Like many others, I’ve spent the last few days debating whether to pick up my ROG Xbox Ally X preorder. Even as someone who makes writing about gaming their hobby, the $999.99 price tag is a tough pill to swallow, especially when the Steam Deck OLED exists. I read, watched, and listened to dozens of reviews beforehand, and I found that most of them hit the same talking points: the price tag, Windows sucks for PC handheld gaming, no OLED screen, and the Steam Deck being a better deal. Yes, many of those points are accurate, but they don’t answer the question of who the ROG Xbox Ally X is for. So here’s my take after spending a full day with the device.
My review will come next week once I really get a chance to put it through all its paces, but I’m going to try to break it down as simply as possible. The ROG Xbox Ally X is essentially the ROG Ally 2, with better specs thanks to the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor. Now, if you currently own an ASUS ROG Ally or ASUS ROG Ally X, the question of upgrading is a really difficult one to answer. The performance difference is decent, but not one that I would personally pay $999.99 for. Eventually the Xbox Full Screen Experience will hit other devices, and if you’re savvy enough, you can get your hands on it now. I don’t think the improved ergonomics with the handles and the Impulse triggers are enough to justify an upgrade.
If you own a Steam Deck OLED and want to better enjoy AAA games, the ROG Xbox Ally X is worth considering, but so is the standard ROG Ally X. I will say the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme in the ROG Xbox Ally X makes games like Cyberpunk 2077, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth more enjoyable rather than merely playable. You’ll also get much better battery life with the ROG Xbox Ally X since you can get equal or better performance at lower power consumption. I might be in the minority here, but despite the ROG Xbox Ally X weighing more than the Steam Deck OLED, I found it significantly more comfortable to use for long gaming sessions.
As for the display, yes, OLED is always better, but the ROG Xbox Ally X display is excellent. I disagree with those who say you won’t notice a difference between the 1280×800 resolution of the Steam Deck OLED and the 1920×1080 of the ROG Xbox Ally X on a seven-inch display. I’ve spent dozens of hours playing Megabonk on my Steam Deck OLED, and my first run on the ROG Xbox Ally X was noticeably easier on the eyes. Everything was sharper and cleaner than on the Steam Deck OLED. The thing is, that only applies to games that are capable of running well at 1080p. It’s probably a hot take, but I would take higher resolution and refresh rate over OLED when it comes to a smaller display.
But who exactly is the ROG Xbox Ally X for? Well, if you’re committed to Game Pass and enjoy its offerings at its price, a Windows PC handheld is the better device for that. If you play games outside of Steam, like the 500 or so titles the Epic Games Store has given away in its lifetime, a Windows PC handheld is better too. Yes, you can get the Epic Games Store running on a Steam Deck, but not every game will work (especially those with anti-cheat), and there’s some tinkering involved. With the ROG Xbox Ally X, you install the Epic Games Store, and games show up in your library after they’re downloaded and run as you’d expect. I spent about an hour running around in Cyberpunk 2077 without a hitch. Are you a native Eorzean who started Final Fantasy XIV before there was a Steam version? This is a much easier way to get the game running on a handheld device.
Everything I just said is true for existing Windows PC handhelds, though, including older devices like the original ROG Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go. If you’re the type who wants the latest in technology, that’s what the ROG Xbox Ally X delivers. You also have the Lenovo Legion Go 2 as an option if you really want a faster OLED screen, but it is uncomfortably larger than the ROG Xbox Ally X. I would not let the Xbox Full Screen Experience factor into your decision because that will ultimately end up on every Windows PC handheld. Honestly, it’s not ready for prime time either, as there are issues with it. I spent more time in Windows desktop than I anticipated, as the Xbox Full Screen Experience doesn’t deliver on its promises just yet. It does free up some RAM, so performance is better in games, but that’s a matter of waiting and definitely not worth paying for.
If comfort and battery life are most important to you, decide how much you value them. I’d recommend trying to find a way to get your hands on the device to see if it’s a good fit for you. Personally, I find it extremely comfortable to use for long gaming sessions, much more so than the Steam Deck OLED. At the end of the day, though, $999.99 is a lot to ask unless you’re spending hours with the device each day. It is powerful and versatile enough, though, that you could use it as a laptop replacement, connecting it to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse and taking advantage of full Windows functionality.
In short, if your gaming library extends beyond Steam, the ROG Xbox Ally X is worth considering, but so are other Windows PC handhelds. The ROG Xbox Ally X is one of three main options powered by the latest AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, with the Lenovo Legion Go 2 and the MSI Claw A8 being the other two. I haven’t been able to go hands-on with the MSI Claw A8, but I did spend time with the original at CES 2024, and it mostly reminded me of the original ASUS ROG Ally. Yes, there are more powerful options like the GPD Win 5 with the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 385, but that’s over $2,000 and not part of this discussion. It boils down to which premium you want to pay: comfort with the ROG Xbox Ally X or a larger and faster OLED display with the Lenovo Legion Go 2. Of course, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 also has detachable controllers that you can use like a mouse, so if you see yourself taking advantage of that, it’s also worth considering. That device starts at $1,349.99 with the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme.
I’ll have a more detailed review on the ROG Xbox Ally X next week, but since I have games across various launchers and do subscribe to PC Game Pass, I’m really enjoying the ROG Xbox Ally X. I can’t say I really miss the OLED display on the Steam Deck because I prefer 1080p resolution. If you’re asking, “What about games that aren’t capable of running well at 1080p?” Well, if I’m forced to dial down the resolution, the ROG Xbox Ally X delivers much better performance than the Steam Deck OLED anyway. Ask yourself: if you own a Switch OLED and a Switch 2, which device would you rather play Pokémon Legends: Z-A on?
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