When they first debuted, the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds touted the Xbox full screen experience, designed to bring a more console-like feel to handheld devices. As I said in my ROG Xbox Ally X review, I don’t think the Xbox full screen experience is quite ready for general consumers yet, as it’s just not as user-friendly as you’d expect it to be. But this is clearly something Microsoft and Xbox are investing heavily in, especially since there’s a good chance it’ll be underpinning the next Xbox console, which I believe will just be a PC.
Today, Microsoft has announced that the Xbox full screen experience is available in preview for Windows 11 PCs, including laptops and tablets. While the full screen experience is designed to be a controller-first experience, it’s far from perfect, especially when you compare it to, say, Steam’s Big Picture Mode. What makes it particularly appealing for gamers, though, is that the full screen experience does free up some RAM for better performance for those who don’t need full Windows functionality.
Obviously, since it’s in preview, Microsoft is looking for additional feedback so it can continue improving on the full screen experience. As someone who has been using the ROG Xbox Ally X nearly daily since I got it, I’m excited to see where it goes because I definitely love the device.
If you’re interested in giving the Xbox full screen experience a spin, join the Windows Insider Program.
