I just tested the ROG Xbox Ally — here

Early Verdict

The Xbox ROG Ally is launching on October 16, and if the leaks are to be believed, we could see the base model priced at $549 and the Ally X coming in at $899. And after testing them myself, we could be looking at two of the best gaming handhelds you’ll be able to buy.

It was a quick session, but I really got to stress test them (and even open the system monitor to see just how good they were — rather than eyeballing the frame rates and using guesswork). And while there are a couple of gripes like the lack of an OLED display and the fan noise, Asus and Microsoft’s lovefest has created a monster of a system.

From the simplification of Windows 11, which boots straight into an easy-to-use Xbox UI, to the ergonomic design and the power under the hood, it’s almost like Microsoft has seen our complaints about Windows gaming handhelds and meticulously addressed each one.

There’s a lot to like here, so rather than drag this out, let me just tell you about what I found out during my hands-on time.

Xbox ROG Ally & ROG Ally X: Specs

Xbox ROG Ally & ROG Ally X: What I like

What does a PC gaming handheld need to do to be good? Play games well, be comfortable to play on and be as easy as a console to jump into titles. Well, for the ROG Xbox Ally, that’s a big check on all three!

Peak performance

The ROG Ally Ally packs an AMD Ryzen Z2 A chipset, which is definitely on the lower end. Paired with 16GB of RAM, in my own testing, I saw Forza Horizon 5 running at a mixture of low graphics settings with AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) turned on in performance.

Total frames per second sat around 40-45 FPS, which is respectable enough, but definitely makes this more of an indie gaming device rather than something you’d trust with AAA titles.

For that, I turn your attention to the ROG Xbox Ally X with Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme and 24GB of RAM — basically the same chip you’ll find in the new crop of handhelds like the MSI Claw A8, but with an additional NPU for helping with some of the AI tasks in gaming like resolution scaling.

Paired with a very simplified use of Windows 11 (more on that later) not taking up valuable resources, you’re set to see some impressive frame rates with this higher end system. I got to switch on the system monitor and test it myself across a few games.

Doom: The Dark Ages ran at a smooth 83 FPS average at 1080p with medium-to-high graphics settings and FSR set to quality. That is silky. Gears of War: Reloaded at 1080p with settings at high and ultra stayed at a rock solid 60 FPS. And with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I saw the Ally X stretch its legs to 92 FPS.

For a 7-inch gaming handheld, these are crazy good numbers.

Ultimate comfort

Make no mistake about it — this is the most comfortable gaming handheld I’ve ever used. The inspiration taken from an Xbox controller with those larger grips makes this a whole lot easier to clutch, with buttons placed perfectly for fantastic ergonomics.

It may be thicker than your standard array of handhelds like the Nintendo Switch 2 and MSI Claw 8 AI+, but you won’t care when you hold it. It’s still small and lightweight enough to be considered ultraportable, and it feels way better to use.

Throw in the impulse triggers and strong haptic feedback, and you’re onto a winner here.

Xbox UI has saved the Windows handheld

You’ve seen numbers from other Windows 11 gaming handhelds sporting basically the same Ryzen Z2 Extreme chipset (bar an NPU), so why am I getting more performance out of this machine? In two words: efficient software.

The way Windows would drag down performance and battery life on other handhelds comes down to all the background tasks the OS runs to keep the desktop alive and the many other functions that are required.

But here, you’ll see the Xbox Ally boot directly into an Xbox UI, which isn’t just a really easy-to-use front end, but it dumps all of these unnecessary background processes. That leaves a lot more headroom in the chipset and the RAM to focus on gaming, which results in a dramatic uplift in frames.

And it allows for a far nicer controller-friendly interface too, with quick settings available at a button press, a nice multitasking viewer, plenty of depth with Armoury Crate to tweak the power profiles, and much more. It’s a complete transformation of the Windows woes.

Xbox ROG Ally & ROG Ally X: What I don’t like

However, that’s not to say it’s all sunshine and rainbows. There are a couple of issues that are worth highlighting here during my time with the two Xbox Allies.

The fan gets loud

Heat dissipation has always been a struggle for PC gaming handhelds, and the ROG Xbox Ally is seemingly no different. Don’t get me wrong, they’re definitely efficient at pushing temperatures down for strong sustained gaming performance, but that does come at the expense of louder fans.

And while the speakers get pretty loud when turned up to 100%, make sure you pack some headphones for full fan-free immersion.

Where’s the OLED?

Going the LCD route is not the end of the world, and Asus’ 7-inch 1080p panel is pretty enough — good color presentation, smooth frame rate and small enough to make any textures look super crispy.

But given the rumored prices, I’m a little gutted that we’re not seeing an OLED screen here. It’s always shocking how much of a game changer an inky display with deep contrast and a flash flood of color can be for breathing new life into your games.

ROG Xbox Ally & Ally X: Early verdict

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.

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Managing Editor — Computing

Jason brings a decade of tech and gaming journalism experience to his role as a Managing Editor of Computing at Tom’s Guide. He has previously written for Laptop Mag, Tom’s Hardware, Kotaku, Stuff and BBC Science Focus. In his spare time, you’ll find Jason looking for good dogs to pet or thinking about eating pizza if he isn’t already.

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