear music playing in the background while running another game. Imagine cleaning a park in Powerwash Simulator, only to be jumpscared by Star Wars music starting to blare out of the speakers.

This type of issue seems to be common with ROG Ally systems and ASUS’ Armoury Crate software, and I can see it being a major detractor for user experience on the device if the unresponsiveness and other bugs aren’t worked out.

The Xbox Full Screen Experience that the Xbox Ally touts as a standout feature in development for other PC handhelds does mitigate some of those problems, but not all of the time. It cuts out the Windows fat, trying to simplify the device so players can just focus on their games, but it needs some work.

I found myself using the desktop mode rather frequently to multitask, and since apps like Discord aren’t supported in the launcher.

While I spend a fraction of my time playing the biggest releases from major studios, I wanted to put the Xbox Ally X through its paces using some of Microsoft’s latest heavy hitters and my frequent staple of multiplayer titles that I go back to every week. 

Starting with the multiplayer experiences, Marvel Rivals definitely took its toll on the Xbox Ally X right away, with the first game I jumped into experiencing major frame drops and instability that made it a chore to play through to the finish. But, those issues were easily fixed by spending some time testing settings with the game’s built in options, which recommended the best ways to improve performance. 

For Marvel Rivals, you won’t play on battery and get premium performance, as I needed to drop most settings to medium for the frames to stabilize. Don’t fret, though, because plugging the system or swapping to Turbo performance will have the game hitting that 60 fps minimum with no issues, while also letting you boost the visuals a bit.

Overwatch 2 ran a bit smoother right away without any changes, but I still found myself adjusting the settings to a similar “medium” level to achieve the most balanced experience on battery, or just swapping to Turbo.

You can use Turbo mode without being plugged in, though that does still decrease the power usage from 35W to 25W. That is still a marked improvement over Performance mode’s 17W draw, though you will obviously notice the battery strain by comparison.

When running Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Forza Horizon 5, it was more of the same. Running on the standard Performance mode, you just need to tweak a few options, and you will get between two to three hours of solid gameplay out of the Xbox Ally X in that medium setting range. If you want more than that, either in terms of performance or time, you will need to use Turbo mode or plug it in, respectively.

I can also say that the system itself never got too hot and the fan was never obnoxiously loud even during long play sessions or when testing Turbo mode.

All this to say, I won’t be using the Xbox Ally X for all of my multiplayer or AAA needs from now on. However, the next time I find myself on a trip or don’t want to boot up my PC, I will have reliable access to Rivals and most other titles without having to compromise too much.

This is an important place to note that, since the Xbox Ally X is running on Windows, you will likely have other programs running if you are using multiple storefronts or other apps. So make sure to close out of the apps you aren’t using as often as possible to optimize your battery life and performance, especially when playing on battery. 

That is another thing the Xbox Full Screen Experience is looking to help users avoid, as it often prompts you to close other programs and games when launching something new.

My biggest problem when it comes to settling in for a gaming session is actually picking a game to boot up. The Xbox Ally X might just be the perfect fix for that, because it allows me to access all of my PC libraries, install dozens of games, and boot them all from one menu with very few issues. 

This means I spent the last week bouncing around between games based entirely on vibes when I wasn’t specifically testing something. 

Within the first few days, I had stocked the 1TB storage with games pulled from Steam, Epic Games, GOG, and Xbox Game Pass, using the provided three-month code for Premium. And, even though I didn’t focus on a single title, I probably spent more time gaming during this review period overall compared to any similar period in the last few months. 

Did I spend way too much time diving back into the Final Fantasy VII DLC for Powerwash Simulator and Fairy Tail Dungeons while watching football? Absolutely. But I also jumped into Caravan Sandwich Jusant, Metal Slug Tactics, and Star Trucker for the first time, and they all ran perfectly, no matter what storefront they were from.

Just make sure you are downloading games that specifically list controller support or have been verified by Steam or Microsoft’s compatibility checks. Trying to boot up something that isn’t optimized for a controller isn’t going to run well on the Xbox Ally, unless you want to plug in a mouse and keyboard.

I’m not going to get into specifics, but knowing that the Xbox Ally X runs with direct access to Windows, I also had to give some emulators a try. Most of my go-tos worked flawlessly, barring a few controller mapping issues, so take that for what you want when looking into this as a handheld option.

The Xbox ROG Ally X is comfortable to hold, powerful enough to handle even newer games after a bit of tweaking in the settings, and will give you access to almost every PC storefront right from its proprietary launcher. This means, even if you don’t want to be in the Xbox ecosystem through Game Pass or the Microsoft store, you can use this device to play games however you like. 

I had a fantastic time testing the device despite running into a few issues, and I want to say I can recommend the Xbox ROG Ally X to everyone based on my time with the device. But the pricetag is going to be a major hurdle that many interested users won’t even try to clear. 

For $999, the Xbox ROG Ally X is a fantastic premium option in the PC gaming handheld space and provides the most options for players who want to access their entire PC library with flexibility to do more too. After getting used to the few persistent quirks of the UI and optimizing the device to your liking, there is little to take away from this product outside of the cost. 

Unfortunately, that cost puts it $300 over the 1TB Steam Deck OLED, the MSI Claw A1M, the Lenovo Legion Go, and more, bringing the value of the Xbox Ally X into question in the current market. And that is only taking into account other PC gaming handhelds.

I also think the overall experience of the Xbox Ally family of systems is going to be a key factor here, as it isn’t going to be as plug-and-play as the Steam Deck. Even with Xbox Full Screen, you still need to treat the Xbox Ally like a Windows PC and spend hours messing with settings across different menus to get exactly what you want out of it.

If you want to hear more about the technical specs and full comparisons to other handhelds from someone more qualified than me, who also shared many of my thoughts on the Xbox Ally X, look no further than the ever-reliable WULFF DEN.

I also wanted to add my smallest issue at the very end here, because it won’t impact the performance of the device at all, but how does a $1,000 piece of hardware only come with a cheap, cardboardy stand? I know most other handhelds don’t even come with one, but the least you can do is make it plastic or something!/

Overall, for a customer like me who enjoys having options across multiple storefronts and the ability to access those libraries in one place, the Xbox Ally X is likely to become my go-to PC handheld even with all of the issues I, and other reviewers, have likely outlined for you. But I can’t recommend it to everyone.

If you are coming from an Xbox ecosystem and have no background in PC gaming, this or the cheaper ROG Xbox Ally would be a good entry point if you don’t want to build or buy a full PC. For anyone embedded in Steam or that have a Steam Deck, the upgrade likely isn’t worth it.

Now, please, Microsoft… let me play Blue Dragon on the go.

If you are wondering why this review is my first post back on BB in over half a year, that would be because it was originally planned to go up on Esports on SI (Sports Illustrated) before my former publication was suddenly shuttered last week. I still wanted to talk about the ROG Xbox Ally even without being paid for a review at a pub, and so you got this as a result. 

I’m happy to be back to BB, but I am also currently out of work. That means you will see more posts here, especially as I try and get some canceled features out now that I have some freedom and am looking for full-time employment. The goal is to post at least two articles a week until my old features are all out the door, and then we will see what happens next. 

If you want to support me while I keep trying to write and find work, the best way to do so is by subscribing to the blog, following me on other platforms, and sharing my work. Even if it is just a comment or giving me some feedback. 

My podcast, Timesphere, is also off hiatus now that I have more time to work with. The first episode back, featuring my lovely co-host Scott Robertson, is already live on YouTube and podcast services. And, if you caught the embed above, we also uploaded a video talking a bit more in-depth about my experiences with the Xbox Ally X if you want to listen. 

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