ASUS, known to many Xbox fans as the company behind the ROG Ally line of handhelds, first entered the market with the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X before partnering with Xbox to create the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. Both handhelds offer solid value for money, especially following Valve's recent Steam Deck price increases.

Despite that, one of the biggest criticisms of the lineup was the lack of an OLED display. Thankfully, ASUS has now revealed the ROG Ally X20 at Computex 2026, which finally addresses that complaint with a larger 7.4-inch OLED screen.

Unfortunately, ASUS has yet to confirm pricing, and the internals are largely what we've come to expect. The handheld uses the same Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chipset found in the Xbox Ally X, meaning the biggest changes appear to be focused on the display and design rather than performance.

Now, you may be a bit confused by the device's name. The X20 branding is simply there to celebrate the ROG line's 20th anniversary, with the brand originally launching in July 2006. It was a very different era, dominated by flip phones and the launch of Nintendo's Wii.

For me, though, 2006 will always be remembered as the year Kingdom Hearts 2 released, so that's what defined the year more than anything else.

As for the ROG Ally X20 itself, I actually think it looks pretty cool. While it isn't drastically different from the Xbox Ally X, it does feature a translucent shell with gold accents that help it stand out from the crowd.

It also comes bundled with a pair of ROG XREAL R1 glasses, which are AR glasses that can be connected to the device to create a private virtual display. The glasses themselves can provide a screen size equivalent of up to 171 inches, with support for refresh rates of up to 240Hz.

I've always wanted a pair myself, but I've never quite been willing to spend the money on them. Seeing them included as part of the bundle is pretty neat, and it certainly helps make the package feel a bit more special.

With that said, let me know your thoughts on the ROG Ally X20. Do you like the look of it, or were you hoping for more than just an OLED screen and a new design? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Once again, Default Game Profiles are expanding, adding another two dozen titles to the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. That means more games now benefit from improved performance (and better battery life) when the hardware is updated out of the box.

For those unfamiliar, these are per-game settings tailored to each device. They adjust tweaks like power usage, TDP, and frame rate targets to help games run smoother while also lasting longer on battery, going beyond what in-game settings alone offer.

There are a few limitations to keep in mind. Right now, Default Game Profiles only work with games played through the Xbox app on both the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, and when the feature first launched in November, it supported around 40 titles.

Now, that number is growing in a meaningful way, so expect more handheld gains. Xbox has confirmed another two dozen games are joining the list, and there are some solid additions here, so let’s take a look at what’s been added. I’ll keep it simple and run through the full list:

Now, you’ll notice that not every game supports both the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. Titles like Invincible VS and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II don’t currently have Default Game Profiles for the base ASUS ROG Xbox Ally, which is a shame.

That said, there are still some standout additions here. We’re getting a Default Game Profile for Forza Horizon 6 ahead of its release, and perhaps most interesting to me is Halo: Spartan Assault, a game I was convinced Xbox had forgotten about, and one I actually enjoyed back in the day on Windows Phone.

How do you feel about Default Game Profiles so far? Are they a worthwhile addition, or do they not really affect the games you play?

Let me know in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll below:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

In 2025, I spent dozens of hours running benchmarks to eventually write up my ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X review and Legion Go 2 (Windows) review. I even wrote up a comparison piece pitting the Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (Windows).

But now, thanks to Lenovo's announcement at CES 2026, we know that a new SteamOS variant of the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is coming to market.

I took some time comparing the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS)'s specs against the Xbox Ally X to explain how one of these devices is more impressive than the other. I've also discussed which one is a better buy for most people. Let's dive in.

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Specs

Before we go any further, take a look at the individual specs for the Xbox Ally X and Legion Go 2 (SteamOS).

Note: I am not comparing the starting Xbox Ally (white) handheld against the Legion Go 2 since it is more of a competitor against the Legion Go S rather than the Legion Go 2.

Where the Xbox Ally X is the successor to the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X made via a partnership between ASUS and Microsoft, the Legion Go 2 is the next-gen Legion Go flagship handheld from Lenovo.

Let's discuss how these spec differences change the playing experience.

Back to the top ^

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Price

I won't be surprised if your eyes bulged while looking at the prices for the Xbox Ally X and the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS); these are premium handheld gaming PCs with high prices to fit their features.

The Xbox Ally X has been available at stores since October 2025, but the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) doesn't launch until June 2026. Additionally, Legion Go 2 (Windows) models have been sold out at most retailers for a while now, as of the time of writing.

The Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) has a higher starting price of $1,199.99 compared to the Xbox Ally X, which is $999.99 at Best Buy; the reason being that Lenovo's handheld has several features that ASUS ROG's does not (we'll go into that more later).

For some reason, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is also more expensive than the starting price of the Legion Go 2 (Windows), which has a starting price of $1,099.99 at Best Buy.

Now, it's worth noting that both ASUS ROG and Lenovo offer less expensive handheld gaming PCs (Xbox Ally and Legion Go S), but the Xbox Ally X and Legion Go 2 are their flagship devices, so that's why they are so costly.

PRICE WINNER: There's no denying that the Xbox Ally X has a lower price point. Still, the Legion Go 2 offers many features that the Xbox Ally X doesn't have, so you should consider which one fits your needs best.

Back to the top ^

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Performance and configurations

NOTE: I will run benchmark tests on the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) as soon as I can get my hands on it. For now, this performance section is based on device specs and educated conjecture. I will update this section once my testing has been done.

Both the Xbox Ally X and Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) utilize the latest AMD Ryzen Z2 series chip — both APUs (accelerated processing units) feature 8 cores and 16 threads with Zen 5 architecture, as well as 16 GPU cores with RDNA3.5 architecture. However, the key difference is that the Xbox Ally X APU has an AI-CPU while the Legion Go 2 does not.

What this means is that, when solely comparing the chips, the Xbox Ally X's APU is likely better suited to handling certain tasks than the Legion Go 2's APU, since the AI processor's NPU (neural processing unit) can take some of the load off of the CPU and GPU to help the system run more efficiently. Still, the processor isn't the only thing that determines a handheld's overall performance.

Since this Legion Go 2 model's non-AI processor is still a very powerful handheld chip and the device runs SteamOS, it's likely that the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is still a more efficient device than the Windows Xbox Ally X.

The reason being, SteamOS is better optimized for handhelds. For instance, swapping Windows with SteamOS on the Xbox Ally X saw the handheld increase FPS (frames per second) by as much as 32% while also improving FPS stability and resume times (thanks, Tom's Hardware). As such, I expect the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) will offer better performance than the Xbox Ally X.

We don't fully know what memory and storage configurations will be available for the Legion Go 2, but we do know there will be up to a whopping 32GB LPDDR5X-8000 MHz RAM and up to a huge 2TB M.2 2242 SSD compared to the Xbox Ally X's 24GB LPDDR5X-8000 MHz RAM and 1TB M.2 2280 SSD.

To be clear, the Xbox Ally X's memory and storage are more than enough for handheld gaming, but more memory and more storage are especially helpful for people who play a lot of AAA games.

Additionally, unless there's been some big shakeup, I'm going to assume that the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) will offer faster SSD read and write speeds than Xbox Ally X's SSD, given that in my own SSD testing, all of Lenovo's handhelds have been faster than the SSDs in their direct ASUS ROG competitors —including Legion Go S vs ROG Ally and Legion Go (Windows) vs Xbox Ally X.

Just keep in mind that the best gaming handhelds are in no way as powerful as the best gaming laptops or best gaming desktops since handhelds trade off portability for power.

⚠️ Warning for DIYers and customization enthusiasts: I'm not expecting the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) to have the best upgradeability, considering that when I opened my Windows model, I found that the Legion Go 2 (Windows) wasn't designed with upgradability in mind. It would take more work than many other handhelds just to swap out the SSD. But I'm sure that won't stop many of you from doing it anyway.

This is one of the areas where the Xbox Ally X is better. It's much easier to access the SSD and swap it out. What's more, WD_BLACK has designed SSDs exclusively for Xbox Ally X, so it was specifically designed for upgrading.

Of course, if you don't like opening your devices, both of these handhelds can have their storage expanded using the best microSD cards.

PERFORMANCE & STORAGE WINNER: These are both powerful handhelds, but the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is likely the better performer given that SteamOS is more efficient and Lenovo's handheld SSDs have typically been faster than ASUS ROG's.

Back to the top ^

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Display

There's no beating around the bush here. The Legion Go 2's 8.8-inch OLED touchscreen is basically better than the Xbox Ally X's 7-inch IPS touchscreen in every way. In fact, the Legion Go 2 has the best display of any handheld to date.

In addition to being larger, Lenovo's screen has a wider color gamut, deeper contrast, crisper resolution, and a higher refresh rate than its competitor. What this means is that game scenes look richer, with more details and better motion clarity on Legion Go 2.

RELATED: IPS LCD vs OLED vs tandem OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED: Which is the best display?

It's also worth noting that the Xbox Ally X's panel has a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is typically preferred for most gaming needs. Meanwhile, the Legion Go 2's screen has a 16:10 aspect ratio, like the Steam Deck. This makes Lenovo's display larger vertically, making it more ideal for certain strategy games and general PC usage.

Neither aspect ratio is bad per se, but some people have strong preferences, so it's something to keep in mind.

DISPLAY WINNER: The Legion Go 2 OLED screen is much better than the Xbox Ally X's IPS display. It's larger, has a higher refresh rate, higher top resolution, better color gamut, and deeper contrast.

Back to the top ^

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Buttons, joysticks, and grip

In general, the overall layout and control options on these devices are very similar, but there are a few key differences when it comes to features and technologies.

As you can see from the pictures, both handhelds have triggers, bumpers, ABXY buttons, various menu buttons, and a D-Pad, but only the Legion Go 2 has anti-drift Hall Effect joysticks, whereas the Xbox Ally X has standard analog sticks. Additionally, the Legion Go 2 has a touchpad on its right side, while the Xbox Ally X doesn't have any at all. Some people prefer the fine control that touchpads offer for game menus and certain games on handhelds.

One of the biggest complaints many people have with all handhelds is hand cramping and wrist fatigue. Handhelds might be relatively small devices, but gripping a top-heavy device and forcing it to tilt up slightly at your face can cause discomfort. My pinky fingers often go numb playing certain handhelds. The 1.57-pound Xbox Ally X and the larger 2.03-pound Legion Go 2 both found ways to assuage this pain, but using very different methods.

Xbox Ally X's most physical defining characteristic is its long, thick grips, which were designed after the Xbox controller. In my opinion, this design definitely makes it the most comfortable handheld to actually hold in handheld mode. Of course, Xbox Ally X only has handheld mode, while Legion Go 2 also offers a far less hand-straining tabletop mode.

The original Legion Go was a rather uncomfortable handheld for me to hold, but this newer Legion Go 2 has a far more rounded design with TrueStrike Controllers that feel nicer in your hands thanks to their improved ergonomics.

By detaching the Legion Go 2's TrueStrike Controllers, popping out the tablet's kickstand, and playing in the aforementioned tabletop mode, your hands will only deal with a combined 0.46 pounds of weight from the controllers. What's more, if you connect the Legion Go 2 to your living room TV via a docking station (like my favorite JSAUX 6-in-1 Docking Station $39.99 at Amazon), you already have controllers ready to go instead of needing to find an external one.

Finally, there is one last major design difference between the two devices. It might seem like a simple thing, but having a kickstand turns a handheld into more of an entertainment device. So out of the box, I don't have to prop the Legion Go 2 up against anything when I want to stream Netflix or skim YouTube, but I do have to do this with Xbox Ally X.

For this reason, I recommend grabbing an accessory like the dBrand ROG Xbox Ally X Killswitch at Best Buy to give your Xbox Ally X a kickstand.

By the way, there is a power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader on top of the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS), but SteamOS doesn't support native biometric login, so fingerprint login is unsupported. The Xbox Ally X's power button is also a fingerprint reader, but it isn't very reliable. It's failed to accurately scan my finger several times, leading me to log in via pin much of the time.

CONTROLS & GRIPS WINNER: Once again, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is the winner. It might weigh more, but you can put it in tabletop mode to put less strain on your hands and wrists. It also offers two features the Xbox Ally X doesn't have: Hall Effect joysticks that won't drift and a touchpad.

Back to the top ^

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Compatible games & Operating system

The Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) and Xbox Ally X offer a night and day user experience since the former runs Valve's Linux-based operating system, while the latter runs Microsoft's program.

Many people prefer SteamOS to Windows since, as I said previously, it is far more efficient for gaming and offers a simplified, console-like interface that feels far more conducive to a handheld experience. Still, Windows offers some features and ease of mind that you might prefer.

Microsoft launched a new Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) with the Xbox Ally X that was designed to reduce Windows bloat and allow the handheld to run better, but the Xbox App interface really isn't great, and it's not as efficient as SteamOS. Now, Microsoft will be releasing more FSE updates that could improve this experience, but there's still a lot of work to do.

Then there's the whole matter of game services and game compatibility.

Out of the box, Xbox Ally X owners can easily exit Xbox FSE to access a web browser and navigate to dozens of gaming services (Epic Games, Battle.net, Steam, and more). Meanwhile, out of the box,

SteamOS does have a desktop mode, but it might be daunting for people who aren't familiar with Linux (but there are plenty of helpful guides online to help with that).

Meanwhile, SteamOS's default handheld mode is only intended to access your Steam library out of the box. Of course, you can make it so your Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) can access other game services if you follow my guide on how to install Decky Loader on SteamOS handhelds; it just takes a bit more work.

One thing I love about the Xbox Ally X is how much setting customization it provides. It's Armoury Crate utility software offers far more options than Legion Go 2's Legion Space program, so I can get my system running the way I want. For instance, I can manually change Xbox Ally X VRAM very easily, but the more complicated process for updating the previous Windows Legion Go 2 VRAM involves going into the BIOS. It's possible the SteamOS variant will use a different method.

Another thing to note is that fully updating the Xbox Ally X can be a nightmare compared to Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) since you have to install updates in Windows Settings, Armoury Crate, and AMD Software. Meanwhile, SteamOS updates are done within SteamOS's system settings menu.

As for game compatibility, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) can play a wide range of titles from small indies to the latest AAA games that meet its system requirements.

However, the truth is that most games are specifically designed for Windows and not Linux. SteamOS utilizes Proton, a compatibility layer to make Windows games work on its operating system. While Proton keeps getting better every year, some programs and games still don't work well on SteamOS handhelds.

For example, most anti-cheat software isn't compatible with SteamOS. So, games that require anti-cheat kernels like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Battlefield 6, Valorant, and more cannot be played on Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) unless you find a workaround. Even then, I don't recommend using these fixes since it's very easy for an anti-cheat to mistake your workaround for a cheat and permanently ban your account.

In the end, you'll want to consider what type of games you intend to play on your handheld and what kind of experience you want. Then, make a purchase based on which handheld suits your needs best.

SOFTWARE WINNER: This is the trickiest category to declare a winner, since it's largely a matter of preference. The Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) generally offers a better interface and gaming experience, especially if you're willing to learn how to use Linux. However, more games are compatible with Windows, and it's easier to access a web browser and any gaming service on the Xbox Ally X right out of the box.

Back to the top ^

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Battery life

Since I haven't been able to run the 74Whr Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) battery through battery life testing yet, I cannot say for sure how it matched up to the 80Whr Xbox Ally X battery's life. I'll conduct testing and update this section as soon as I can.

That said, I'm confident the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) will last longer than ASUS ROG's handheld based on the battery life testing I did on the Legion Go 2 (Windows). As seen in the chart below, the Windows variant lasted longer than Xbox Ally X when playing games at max and lowest TDP, but didn't last as long when being used like a computer.

Thing is, SteamOS is far more efficient than Windows, allowing a handheld's battery to stretch further on one charge. So, if the Windows Legion Go 2's battery life was already better than the Xbox Ally X in many ways, the SteamOS variant must be even better.

Once again, I'll run the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) through battery life testing and update this section with the results as soon as I get my hands on it.

BATTERY LIFE WINNER: It's very likely that the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) offers better battery life than the Xbox Ally X since it has a less power-hungry operating system.

Back to the top ^

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): Which should I buy?

We've compared these handhelds from design ergonomics to features, and even operating systems to game compatibility. In general, the Legion Go 2 (SteamOS) is certainly the more impressive device with Hall Effect joysticks, the beloved SteamOS operating system, a far better OLED display, detachable controllers, an FPS mode, and, likely, better battery life (benchmark testing coming soon). These are all things you should expect from a premium handheld created by the biggest PC manufacturer in the world.

If you're willing to wait until June and don't mind spending more money for a Legion Go 2 (SteamOS), then you're going to get a fantastic handheld gaming PC that's far more powerful than a Steam Deck and offers more versatility than any of its handheld gaming PC rivals.

But that doesn't make the Xbox Ally X a bad handheld; I still love it, even if the Legion Go 2 is more eye-catching. Truth is, they offer such different features that they suit very different use cases.

If you want to save some money and care more about those meaty grips and ensuring Windows game compatibility, then the Xbox Ally X is the handheld to get. Plus, it's actually available right now, so there's no wait.

Of course, if your biggest gripe about Xbox Ally X is Windows 11, you can always buy this handheld and then use my guide to install SteamOS on it. You'll get the best of both worlds.

Back to the top ^

I've been thinking about this a lot over the festive period, not least because handheld gaming has quietly become my primary way to play again, but something about this year in the handheld gaming space hit differently.

Not since the Nintendo DS days has handheld gaming been such a daily driver for me as it was with the Steam Deck and then the Xbox ROG Ally X this year, to the point I've actually only turned on my Xbox Series S for the kids.

There's just something great about being able to sit with family, be social, maybe have a show on in the background, and generally multitask. Sneaking in a few hours of gaming without disappearing into another room. Life is busy, and handhelds just fit into the cracks of real life better than a console or PC for me.

2025 really was the year of handheld gaming, with more options than ever to choose from; the space has exploded. Steam Deck momentum has carried a wave of new devices, the ROG Ally became an Xbox, Lenovo fired out more variants than anyone asked for, and the Switch 2 finally arrived with some actual horsepower behind it.

It felt like every month carried another announcement and spec sheet, another potential "Steam Deck killer," but the truth is that no handheld on the market will compete with the Nintendo Switch or the Steam Deck in a real way until they fix this one glaring problem — the naming conventions are an absolute mess.

The Switch is simple. Other gaming handhelds need to take note.

The Nintendo Switch, and this year the Nintendo Switch 2, are a mass market hit. Clarity helps a lot, you know what a Switch is. You know what a Switch Lite is, and you know what a Switch OLED is. All very self-explanatory titles. Even parents who don't know the difference between RAM and a sandwich toaster can walk into a shop and buy the right thing.

RELATED: Lenovo Legion Go 2 vs Legion Go S: Which is better?

Compare this simplicity to the PC handheld lineup right now? If you dropped the whole range of options in front of someone who isn't chronically on Reddit, they'd have no idea which is the "good" one. The Legion Go S alone has multiple variants with different chips, RAM, storage, and different operating systems, all at similar price points.

The SteamOS version is fantastic, the Windows version? Not so much (go read our Legion Go S review vs our Legion Go S Steam OS review to learn why). How on earth is a normal consumer meant to know this?

And then, there is Xbox

The Xbox Series S and X are named to be clearly segmented (although some may argue the two-tier system IS confusing for the average Mom popping into Target). But most people get that the Xbox Series S is the entry-level, and X is the high-end model.

So why didn't Xbox apply this naming style to the Xbox ROG Ally line-up? The Ally X is the premium model; the white one should have been the Xbox Ally S to more clearly differentiate them. It fits the brand, and it clearly communicates the difference. And what is the difference between the Rog Ally X and the Xbox Ally X besides the shape?

RELATED: ROG Ally X vs Xbox ROG Ally X

Then again, I am talking about the same brand that saw fit to have an Xbox Elite, and Xbox Elite Series 2 and Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controllers....

Consumers shouldn't need a spreadsheet to buy a gaming handheld, and right now, Steam Deck is doing the best

Right now, many handhelds sit in the $500 to $800 range, and you would hope that anyone spending that kind of money on a device would be doing a modicum of research. But it is a problem that two devices can sit on a shelf in a similar price bracket, yet one may have double the RAM, a better chip or OS, and unless you've spent hours researching, you'd never know.

That's not how you grow a market and take on the Nintendo Switches of the world. If anything, the Steam Deck is miles ahead in this regard.

I've recently picked up the Xbox ROG Ally X, and I'm enjoying it. Access to more libraries is great, and the hardware is definitely up to the task of more power-hungry games than my Steam Deck LCD was, but I'm constantly fiddling with settings. I'm dealing with updates all the time (some of which are halfway through a game, leading to me losing progress). I'm often troubleshooting with it. With the Steam Deck, I rarely had to mess around with it.

SteamOS is the only PC handheld experience that truly feels like a console out of the box, and Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) has a long way to go before it competes in this regard. I'd say the Steam Deck is the most mainstream of all the gaming handhelds and is actually built for consumers and not just hardcore enthusiasts (though there are certainly many that tinker and do impressive things with their Steam Deck, but it's optional).

2025 was huge for handheld gaming, but 2026 will make or break it.

This year was packed with huge milestones for handheld gaming. Lenovo, with its SteamOS partnership, Switch 2 is finally hitting the market, and Xbox is rolling out the FSE to try and smooth out the kinks for Windows-based handhelds (it hasn't worked... yet). And also everyone and their uncle arguing over if the Xbox ROG Ally is an Xbox or not (it's not, guys, sorry).

If handheld PCs want even a sliver of the success of the Switch, then going forward, the industry needs clearer naming conventions and product tiers, clearer marketing, and much clearer explanations of what each device can actually do and run. The appetite is certainly there for handheld gaming to become huge again, and the lifestyle fit is undeniable. But people need to understand what they are buying.

Did you buy a gaming handheld last year, or are you holding out to see what's coming next? Do you even care about these handhelds at all? Let me know in the comments and vote in the poll!

I'm going to preface this by saying that a handheld gaming PC is basically a mini PC with a built-in screen, battery, and controllers, but mini PCs and handhelds both have tradeoffs that might serve your gaming needs better.

There are several different handheld gaming PCs and hundreds of mini PCs to choose from. For the sake of brevity, this page will mostly focus on comparing the Xbox Ally X (since it's our best handheld gaming recommendation) against the Geekom IT13 mini PC, which is our best mini PC recommendation, but there are plenty of other options to choose from.

I've also included a section on this page that lists our top mini PC recommendations and top handheld recommendations while explaining what each device is especially good for.

Until then, let's discuss the pros, cons, and tradeoffs while comparing a mini PC against handheld gaming PCs.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Specs

Before we go any further, take a gander at the specs for the Xbox Ally X and the Geekom IT13.

Of course, there are plenty of other handheld gaming PCs and mini PCs to choose from. I'll go over some general differences between these two types of devices.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Price & use case

TL;DR: Mini PCs tend to offer more powerful CPUs and can cost less than handhelds, but they also require additional accessories like a monitor or keyboard. Handheld gaming PCs provide everything you need for portable gaming, but the best ones are rather costly.

Both mini PCs and handheld gaming PCs can be expensive, depending on the configurations you purchase.

In general, mini PCs tend to cost less (anywhere from $300 to $1,000+), while the latest and greatest Windows 11 handhelds can cost between $800 and $1,200.) That said, some handhelds are great value buys since you don't have to also buy a monitor or controller to interact with them.

For example, the Geekom IT13 mini PC's processor is technically more powerful than the Xbox Ally X; however, the Xbox Ally X is optimized for gaming, and it also provides a touchscreen, controllers, and a battery, which the mini PC doesn't have.

To be clear, mini PCs and Windows 11 handhelds are actual Windows PCs, just in smaller forms.

What it really comes down to is that the best gaming handhelds trade off power for portability. Some offer more premium features than others, so you might find one option that fits your needs better. They are also optimized for gaming by design, with systems that are more suited to GPU-heavy tasks. Still, they typically aren't as powerful as the best gaming laptops or best gaming desktops.

Meanwhile, mini PCs are intended for more general Windows computer use with a heavier CPU focus, but in a small package. They can be tucked away out of sight if you'd like a minimalist setup. Depending on their configuration, they can be used for everything from office work to gaming. Just note that the vast majority are not optimized for video games, and most don't have powerful GPUs.

Once again, a dedicated gaming laptop or gaming desktop is more powerful. But that doesn't mean you should rule a mini PC out.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Performance and storage

TL;DR: In general, mini PCs tend to be better at performing CPU tasks and often allow for RAM and SSD upgrades. Handhelds tend to be better at GPU tasks and sometimes are only designed for SSD upgrades.

As my colleague has previously pointed out, several mini PCs are only about the size of a bagel, and handhelds are relatively small devices as well. This means that there isn't a lot of room for upgrading certain parts, or at least, not as much room to do so as you can with a full-blown desktop

Still, it's pretty standard to see handhelds and mini PCs that offer 16GB to 32GB of RAM along with 512GB to 2TB SSDs. Depending on the company, some of these devices are designed around upgradability, so you can easily swap out storage and memory as needed, but you need to check on a device-by-device basis.

WD_BLACK has designed SSDs exclusively for Xbox Ally X, but there are several other options you can choose from. You'll just need to make sure you get the size that's compatible with your device.

For instance, it's very easy to upgrade the SSD on the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. However, it's harder to get to the SSD on a Legion Go 2, and it requires more work to upgrade.

Of course, you can also insert one of the best microSD cards in most handhelds, and several mini PCs have SD card slots as well.

Now let's talk performance.

I alluded to this previously, but for the most part, handhelds tend to be better built for GPU tasks while mini PCs tend to be better suited to CPU tasks.

That's because most handheld gaming PCs out right now feature AMD Ryzen Z2 Series handheld APUs (accelerated processing units) designed around gaming, whereas mini PCs can have a much wider range of Intel and AMD processors at hand, but tend to have lower integrated GPUs.

There are exceptions to this, however, such as the pricey ASUS ROG NUC Gaming Mini PC, which has a laptop version of the RTX 5080 GPU and sells for $3,137.99 at Amazon. So if you really want a small computer that offers impressive graphics, this is the device to consider.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Software & Services

TL;DR: Windows handheld gaming PCs and Windows mini PCs can run the same programs and services. However, how well a game runs depends on the device's internals.

While there are exceptions, the vast majority of PC handhelds and mini PCs are Windows 11 devices that function just like a full-blown Windows desktop or laptop.

This means that both mini PCs and handhelds can be used to surf the web, stream shows, make video calls, download programs, run various games, and more. As always, every game has minimum system requirements, so your device needs to meet those in order to run a game well.

That said, the most popular handheld gaming PC to date is the Steam Deck, which runs the Linux-based SteamOS. In case you don't know, SteamOS operates very differently from Windows 11 and offers more of a console-like interface for convenient gaming.

There are also Android gaming handhelds and macOS mini PCs out there. As with any device, each of these machines can only run compatible software. If your main focus is PC gaming, then it's best to stick with Windows 11 or SteamOS devices.

You should be aware that there are a few services that can turn just about any device into a gaming machine, regardless of how good a GPU it has.

For starters, NVIDIA GeForce NOW is a subscription that allows you to stream supported games that you own from a powerful distant server onto your device via the cloud. In other words, a beefy computer far away runs your games, allowing you to get smooth gameplay on your simple computer.

NVIDIA GeForce NOW works on Windows 11, Android, and even macOS devices. I even have a handy guide explaining how to set up GeForce NOW on Steam Deck, if you're interested.

Another option is Xbox Cloud Gaming, which lets you stream a large library with everything from indie titles to AAA games.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Best options to buy

TL;DR: We've tested and reviewed every mini PC and handheld gaming PC listed below. Our top pick for handhelds is the Xbox Ally X, while our top mini PC pick is the Geekom IT13. But each device has its own perks and tradeoffs.

Best handheld gaming PCs

• Xbox Ally X: $999.99 at Best Buy — The most powerful current-gen, Windows 11, AMD Z2 Series handheld gaming PC on the market today. It offers plenty of settings customizations, too.
• Steam Deck: Starting at $399.00 at Steam — The most affordable handheld available right now. It runs SteamOS and has a simplified interface.
• Lenovo Legion Go 2: Starting at $1,099.99 at Best Buy — A current-gen Windows 11 handheld with detachable controllers, a large OLED display, and a built-in kickstand.
• Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS): Starting at $649.99 at Best Buy — This handheld runs SteamOS, but has more powerful internal components than the Steam Deck.
• ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme): $649.99 at Best Buy — While not the latest and greatest, this last-gen Windows 11 handheld can still run many PC games while costing less.

Best mini PCs

• Geekom IT13: $699.00 at Amazon — A fantastic computer with plenty of ports and solid CPU performance.
• ASUS ROG NUC: $3,137.99 at Amazon — This is an actual gaming mini PC with various configuration options. You can have up to an RTX 5080 L in here.
• Beelink EQR6: $439.00 at Amazon — It won't cost you nearly as much as some other mini PC, but it has better integrated graphics than most, too.
• Geekom GT1 MEGA: $799.00 at Best Buy — An AI mini PC with powerful internals to the point that you'll often forget that it is a mini PC.

Mini PC vs handheld gaming PC: Which should I buy?

So which type of device should you get?

Honestly, there are cases where a handheld will suit your specific use case better and cases where a mini PC will suit you better.

Choose a handheld gaming PC if: You love the idea of being able to move around your home while gaming, or want to be able to take your gaming device on trips.

Choose a mini PC if: You want a relatively inexpensive PC that doesn't take up a lot of room and is perfect for connecting your various accessories to.

The gaming handheld space is properly heating up with the long-awaited arrival of the Xbox Ally, built in collaboration between ASUS and Microsoft. It's the successor to the ASUS ROG Ally, our previous top pick for the best Windows-powered handheld.

It can be more than a little tempting to go for the latest and greatest hardware, but I wouldn't rush to toss aside your trusty handheld just yet. Whether you have the original ROG Ally or the upgraded ROG Ally X, both handhelds can be massively improved with a handful of upgrades, some clever tricks, and an accessory or two.

We may have praised the Xbox Ally X in our in-depth review, and (to a lesser extent) its sibling in our Xbox Ally review, but that doesn't make what came before obsolete. I, at least, am sticking with my ROG Ally X for now — so, here's all my advice for giving your ROG Ally a glow-up and staving off that Xbox Ally FOMO.

1. Get the new handheld-specific Xbox interface

One of the biggest differentiators for the new Xbox Ally is its new handheld-optimized interface. It's still powered by Windows 11, but Microsoft has done a ton of work to deliver a full-screen Xbox experience that works flawlessly with a controller, and disables unnecessary processes and parts of Windows (like the Start Menu and desktop) to improve gaming performance, battery life, and ease-of-use.

The Xbox app on PC can also aggregate your PC gaming library by connecting to other launchers, too. Pair that with the Xbox Game Bar, and your ROG Ally can finally feel like a proper console, rather than a Windows PC that happens to be shaped like a handheld.

It makes a huge difference, but this experience isn't actually exclusive to the Xbox Ally — at least, it won't be exclusive forever. Microsoft is planning to bring the same full-screen Xbox interface to other PC gaming handhelds, and it's possible to try it out early. In fact, we've already checked out the new Xbox mode on the original ASUS ROG Ally.

If you're enrolled in the Windows Insider Program and are running an in-development build, you may be able to enable the new Xbox mode by going to Settings > Gaming and looking for the "Full screen experience" option. If it's there, opening that page will allow you to choose the Xbox app as your default home screen, and you can make your ROG Ally boot up into that experience, too.

If the option doesn't appear for you (it's possible Microsoft is A/B testing the feature), you can check out this guide at Reddit.com for some other tips and tricks. Expect the experience to evolve as Microsoft refines it, too, even after it leaves the Insider Program and rolls out to all users (we expect that to happen in early 2026).

2. Upgrade your storage for improved performance

For a physical upgrade, you can consider upgrading your ASUS ROG Ally's storage. Whether you need more space to download games or you're looking for faster load times, a new SSD can breathe fresh life into your ROG Ally.

The ASUS ROG Ally (and most PC gaming handhelds, honestly) uses smaller M.2 2230 SSDs. Our most trusted brand is Western Digital / SanDisk, and our top rated is the WD_BLACK SN770M SSD we reviewed. You can pick up the WD_BLACK SN770M (2TB) for $239.99 at BestBuy.com, and it's often on sale for much less than that.

We also have a full, in-depth guide on how to upgrade your ASUS ROG Ally's SSD, including how to transfer all your data over to the new drive. It details every step, and even gives you guidance on what tools you'll need. I highly recommend relying on that guide if you decide to upgrade your ROG Ally's storage.

Of course, you can also consider one of the best microSD cards for gaming handhelds, like the SanDisk Extreme Plus (1TB) for $149.99 at BestBuy.com, if you simply want more storage for smaller games, documents, photos, and more. It won't be as fast as an internal SSD, but a microSD card can be a great, affordable, and easy-to-install storage upgrade.

3. Swap out your battery for longer gaming sessions

If you want to get even more serious about physical upgrades, it's possible to swap out your ROG Ally's battery pack for a bigger cell. This upgrade is aimed more at the original ROG Ally and its paltry 40Whr battery, not the ROG Ally X and its doubled 80Whr cell.

The merits of this upgrade are simple: better battery life and longer game sessions. We reviewed the JSAUX 65Whr Battery Upgrade Kit for the ASUS ROG Ally and found it to be a safe, reliable, and relatively straightforward modification for your handheld that results in approximately 50% more endurance. You can pick up that battery kit for $79.99 from JSAUX.com, and it'll include absolutely everything you need in one kit.

We also have a complete, step-by-step guide on how exactly to upgrade your ASUS ROG Ally's battery, so you don't have to stress about making any mistakes. Upgrading your battery can be a little more strenuous than an SSD replacement, so I strongly suggest following that guide. Don't forget that the JSAUX battery upgrade will also make your ROG Ally slightly thicker, so it may not play nice with some cases or other accessories.

It's worth mentioning that you can find cheaper, generic battery upgrade kits for the ROG Ally on Amazon, but Windows Central can't vouch for their safety, reliability, or installation process. There's also the iFixIt 88Whr ASUS ROG Ally Battery Mod for $54.99 at iFixIt.com, but that upgrade is far more complicated to pull off.

4. Make the most of AMD's gaming features

A while after I got my ASUS ROG Ally, I wrote a guide on 7 tips and tricks for making it better. Most of that article was talking about customizing the software to suit your needs and improve performance while you're at it, and I still stand by those suggestions.

One thing I didn't talk about, though, was taking advantage of AMD's suite of gaming features, powered by the AMD Ryzen Z-series chipset inside the ROG Ally (and most other gaming handhelds).

For example, enabling the AMD HYPR-RX performance profile enables features like AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (an AI-powered upscaler that can dramatically improve performance), AMD Radeon Anti-Lag (a feature to help reduce latency), and AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2 (AFMF), which can artificially increase your framerate with AI generated frames.

AFMF can be particularly impactful, so it's fortunate that we have a full guide on how to enable Fluid Motion Frames correctly on your ROG Ally, and the kind of performance gains you can expect. Setting up that feature properly will net you benefits from AMD's other gaming-focused features, too.

5. Learn how to give your games more VRAM

Something I did mention in my aforementioned list of ASUS ROG Ally tips and tricks is how to manage your VRAM, or the memory assigned to your ROG Ally's GPU. I can't overstate just how much of a difference more graphics memory can make with your gaming performance, as this is one of the biggest single bottlenecks gamers run into.

The ROG Ally shares one pool of RAM across the system and GPU, and it does a fair job allocating memory as necessary. However, you can also manually assign VRAM, and it's as easy as going into the ASUS Armoury Crate software > Settings > Operating Mode. You can also manage many AMD-specific gaming features (like the ones mentioned above) from here.

If you want more detailed information, we also have a guide on how to change your ROG Ally's VRAM allocation.

6. Consider these accessories to customize your experience

Finally, something as simple as one of the best ASUS ROG Ally accessories can improve your gaming experience a substantial amount. Just to make it easy, here's a quick list of some of my favorite recommendations:

• JSAUX 6-in-1 Dock for ROG Ally: $29.99 at Amazon.com
• JSAUX ModCase Kit for ROG Ally: $29.99 at Amazon.com
• JSAUX Screen Protector (2pk) for ROG Ally: $12.99 at Amazon.com
• dbrand Killswitch Case & Skins for ROG Ally: From $59.95 dbrand.com
• Syntech Hard Carrying Case for ROG Ally: $26.99 at Amazon.com
• Anker 10,000mAh Power Bank: $25.99 at Amazon.com
• Anker 25,000mAh/100W Power Bank: $134.99 at Amazon.com
• Razer Barracuda X Chroma Headset: $129.99 at Amazon.com
• XREAL One AR Glasses: $579 at Amazon.com

A dock can expand your ROG Ally by letting you connect a keyboard, mouse, external monitor, external storage, and more. A good case and screen protector (the dbrand Killswitch is my favorite) is a must for protection (and style). An external battery pack can prevent you from running dry when out and about, and a good headset or pair of AR glasses can provide a more private, immersive gaming experience.

There are a lot of great ROG Ally accessories out there, and just one could have quite the impact. The ROG Ally is still a fantastic PC gaming handheld, and these tips can make it last longer for you. Of course, when you do want to upgrade, the Xbox Ally is now here.

Windows 11's upcoming handheld gaming mode is highly anticipated for the thousands of gamers who are currently using a Windows-powered gaming handheld, as Microsoft has promised an improved user experience and optimized performance thanks to changes to how the OS loads certain things in this mode.

We had our first look at the new user experience on the upcoming Xbox Ally back in August, but since then we've been able to get it running on an original ASUS ROG Ally at home, giving us a chance to go in-depth on the user experience and benchmark a couple of games to see how the new user experience improves things and whether there are any potential performance improvements.

The user experience is good now

Handheld gaming mode addresses the biggest issue with Windows 11 when it comes to the overall gaming handheld form factor, and that's using the OS to get into your games. It's widely known that Windows 11 kind of sucks on small screens and hardware where the primary input method is a gamepad.

Microsoft has done a lot of work to improve this experience, to the point where it's almost as intuitive as Steam's Big Picture mode or Nintendo's Switch UI. From the login screen to the "launcher" interface, everything has been updated so you can interact with it using a gamepad.

That means you can now punch in your account pin using the gamepad controls, and you can even type into text boxes using the on-screen keyboard via the analog sticks and A button, just like on an Xbox console. These are small improvements, but they make one hell of a difference when it comes to using Windows on a handheld gaming device.

The new launcher interface replaces the Windows desktop. It's essentially just the Xbox app running in a full-screen mode, but there are additional hooks into the OS to make the entire experience more seamless and heavy lifting in place of that traditional desktop UX. In this mode, things like the Start menu and Taskbar, as well as your desktop wallpaper aren't loaded in. It's just the Xbox app.

Microsoft just announced that the Xbox app is now able to show and run all your Windows games, regardless of where they were sourced from. That means this interface now shows every game you have installed, whether that be from Steam, GOG, Epic Games Launcher, or installed with a CD locally. That means you can get into any game from this dedicated Xbox interface, without needing to open into the traditional desktop first.

When in this mode, Microsoft makes some key changes to touchscreen gestures and Windows 11's Task View interface. Usually, swiping in from the left will open Windows 11's Widgets Board, and swiping up from the bottom opens the Taskbar or Start menu. In fullscreen gaming mode, these gestures are replaced.

Now, the swipe in from left gesture opens the Xbox Game Bar, and swiping up from the bottom opens Task View, which has been redesigned to make switching between open apps and games more fluid using a gamepad. This interface is now an integral part of the experience, making it easy and fluid to move between running games and apps on the fly.

This is mainly because when in this mode, everything runs in fullscreen. You can't run two apps or games side by side like you can on the traditional interface, and that's by design as handheld screens are small and not very good at multitasking with two things at once. Plus, why would you want to run two games side by side anyway?

That's where the new Task View comes in, as it makes moving between open apps and games easy and fluid, using just the gamepad bumpers or analog sticks to move through your open activities. Some apps that you run will still display window controls in the top right corner, but other than the close button, the minimize and cascade buttons no longer do anything. Everything is done via the new Task View interface.

How does it optimize performance?

The new handheld gaming mode makes several optimizations to Windows 11 to ensure games run as smooth as possible when in this mode. One of the key changes made is that it sets all of your startup apps to disabled at boot. That means when you login and see the Xbox interface, apps like OneDrive, Steam, GOG, Discord, and others that are usually set to run at startup aren't loaded in. That frees up a lot of system resources on its own, and does allow games to run with better performance.

In our testing, we did find a noticeable improvement in performance when you are running a game in handheld mode when Windows is set to have all your startup apps disabled. Running the same benchmark tests in desktop mode, with all the startup apps running in the background, does result in worse performance.

But if you're somebody who already curates the kind of apps that run at startup on your handheld, you likely won't see much of a performance increase in handheld gaming mode versus desktop mode. In our testing, running benchmarks in handheld gaming mode, then switching to desktop mode with all startup apps off, and then running the benchmarks again, we saw no noticeable difference in performance.

That means that even though Windows 11 has to load in additional elements like the Start menu and Taskbar when switching to desktop mode, they alone don't actually impact overall system performance and make little to no difference in how your game runs. It's all your startup apps that are the biggest draw on system resources.

It's the same story with battery life. Ideally, battery life should be better in handheld gaming mode, because nothing runs in the background at boot. And yeah, in our testing we got roughly an additional hour of battery life when in handheld mode vs desktop mode with startup apps enabled. But if you disable all your startup apps when entering desktop mode, battery life is about the same between the two modes.

That means that any performance gains you're going to see with Microsoft's new handheld gaming mode come specifically from the fact that the OS sets all your startup apps to disabled by default. You can configure this if you want, for example, you can set Steam or GOG to run in the background at launch just like normal even when in handheld gaming mode, but that's not the default behavior.

One thing that people were hoping would be improved is how Windows handles sleep mode on these handhelds. Users have reported that gaming handhelds specifically have a hard time remaining in sleep mode. Unfortunately, in our testing there doesn't appear to be any changes or improvements to this.

Good things ahead for Windows-powered handhelds

It finally seems like Microsoft is taking handheld gaming on Windows seriously, and this new handheld gaming mode is a great step in the right direction. There's still lots of work to be done, especially around debloating Windows so that it runs optimally on these handheld PCs.

From a UX perspective, things are mostly in a good spot now. You no longer have to interact with the traditional Windows desktop UX on these devices if you don't want to, as most of what you'd want to do on a handheld gaming device can be achieved with the gampad and the new full screen mode.

The upcoming Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are supposed to be the first devices that will officially ship with the new handheld mode out of the box, and Microsoft has promised that it will roll out to other handhelds throughout 2026.

While conducting our ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X review and our Legion Go 2 (Windows) review here at Windows Central, I spent dozens of hours playing games and running tests on either handheld.

With my experience at hand, I've compared these handhelds' specs and features against each other to see how they stand out in various areas.

Let's take a look at how the differences between the Xbox Ally X vs Lenovo Legion Go 2 2 can affect your gaming experience.

UPDATE Oct. 16, 2025: I've updated this entire article now that I've reviewed both the Xbox Ally X and the Legion Go 2.

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2: Specs

I'll compare various aspects of these handhelds against each other, but first, take a moment to familiarize yourself with their specs and basic differences.

Note: I am not comparing the starting Xbox Ally (white) handheld against the Legion Go 2 since it is more of a competitor against the Legion Go S rather than the Legion Go 2.

In case you didn't already know, the ROG Xbox Ally X is the successor to the popular ROG Ally X handheld, but the Xbox name is on there because Microsoft has partnered with ASUS ROG for this new Windows 11 device.

Now that you've had a moment to look at these specs, let's discuss them more in depth.

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (Windows): Price

PRICE WINNER: There are two ways to see this. The Xbox Ally X costs less, but the Legion Go 2 does offer additional features and versatility, so you could argue it's a better value given its price.

Perhaps the first thing you noticed looking at the previous spec chart is how expensive these devices are, with the Legion Go 2 being the pricier option.

The Xbox Ally X sells for $999.99 while the Legion Go 2 has as starting $1,049.99 configuration and then a $1,349.99 configuration.

Remember, these are premium handheld gaming PCs. If you're after something more affordable, Lenovo offers the Legion Go S line with either a Windows or SteamOS option. And then, there is also a starting Xbox Ally (without the X at the end).

Now, the Legion Go 2's higher price point, while outside of many people's ranges, is warranted given that it has that larger OLED display, a higher refresh rate, detachable controllers, and a kickstand, which the Xbox Ally X doesn't have.

Both devices are slated to launch in October 2025. The Xbox Ally X is already available as of the time of writing, but it's unclear when the Legion Go 2 will hit store shelves.

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (Windows): Performance and storage

PERFORMANCE & STORAGE WINNER: The Xbox Ally X and Legion Go 2 both offer excellent CPU and GPU performance, but the Legion Go 2 has notably faster SSD read and write speeds.

When it comes to performance, one of the biggest differences between the Xbox Ally X and the Legion Go 2 is their AMD Ryzen Z2 series processors.

The Legion Go 2 sports an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, while the Xbox Ally X has an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, an AI processor.

Both of these APUs (Accelerated Processing Units) feature 8 cores and 16 threads with Zen 5 architecture, as well as 16GPU cores with RDNA3.5 architecture. However, the Xbox Ally X's AI processor features an NPU (neural processing unit) that can reach up to 50 TOPS.

In case you don't know, this AI processor helps the Xbox Ally X work more efficiently when running certain AI processes, since the NPU takes some of the load off of the CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit).

In my testing, the Xbox Ally X just barely beat out the Legion Go 2 in most of my CPU and GPU tests, but both offered impressive performance overall. That said, I'll say that the Legion Go 2 offers better performance overall since it has a much better SSD inside of it that reaches faster read and write speeds for game loading and saving.

Of course, the best gaming handhelds are in no way as powerful as the best gaming laptops or best gaming desktops since handhelds trade off portability for power.

As you likely already know, overall system performance is also determined by how well various parts of a computer system work together. Part of that includes having reliable memory and storage.

The Xbox Ally X has 24GB LPDDR5X-8000 MHz RAM, while the Legion Go 2 can have up to 32GB LPDDR5X-8000 MHz RAM. Both are more than adequate for handheld gaming. The more the better for intensive graphics games, especially. But the higher the capacity, the higher the cost of the device.

When it comes to SSD storage, both the Xbox Ally X's 1TB M.2 2280 SSD and the Legion Go 2's offering of up to 2TB M.2 2242 SSD provide ample SSD storage.

But you'll note that these devices use different-sized SSDs. Most other mainstream Windows handhelds on the market use the 2280 SSD, like the Xbox Ally X.

After opening the Legion Go 2 and looking inside, I learned that the Legion Go 2 wasn't designed with upgradability in mind. Meanwhile, the Xbox Ally X SSD is much easier to upgrade, and WD_BLACK has designed SSDs exclusively for Xbox Ally X.

Additionally, both devices have the ability to expand game storage space using the best microSD cards.

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (Windows): Display

DISPLAY WINNER: The Legion Go 2 OLED screen is better than the Xbox Ally X's IPS display in just about every way. The only downside to the Legion Go 2 having these better display features is that it makes the Lenovo's handheld more costly.

You'll have noticed by looking at the specs that the Legion Go 2 has a better display than the Xbox Ally X, in just about every way.

Its 8.8-inch touchscreen might not sound that different on paper from Xbox Ally X's 7-inch touchscreen, but believe me, the size difference is massive when viewed in person. You'll be able to make out more details without having to squint as much.

On top of that, the Legion Go 2 has an OLED display, which means the colors it produces are far more vibrant, and the contrast also looks better thanks to the display's ability to produce true black.

RELATED: IPS LCD vs OLED vs tandem OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED: Which is the best display?

Unlike the original Legion Go, this new Lenovo handheld supports VRR (variable refresh rate), which helps games play more smoothly on your screen. The Xbox Ally X also supports VRR, but that was expected since the ROG Ally X did.

The Legion Go 2's 144Hz refresh rate is higher than the Xbox Ally X's 120Hz, while the WUXGA (1920x1200) resolution of the Legion Go 2 is also crisper than the Xbox Ally X's FHD (1920x1080) resolution.

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (Windows): Buttons, joysticks, and grip

CONTROLS & GRIPS WINNER: There are a few tradeoffs here. The Xbox Ally X has much better grips and is more comfortable to hold. However, the Legion Go 2 offers Hall effect joysticks that won't drift and it's more versatile. Unlike the Xbox Ally X, it can be put in tabletop mode if you don't want to hold the relatively heavy handheld.

Many of the controls are placed in similar locations between the two devices; however, there are some major trade-offs when it comes to comparing these handhelds' grips and controls against each other.

For one thing, the Xbox Ally X's grips were designed after the Xbox controller, which many people think is the most comfortable gamepad design out there. As such, the Xbox Ally X has better grips overall. As an example, my hands often get uncomfortable holding handhelds, but I don't have this problem with Xbox Ally X.

Both devices have offset joysticks, but only the Legion Go 2 has Hall Effect joysticks, which will prevent drift from ruining your playing sessions.

Additionally, the Legion Go 2 has a kickstand, and its TrueStrike controllers can detach from the main device, which gives players the freedom to play in tabletop mode. This is something that isn't possible on Xbox Ally X.

That said, if you're willing to pay, you can give your Xbox Ally X a kickstand using the dBrand ROG Xbox Ally X Killswitch at Best Buy.

So, even though the Legion Go 2 weighs more, being able to play in tabletop mode with detached controllers can lessen the strain it puts on your hands and wrists right out of the box. The kickstand also makes it easier to use your handheld as an all-around entertainment device, to prop up while you watch Netflix or catch up on YouTube channels.

What's more, the Legion Go 2's right controller can be put in FPS mode and slid around a surface to be used like a mouse, which is useful when playing games that rely more on aiming or clicking.

Additionally, unlike the Xbox Ally X, the Legion Go 2 has a small touchpad on the right side to give more fine control in specific menus and FPS games.

Overall, the Legion Go 2 has better controls and has more features than the Xbox Ally X, but not everyone needs all of these features. So if you want a more versatile playing experience, you should go with Legion Go 2, and if not, the less-expensive Xbox Ally X.

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (Windows): Compatible games & Operating system

SOFTWARE WINNER: Both Windows handhelds can run the same kinds of programs and games. However, The Xbox Ally X offers far more customization options in its software.

Both the Legion Go 2 and the Xbox Ally X run Windows 11, which means you can run any program or gaming service on these devices that you would on a Windows gaming laptop.

Now, Microsoft has been busy creating an Xbox full screen experience, a mode that reduces Windows 11 bloat and allows handhelds to work more efficiently when running games. It's currently only on Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, but could come to other handhelds in the future.

One thing I've loved about previous ROG Ally handhelds is that they give me far more control over the settings than the Legion Go line does. For instance, I can adjust VRAM easily within an app on ROG Ally X, whereas I need to go into the BIOS to change Legion Go 2 VRAM.

Meanwhile, some other settings changes aren't available at all on Legion Go handhelds, which can be frustrating.

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (Windows): Battery life

BATTERY LIFE WINNER: Overall, the Legion Go 2 offers better battery life when gaming, despite having the smaller battery capacity.

I put the Legion Go 2's 74Whr battery and the Xbox Ally X's larger 80Whr battery through the same battery tests and got some interesting results.

The Legion Go 2's smaller battery managed to last 20 minutes longer while playing Cyberpunk 2077 on Max TDP, with the screen around 200 nits brightness, and with the game on Steam Deck graphics preset.

When running Celeste, a pixel-art 2D platformer, on the lowest default TDP settings, the Legion Go 2 lasted 12 minutes longer.

However, when I put either device at the middle TDP preset with the screens around 200 nits, the Xbox Ally X surprisingly lasted two hours and 54 minutes longer. This is likely due to the fact that there is a specific Windows TDP setting on Xbox Ally X, which could have been further optimized for office tasks.

Of course, you're probably only going to be using your handheld gaming PC for, you know, gaming. So, yeah, the Legion Go 2 has better gaming battery life overall, even if it's only by a little.

To be honest, the battery life of both of these devices isn't where I'd like it to be, but this is just where battery technology is at this point.

Xbox Ally X vs Legion Go 2 (Windows): Which should I buy?

Both the Xbox Ally X and Legion Go 2 are excellent next-gen handheld gaming PCs. The thing is, they offer different conveniences, which will serve different needs.

The Xbox Ally X is definitely expensive, but it is the most affordable premium handheld of the two. It's also a great choice for anyone who wants meaty grips to assuage hand cramps and offers far more customization options in settings.

Meanwhile, the Legion Go 2 is an all-around better handheld between the two, if you're willing to spend the high amount to grab one. That gorgeous OLED on a larger screen will look stunning and offer buttery smooth motion clarity.

Plus, having the ability to pop out the Legion Go 2's kickstand and pull off the controllers gives you more ways to use this handheld out of the box than you can with the Xbox Ally X.

So, in the end, if you want a more affordable and traditional handheld that offers good performance and plenty of customization settings, then the Xbox Ally X could be the best fit. But if you want a versatile handheld with an amazing display, go for the Legion Go 2.

Now that Grounded 2 has launched (at least in early access), it makes sense that you'd want to know if you can play it on the go with your gaming handheld of choice. Whether you're rocking a Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, or any of the other options, I'll give you the information you need before you make that purchase.

I've been playing a lot of Grounded 2 lately, and some of that has been on my ASUS ROG Ally X. I've tested different settings and scenarios to gauge whether Grounded 2 is a good fit for handheld gaming, and here's what I found out.

How does Grounded 2 play on gaming handhelds?

I started a new world on my ROG Ally X, so I could get a feel for how Grounded 2's performance evolved through the tutorial area until you reach the open world, and I did have to make some adjustments to get a smooth and stable playing experience.

Is the game playable? Absolutely. I didn't experience any crashes or massive frame rate drops, and my ROG Ally X didn't feel like it was struggling to run the game on battery power.

Even in the most powerful 25W Turbo mode and on the lowest graphical settings (including a lowered resolution), though, I couldn't expect much more than 40 FPS. That felt more than fine to actually play the game, but that was Grounded 2 at its best.

Buggies, more detailed areas, and battles with multiple creatures at once will all cause that frame rate to dip, and dropping below 30 FPS isn't all that difficult to do. Considering this is one of the most powerful gaming handhelds you can buy, the experience will only be worse on handhelds like the Steam Deck.

Of course, Grounded 2 is in early access and there's clearly a lot of optimization work to be done (it's also quite, ahem, buggy), so I wouldn't lose hope yet. I'm confident Obsidian will get Grounded 2 running much smoother on handhelds on the road to launch, and I think Steam Deck Verification is more than possible, too.

For now, though, I still much prefer playing Grounded 2 on my Xbox Series X.

It's worth mentioning, though, that Steam Deck Verification and other gaming handheld optimizations are a part of the Grounded 2 early access roadmap.

What Grounded 2 settings should I use with my handheld?

Another weakness Grounded 2 has right now is a distinct lack of actual graphical options on Windows PC, whether you're playing on Steam or through the Microsoft Store, so you don't have a lot of leeway to tailor the game to your handheld hardware.

That includes built-in support for resolution scaling or frame generation features like AMD FidelityFX and NVIDIA DLSS, although some handhelds (like the ROG Ally X) can tap into those features anyway.

That's also something that can and likely will change in the future, but for now it's pretty straightforward to set up Grounded 2. Here are the settings I used on my ASUS ROG Ally X.

• Resolution. Most games I play on the ROG Ally X run just fine at FHD (1080p), but I did have to lower Grounded 2's resolution to HD (720p) to consistently stay above 30 FPS.
• Render Scale. This refers to what percentage of the native resolution the game is actually rendering at. I left it at 100%, because the image quality gets blurry very quickly at lower percentages, but this is a way to gain a few extra frames if you need them.
• Quality. Grounded 2 only has Low, Medium, and High quality levels with no granular graphical settings, and Low is the only setting that ran well on my ROG Ally X (but the game still looks good).
• V-Sync. If your handheld has a higher refresh rate display with VRR support, enabling v-sync can help make the game feel smoother and prevent screen tearing.
• Other tidbits. Other settings are down to personal preference and won't affect performance much, but I do disable motion blur (our eyes already do that, why would I want more motion blur on top of my motion blur). Just a note on Field-of-View (FoV) — it can be tempting to raise it, but that's a great way to tank your performance on weaker hardware, so be cautious.

I'd happily play Grounded 2 on my ROG Ally X, but I'd also probably avoid the most intense battles and missions to avoid any poorly timed frame rate drops. Fortunately, there's another way to play Grounded 2 — streaming through Xbox Cloud Gaming, which will render the game at 1080p and run around 60 FPS.

Honestly, if you have a good internet connection, that's the way to play Grounded 2 on handhelds right now. Especially if you have a less powerful handheld, Grounded 2 clearly needs some optimization before I'd consider it a great mobile gaming experience.

Grounded 2 is now available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC and Steam, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass in early access.

The focus was on the video games during the recent Xbox Games Showcase 2025, of course, but there was one major surprise hidden in the flood of trailers: the reveal of the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally gaming handhelds.

As someone who loves the ASUS ROG Ally (and especially my ASUS ROG Ally X), but wish Windows 11 didn't fight you so hard to make gaming unenjoyable, I was immediately interested in this unique partnership between Microsoft and ASUS.

There's still a lot we don't know about the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, and there are plenty of discussions to be had about these devices, but there's one part of the hardware that has already disappointed me.

It's ultimately a small complaint that will likely have no bearing on the success of the Xbox Ally, but I seriously wish ASUS had taken this opportunity to upgrade the display, at least on the more premium Xbox Ally X.

The same good (but not great) 7-inch display

If you compare the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally to the original ROG Ally, or pit the high-end Xbox Ally X against the current handheld champion, the ROG Ally X, you'll see a long list of upgrades, enhancements, and changes.

You won't find any differences in the display, however. ASUS is using the same 7-inch screen that debuted in the original ASUS ROG Ally two years ago across the entire Xbox Ally family.

To be clear, this really isn't a bad display. It's a wide 16:9 aspect ratio with a 120Hz variable refresh rate, and both performance and image quality is solid. It's simply not as good as some of the other best gaming handhelds, though, and I wish ASUS had taken the opportunity to make some improvements.

I'm not necessarily asking for an OLED display, as much as that'd be awesome to see, but it would've been awesome to at least get a bigger, taller, and more vibrant IPS LCD display, similar to what you'll find in the Lenovo Legion Go S.

I would've been perfectly happy if only the more expensive ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X enjoyed the display upgrade treatment, considering pricing will be incredibly important to the success of the entry-level Xbox Ally.

ASUS' handhelds keep getting more expensive, and that 7-inch display can't compete with the Lenovo Legion Go, MSI Claw, or even Nintendo Switch 2.

I'm still very excited for the future of gaming handhelds

I may wish that ASUS and Microsoft had truly gone all out with the Xbox Ally's hardware, but the hardware is arguably the least important part of this handheld. This is part of Microsoft's efforts to make Windows 11 better for everyone, and it could completely change the market landscape.

With the Xbox Ally, Microsoft is finally committing to trimming down Windows for gaming-specific hardware, removing unwanted bloat and processes to improve performance, efficiency, and intuitiveness.

The early looks at this endeavor are extremely promising, and the Xbox Ally could simply be the first step in making all PC gaming handhelds miles more fun to play than they are now.

I'm almost certainly going to try and get my hands on an Xbox Ally just for that, but I also know that, even so long after my Lenovo Legion Go S review, I still miss that gorgeous 8-inch display when playing on my ROG Ally X. Considering how expensive the Xbox Ally X is likely to be, that one upgrade would've made it perfect.

When I first did our ASUS ROG Ally X review, I walked away feeling very impressed with this device. It offered some very nice improvements over the original ASUS ROG Ally gaming handheld.

Now that I've conducted an Xbox Ally X review and an Xbox Ally review, I've seen firsthand how they seeks to improve the Windows handheld experience even further.

I've taken time to compare the Xbox Ally X against the ROG Ally X, and there are some serious differences you're going to want to know about. Let's get started.

By the way, you might also want to check out my Xbox Ally vs ROG Ally comparison, which shows how the white handhelds match up to each other.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Specs

To start things off, take a look at the Xbox Ally X and ROG Ally X specs to see how they compare and differ.

Now that you've taken a gander at the specs, let's go through these handhelds' similarities and differences to discuss how these features will affect you as a potential handheld owner.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Price

PRICE WINNER: The original ROG Ally X doesn't cost as much as the Xbox Ally X, but still offers good gaming performance overall, even if it's not as powerful as the Xbox Ally X.

The Xbox Ally X with its new AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme and notable grips sells for $999.99, which is high-priced, hard pill to swallow.

Meanwhile, the Ally X classic offers two configurations: A 1TB option that sells for $899.99 at Best Buy or a 2TB option that sells for $999.99 at Best Buy, so it is possible to spend less on the older handheld.

It's worth noting that the ROG Ally X handhelds have gone up in price by $100 in the last few months, likely due to the US-China tariff situation. We'll have to wait and see if the price will ever come back down.

Historically, the ROG Ally X has regularly gone on sale during big deal events like Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day, and other deal times. As such, it might be possible to get the Ally X at a lower price if you buy at the right time.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Performance and storage

PERFORMANCE WINNER: The new Xbox Ally X runs games better due to its next-gen AI Z2 Extreme processor and its Windows-reducing capabilities.

The Xbox Ally X utilizes an AI Z2 Extreme APU (accelerated processing unit), which is the next-gen offering compared to the ROG Ally X's Z1 Extreme.

AMD states that the Z2 Extreme is supposed to have better performance by at least 10-15%, which isn't all that much. But when coupled with the Xbox Ally X's other new features, it creates a notably better device that runs games more smoothly overall.

I personally found that going into AMD Software and turning on the HYPR-RX performance profile seriously increases graphics performance on the Xbox Ally X. So, you'll want to take advantage of that if you get this new handheld.

Of course, the Xbox Ally X doesn't just have the Z2 Extreme, but rather the AI Z2 Extreme, so that does mean that the Xbox Ally X is technically an AI PC, complete with an NPU (neural processing unit) on the SoC (system on a chip).

In case you didn't know, an NPU takes some of the load off of the CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit) so that a system can run more efficiently. This usually results in a device offering better performance overall.

Now, many people will point out that AI PCs typically aren't meant for gaming, but this is a special case since we are dealing with a handheld rather than one of the best gaming laptops or best gaming desktops.

AI PC laptops are known for trading off performance for a lighter design and better battery life, and those are the kinds of things you typically want for one of the best gaming handhelds.

Before the Xbox Ally X came along, the only mainline AI PC gaming handhelds on the market were the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and 7 AI+, and these devices have both impressed us greatly, as seen in my MSI Claw 8 AI+ review.

The big difference between the Claw 8 AI+ and Xbox Ally X is that MSI's handheld has an Intel APU (accelerated processing unit) rather than an AMD one.

Now that we've discussed the processor, let's take a look at the other specs that can affect performance.

Both the Ally X and Xbox Ally X have 24GB RAM, so they're similar in that way. However, the Ally X has more storage options since users can choose between a 1TB SSD configuration or a more expensive 2TB SSD configuration.

As of right now, the Xbox Ally X is only available with a 1TB SSD. However, I have verified that it is easy to upgrade the SSD, and there are also WD_BLACK SSDs that have been exclusively designed for Xbox Ally X if you want to upgrade.

Of course, both devices also have a microSD card slot, so you can easily add more game file space using one of the best ROG Ally microSD cards.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Display

DISPLAY WINNER: We have a tie since the Xbox Ally X and Ally X both use a 7-inch IPS touchscreen that supports VRR and up to 120Hz.

I was really hoping that the Xbox Ally X would have an OLED display, but it seemingly uses the same screen or a very similar panel to what the ROG Ally X uses.

Both have a 7-inch IPS FHD touchscreen that supports up to 120Hz refresh rate and also supports VRR to help game visuals look smoother.

RELATED: IPS LCD vs OLED vs tandem OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED: Which is the best display?

I've used my Ally X for hundreds of hours and the Xbox Ally X for dozens of hours. I can say that while these screens aren't the most impressive ones I've ever seen, they more than do the job. Colors look vibrant, and details are very crisp.

Who knows. Maybe we'll get an Xbox Ally X OLED sometime down the road.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Buttons, joysticks, and grip

CONTROLS AND GRIPS WINNER: The Xbox Ally X has many of the same buttons, but the vastly improved grips and Xbox button make it the better device.

I've previously compared the original ROG Ally X layout to an Xbox controller, so it's not too surprising that the Xbox Ally X layout isn't all that different from the Ally X.

They both have large ABXY buttons, joysticks, triggers, bumpers, and a menu button. However, the new Xbox Ally X has an Xbox button in place of the Ally X's Armoury Crate button.

Design-wise, the one huge difference is that the new Xbox Ally X has contoured grips that are far more pronounced than the original Ally X. I can tell you from personal experience that the Xbox Ally X is more comfortable to hold during long gaming sessions.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Compatible games & Operating system

SOFTWARE WINNER: While both are Windows devices, the Xbox Ally X will have an Xbox full-screen mode that should help the system feel more like a console. This lead is temporary since this new mode is probably going to come to ROG Ally X down the line as well.

It's important to note that both the ASUS ROG Ally X and the new Xbox Ally X run Windows 11, so they can both access Steam, Xbox app, Battle.net, and much more.

As seen at Microsoft blog, the company is planning on releasing a Gamepad layout update to Windows that should make it easier to navigate around the operating system using a controller.

As one example, buttons will be mapped to each of the options on the login pin menu, so you won't have to touch the screen unless you want to.

If Windows Gamepad layout is implemented correctly, this could solve many of the problems people have with using Windows on a handheld.

Additionally, the Xbox Ally X's new Xbox full-screen experience minimizes background Windows programs and turns off others to help the system run more smoothly. In other words, it makes the Windows handheld feel more like a console interface.

The Xbox full-screen experience also helps improve performance and lengthens the handheld's battery life, but it does need to be refined further before it can be anywhere near the level of the much-preferred Steam Deck interface.

That said, users can customize settings, remap buttons, and launch games right from a handy Xbox program.

Meanwhile, the ROG Ally X has a software called Armoury Crate that also provides many of these helpful features. For instance, I highly recommend going in and adjusting VRAM on ROG Ally X or maybe even enabling AFMF 2 to increase performance.

One of the frustrating things about Xbox Ally X and ROG Ally X is that I have to go into a program called AMD Software to further enable some settings. It would be better if these were all contained in Armoury Crate so I didn't have to go to both programs to get the handhelds to work the way I want.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Battery life

BATTERY WINNER: Despite having the same 80Whr battery capacity, the original ROG Ally X, was actually able to last a little longer in my testing.

While both the Xbox Ally X and Ally X have a 80Whr battery, it seems the overall system's power need pulls more from the battery than the ROG Ally X's does.

Officially, Xbox states that the Xbox Ally X will reduce idle power consumption by one third.

In my own testing, the ROG Ally X classic managed to run Cyberpunk 2077 on the Steam Deck preset for two hours and 10 minutes while the new Xbox Ally X ran it for an hour and 53 minutes. It's not a huge difference, but the Xbox Ally X did run out of battery faster.

Something to note is that most PC gaming handhelds really don't have the best battery life, so getting around two hours is pretty typical with AAA games.

However, if you change to lower settings and play less graphically demanding or processor-stressing games you can get the Ally X to last for a few hours.

Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X: Which should I buy?

BEST OVERALL: The Xbox Ally X is the better-performing handheld overall with its next-gen processor and improved grips. As such, it is the device we recommend most for people who want the best playing experience. However, the ROG Ally X is still a fantastic device that works very well and doesn't cost as much.

I have loved my ROG Ally X and can easily recommend it to anyone looking for one of the best PC gaming handhelds on the market right now. However, if you're willing to spend the high price for it, the Xbox Ally X, offers an even better playing experience.

In the end, if you want the less expensive option or something you can buy right now, you should consider the Ally X. But if you want the latest and greatest handheld, you should get the Xbox Ally X.

The contoured grips, Xbox full-screen experience, and AI Z2 Extreme processor make it the more compelling premium gaming handheld of the two.

The ASUS ROG Ally originally released in 2023 as one of the very first Windows gaming handhelds developed by a mainstream OEM (original equipment manufacturer). Now that a couple of years have passed, the ROG Xbox Ally (or Xbox Ally) has shown up (announced during Xbox Games Showcase 2025) as a relatively similar device, but with some key differences.

I've compared and contrasted these gaming handhelds against each other on this page to help you see how they match up. Let's dive in.

By the way, it's worth noting that there is also a more powerful Xbox Ally X that is comparable to the ASUS ROG Ally X. If you want to learn more about those devices, check out my Xbox Ally X vs ROG Ally X comparison.

Xbox Ally vs ROG Ally: Specs

I'll dive in and discuss the similarities and differences between the Xbox ROG Ally and the original ASUS ROG Ally, but first, take a look at the known specs of these devices.

Now that you've seen the known specs, continue reading to get a better understanding of what these components and features mean for you as a potential handheld owner.

Xbox Ally vs ROG Ally: Price

PRICE WINNER: The Xbox Ally technically has a lower starting price than the ROG Ally, now that the starting ROG Ally model is no longer selling in stores.

The Xbox Ally with its Ryzen Z2 A processor sells for $599.99 at major retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

Previously, the ASUS ROG Ally came in two configurations: A Z1 Extreme version that sold for $699 and then later a Z1 (non-Extreme) version with a $599.99 MSRP.

However, the Z1 (non-Extreme) devices have largely sold out of stock at several retailers and aren't as widely available as they once were, so you're likely only going to be able to buy the $699.99 Z1 Extreme configuration unless you buy used.

When I last checked, the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme was selling for $649.99 at Best Buy.

This device has also frequently gone on sale during big deal events like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and more. So, you might be able to grab it or the Xbox Ally at a great discount if you buy during a sale.

Xbox Ally vs ROG Ally: Performance and storage

PERFORMANCE WINNER: The original ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) offers better performance than the new Xbox Ally (Z2 A) in every way.

Despite having one of the next-gen AMD Z2 Ryzen APUs, the Xbox Ally is actually designed to offer performance that's more on the level of the Steam Deck, which is less powerful than the ROG Ally classic.

As an explainer, the Ryzen Z2 A in the Xbox Ally uses Zen 2 architecture, with a CPU that has four cores and 8 threads, and 8 GPU cores, similar to the Steam Deck AMD APU.

RELATED: Xbox Ally vs Steam Deck comparison

Meanwhile, the ROG Ally's Z1 Extreme uses Zen 4 architecture, has a CPU with six cores and 12 threads, but only has 4 GPU cores.

In my Xbox Ally testing, I discovered that the Xbox Ally got far lower scores than the ROG Ally in every benchmark I ran it through. So if you want something that can handle more of the latest games, you're better off with the ROG Ally or the Xbox Ally X.

In my ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) review, I was impressed by how smoothly many PC games ran on this device, but it still cannot handle some more graphically intensive games that haven't been optimized for handhelds.

Both the Xbox ROG Ally and the ASUS ROG Ally offer 512GB SSD with 16GB RAM, so there don't seem to be any memory or storage differences that could affect performance at this point.

However, the new Xbox Ally does have a more common M.2 2280 SSD slot compared to the Ally's M.2 2230 SSD slot, so the new device's storage should be easier to upgrade.

That said, I have installed a larger capacity SSD into my ROG Ally's M.2 2230 slot. There are a few 2230 SSDs to choose from that will serve your needs really well, if you want to go through this process.

Additionally, both handhelds offer microSD card slots in case you want to add additional storage without opening the device.

Xbox Ally vs ROG Ally: Display

DISPLAY WINNER: We have a tie. Both the ROG Ally and the newer Xbox ROG Ally seem to utilize similar, if not the same, 7-inch IPS touchscreens.

Both the Ally and the Xbox Ally have a 7-inch IPS touchscreen that reaches up to FHD resolution, offers up to a 120Hz refresh rate, and supports VRR (variable refresh rate) for smoother gaming.

I know from my own ROG Ally experiences and testing that this handheld's screen doesn't have the very best color gamut, but it does display game visuals with respectable color and crisp detail. As such, I'm expecting the same from the Xbox ROG Ally.

RELATED: IPS LCD vs OLED vs tandem OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED: Which is the best display?

It's a little disappointing that the Xbox Ally screen isn't an OLED, but keeping it as an IPS display does keep the cost of the device down.

Xbox Ally vs ROG Ally: Buttons, joysticks, and grip

CONTROLS AND GRIPS WINNER: The Xbox Ally has the same overall button layout, but also has far more pronounced built-in grips, which makes the device more comfortable to hold than the original ROG Ally.

It was already easy to compare the original ROG Ally layout to the Xbox controller, due to its large ABXY buttons, offset joysticks, bumpers, triggers, menu, and view button.

Now, the new Xbox Ally has a very similar layout to the Ally, only with a dedicated Xbox button in place of the ASUS Armoury Crate button.

Despite the grips not looking as ergonomic as the Xbox controller, the original ROG Ally is still a decently comfortable gaming handheld to hold due to the grip shape.

That said, the new Xbox Ally has far more pronounced grips that make for more comfortable and convenient gaming sessions.

Unlike some other gaming handhelds like Nintendo Switch 2 and Lenovo Legion Go 2, both the ROG Ally and Xbox ROG Ally do not have detachable controllers, nor do they have built-in kickstands.

Xbox Ally vs ROG Ally: Compatible games & Operating system

SOFTWARE WINNER: The Xbox Ally has an edge because of its ability to reduce Windows tasks in the background to make the device more efficient. But this will likely also come to ROG Ally soon.

It's important to note that both the ASUS ROG Ally and the new Xbox Ally run Windows 11, so they are capable of accessing the same programs and services that a gaming laptop can.

This means you can easily go to Steam, Xbox app, Epic Games Store, Battle.net, and many more.

Microsoft is also planning on releasing a new Gamepad layout that will make it easier to navigate Windows using controller buttons. For instance, the login pin menu will have 1 assigned to D-Pad up (as seen in Microsoft Insider Preview Build).

Depending on how Windows Gamepad layout is implemented, it could solve a lot of the issues people have using Windows on a gaming handheld.

One of the key differences between these handhelds is that the ROG Ally has an Armoury Crate button while the Xbox Ally has an Xbox button. Both programs can be used to launch games, adjust settings, and more.

However, the Xbox Ally has a new Xbox full-screen experience that turns off or reduces Windows background tasks so the handheld can run more efficiently while you play your games.

Xbox states that this leads to "more memory, higher framerates, and a fully immersive experience for players—all made possible by the versatility and freedom of Windows 11."

The Xbox button on the new Xbox Ally quickly gives players access to an enhanced Game Bar overlay that makes it easy to open programs, chat, or adjust settings and accessibility features.

In my own experience, I can say the Xbox full-screen experience does improve things, but it seriously needs to be refined further before it feels as intuitive and convenient as the Steam Deck interface.

I can say that I have a love-hate relationship with Armoury Crate.

On the one hand, the program is somewhat clunky and doesn't always offer all of the settings adjustments that I want. For instance, I have to open AMD Software if I want to enable certain AMD graphics features.

That all said, of the many gaming handhelds I've tested and used, ROG Ally and Xbox Ally's Armoury Crate does provide the most customization options to help me set up the handheld just the way I want it.

Xbox Ally vs ROG Ally: Battery life

BATTERY WINNER: The new Xbox Ally offers longer battery life since it has a larger 60Whr battery capacity than the original Ally's 40Whr battery and has new energy-saving features.

The ROG Ally has a 40Whr battery that is capable of lasting up to four hours on low settings when playing less demanding games. However, it tends to run out of juice in less than an hour if it's playing more graphically intensive titles and on max TDP (thermal design power).

Of course, another option is to swap out the ROG Ally's battery for a better one. If you're interested, you can check out my ROG Ally battery upgrade guide for more info.

Meanwhile, Xbox Ally has a larger 60Whr battery capacity, and I was able to get it to last for roughly seven hours and six minutes while playing less demanding games. When I ran Cyberpunk 2077, the Xbox Ally only lasted about an hour and 48 minutes.

That said, many gaming handhelds really don't have very long battery life, so it might be in your best interest to get a power bank for ROG Ally or play your device while it is charging and docked to a TV.

Xbox Ally vs ROG Ally: Which should I buy?

BEST OVERALL: Even though the Xbox Ally has a new Z2 A processor and a larger capacity battery, the original ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) can run a wider range of games than the Xbox Ally.

Both the ROG Ally and Xbox Ally are good devices, but there are a few trade-offs between them. The original ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) is more powerful than the Xbox ROG Ally with its Z2 A processor, so if you want to play more graphically demanding titles, it's the better pick.

The Xbox ROG Ally does have better battery life due to its larger capacity and ability to save power by turning off certain Windows 11 features in its Xbox mode. I also cannot argue with the improved grips on the Xbox Ally, which make this device easier to hold during gaming sessions. But it feels like less value for your money overall. That could change if you happen to grab one during a sale.

We exclusively revealed Project Kennan a few months ago, and now we know the real name, specs, and everything else you need to know.

Previously known as Project Kennan, Microsoft and ASUS today revealed the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, two super-charged PC gaming handhelds powered by AMD's new Z2 Extreme and Z2-A chips, promising boosted performance and battery life for the form factor.

In perhaps even bigger news, the Xbox Ally will also sport a new version of the Xbox app for Windows 11, which adapts the OS specifically for PC gaming handhelds. The Xbox Ally will still be full Windows under the hood, but, in early testing, the Xbox app in full screen mode seems to use only a third of the total idle power consumption of typical Windows. Microsoft also says they can free up to 2GB of RAM for gaming performance with these new features.

Here's what we know so far about the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X.

Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X specs

I'm not sure why they didn't call it the "Xbox Ally S," but it seems as though this will be the more affordable of the two options. It doesn't have as much storage, uses a less powerful chip, and has 16GB of RAM, but it's most likely designed to be more of a mass market offering. We don't know exactly how powerful the Z2-A is yet, but Microsoft and ASUS say its designed for power efficiency, and also has features designed to leverage future AI technologies like frame generation and NPU-assisted upscaling.

I suspect the Xbox Ally "S" (I'm calling it that I don't care), is going to be best leveraged against well-optimized 3D games but perhaps mostly 2D games, although that's pure speculation as of writing. Even the Z2 Go in the Lenovo Legion Go S is quite performant even for AAA 3D games, albeit with compromises. We'll have to wait and see exactly how this chip performs in practice. Previous leaks peg the Z2-A at hitting 6 to 20w range, which might not be enough to push some AAA games to their "high" settings at 60 FPS, but wattage only tells part of the story here.

The Xbox Ally X was described by Microsoft and ASUS as being a "premium" option, so I'm thoroughly expecting this device to exceed $1000 at retail. Indeed, we don't know the price of either device yet, but with tariffs impacting supply chains on tech, don't expect the final price to be pretty.

In any case, the Xbox Ally X should be a true performance powerhouse, like the ROG Ally X before it. Powered by the next generation Z2 Extreme, pushed to the max we should see some truly incredible performance out of this handheld. It'll hopefully be quite exciting to benchmark when the time comes. Previous leaks suggest this chip will go all the way to 35w, beating the 30w of the Z1E ROG Ally. Microsoft said that games like the upcoming Gears of War: Reloaded run at a completely stable 1080p 60 FPS on this thing, giving a AAA console gaming experience.

ASUS ROG with a bit of Xbox design flair

The Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are unmistakably "ASUS ROG" in their design, complete with the angles and ROG branding here and there. Microsoft and ASUS have worked hard to implement some Xboxxy flair here and there, though.

The Xbox Ally "S" as I'm calling it has Xbox branding textures throughout the colorway, and both devices use the Xbox font on the ABYX buttons, and share triggers and joysticks with standard Xbox controllers. Both devices also have an angular Xbox button ensconced on the top left, underlining the partnership.

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of this device, when it initially leaked, was the bulky-looking grips. This was clearly done for ergonomic reasons, as the overall height of the device has been retooled to make it easier to reach for all the bumpers and triggers — leveraging Xbox's design knowledge. Microsoft and ASUS explained to us that the balance of the device has been improved significantly over the previous versions of ROG Ally, designed for long-term use without creating fatigue. The grips were designed so that your index and middle fingers could be used for bumper and trigger access, leaving your ring and little fingers to stabilize the device in your hand. Speaking of which, both devices also have back buttons for additional inputs.

Arguably the biggest "Xbox" touch here is the software, which is a massively upgraded experience, from what I can tell.

A massively enhanced Windows 11 gaming experience

Perhaps an even bigger headline here than the Xbox Ally itself is the fact Windows 11 and the Xbox app are unique to this device here (for now), with exclusive features that massively enhance performance and reduce OS overheads. I'm told that eventually, the new Xbox app and Windows 11 gaming features will eventually roll out to other devices like the Lenovo Legion Go (starting in early 2026, Microsoft says), but they will be exclusive to the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X while they are developed and refined.

Microsoft's goal with Windows 11 on the Xbox Ally is to make it so you can navigate as much of Windows as possible without using the touch screen or a keyboard. It's unclear if this is a separate ring to regular Windows 11, but it certainly seems like it is from what I can tell.

On the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, you can get through the lockscreen on Windows 11 using the controller, which is a first for Windows. But it gets better once you're actually in.

With the new Xbox app, you can set it into full screen mode like Steam for the first time. But this isn't merely cosmetic. When running in full screen mode, the Xbox app will disable all Windows 11 processes, even the Desktop, reducing the amount of idle / standby power consumption by one third. Furthermore, it'll free up to 2GB of RAM and send that right into your games. Microsoft says these benefits are still early days ahead of the platform's holiday 2025 launch window, and there should be greater improvements to speak of down the line.

While the Xbox app in full screen cancels out some of Windows 11's mouse and keyboard-style traditional functionality, it won't reduce the ability to multi-task. Despite shutting down the Desktop in this mode, you will still be able to launch apps and programs from the new Xbox Game Bar. A new alt tab interface will let you scroll through those apps too, whether it's YouTube via Chrome or Edge, or Discord itself, without having to move into the Desktop environment.

This is quite a huge deal for Windows 11, as it's not hard to envision how this new mode could eventually extend to other types of devices, from tablets to television sets (... and phones?!). But it is very early days yet. Microsoft was keen to stress that they envision even bigger performance savings with these features as they are further developed.

It's not quite an Xbox handheld, but we're getting there

The elephant in the room is that, indeed, this is still a PC gaming handheld at the end of the day. For Xbox fans, that means the vast majority of your actually Xbox games won't run on this thing, unless they support Xbox Play Anywhere. There is a ton of Xbox Play Anywhere games out there now, but the vast majority of AAA games or hit indies skip Xbox PC entirely, disregarding Xbox Play Anywhere completely. But obviously, the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X can still use Steam and Steam Big Picture mode full screen as well, in addition to other stores like GOG and Epic Games.

Either way, this is the first step towards the dream of having a true Xbox handheld that can run all of your Xbox games. I suspect more and more games will open up to Xbox Play Anywhere as Microsoft continues to push its Xbox PC storefront as another option for PC developers next to Steam, given that Microsoft gives developers 88% of the revenue from their games, over Steam's 70%.

The platform work Microsoft has done for Windows 11 here is incredibly exciting for the category in general, especially as SteamOS on devices like the Steam Deck has pushed Microsoft to really improve the experience for gamers and consumers in general. The versatility of Windows remains its super power, but all that power comes at a cost — and that cost is, well, power. If these new enhancements to Windows 11 can boost battery life and performance in ways that it seems SteamOS can, what we have here is a dream PC gaming handheld that leverages the full versatility of Windows without its performance compromises.

... Providing the price is right, of course. Prep your wallets, gamers.

The day has finally arrived that official, Valve-made SteamOS is available on handhelds other than the Steam Deck.

This isn't some sweeping open release, which will put sad faces on some (no SteamOS desktop PC for me), but it is the first full, official support for other handhelds.

Initially, that's the Lenovo Legion Go S, the first partner handheld to ship with SteamOS, and which is releasing imminently. This handheld has full support, while there is "expanded support" for other handhelds, including the Legion Go and ROG Ally.

It's all part of SteamOS v3.7, which has now hit stable for the first time. Aside from the additional handheld support, it's actually a pretty massive update.

Here are some of the headline features:

• Updated to a newer Arch Linux base
• Updated the Linux kernel to 6.11
• Updated the Mesa graphics driver base
• Desktop mode now ships with Plasma 6.2.5
• Added support for frame limiting with VRR displays (internal and external)
• Added Battery Charge Limit control to Settings->Power
  • This option allows you to set a maximum charge limit for your Steam Deck.
  • Limiting the charge limit to 80% can be beneficial for long term battery health. This can be useful if your Steam Deck is constantly being charged (e.g. docked), or very rarely has its battery depleted.
• Fixed a crash when no displays are connected
• Added official support for the Lenovo Legion Go S
• Improved support for other AMD powered handhelds (like the ROG Ally and original Legion Go)
• Updated the SteamOS recovery image for repairing SteamOS on Steam Deck and Legion Go S. If you would like to test SteamOS on your own AMD powered handheld, you can use this SteamOS recovery image and follow the instructions here.

The Legion Go and ROG Ally are specifically name-dropped, but the caveat to trying SteamOS on another handheld is a simple one. It needs AMD CPU and graphics hardware, and an NVMe SSD "targeted towards handheld devices." So basically, you need a PCIe 4.0 SSD.

That opens up possibilities beyond just the two handhelds named, with those from the likes of AYANEO also running AMD hardware that this could be possible on.

The only flat out exclusion right now is the existing MSI Claw series, since those use Intel CPU and graphics.

If you're feeling it and want to turn your own handheld into a Steam Deck, check out Valve's full installation instructions at your leisure. You'll need a USB stick, and a little bit of time, and not much else.

One of the major criticisms of Windows 11 on handhelds such as the ROG Ally to date is the clunkiness of the UI. Windows just isn't built for tiny screens.

With the first 'Xbox handheld' on the way, aka, Project Kennan — a device we have reported on and which has experienced its first photoshoot recently — Microsoft is starting to make some small, but important additions to the Xbox app.

First reported by The Verge's Tom Warren, the Xbox app on Windows 11 is now showing useful system information when in Compact Mode, including a clock, battery status, and Wi-Fi.

I've checked my own Xbox app and indeed it is showing this additional information, although as I'm on a desktop with Ethernet, it looks a little different.

I should also say that it likely isn't rolling out fully at this point. Other members of the Windows Central team aren't seeing the same, though I'm on the Insider Program (as is Tom Warren who first reported on this), so it makes sense it may be landing there first.

But it's happening, and just in time for the as-yet unnamed Xbox/ASUS handheld, Project Kennan.

Compact Mode in the Xbox app is potentially the front end for this handheld, as you would imagine ASUS won't be layering Armoury Crate on an Xbox-branded device by default.

Clicking on the clock or network connection doesn't do anything, at least for now, but these little touches shouldn't be overlooked. They're important for quality of life on a handheld.

If Microsoft is getting into the game, there's no excuse anymore.

The handheld space is heating up in 2025

Gaming handheld PCs have been growing in popularity over the past few years, really driven forward, initially, by the launch of the Steam Deck.

2025 is going to be the biggest year, yet, though. Xbox is due to launch its first branded handheld, admittedly, through a partnership with ASUS. There's a new ROG Ally on the way, it seems, likely powered by AMD's latest chips.

Then there's SteamOS, which is getting ready to push beyond the Steam Deck. The Legion Go S (pictured above) is the first licensed partner handheld to offer SteamOS out of the box, but the software will finally be available this year to install on other devices.

I'm convinced that unless you need a laptop to use for purposes other than gaming, a handheld is increasingly the smarter choice over a gaming laptop.

They're far more portable, have usable battery life, and as we've already seen, can play even demanding games at an acceptable standard.

We still don't have dates for SteamOS, nor the Xbox Project Kennan, but all signs point to real soon. And I can't wait.

I've previously written a guide on how to factory reset and sell your ROG Ally in order to get a better handheld.

However, the sad truth is that the original ASUS ROG Ally gaming handhelds generally don't retain their value when sold or traded in anymore.

For instance, even if you've kept it in really good condition and still have the charger, Best Buy only offers $160.00 when you trade in either the Z1 (non-Extreme) or the Z1 Extreme version. Meanwhile, it can be hard to sell your used Ally on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or other similar services.

So, instead of trading in your original Ally for another handheld with better battery life, like the improved ROG Ally X, it might be better for your wallet for you to just upgrade your original Ally with a greater battery capacity (and maybe even a larger SSD).

I've already upgraded my ROG Ally, so I've put together this page of tips on how to do the battery upgrade correctly.

If you're interested in swapping to a bigger SSD, check out my guide on how to upgrade the SSD in your ROG Ally.

What you'll need to upgrade your battery

The original ROG Ally has a 40Whr battery while the ROG Ally X has an 80Whr battery. As seen in my JSAUX ROG Ally Battery Upgrade Kit review, this kit provides a 65Whr battery, which is better than the original, but doesn't last as long as the ROG Ally X's stock battery.

JSAUX Battery Upgrade Kit: Tips and things to know

JSAUX provides a video tutorial as well as step-by-step illustrated instructions for upgrading the ROG Ally battery at the JSAUX website. I've embedded the video above to make it easier to watch.

All in all, the upgrade process itself is relatively easy, but here's what you need to know and what you should consider before doing it.

• As with most tech upgrades, if you aren't careful during the upgrade process, you could permanently damage your handheld. Follow the instructions and use the proper tools correctly to avoid complications.
• You'll want to perform this upgrade on a clean, dry surface. I did mine on this self-healing mat, which sells for $8.99 at Amazon.
• Unlike the other ROG Ally back screws, the bottom middle screw isn't intended to come out all of the way. You'll want to unscrew it as much as possible and then open the casing with it still in the screw hole.
• I found it easiest to pry the Ally casing open by using the triangular prying tool in the seam near the bumper area.
• The included blue gloves are shock resistant, so you should wear the gloves during the upgrade to prevent accidentally damaging any of the Ally's internals.
• The prying bar is helpful for interacting with latches, such as opening and shutting the ribbon clasps or locking and unlocking the piece of metal holding the battery cable in place.
  • Pull up from behind the ribbon latch to move it. Meanwhile, gently press down on the metal above the cable and then slide it up and down to safely unlock the wires.

• It's also worth noting that after installing the new battery, you will need to plug your handheld into its power cable before it will turn on again. This is expected, considering you've just swapped out the battery, and the new one won't have any juice.
• After the upgrade, your handheld might take a while to start up after showing the initial Republic of Gamers logo, but that is to be expected. Leave the handheld alone and allow it to start up at its own pace.
• Going through with this upgrade will void any active warranty that you have for your Ally. So keep that in mind.
• The new ROG Ally back plate doesn't have textured grips and feels a little too smooth. To fix this, you might want to purchase non-slip grip stickers from Amazon.
• Since the new backplate makes the ROG Ally 1mm thicker than it originally was, form-fitting protective cases, decal wraps, and vinyl skins might not fit the upgraded Ally.
• You'll want to reach out to JSAUX customer support if you have any issues during the upgrade process.

If the battery upgrade process was done correctly, the ROG Ally should behave normally after it's been booted up again, only with longer battery life.

ROG Ally trade-in and upgrade FAQ

*ROG Ally devices have been found selling at various retailers, but sometimes from shady third-party resellers at high prices. Best Buy is currently the best place to find consistent prices and deals from an official and trusted seller.

Atomfall is Steam Deck Verified, so you're good to go

One of 2025's biggest new indie projects is Atomfall, a new survival game from Rebellion — the studio responsible for creating the well-known Sniper Elite and Zombie Army franchises. Unlike the more focused nature of those experiences, though, Atomfall is far more expansive and non-linear as a result of its wide open world and open-ended narrative structure. Set five years after the infamous 1957 Windscale nuclear disaster, the game tasks players with finding a way to survive in the fallout-covered region of Lakeland in Great Britain while also investigating this fictional version of the catastrophe.

Atomfall has reviewed fairly well overall, with critics praising the design of its world, the variety of enemies you'll encounter in it (mutants, cultists, robots, and soldiers, among some others), its exploration systems, and the impressive amount of freedom it affords players in regards to approaching objectives. As a result, many are excited to jump into the game, especially since it's going to be on Xbox Game Pass. A portion of those folks prefer to use gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck to play their games, however, and they're curious to learn how well Atomfall runs on those systems.

• DEAL: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 1-month memberships are just $13.99 at CDKeys, giving you access to Microsoft's service for a steep discount

Thankfully, there's good news: as the game's Steam store page shows, Atomfall is officially Steam Deck Verified. This means that Valve — the creator of Steam and the Steam Deck handheld — has tested the game, ultimately determining that it will run well on the system. Given that Atomfall's PC requirements are quite modest and that other handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and the ROG Ally X are more powerful than the Deck, you shouldn't have any problems playing it on those devices either.

Best Atomfall settings for Steam Deck and gaming handhelds

It's great news that Atomfall is fully playable on the Steam Deck and other gaming handhelds, but what are the best settings to use for it? Generally, it's ideal to aim for a framerate of around 40 FPS while keeping settings as high as you can, as this gives you an excellent balance of visual quality and gameplay smoothness.

By keeping Atomfall at Medium settings and a 100% resolution scale (native), you can expect to get around 35-40 FPS — an excellent result, and what I'd recommend if you don't mind occasional single-digit dips. If you'd prefer to stay in the 40-ish FPS range, though, you could lower the render scale slightly and/or bring shadows down to Low. Of course, you also have the option of lowering more settings to bring the framerate up substantially, but the loss of visual quality will be apparent.

On more capable handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go, you'll be able to push for higher visual fidelity without the major performance loss you'd incur on the Steam Deck. Because of that, you'll be able to push certain settings up to High while still enjoying a smooth experience, though you still shouldn't expect desktop-grade performance out of your handheld.

Atomfall launches on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PS5, and PS4 on March 27. Notably, a nice discount has the $49.99 Standard Edition down to just $38.69 at CDKeys. Alternatively, you could get the $69.99 Deluxe Edition for $51.99 at CDKeys, which would give you Early Access and some cosmetic goodies. If you'd prefer to play through a subscription service, you'll be happy to know that Atomfall is coming to Game Pass on day one.

When the original white ASUS ROG Ally launched in 2023, I was extremely eager to check out this gaming handheld. I eventually conducted both Windows Central's ROG Ally review and then later the ROG Ally X review.

More recently, I got my hands on the elusive MSI Claw 8 AI+ and was able to run it through a series of benchmark tests for my MSI Claw 8 AI+ review.

Now that I've officially tested both Windows 11 devices, I can compare them and show you how similar they are in certain respects, as well as point out the ways in which they outdo each other. Let's dive in.

How do the Claw 8 AI+ and ROG Ally X specs compare?

Before we compare these handhelds in different categories, take a gander at the MSI Claw 8 AI+ specs and the ASUS ROG Ally X's specs. I've included the original white ROG Ally's info as well.

Now that you've taken a look, I'll discuss what these handhelds' differences and similarities mean for you as a prospective owner.

Back to the top ^

Claw 8 AI+ vs ROG Ally X: Which is better value?

The ROG Ally X comes with 24GB RAM, an 80Whr battery, and an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip.

It has a starting price of $799.99 at Best Buy for the 1TB SSD configuration, or you can go up to $899.99 for the 2TB SSD version.

Of course, there's also the option of going with the original Z1 Extreme ROG Ally, which sells for $649.99 at Best Buy due to it only having 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and a 40Whr battery.

The awesome thing about ROG Ally handhelds is that they frequently go on sale at Best Buy during big sales events like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. So you're more likely to be able to grab one at a really good discount.

Meanwhile, the 1TB MSI Claw 8 AI+ with its $899.99 MSRP is $100 more than ROG Ally X's starting price.

There's also the new MSI Claw 7 AI+, which is relatively similar to the 8 AI+ but with a black casing, smaller 7-inch IPS display, and 512GB SSD.

We'll dive more into specs and performance later, but suffice it to say that the price differences between these devices is relatively understandable given the much stronger gaming capabilities of MSI's handhelds.

That said, there's no denying that the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is far more expensive.

I thoroughly enjoy gaming on my ROG Ally X handheld and find that a 1TB SSD is honestly enough space for most people, so going with the starting configuration might be best for many people.

Why are U.S. tariffs increasing handheld prices?

The MSI Claw 7 AI+ originally sold for $799.99, but has since seen a 3.75% price increase at some U.S. retailers, most likely due to the tariffs put into effect by the Trump Administration. For instance, this handheld now sells for $829.99 at Best Buy.

It's looking very likely that many products manufactured outside of the U.S. will see a significant price increase in the U.S. unless something changes.

Since the MSI Claw AI+ handhelds and ROG Ally handhelds are largely manufactured in China, it's very likely their U.S. prices could go up significantly from here.

TL;DR: PRICE WINNER: The ASUS ROG Ally X starting price is $100 less than MSI Claw 8 AI+. If you want to save money, you can even go with the original Z1 Extreme ROG Ally, which is $400 less than the Claw. Just expect shorter battery life, less RAM, and a smaller SSD. Note that gaming handheld prices will likely go up in the U.S. due to recent tariffs.

Back to the top ^

Which is faster for gaming: the Claw 8 AI+ or ROG Ally X?

I can easily say the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V-toting MSI Claw 8 AI+ is one of the very best gaming handhelds and outshines the ROG Ally X's AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme in terms of performance.

In fact, I've tested quite a few gaming handhelds over the last few years, and none of them have performed nearly as well as the Intel Lunar Lake MSI Claw 8 AI+ when running more intensive and graphically demanding games.

There can still be stuttering and some screen tearing depending on what titles I'm playing, but the FPS (frames per second) is notably higher on MSI Claw 8 AI+, and games tend to run smoothly overall.

*The handhelds achieved these results when AFMF 2 was not enabled.

As one example, when I ran the MSI Claw 8 AI+, Lenovo Legion Go, ROG Ally X, and original ROG Ally through the same Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark test multiple times at different default graphics settings, MSI's handheld tended to get nearly double the FPS that the ROG Ally X managed.

To be fair, I usually use my ROG Ally X with AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2 (AFMF 2) enabled, which tends to double the FPS results. So, there are still ways to get the Ally X to perform much better than it does out of the box if you're willing to make adjustments.

• RELATED: How to turn on AFMF 2 on ROG Ally and ROG Ally X

Still, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ impressively does higher FPS and provides better overall performance without me needing to go into the software and tweak settings, which makes it more convenient.

TL;DR: PERFORMANCE WINNER: The MSI Claw 8 AI+ offers the most impressive performance I've ever seen in a handheld to date. If you want the smoothest playing experience possible right now, you'll want the latest MSI Claw rather than the ROG Ally X.

Back to the top ^

Claw 8 AI+ vs Ally X: Which device has the better screen?

Both handhelds have IPS displays that offer relatively similar picture quality, VRR (variable refresh rate) support, and a max 120Hz refresh rate. Because of this, motion clarity isn't perfect, but it is good on both.

When seen side-by-side, it's easy to see how much more of a presence the MSI Claw 8 AI+'s larger 8-inch IPS touchscreen has compared to the smaller ROG Ally X 7-inch IPS touchscreen. I feel more pulled into my games using the larger MSI display.

I used a colorimeter on both screens and discovered that they produce a relatively similar color gamut, but the MSI Claw did produce slightly better results overall.

This test also showed me that the MSI Claw produces a max brightness of 469 nits while the Ally X produces a max of 536 nits, which isn't a huge difference. It is possible to play these devices outside and make out the details on the screen, but only if it isn't too bright out.

One thing I have noticed in person is that the glass over the MSI Claw 8 AI+ screen tends to reflect gray more than the ROG Ally X's glass does. So, blacks and dark tones look more accurate on the Ally X.

TL;DR: DISPLAY WINNER: Thanks to its larger 8-inch display, VRR support, and respectable color gamut, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ offers the nicer display.

Back to the top ^

How do the controls and ports compare on the Claw vs Ally X?

The overall layout for button and offset joystick placement is basically the same between the ROG Ally X and the MSI Claw 8 AI+, but the latter handheld is a bit wider, taller, thicker, and heavier (more on that in the next section).

It's worth noting that the MSI Claw features Hall Effect joysticks and triggers, while the ROG Ally X does not. This means the Claw cannot experience stick drift and offers better precision overall.

I'm going to preface this next part by saying that I've put several dozen, if not hundreds, of hours on my ROG Ally X, so I'm not sure if I've reduced the fresh feel of the button presses or not.

That said, when comparing the resistance and feel of the handhelds' various buttons, I noticed that the MSI Claw 8 AI+ D-Pad and bumpers felt a little snappier and a bit more satisfying to use. Otherwise, there isn't much of a difference between the devices' button responsiveness.

As is common with handhelds, both the Claw and the Ally X have a button on either side of the display to bring up either a command program or a quick side menu for adjusting settings (more on that later).

Along the top of either handheld is a power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader. Both of these biometric readers regularly have issues and don't work all of the time, but they can be a convenient way to log in when they do work.

Outside of that, both handhelds have a microSD card reader, volume buttons, and a headphone jack on top.

One big difference is that the ROG Ally X has one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port and a USB4 port, while the MSI Claw 8 AI+ has two superior Thunderbolt 4 ports.

You'll be able to charge either device with one connection and use the other one for an accessory, but Thunderbolt 4 offers faster link speeds than USB-C and USB4.

TL;DR: CONTROLS & PORTS WINNER: Unlike the ROG Ally and Ally X, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ houses Hall Effect joysticks that won't drift, and it features two Thunderbolt 4 ports for your charging and accessory needs.

Back to the top ^

Which is more comfortable: the Claw 8 AI+ or Ally X?

When it comes to dimensions, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ measures 11.77 inches wide, 4.96 inches tall, 0.94 inches deep, and weighs 1.75 pounds.

Meanwhile, the ROG Ally X is 11.02 inches wide, 4.37 inches tall, 0.83 inches deep, and weighs 1.49 pounds.

I personally find the ROG Ally X the more comfortable handheld to hold between the two because its grip areas are more rounded, and the back buttons don't get in the way of my grip as much.

Additionally, I don't like the feel of the hard textured plastic on the back of the MSI Claw 8 AI+ casing. The ROG Ally X is smoother and feels better in my hands.

Of course, grip accessories like the one seen in my JSAUX ModCase for ROG Ally X review can add texture and better ergonomic grips to handhelds.

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is still relatively new at the time of writing, but it's likely that similar third-party grip accessories will release for it as well.

TL;DR: COMFORT WINNER: This will largely be a matter of preference, but I find that the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X are more comfortable to hold for long stretches.

Back to the top ^

Claw vs Ally X: How does the software experience differ?

Both the ROG Ally X and MSI Claw 8 AI+ are Windows 11 devices that function like a small gaming laptop with controllers attached.

This means they both can be used to surf the web, access various gaming services, run programs, and more.

As I mentioned earlier, there's a button on the left side of either handheld display that brings up a full command program; it's called MSI Center M on Claw 8 AI+, and Armoury Crate on ROG Ally X.

These programs give quick access to system setting adjustment, RGB customization, a game launcher, a game store, user assistance, and more.

Additionally, pressing a button on the right side of the screen brings up a smaller side menu filled with things like a real-time monitor, on-screen keyboard, screen recording, and more that are easier to access during games.

Armoury Crate and MSI Center M are useful, but they can both be a bit limited and clunky.

Of the two, the Ally X's Armoury Crate is designed better and provides far more manual customization options, so it's the best choice if you want to have more control over your handheld.

I also like that the ROG Ally X allows me to manually adjust VRAM, which is something I cannot do on MSI Claw 8 AI+.

That all said, MSI Center M is clean and easy to navigate. This device also has an AI Engine mode, which automatically optimizes the system so you don't have to make adjustments yourself.

As such, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ might be more appealing for people who just want something that works well and doesn't require as much fine-tuning.

TL;DR: SOFTWARE & GAMES WINNER: Although both devices run Windows 11 and can access the same gaming services, the ROG Ally and Ally X provide more customization options to help you get the device running the way you want it.

Back to the top ^

Does the Claw 8 AI+ or ROG Ally X have longer battery life?

During battery life testing for both my ROG Ally X review and my MSI Claw 8 AI review, I learned that these devices tend to last for roughly the same amount of time.

They both house 80Whr batteries and tend to run for about two hours and 10 minutes when the screens are around 200 nits brightness and either is playing a game like Cyberpunk 2077.

That said, they can last a few hours longer if on lower settings and if you're playing a less straining game.

While two hours and 10 minutes isn't very long in terms of gaming sessions, this considerably longer battery life than many other handhelds on the market can provide.

TL;DR: BATTERY LIFE WINNER: We have a tie. Both the ROG Ally X and the MSI Claw 8 AI+ utilize an 80Whr battery that tends to last two hours and 10 minutes when running more graphically demanding games. This is longer than the 45 minutes that the ROG Ally's 40Whr musters.

Back to the top ^

Claw 8 AI+ vs ROG Ally X: Side-by-side comparison

Back to the top ^

MSI Claw 8 AI+ vs ROG Ally X: Which should I buy?

In all honesty, I love and can recommend both the ROG Ally X and MSI Claw 8 AI+, but they do fit slightly different situations.

You should get ROG Ally or ROG Ally X if...

✅ You tend to play older titles or games with simpler PC requirements

While I can and have used my ROG Ally and Ally X to play the latest and greatest AAA games, the handhelds can sometimes stutter and struggle in the process. Meanwhile, if I play classic titles, 2D platformers, or cute pixel-graphics games my Ally handhelds can handle them a lot more easily.

You should get MSI Claw 8 AI+ if...

✅ You love playing the latest AAA games and intensive titles

Obviously, I can't promise that every PC game will run smoothly on a Windows handheld, but it's more likely to be able to run well on MSI Claw 8 AI+ over all other handhelds currently on the market.

Back to the top ^

One of the most anticipated games of 2025 is Assassin's Creed Shadows, the long-awaited sequel to Ubisoft's biggest franchise.

AC Shadows takes full advantage of modern gaming hardware to deliver a truly ambitious action-RPG open-world adventure, which begs the question: can you comfortably play this title on gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, or Lenovo Legion Go?

I tested it myself and came away pleasantly surprised. Assassin's Creed Shadows is an intensive game, but you can have a great time playing it on handhelds — and it'll even support Steam Deck at launch. Here's what you need to know.

If you'd like to know about the game, you can check out my in-depth Assassin's Creed Shadows review.

The settings you'll want to use when playing Assassin's Creed Shadows

Assassin's Creed Shadows lacks a dedicated preset for gaming handhelds (at least the Ubisoft Connect version), and it did a poor job automatically identifying my handheld's hardware capabilities and adjusting settings.

So, here are the settings I used to enjoy playing Assassin's Creed Shadows on ASUS ROG Ally X (but these settings should be more-or-less the same on all handhelds).

• Native resolution: 1080p (720p on Steam Deck and other low-powered handhelds)
• Preset: Low
• AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution: Enabled, set to Performance
• AMD Frame Generation: Enabled
• Raytraced Global Illumination: Diffuse Everywhere (Diffuse Hideout Only on Steam Deck and other low-powered handhelds)

Using the above settings, the ASUS ROG Ally X benchmarked with a 41 frames-per-second average. Disabling AMD's Frame Generation dropped that framerate down to a measly 23 FPS average, so that setting is necessary for a good handheld gaming experience.

The Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme and 16GB of RAM should perform similarly, but you'll want to assign 6GB of RAM to the GPU (Assassin's Creed Shadows used around 5.6GB on the Ally X, which has a more generous 24GB of shared RAM).

Less powerful gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck and Lenovo Legion Go S will also be able to play Assassin's Creed Shadows without much issue, but much closer to a locked 30 FPS. The Steam Deck's lower-resolution display will help compensate for its lower 4GB of RAM assigned to the GPU, while the Legion Go S has plenty of RAM to go around.

On any handheld, I recommend playing on the highest wattage performance profile (so you'll want to stay plugged in or accept the hit to battery life), but the most powerful handhelds, like the ROG Ally X, should still be playable on the default performance profiles when off the charger.

Keep reading for my personal experience playing AC Shadows on a handheld!

How's the gameplay experience with AC Shadows on handhelds?

I use the ASUS ROG Ally X with 8GB of RAM assigned to its GPU, which is one of the more optimal handheld gaming setups you can buy right now, so my experience can be considered the "ideal" for AC Shadows on handhelds.

Using the settings described above, I was able easily obtain a stable 40 frames-per-second with few drops or stutters. I was surprised by how smooth AC Shadows seemed to run, even while traveling through foliage-dense areas or placing multiple NPCs on screen at once.

At the very least, I never once saw a dip below 30 FPS. Yes, this is with AMD Frame Generation enabled, but Assassin's Creed Shadows feels smoother at 30 FPS than many other AAA games and Frame Generation doesn't introduce any noticeable latency or unwanted visual artifacts.

• RELATED: Our full Assassin's Creed Shadows review

As I mentioned above, other gaming handhelds should at least be able to hit 30 FPS, although the Steam Deck may be slightly less stable thanks to its decreased VRAM. Either way, it's more than playable, with consistent and responsive controls for combat and exploration.

Visually, Assassin's Creed Shadows actually looks great on the smaller 7-inch screen of the ASUS ROG Ally. Draw distance isn't nuked in order to sustain that framerate, so you can still enjoy gorgeous vistas while traveling. Pixel peeping screenshots will reveal all the major graphical downgrades, of course, but while playing the game, it looks and feels really good.

I exclusively revealed Xbox's Project Kennan a few weeks ago, detailing the first salvo in Microsoft's bold new hardware direction for its gaming platform. But you want more details, right?

On Sunday 8, 2025, Microsoft and ASUS revealed the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X to the world.

Kennan was the name of Microsoft's partner program with ASUS, for OEM-built PC gaming handhelds. The program looks to build hardware akin to the ASUS ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go; it's set to launch later this year, providing nothing goes awry. Microsoft is working closely with OEMs on making Windows more friendly for dedicated PC gaming devices like this, with a large amount of effort being poured into the Xbox app, Xbox services platform on Windows, and the Xbox Game Bar on Windows.

I've put together this FAQ to answer some of the major queries I've received from you all and read in the comments here on Windows Central (and if you have more, feel free to drop them below).

Here's what we know (so far) about Xbox's "Project Kennan," now known as the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X.

Who is making the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X handheld device?

I wrote previously, "in news that may not shock you, ASUS has been tipped to build Xbox's Project Kennan device," and now we have the firm evidence, thanks to the Xbox Showcase. The Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are indeed from ASUS, and will essentially feel somewhat familiar to ASUS ROG Ally owners, albeit with an Xbox-y twist.

According to our trusted sources in an earlier version of this article, the Xbox Ally was set to blend ASUS' stylings with updated design conventions more typical of an "Xbox" style device, with more prominent grips and a dedicated Xbox guide-style button. And the finished product looks almost exactly what we envisioned from our sourcing.

It was unclear whether "Kennan" was going to sit alongside any prospective "ASUS ROG Ally 2" as a separate SKU, but it seems that ASUS and Microsoft have just fully thrown in together for this iteration of the ROG Ally. The Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X essentially serve as the ROG Ally 2 range, complete with Ryzen Z2A and Z2E chips, on the lower and higher end.

Spec sheet

It's hard to predict exactly how performance will shake out with the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally 2, since we've not really seen any proper benchmarks with the Z2E or Z2A chips just yet.

Microsoft said to us that it can run the new Gears of War: Reloaded at 1080p 60 FPS, offering a "AAA" experience. The previous gen ROG Ally with the Z1E can run AAA games incredibly well. Older, well-optimized titles like Death Stranding and Cyberpunk 2077 easily clear 1080p 60 FPS, perhaps with some compromises. I expect the Xbox Ally X to be even more performant here.

The big question mark pertains to battery life, really. Are the new chips going to be more efficient than their predecessors? The ROG Ally could only get around 45 minutes of battery life at 30w, pushing 3D games at high settings. At that point, you need to basically plug it in to play properly using a 65w charger. For 2D games at 15w power profiles, it was a bit more reasonable, giving around 2 hours on a single charge.

SteamOS and the Steam Deck is still the longevity king as of writing, owing to the "thin" gaming-optimized operating system running on that device. The power of Windows 11 is in its full blown versatility. You could hook up a monitor, and run Adobe Premier on the ASUS ROG, using it as a full Windows 11 productivity suite. You're also not locked to Steam on a Windows 11 device, allowing you to use PC Game Pass and the like.

Price, launch date, and regions

Wait, what about the price and the launch date? For now, Microsoft is keeping quiet about the pricing, although we can speculate a bit.

No current device uses the AMD Z2A chip, so we don't yet know for sure exactly how much these things cost. They are lower in power than the Z2E, which I'm expecting to be quite an expensive boy. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Xbox Ally X hit anywhere up to $999 dollars. As for the Xbox Ally regular model, I would hope that it's closer to the Nintendo Switch 2 in pricing, around $499, but that's probably optimistic. It's more likely to be around $599, but even that is perhaps optimistic. It's hard to know for sure.

Here are some best-case estimations for now, with comparisons to previous models.

However, as of July 14, 2025, some potentially leaked information from ASUS itself may have given us a glimpse into the prices of the Xbox Ally devices. Listed in meta data scraped from ASUS' website into Google's store system, it suggests the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X could be €599 and €899 respectively, which isn't half bad. The Xbox Ally base model would come in cheaper than the ASUS ROG Ally Z1E model, and the Xbox Ally X would match the ASUS ROG Ally from 2024, at least in Europe. It's unlikely that ASUS would do a flat currency conversion when deciding the final price, so it's not unreasonable to expect that the Xbox Ally could be $599 and $899 in the United States as well. We won't know for sure until a formal announcement hits.

As for launch windows, Microsoft says the Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally will be available towards the end of 2025, in time for the holiday season.

Microsoft says the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X will be available in: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

More regions will be added over time, Microsoft says.

Photos and Design

On May 7, 2025, the United States Federal Communications Commission inadvertently leaked photographs of the Xbox "Kennan" device, alongside the ASUS ROG Ally 2. The dusty photographs hardly did the device justice. In practice, it actually looks far nicer. Now we have official product renders from Microsoft and ASUS.

These devices are definitively bigger than their predecessors, but ASUS says they are more balanced and weight distributed, with a lower profile for easier button actuation and better grips. Visually they aren't the most impressive, but the trade off might be worth it when you actually get them in your hand.

Will the Xbox Ally run Xbox games or just Windows games?

For those who were hoping the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X would play Xbox games, I'm sorry to report that this is a tried-and-true Windows PC in essence, meaning that you cannot bring (most) of your Xbox library to the device.

Only games that fall under Xbox Play Anywhere will work as a single-purchase entity across Xbox One, Series X|S, and the Xbox Ally, much like the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. Xbox Cloud Gaming will also extend some of the Xbox-only games you could potentially play on this device, but you'll be limited to whatever is in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate there for the most part.

Since it's a "Windows PC" in gaming handheld form, you will also be able to natively run other gaming stores like Steam, Battle.net, GOG, and launchers like the Riot Client and HoYoverse launcher. Microsoft is working towards bringing more Xbox games to Windows via a big push for Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming, but it remains to be seen just how many of the thousands of Xbox platform-bound games it can technologically or even legally bring across.

Can it run Steam? GOG? Epic Games? Mods?

Since I've seen this question a lot on socials, yes. As mentioned, you can install anything you want on this thing, it's just a Windows 11 gaming PC in essence.

This is an "Xbox" handheld in name only, essentially. Otherwise, you can think of it like a regular Windows 11 gaming laptop squashed into a Nintendo Switch-like chassis.

You will be able to open the Windows 11 desktop, download mods, install launchers like HoYoverse, Riot Client, or Battle.net. You will be able to use Microsoft Office, watch Netflix, and do pretty much anything your laptop can do. It might even be more powerful than your laptop. You could probably edit videos in Adobe Premier on the Xbox Ally X. Maybe even the regular Xbox Ally.

The limitations of the "Xbox" brand are more to the detriment of Xbox gamers, really. Xbox console games you own will not run on this thing, unless they have Xbox Play Anywhere support. The majority of modern Xbox games, at least in the last 5 years or so, all support Xbox Play Anywhere. Very few games are retro-actively upgraded to Xbox Play Anywhere though, sadly.

The Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X features

The Xbox Ally range will come in two flavors, white and black, cheaper and more expensive. But, both will work on a suped-up version of Windows 11, complete with a new full screen Xbox app experience that Microsoft is still working hard to deliver.

As detailed during the Xbox Showcase in June 2025, Microsoft revealed that the Xbox Ally range will have exclusive access to a version of Windows 11 that uses 66% less battery life while idle, and can also multi-task using the controllers. Microsoft is working hard to make sure that on devices like the Xbox Ally, you won't need to use a mouse and keyboard, or the touch screen even, to do basic Windows things.

For example, you will be able to sign in to the Xbox Ally using the controller for the first time, navigating the keypad using regular inputs. Additionally, when the new Xbox PC app is running in full screen mode, it will reduce RAM and power consumption by a third, by eliminating unnecessary processes in Windows 11. You will also be able to launch apps and multi-task with the controller, without having to open up the Desktop or Explorer environments. This new multi-tasking feature could have huge implications for Windows in general, particularly on devices and user scenarios where having a mouse and keyboard isn't viable.

Both devices will have Wi-Fi 6E, ideal for cloud gaming and remote streaming. They will also have Bluetooth for every day Windows accessories, and a variety of buttons, inputs, back buttons, and more. The ASUS command center for controlling power profiles and the like will be baked into the Xbox Game Bar this time around, eliminating the need to open into ASUS' software to change up the TDP power settings and such.

Will Xbox still make its own handheld?

I've argued in the past that Xbox has no choice but to make its own gaming handheld, and I believe that to still be the case, despite the reveal of the Xbox Ally.

Microsoft is working on bringing more of Xbox to Windows, but it remains true that tens of millions of players own digital Xbox games that can only work on an "Xbox" device, per licensing agreement terms with publishers and developers. Every game Microsoft revealed at this year's Xbox Showcase came with Xbox Play Anywhere, but that does nothing retroactively for the hundreds of games I already own, locked to Xbox consoles.

As such, in order to run games designed for the Xbox One / Series X|S "ERA" development environment, Microsoft would need to either build a device that is natively "ERA," or features some kind of emulation. It's unclear if Microsoft has the licenses to actually simply emulate "ERA" games on Windows-based devices, which is almost certainly what the next-gen Xbox consoles are going to be. It's unclear if it's even technologically possible in a device as small as a handheld with modern chips.

Indeed, Xbox lead Phil Spencer has been hinting for a long time that the next Xbox console will be more Windows-like than ever before, potentially with the ability to run third-party stores like Steam and GOG. If Microsoft can execute on that vision, building a console that is essentially a TV-friendly PC with the openness and compatibility of Windows, it could be a game changer. What is less clear is what would happen to current Xbox players, who have invested billions of dollars into content that is locked to the Xbox "ERA" development environment.

These are by no means insurmountable hurdles hopefully, particularly so for a company like Microsoft. Whether it's emulation, updated licensing agreements, or native Xbox Play Anywhere ports, I'm told Microsoft was working on its very own Xbox handheld for native gaming, slated for a 2027 launch window. It has since been side-lined, in favor of doubling down on the Xbox Ally with ASUS.

As the battle for consumers' free time rages, Microsoft and other game publishers more than ever need to meet players where they are. The ability to take my Xbox experience with me, without needing to rely on an internet connection, would dramatically increase my playtime hours, and most likely many others as well. Xbox's PC handhelds will improve Microsoft's footprint in the space, but they will struggle to compete with Steam, which has far more games to buy, and a mature app platform that comes equipped with a tablet-friendly Big Picture mode already.

Either way, it's increasingly intriguing where all these handheld shenanigans are going. Definitely watch this space, and drop more questions below, and I'll try to get them answered.

Which gaming handhelds are best for Avowed?

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been playing Avowed via the Xbox App on my ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. This is an Xbox Play Anywhere title, which means I can continue my game file regardless of whether I'm on my Xbox Series X, PC, or handheld. I can report that while it isn't the absolute smoothest experience ever, I've been able to enjoy Avowed on one of these devices but not so much on the other. It's also worth noting that our own Zachary Boddy's Avowed review mentions that the game runs relatively solid on Xbox Series X, but frame drops do occur at times. As such, frame rate drops aren't just a handheld matter.

Additionally, my colleague, Jennifer Young, has been playing Avowed on her Steam Deck via a Steam key and hasn't had as good of an experience as either of the above devices. Even with settings optimized and the Deck put in Proton Experimental, Avowed tends to crash frequently.

As such, we can recommend playing Avowed on ROG Ally, ROG Ally X, and Legion Go. However, we can't recommend Avowed on the Steam Deck, and the Lenovo Legion Go S gets a "maybe" from Boddy's testing.

Best system settings for ROG Ally and Legion Go

ASUS ROG Ally and Ally X settings: To get the best experience on ASUS's handhelds, you'll want to put the system at max 25W TDP (goes up to 30W TDP if plugged in) and then make sure VRAM is set to at least 6GB (the ROG Ally X can be set to 8GB). For help with that, check out our ROG Ally VRAM guide. You'll also want to make sure ray tracing is turned off in the game's graphics menu.

At these settings, I was able to play the game with an average of 36-40 FPS (I only got about 26-30 FPS when ray tracing was enabled). It's not perfect, but it's also not bad. However, I did see the frame rate dip as low as 21 FPS at times when I was in densely NPC-populated cities. While there is a bit of choppiness at times, the game is decently smooth overall. I did experience a few crashes, but these only took place when I was attempting to take screenshots via the Snipping Tool (for guides), which many of you won't do.

Additionally, I noticed that sometimes, areas of the game seemed to load all white but would eventually gain color in patches as I moved around. It's not the best experience, but it also isn't something that always happens.

If you're playing Avowed via a Steam key on ROG Ally, I highly recommend you enable AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF) 2 on your device to greatly increase the game's frame rate — it might double the frame rate or go even higher. Just remember to turn VSync off; otherwise, it will mess with this technology.

However, if you're playing Avowed via the Xbox App or Xbox Game Pass, like me, AFMF won't work. That is unless you feel comfortable making changes to the executable (.exe). If you want to try that, check out this guide from @cyberkewl on the ROGAlly subreddit.

Further information from Zachary Boddy — I also played Avowed on my ASUS ROG Ally X via the Xbox App, and I had a noticeably better experience simply by disabling ray tracing. I was able to see framerates of around 36-40 frames-per-second, with some dips to 30 FPS. The game still looks perfectly fine on the ROG Ally's 7-inch display with ray tracing disabled, and the game seems to be more stable with faster rendering and fewer (none for me so far) crashes.

If you're playing on the Lenovo Legion Go, I also recommend disabling ray tracing.

Lenovo Legion Go: I did notice that the game was choppier and had more lag on Legion Go than on ROG Ally or ROG Ally X, but it's definitely still playable. To get the best Avowed playing experience on my Lenovo handheld, I played with my system set to the max Performance TDP level, made sure my VRAM was set to 6G, and turned off ray tracing in the game's graphics menu. The game tended to do an average of 36-40 FPS (it only does 15-21 FPS with ray tracing enabled). When I was in the more active areas like the city of Paradis, FPS dropped to as low as 11 FPS. As such, I cannot fully recommend playing Avowed on Legion Go unless you're willing to be very patient and deal with jerky visuals (or, as Boddy mentions, disable ray tracing for reduce visual quality but a more stable framerate).

How I adjusted Legion Go VRAM: I turned off the Legion Go, pressed Up Volume + Power, went into BIOS Setup, selected More Settings, chose Configuration, and then scrolled down to UMA Frame Buffer Size and changed the dropdown to 6G. Then, I exited the BIOS and resumed using the device as usual.

Unfortunately, AFMF does not work with Legion Go, due to the fact that Lenovo's handheld doesn't support native landscape. Thankfully, this is getting corrected with the upcoming Legion Go 2.

Further information from Zachary Boddy — I reviewed the Lenovo Legion Go S, and found that Lenovo's latest handheld performs significantly worse than the ASUS ROG Ally or first-gen Legion Go. However, this is still a more powerful handheld than the Steam Deck, and you can still play Avowed. With every setting turned down, ray tracing disabled, and AMD Fidelity FX Super Resolution set to "Performance," I was able to achieve around 20 FPS on the Legion Go S with a handful of frame drops.

I never experienced the game crashing, but I did have issues with characters and environmental features taking a while to render in, at one point resulting in my character simply being floating pants. The Legion Go S isn't my preferred way to play Avowed on the go; in this respect, the ASUS ROG Ally X is still the best PC gaming handheld experience.

Best Avowed graphics settings for ROG Ally and Legion Go

Text can be pretty small in Avowed, so do yourself a favor and make it larger on your handheld. To do this, open the game's settings menu > UI > UI Text Size and set it to Largest.

After that, you'll want to make sure everything in the Graphics tab is set as follows:

• Resolution: 1600 x 900 (16:9) Ally | 1280 x 800 (16:10) Legion Go / Legion Go S
• Window Mode: Windowed Fullscreen
• Frame Limit: 60 FPS
• Field of View: 90 (or your preference)
• Motion Blur: 20%
• V-sync: On
• Ray Tracing: Off
• Upscaling: AMD FidelityFX 3
• FSR Super Resolution Quality: Quality (Performance on Legion Go S)
• FSR Sharpness: 0%
• NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency: Off
• Graphics Quality: Custom
• View Distance: High (Low on Legion Go S)
• Shadow Quality: Low
• Texture Quality: Low
• Shading Quality: Low
• Effects Quality: Low
• Foliage Quality: Low
• Post Processing Quality: Low
• Reflection Quality: Low
• Global Illumination Quality: Low

Best Avowed graphics settings for Steam Deck

We must stress that we are not currently recommending playing Avowed on the Steam Deck, our tester has had frequent crashes on her LCD model and even when the game runs it's not an enjoyable experience. If you absolute must bare knuckle it though, here are the settings

• Resolution: Should be automatically set to 1280x800 (native Steam Deck resolution)
• Frame Limit: Cap this at 30 FPS
• Motion Blur: Personal preference, but I set this to 0%
• V-sync: Enable to avoid screen tearing.
• Ray Tracing: Disable.
• Upscaling: AMD FidelityFX 3
• FSR Super Resolution Quality: Balanced
• FSR Sharpness: Start with 50% and adjust based on preference. Higher sharpness reduces blur but may enhance artifacts
• Graphics Quality: Low
• View Distance: Medium or Low.
• Shadow Quality: Low
• Effects Quality: Low. Reduces strain from particle and explosion effects.
• Foliage Quality: Low or Medium.
• Post Processing Quality: Medium or Low
• Reflection Quality: Low
• Global Illumination Quality: Low.

As mentioned with other handhelds, the UI text is really small so go easy on your eyes and bump this up to largest:

Investigate the Dreamscurge on handhelds

At the time of writing, I've put more than 20 hours into Avowed and more than half of that time was on my gaming handhelds. I have to say I'm absolutely loving this game. It provides a great balance of challenges, exploration, surprises, decisions, and upgrades to keep me coming back for more.

If you'd like to play on gaming handhelds, just note that Avowed doesn't run very well on Steam Deck. The game crashes regularly on Valve's handheld, making it a rather frustrating experience.

However, if you play on one of the more powerful handhelds like ROG Ally or ROG Ally X, you'll be able to enjoy this new adventure. Just make sure that you change both the system's settings and the game's graphics settings to get the best experience possible.

The original white ASUS ROG Ally, which launched in 2023, was the first major gaming handheld on the market to run Windows 11. Around its launch, I conducted our ROG Ally review and later followed that up with an ROG Ally X review.

Since then, multiple competitors have come out of the woodwork, including the Legion Go line.

Now that my colleague, Zachary Boddy, has done their Legion Go S review, I was able to compare Lenovo's handheld against the ROG Ally.

In case you don't know, there are two versions of the Legion Go S — the white Legion Go S (8" , 1), which runs Windows 11, and the Nebula Violet (dark purple) Legion Go S — Powered by SteamOS (8" , 1) that runs (you guessed it) SteamOS.

Here's how the Legion Go S compares to the ROG Ally.

Legion Go S vs ROG Ally: Specs

*The prices of the Lenovo Legion Go S have gone up over the last few weeks, likely due to the US-China tariff situation.

Now that you've had a chance to look over the comparison chart, let's go over their different specs and explain more thoroughly how they impact the user experience.

Back to the top ^

Legion Go S vs ROG Ally: Price & value

As I previously explained, the Lenovo Legion Go S has both a Windows 11 version and a SteamOS version. The starting prices of both versions have gone up in recent weeks, likely due to the US-China tariffs.

Currently, the starting price for the Legion Go S with Z2 Go chip, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD is $599.99 at Best Buy while the price of the Z1 Extreme chip, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD is $829.99 at Best Buy. Of course, there's also the larger Legion Go, which has a starting price of $699.99 at Best Buy.

Meanwhile, the ROG Ally only has the option of having Windows 11 as an operating system.

Initially, there were two Ally configurations: An Ally with an AMD Ryzen Z1 processor that sells for $499.99 and a beefier Z1 Extreme Ally that sells for $649.99.

However, the Z1 (non-Extreme) has since been discontinued. Still, you can purchase used or open-box options for as little as $356.99 at Best Buy.

It's also worth noting that the improved ROG Ally X features a Z1 Extreme, 24GB RAM, and 1TB SSD, and has a starting price of $799.99 at Best Buy.

DEAL TIP: The ROG Ally regularly gets discounted (I've seen it up to $200 off at Best Buy) during special sales events like Black Friday and Prime Day, but Legion Go gaming handhelds haven't seen as good of discounts.

So, if you happen to buy a handheld during a sale period, you're more likely to get a better deal for ROG Ally, if this trend holds true.

The SteamOS Legion Go S is the least expensive of all of these handhelds, so it might be the best option for anyone on a budget.

While it is possible to still get your hands on the Z1 (non-Extreme) Ally, I recommend going with the $649.99 ROG Ally Z1 Extreme over the plain Z1 since it offers a better value and its more powerful internals allow it to run more games.

Part of the reason Legion Go S Windows handheld costs more than ROG Ally is because it offers newer features. It has a larger screen, dual Thunderbolt ports, more RAM, higher capacity SSD storage, and a larger battery than ROG Ally.

However, when it comes to battery and performance, you'll get a better value from ROG Ally (more on that later).

TL;DR: PRICE WINNER: There's no denying that the Legion Go S (SteamOS) costs much less than the ROG Ally. However, if you're looking for the most value for your buck then the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is the best pick.

Back to the top ^

Legion Go S vs ROG Ally: Performance

In case you don't know, the AMD Z2 Go chip offered with Legion Go S isn't as powerful as the Z1 Extreme.

Additionally, the Z2 Go is custom silicon only available in Lenovo devices. In other words, we won't ever see this chip in another handheld.

This could bring unique challenges that only Legion Go S Z2 Go users will face compared to those with handhelds that have more widely owned Z1 Extreme processors.

In my colleague's Legion Go S review, they analyzed AMD Z2 Go performance to see how it compares against the Z1 and Z1 Extreme chips.

Lenovo previously stated that the Z2 Go offers better power consumption than the Z1 Extreme but isn't as powerful as it. However, our own findings didn't match this.

The Go S offers 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD, while the ROG Ally only has 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD. Still, the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme performed better in our benchmarks and testing than the Go S did. Games played smoother, too.

TL;DR: PERFORMANCE WINNER: In the end, it's best to go with the Z1 Extreme chip regardless of whether you buy an ROG Ally or a Legion Go S. Of the devices, the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme offers better performance than the Legion Go S.

Back to the top ^

Legion Go S vs ROG Ally: Display

All Legion Go S models have an 8-inch, LCD, 16:10, touchscreen that can reach up to a resolution of 1920 x 1200, a brightness of 500 nits, and a refresh rate of 120Hz.

Lenovo states that the display produces a very nice color gamut of 97% of DCI-P3, but in our own testing, it got 78% of P3, which isn't bad, just not nearly as good. Unlike the original Legion Go, Legion Go S models have both VRR and native landscape.

Meanwhile, the ROG Ally has a smaller 7-inch, IPS LED, 16:9, touchscreen that can reach up to 1920 x 1080, the same 500 nits of brightness, and the same 120Hz refresh rate.

In my own colorimeter testing, the Ally's screen produced a much lower 73% of P3, but it still looks good in person. Of course, the ROG Ally also supports VRR and native landscape, which helps the device produce better motion clarity in gaming.

TL;DR: DISPLAY WINNER: The Legion Go S not only has the larger display that supports VRR and native landscape, but it also has a slightly better color gamut as well.

Back to the top ^

Legion Go S vs ROG Ally: Controls and ports

When you put the ROG Ally and the Legion Go S (Windows) side-by-side, the devices look relatively similar, with many of the buttons, bumpers, triggers, and controls in the same places. However, there are some key differences that make it obvious that the Go S has a better design than the Ally.

For one, the Legion Go S offers Hall Effect joysticks, which should never suffer from drift. ROG Ally handhelds don't have Hall Effect sticks, but to be fair, there haven't been that many reports of drift.

It's also worth noting that the Legion Go S has a small touchpad on the right side under the joystick, whereas the Ally does not.

Lastly, the Go S has adjustable trigger switches on the back to give more custom control.

The one thing that ROG Ally has that the Go S doesn't is a fingerprint reader. It doesn't always work correctly, but it logs me in quickly when it does.

In case you're wondering, the Legion Go 2 prototype does have a fingerprint reader.

While I'm talking about the Legion Go 2, the Go S and ROG Ally do not have the larger device's detachable controllers, nor do they have a kickstand. If you're interested, you can learn more about these handheld differences in our Legion Go 2 vs Legion Go S comparison.

If you get the SteamOS version of the Go S, it has a Steam button near the upper left corner of the screen, whereas the Windows 11 version has a Legion Space button.

The Go S also outshines the original ROG Ally when it comes to ports. ASUS only included one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port that also works as a combo port for the company's ROG XG Mobile eGPU accessory.

Meanwhile, Go S offers two USB4 ports, which makes it easy to charge the device with one port and plug in a different accessory with the other.

TL;DR: CONTROLS & PORTS WINNER: Since the Legion Go S offers Hall Effect joysticks, a touchpad, adjustable trigger switches, and two USB4 type-C ports, it has the better layout between the two handhelds.

Back to the top ^

Legion Go S vs ROG Ally: Software and games

Like the Steam Deck, the SteamOS version of the Go S is built to access your Steam library in a way that feels similar to a simplified console interface.

However, that means that the Legion Go S SteamOS isn't set up to access other PC gaming services out of the box.

You can definitely make adjustments to the Linux-based operating system using things like Decky Loader, to play games on Xbox Game Pass, Battle.net, Epic Games, and more, if you want.

Meanwhile, the Windows Go S model and the ROG Ally both run Windows 11 and act just like a laptop (sans keyboard). This means you can do a lot with these devices, such as using a browser to navigate to other gaming services, downloading launchers, or accessing game files.

The catch is, you might also have to deal with Windows 11 troubleshooting, which some find off-putting on handhelds. Of course, we at Windows Central have a bunch of Windows 11 guides if you need any assistance with any of that.

The Ally comes with Armoury Crate installed, while the Windows Go S comes with Legion Space. These applications let you adjust system settings while also serving as game launchers and stores.

There are pros and cons to both software, but at the moment, Armoury Crate offers better customization options, including the ability to adjust VRAM. Weirdly enough, you have to go into the Go S BIOS in order to change VRAM, which isn't ideal.

Since both devices use AMD chips, it's also in your best interest to use AMD Software on the Windows handhelds, a program that gives additional control over either system. This is where you'll go to enable things like AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2 (AFMF 2), Anti-lag, and other performance-boosting features.

TL;DR: SOFTWARE & GAMES WINNER: You could argue that Legion Go S offers better options to choose from since it will have both a SteamOS and Windows version. However, ROG Ally's Armoury Crate provides better settings and customization options. So, between the two Windows devices, ROG Ally is better.

Back to the top ^

Legion Go S vs ROG Ally: Battery life

Gaming handhelds are pretty notorious when it comes to battery life.; It's one of the worst areas of these devices.

As it is, the first-gen Windows 11 gaming handhelds, like ROG Ally, typically don't last more than an hour at max TPD (thermal design power) when playing graphically demanding games. That's not ideal.

Meanwhile, the Go S only lasts roughly 30 minutes longer than Ally due to it having a larger 55.5 Whr battery compared to Ally's 40 Whr battery.

As such, neither device really offers satisfactory battery life. The best handheld on the market right now, battery-wise, is the ROG Ally X, which lasted 2 hours and 10 minutes in our own battery life testing while playing demanding games at max TDP.

TL;DR: BATTERY LIFE WINNER: Neither device really has amazing battery life. Of the two Legion Go S is slightly better, but ROG Ally X lasts even longer.

Back to the top ^

Legion Go S vs ROG Ally: Grip ergonomics and comfort

Both the ROG Ally and the Legion Go S offer really nice ergonomic designs that are even more comfortable to hold than you might think.

The original Legion Go had a very blocky design, but the Legion Go S is a lot more rounded, even more so than the ROG Ally.

In terms of size and weight, the Go S is a slightly bigger device. It's 11.77 inches wide, 5.02 inches tall, 0.89 inches deep, and weighs 1.61 pounds.

Meanwhile, the Ally is 11.02 inches wide, 4.37 inches tall, 0.83 inches deep, and weighs in at 1.34 pounds.

The gripping area on the Legion Go S is more rounded and thicker, while the ROG Ally is more angular and has a slanted area in front to better caress your palms.

That said, the Ally's large back buttons awkwardly edge into the gripping area, which makes this smaller handheld a bit less comfortable to hold than the Legion Go S.

ASUS ended up reducing the size of the back buttons and tucking them in more toward the center of the ROG Ally X, to give it a better gripping area.

TL;DR: COMFORT WINNER: The Legion Go S has a great ergonomic shape to its casing, and the back buttons don't get in the way of your grip like the Ally's back buttons do.

Back to the top ^

Legion Go S vs ROG Ally: Comparison chart

Back to the top ^

Legion Go S vs ROG Ally: Which should I buy?

In the end, there are some major tradeoffs between the Legion Go S and the ROG Ally. Either gaming handheld could be a great pick, depending on what you value most in your gaming device.

The Legion Go S (SteamOS) is the least expensive option and offers the simplest SteamOS interface. As such, it's ideal for anyone on a budget or who wants a handheld that operates similarly to a console.

That said, if you're more interested in getting a handheld that offers better performance, then the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is your best bet.

It might not have the best battery life, but it can play many of the latest AAA games relatively smoothly.

Of course, if you play plugged in or with the handheld connected to a docking station, then you won't have to worry about battery life. Alternatively, if you really care about battery life, you might want to get an Ally X.

From personal experience, I can say the Go S feels great in my hands and offers better controls than ROG Ally and the original Legion Go.

However, it's best if you go with the Z1 Extreme options over the weaker Z2 Go configurations.

Back to the top ^

Best settings to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance II on gaming handhelds

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II looks absolutely gorgeous on ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. I didn't notice any screen tearing, but there was a bit of choppiness on Legion Go. The game runs very well on default settings for either device, however, you might want to make some tweaks depending on your preferences.

Meanwhile, the game also looks visually appealing on Steam Deck as long as settings are properly set. Regardless of which handheld you're using, I highly recommend putting game text and subtitles larger than their default; otherwise, they can be hard to read.

As is usually the case, there's no need to put resolution higher than 1920 x 1080 when gaming, especially on handhelds.

ASUS ROG Ally and Ally X: In my time playing on ROG Ally X in 25W Turbo Mode with VRAM at 8G (see our ROG Ally VRAM guide), I saw an average of 23-30 FPS (frames per second). You might want to set it to 6G, to save some power, though. Of course, you can get 30W TDP out of ROG Ally when it is plugged in, so you might want to take advantage of that, whether that means playing in handheld mode or docked to a TV with a docking station.

I also suggest playing with AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2 (AFMF2) enabled, and this basically doubled frame rates to an average of 46-60 FPS on my Ally X (see our AFMF2 ROG Ally guide). Note that, If you do take advantage of AFMF on ROG Ally, make sure VSync is turned off or it can mess with the frame generation technology. Needless to say, motion clarity was very good on ASUS's handheld and it should be good on the original ROG Ally as well.

Lenovo Legion Go: As for Legion Go, the game runs decently but not quite as well as on ROG Ally due to the lack of VRR (variable refresh rate) on Lenovo's handheld. To get the best experience, I played at Max TDP Performance Mode and went into the BIOS and increased VRAM to 8G, but you could do 6G to reduce power usage.

In case you don't know how, you can adjust VRAM by turning off the Legion Go > pressing Up Volume + Power > BIOS Setup > More Settings > Configuration. Next, scroll down to UMA Frame Buffer Size and change the dropdown to 8G. With the system setup this way, I was able to get an average of 25-27 FPS on Legion Go. It's not quite up to the 30 FPS standard of consoles, but it's not terrible either. That said, some more busy sequences might see FPS drop dramatically at times.

For those wondering, AFMF does not work with Legion Go, because Lenovo's handheld doesn't support native landscape. This is something that is getting corrected with the upcoming Legion Go 2.

Steam Deck: On the official Steam Page, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Steam Deck compatibility is listed as "Unknown." I can clarify that the game does run on Valve's handheld, when the right settings are in place. What's more, the game looks fantastic and controls are intuitive. I was able to play with minimal choppiness and the game tended to do an average of 34-36 FPS, although this can dip in heavily NPC populated areas.

Best ROG Ally and Legion Go settings

I've listed preferred Kingdom Come: Deliverance II graphics settings for ROG Ally and Legion Go below. You'll also want to go into the Advance Graphics Settings menu and make sure everything is set to Medium or lower for the best performance.

• Resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Window Mode: Fullscreen
• Overall image quality: Medium
• Show FPS: No
• VSync: Off (for AFMF2)
• Frame rate limit: 60 FPS (Ally) / 144 FPS (Go)
• Gamma correction: 50%
• Horizontal FOV: 95 (or your preference)
• Technology: Off
• Mode: Balanced
• Sharpness: 50%
• Motion Blur: Object
• Near DOF: On

Best Steam Deck settings

On Steam Deck, you'll also want to make sure that All Advanced Graphics Settings are set to Low, but with Antialiasing at SMAA 2TX.

• Resolution: 1280 x 800
• Window Mode: Fullscreen
• Overall image quality: Low
• Show FPS: Off
• VSync: On
• Frame rate limit: 60 FPS
• Gamma correction: 50%
• Horizontal FOV: 95 (or your preference)
• Technology: Off
• Mode: Balanced
• Sharpness: 50%
• Motion Blur: Object
• Near DOF: On

A fantastic medieval adventure for gaming handhelds

In our Kingdom Come: Deliverance II review, my colleague Brendan Lowry talks about how this game both offers an engaging and serious plot, but also provides a lot of lighthearted and fun moments. It's a fantastic adventure that you can really sink your teeth into due to its replay value and long play time.

In addition to being available for PC via Steam and Epic Games, KCD2 is available for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. That said, it is not on Xbox Game Pass and there is no indication that it will come to the service anytime soon.

This being the case, if you want to play on a PC gaming handheld like Steam Deck, ROG Ally, or Legion Go, you will need to purchase from Steam (or Epic Games if you've got an Ally or Go). Thankfully, Steam codes are already discounted at CDKeys at the time of writing, so you can grab this awesome game on sale.

"You get what you pay for" is a saying thrown around a lot. Paying less means lower specs or lower quality, right? Well, Best Buy didn't get the memo, because right now the ASUS ROG Ally with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor costs less than the same gaming handheld with a Ryzen Z1 (non-extreme) processor. A $200 discount drops the ROG Ally with a Z1 Extreme to $449.99.

What is the best gaming handheld?

Picking the best gaming handheld is a bit tricky since there are many solid choices in 2025. Depending on the operating system you prefer, how big your hands are, and your budget, the best gaming handheld will vary. But the ASUS ROG Ally is safely in the discussion of the best way to game on the go.

The ROG Ally runs Windows 11, giving you access to the massive library of titles available on the platform. Steam, Epic Games, the Microsoft Store, and the Xbox app all work on the ROG Ally, which lets you shop for discounts or use your launcher of choice. With the best PC games at your fingertips, you can enjoy 1080p gaming on the go. The ROG Ally has a 120Hz display and generally aims for 60 FPS performance.

VRR support and a powerful processor help the ROG Ally to deliver smooth gameplay despite the relative compactness of the device.

While the ROG Ally is thought of as a device for local gameplay, you can also use the gaming handheld for Xbox Cloud Gaming.

👉Related: First things you should do with your ASUS ROG Ally

Windows 11 is not optimized for gaming handhelds and smaller screens the way that Steam OS is, but at the expense of that optimization, you have the comfort of knowing your PC games are compatible. There are some things you can do to customize Windows 11 to work better on a smaller screen as well.

If you're not sure the ASUS ROG Ally is right for you, the gaming handheld has an impressive sibling. The ASUS ROG Ally X is better than the original thanks to better battery life, improved ergonomics, and updated buttons and joysticks. But the ROG Ally X is also more expensive, starting at $799.99.

In what looks like a case of an accidental embargo breakage, AMD's Z2 processes appear to have broken cover earlier than intended. AMD will likely debut the Z2 processor line up at CES 2025, exclusively for handheld gaming devices like the Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally.

Detailed by VideoCardz, the new Z2 range is still based on RDNA 3. However, AMD's new APUs promise to boost battery life efficiency while offering performance improvements over 2023's Z1 range. The Z2 Extreme is of particular interest, as it will boast the biggest gains over the previous systems.

The Z2 Extreme is Strix Point-based with 8 Zen 5 cores, designed for maximum performance (and most likely, maximum price points). For people who want the "best of the best," the flagship ASUS ROG Ally 2 and Lenovo Legion Go 2 will most likely boast the Z2 Extreme platform, probably set for launch some time this year. There will also be a mid-range Z2 non-extreme version, as was the case with the Z1 platform. However, there's also going to be a more "budget-friendly" Z2 Go version, tied up in exclusivity for the oft-leaked Lenovo Legion Go S. Although it remains to be seen just how budget friendly that device will be.

Interestingly, Videocardz claims that AMD pointed out the fact that Valve itself will be leveraging the Z2 range, potentially giving us the first hint so far at what will be inside a prospective "Steam Deck 2," or perhaps a new more powerful variant of the Steam Deck 1. However, as some have pointed out online, it could be a misinterpretation by Videocardz, and AMD may simply be referring to Steam-powered third-party devices like the Lenovo Legion Go S.

AMD Ryzen Z2 specs

It's a hot time in the PC gaming handheld market

The PC gaming handheld market is experiencing rapid growth since its debut, with companies like GPD and its "Win" PC gaming handheld pioneering a huge explosion in variety in subsequent years. Nintendo is also known to be revealing a Switch 2 this year, and Microsoft and PlayStation both are supposedly working on their own handhelds too.

As gaming companies try to figure out how to find new users, handhelds have been tipped as a potential tool for cornering potential players in situations where they can't access their PC or home console. For Microsoft, the battle is increasingly becoming existential, too. Per previous leaks, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 range is expected to include a Steam OS-powered version to compete directly with the Windows-powered version. It'll lead to direct performance comparisons, potentially exposing Windows as a performance hog while Steam OS with its Linux-based gaming-focus takes the shine off Windows 11's gaming chops.

Microsoft is sending one of its hardware leads, Jason Ronald, to CES 2025 to discuss how Xbox is intending to improve Windows 11 for PC gaming handhelds on devices like the Lenovo Legion Go.

AMD recently updated its graphics drivers for compatible devices, including PC gaming handhelds like the Windows-based ASUS ROG Ally, with a generational improvement on its 'Fluid Motion Frames' (AFMF) technology. Increased framerates are the main benefits of using a ROG Ally with AFMF 2, though the feature expands beyond the mobile-centric Z1 Extreme APU to desktop graphics cards like the mid-range Radeon RX 7600 XT and modern laptops using AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chip.

AFMF 2 is a driver-level process that applies 'in-between' frames to any game running on supported hardware, regardless of its developer inclusion of AMD's in-game FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) image upscaling method. It's similar to the 'motion smoothing' effect that you disable on your parents' television over the holidays because it makes everything look like a soap opera. However, the effect is far more pleasing for PC gamers and can push from a low 40 FPS count to a steady 60 FPS and beyond.

Since its recovery from a disastrous launch, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has seen a wealth of bug fixes and patches to prevent constant crashes, bringing it to a stable enough state that it even runs on 'unsupported hardware' like the ROG Ally. Still, the game generates a virtual simulation of our entire planet, so it's a demanding title, to say the least. Nevertheless, I can run MSFS 2024 on the 'Global Rendering Quality: Low-End' preset with a native 1080p screen resolution and 65% render scale.

With my ROG Ally set to 'Performance' mode (25W) and Vsync (vertical synchronization) disabled, I usually enjoy around 35 to 40 FPS when the game runs with exclusive full-screen permissions. Taking off and landing a virtual aircraft, I regularly see the framerate dip below 30 FPS as assets for buildings and foliage load around me, but things settle down once I'm in the sky. Still, I wouldn't say 'no' to a smoother experience, so I gave AFMF 2 a try.

Unfortunately, ASUS hasn't yet implemented AFMF 2 into its Armoury Crate companion app to replace AFMF 1, requiring a few extra steps with AMD's Adrenaline Edition software to activate it properly. Plus, games installed via PC Game Pass won't automatically appear in AMD's app, so you'll need to create a shortcut to its executable and add that instead.

With that out of the way, it's as easy as moving 'AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2' to 'Enabled' and choosing a 'Performance Mode' to suit your device. I used the 'Performance' setting on my ROG Ally and saw Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 moving up from around 40 to 70 FPS in some areas and from 35 to 60 FPS in others. It's proving effective in my early testing, and I'll be jumping into more demanding games on my handhelds to see how they fare.

Try it yourself, ensuring you use AMD Adrenaline Edition's performance overlay and not ASUS' Armoury Crate 'Real-time Monitor' as the two can clash, causing framerates to plummet. A pop-up dialog should read 'AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2 ENABLED' upon booting a game if you set everything up correctly.

Christmas is a special time of the year because retailers across the globes cut down on the prices on expensive, highly-sought after products to make them into the perfect Christmas gifts for your precious loved ones. Case in point — Best Buy is hosting a special discount on the lucrative ASUS ROG Ally, one of the best gaming handheld consoles capable of running Xbox and PC with graphical fidelity.

Normally, the ASUS ROG Ally costs a large sum of $499.99. However, with this deal, you will be able to buy it for a more affordable $349.99 at Best Buy.

Why makes the ASUS ROG Ally a great Christmas present?

In this golden age of portable gaming consoles, consumers are spoiled for choice on what to pick as there are so many amazing handhelds to choose from Valve's Steam Deck to Lenovo's Legion Go. Yet out of all the best gaming handhelds, the ASUS ROG Ally stands tall as the overall cream of the crop for many reasons.

For starters, the ASUS ROG Ally boasts powerful hardware capable of running video games at high resolutions of 1080p and framerates of 60fps via its 120Hz display. Additionally, it features a comfortable ergonomic design and extremely responsive controls that can be remapped any way you want.

To top it off, the ASUS ROG Ally has Windows 11 built-in to make it function like a gaming PC. This means that the ASUS ROG Ally will be able to download game launcher apps like Steam, Epic Games, Microsoft Store, and the Xbox app and play the best Xbox games and best PC games through them as if you were playing on a PC or an Xbox.

You can even download emulators to play ROMs of games from past consoles and stream games through cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is something not many handheld consoles can do.

That being said, the ASUS ROG Ally isn't entirely flawless. It suffers from a short battery life of 3-4 hours unplugged, and navigating the Windows interface with handheld controls can be cumbersome compared to using a regular controller or a keyboard+mouse set-up.

However, considering the ASUS ROG Ally's extraordinary graphical hardware (especially) for a handheld console and its capability to play games from multiple platforms, these drawbacks are more than worth the price of admission, especially now that it's on a mega Christmas sale.

For a limited time, you can get your hands on the ASUS ROG Ally (512GB) at a 30% discount, which has reduced its MSRP from $499.99 to $349.99 at Best Buy. (which is $199.01 cheaper than the Steam Deck's full MSRP of $549.99) Additionally, the Z1 Extreme Processor edition of the ASUS ROG Ally (which boasts higher processing power than the regular version) is also having a Christmas sale that has slashed its MSRP of $649.99 down to $499.99 at Best Buy.

After much excitement of finally pulling the trigger on a ROG Ally in the recent Black Friday sales, it finally arrived. After setting up and installing games and dressing it in case, the time finally came to take it for a spin.

Unfortunately, almost immediately, an issue with the right bumper (RB) presented itself. The left one worked flawlessly. The right one worked some of the time, then quickly stopped working altogether. THE HORROR!

As Amazon would only offer me a refund (which wouldn't cover the cost of getting a replacement now the price has gone back up) and doing an RMA with ASUS being my least preferred option, I set about trying to solve it myself. It looks like I'm not alone with an issue on the bumpers since the Ally first launched, either.

In any case, there are three things I've done, and one, perhaps more than one, seems to have resolved the issue. I'm realizing that I'm writing these words with crossed fingers in the hope I'm not jinxing myself.

I diagnosed it with an online tool, then I took it apart, installed a BIOS update that was missed during the setup process, and finally, took it out of its case. Here's my tale.

Diagnosing the right bumper

The first thing I tried was to actually diagnose that the problem was with the bumper and not some weird mapping issue with the games I'd been playing. Since it's recognized as an Xbox controller, you'd hope it just works, but never presume.

To do this, I used the Gamepad Tester web app. I highly recommend it if you're diagnosing issues with your own controllers; it's really good. In the case of the ROG Ally, first you have to make sure it's in Gamepad Mode, not Auto, otherwise it won't be recognized.

From there, it's simply a case of pressing buttons and looking at the feedback on the app. I could clearly see that my LB was working totally normally, but the RB was not. Some presses would register zero, others slight feedback, and at times, it would only register if I angled the press either toward me or away from me. In any case, it showed me that there was an issue.

Step 1: Open it up!

I'm no stranger to opening up PCs and poking around inside, so naturally, this was the first thing I did. Some threads on Reddit suggested that part of the trigger mechanism could be interfering, so this was the first thing to look at.

The triggers are fixed to the back panel, but there's a small rubber square underneath it. If this is dislodged, it needs pushing back into place, and it could fix any bumper or trigger-related problems. Mine was perfectly aligned, so it wasn't the case here.

The bumpers are fixed to the front of the Ally, and I was not feeling completely dismantling it to get a better look. Instead, I sprayed some compressed air in, just in case there was any dust or whatnot that may have found its way in from manufacturing. Then, I put it all back together and hoped for the best.

Initially, it looked promising, but this may have been a massive coincidence. Before long, it was acting up again.

Step 2: Updating the BIOS/Firmware

Being a Windows 11 PC at heart, when first setting up the ROG Ally, there are a lot of updates to go through. Windows Update and Armoury Crate did all the heavy lifting, but there was one fairly crucial one that got missed.

The BIOS Update is delivered through the MyASUS app on the Ally, and I hadn't checked this. There was one waiting, so I figured it should be installed. Make sure it's connected to power when doing this.

I didn't actually make any changes in the BIOS, but now, finally, having checked all the firmware, BIOS, and software were fully updated, was there any change? Remarkably, yes! At least for a while. I thought I'd solved it, and maybe I sort of had, but then the intermittent registration of presses came back in. When you're trying to throw a Molotov in Black Ops 6, and it doesn't work, it's annoying.

Step 3: Removing the case

I bought the excellent JSAUX ModCase for my ROG Ally, but I have now removed it, at least for the foreseeable future. In no way is this a dig at the case because I actually believe I have a defective one.

Naturally, it fits snugly on the Ally. But compared to the dBrand Killswitch I have on my Steam Deck, something didn't feel right from the word go. It felt too tight on the right-hand side. It was much more of a struggle to get it on than I feel it should have been, and it just didn't seem to fit properly on that side of the Ally compared to the other.

It's somewhat deformed now, anyway, as I had to fight to get it off as well, but I'm wondering if I experienced a product with a manufacturing issue. It's a shame, and I'm most likely going to send it back to Amazon as faulty and get a replacement to try because I really like the case.

I couldn't see anything obvious beyond the tight squeeze, but perhaps it was also ever so slightly interfering with the RB button. It just looked like a much cleaner fit around LB, so it's entirely possible.

But after this final step, combined with what may or may not have helped from the step above, things finally appear back to normal. Or so I hope. I really hope! If not, I'll be back in this article again in the future with any more things I try to fix the problem!

I was wondering if the ASUS ROG Ally would see any particularly aggressive sales on Cyber Monday official, but it seems our top-rated gaming handheld is closing out this annual sales event as it began — at its lowest price ever, regardless of which model you choose. However, "lowest price ever" means two different things for our most recommended variant of the ROG Ally, and it all depends on where you shop.

For example, ASUS ROG Ally powered by the premium AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chipset is now only $483.95 at Amazon, a record-breaking low price... At first glance. Shoppers at a particular blue-and-yellow retailer are able to save more if they're a member, as the same ASUS ROG Ally is just $449.99 at Best Buy with a My Best Buy Plus membership. Take your pick, you're getting the best gaming handheld at one of the best prices ever either way.

Dec. 2, 2024 @ 11:25 a.m. ET — Updated to ensure these deals are still active and that all information is accurate! The ASUS ROG Ally deal at Amazon actually fell by a mind-blowing $1.05, which is nice, but Best Buy remains the cheapest place to get this handheld if you're a My Best Buy Plus member.

🔥The hottest Cyber Monday deals🔥

• 💻HP EliteBook 14 (Ryzen 7 PRO) | $589 at HP (Save $2,333!)
• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Z1) | $349.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 🖥️Geekom AR12 Lite Mini PC (Intel N100) | $169 at Amazon (Save $30!)
• 🕹️Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-months) | $27.99 at CDKeys (Save $12!)
• 🎮Lenovo Legion Go (Z1 Extreme) | $484.99 at Amazon (Save $215!)
• 💻Surface Pro 11 w/ keyboard (X Plus) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $450!)

💽More last-minute Cyber Monday deals💾

• Best Buy: Save up to 50% with Cyber Monday savings
• Walmart: Hurry for huge Cyber Monday savings
• Target: Score new and online-only deals
• Dell: Lowest PC prices of the year during Cyber Monday
• HP: Save up to 75% on selected doorbusters
• Lenovo: Save up to 68% on select doorbusters
• Newegg: Cyber Monday 2024 — It's our time to shine
• Razer: Loot like a legend with Cyber Weekend specials
• Samsung: Holiday deals on laptops, TVs, phones, and more are live
• Amazon: Cyber Monday deals on practically everything

You now have two ways to save on the best handheld

I'll save you the big rundown on why the new generation of PC gaming handhelds are so good, and why you should consider getting one. I'll even spare you the details on why, out of all the handhelds you can currently buy, the ASUS ROG Ally is the one we recommend above all others (and, in particular, this model that's on sale). You can read our ASUS ROG Ally review for that information.

I'll keep this short and sweet: the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales event (depending on which side of the weekend we're on) has brought thousands of promotions on thousands of products, including the lowest price we have ever seen for any version of the ASUS ROG Ally. To be frank, I didn't expect that price to get any lower than it already was, but Amazon just had to prove me (half) wrong.

Before this, the best deal for the more powerful ASUS ROG Ally model (which I recommend if you can justify the added cost) was a $500 price tag, and that was at Best Buy. Now, you can obtain your own high-end ASUS ROG Ally for as little as $483.95 at Amazon, besting the previous champion by $15. That's not the biggest difference, but a new record is a new record!

RELATED: Our LIVE coverage of the best Cyber Monday deals on ROG Ally, Legion Go, Steam Deck, and other gaming handhelds

However, Best Buy isn't relinquishing the title, either. Now, it seems that the two retailers will have to share, because while Amazon has reached a new lowest price for the ROG Ally through one of its third-party retailers (this deal isn't direct from Amazon or ASUS), you can still save more at Best Buy. All it takes is being a My Best Buy Plus member, a subscription that costs $50 a year and nets you a ton of benefits, like guaranteed free shipping, extended return windows, expanded support, and... exclusive deals.

Those whose frequent Best Buy shopping can benefit from a membership and those already part of the club can buy the ASUS ROG Ally with a Ryzen Z1 Extreme inside for $449.99 at Best Buy w/ My Best Buy Plus, a further $35 below Amazon's. Of course, Best Buy has shaved another $50 off its existing promotion for members since the beginning of Black Friday, so it's not quite accurate to say the cheapest place to buy a Ryzen Z1 Extreme-powered ROG Ally is at Amazon.

If you want the true lowest price, that's still in one place, where you can buy the entry-level ASUS ROG Ally for only $349.99 at Best Buy.

🔥The hottest Cyber Monday deals🔥

• 💽Zotac RTX 4080 SUPER AMP GPU | $989.99 at Newegg
• 💻Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC | $849.99 at Best Buy
• 💽MSI Ventus 2X E1 OC RTX 4070 GPU | $469.99 at Newegg
• 🎮Razer Wolverine V3 Pro controller | $199 at Amazon
• 💽 AMD Ryzen 5 7600X CPU | $194.99 at Newegg (with free 1TB SSD)
• 🕹️Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightdeck | $299.99 at Amazon
• 💻Microsoft Surface Pro 11 Copilot+ PC | $866 at Amazon

Upgrade your Lenovo Legion Go, Steam Deck, or ASUS ROG Ally with this cheap addon

If you're using your PC gaming handheld (such as the Lenovo Legion Go, Steam Deck, or ASUS ROG Ally) as an actual handheld exclusively, then this deal might be a bit of a head scratcher for you. Why would you need a keyboard exactly? Well, allow me to regale you with a personal story.

I have come to love my Lenovo Legion Go for a variety of reasons. It has a kick stand built in, but you can also get a similar kickstand-like experience on the ASUS ROG Ally or Steam Deck with a variety of great and cheap PC handheld docks and case accessories that include kick stands. But you most likely already have one if you're a power user. In any case, even if you just have a TV dock for boosting your ASUS ROG Ally up to your big screen, you may occasionally find yourself missing some crucial usability.

Windows 10/11 aren't particularly great on a TV, nor are they with a gamepad. Many functions of the OS expect you to have a trackpad, and sometimes even a proper fully connected keyboard. The virtual on-screen keyboard on Windows 11 is ... okay, but it's by no means viable for everything you might want to do on these types of devices. That's where this keyboard comes in.

• DEAL: JSAUX Docking Station (Steam Deck, Legion Go, ASUS ROG Ally): was $39.99 now $23.99 @ Amazon

I realized this when I travelled to an event with my Surface Pro X. It couldn't run Discord very well, or other crucial work apps I needed to use. I realized in the moment that my Lenovo Legion Go is orders of magnitude more powerful, yet I didn't have it with me at the time. Now that I have this small portable Bluetooth keyboard, I can effectively turn my Lenovo Legion Go into an all-in-one travel buddy, mini laptop for creating content, and gaming device for the long plane trips. But even if you just use your device at home, it's still worth considering one of these keyboards.

Being able to remotely navigate your ASUS ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go when its all connected up to the TV is a great experience. If you're using your PC gaming handheld to play movies or TV shows, or access apps that might require a VPN because of geo-blocking, navigating these services with a touch screen is a pain. Navigating them from your sofa with an Xbox controller is even more of a pain. That's why I always keep my folding Bluetooth keyboard handy for using these devices now, whether it's at home, or while travelling. Can't recommend it enough, and this Cyber Monday deal makes it all the sweeter.

🍁More great Cyber Monday deals🦃

• Best Buy: Big savings on video games, accessories, and more
• Walmart: Early savings on practically everything
• Target: Live deals on a huge range of products
• Dell: Top deals on laptops, gaming PCs, accessories, and more
• HP: Save big on laptops, desktops, accessories, and more
• Lenovo: Doorbuster deals on all Lenovo PCs, monitors, accessories, and more
• Newegg: Save on PC gaming accessories, components, and more
• Razer: Take advantage of free shipping for a limited time
• Samsung: Holiday deals on laptops, TVs, phones, and more are live
• Amazon: Constantly rotating sales on everything you can imagine

It might not be the handheld I recommend to most people, but my personal favorite PC gaming handheld is currently down over $200 from its typical asking price.

The Lenovo Legion Go is currently a whopping 31% OFF at Amazon right now, taking the RRP from $699 all the way down to $494.99 for Cyber Monday (while stocks last).

Why is this my personal favorite over its ASUS ROG Ally competitor? It comes down to versatility above all. This can effectively be a laptop replacement, thanks to its bigger screen, kickstand, trackpad, and other cool features. It also comes with 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to sweeten the deal, too, full of hundreds of Xbox Play Anywhere titles that work across PC and Xbox Series X|S consoles on a single purchase with cloud saves too. It really is like a portable Xbox.

• Check out our LIVE hub for all the best PC gaming handheld Cyber Monday deals

❄️The coolest holiday deals🎄

• 🔴 LIVE: Deals on Xbox Series X|S consoles and accessories
• 🎮Xbox Series X Digital Edition (1TB) | $399.99 at Best Buy (Save $50!)
• 💻HP EliteBook 845 (Ryzen 7 PRO) | $589 at HP (Save $2,023!)
• 🎮Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-months) | $27.99 at CDKeys
• 💻Surface Pro 11 (X Plus) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $300!)
• 🎮Lenovo Legion Go gaming handheld | $484.99 at Amazon

Is the Lenovo Legion Go worth it at $485 for Cyber Monday? Absolutely yes.

The Lenovo Legion Go is actually not the PC gaming handheld I generally recommend to most people, despite the fact it's my favorite. Being fully transparent here, I've used every major PC gaming handheld except the Intel-based MSI Claw (although by all accounts, you should definitely avoid that one). I've regularly used the Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go, and the Lenovo Legion Go came out on top for me as a jack-of-all-trades, owing to its monstrous versatility.

Based on the Z1 Extreme platform, the Lenovo Legion Go has similar performance to the ASUS ROG Ally. However, the fact it doesn't support VRR (variable refresh rates) means that games can sometimes appear a little less smooth on the display than the ROG Ally. I end up preferring it anyway, though, because it has a significantly larger screen. Coming in at 8.8" to the ASUS ROG Ally's 7" makes a big difference for me, as someone who doesn't have the best eyesight in the universe, but also as someone who plays a lot of games that are effectively designed for monitors and TVs. When game devs make their games, the UI is scaled around the expectation that you're going to be on a larger screen. Some games present very poorly on these smaller screens as a result, with text and UI elements that can be hard to read. With the boosted screen real estate and resolution options on the Legion Go, I've found that it's a more pleasant experience on the eyes even if the frame rate presentation can suffer occasionally.

RELATED: Lenovo Legion Go vs. ASUS ROG Ally

I also love the fact that it has Nintendo Switch-like detachable joysticks and an embedded kickstand. This means I can actually use this device a little bit like a laptop for travel, using the kickstand and a Bluetooth keyboard to turn it into a mini Surface tablet. It's also useful for mounting, and it also has a small trackpad for scenarios where you absolutely can't use the touch screen for navigation. Windows isn't always the best at supporting touch inputs, after all.

However, it is also significantly heavier, and thicker than the ASUS ROG Ally. The ASUS ROG Ally really personifies the "portable" aspect of this platform, with its light weight and thin chassis. The Lenovo Legion Go is a lot beefier, to accommodate its extra tech and versatility. Indeed, for those with smaller hands, you may even find it incredibly uncomfortable over long sessions. I don't have particularly large hands, but I can still see how others would find it problematic over the competition.

RELATED DEAL: The best (cheap) accessory for the Lenovo Legion Go

Both the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go are on sale right now, so you can ultimately choose what's best for you here.

• ASUS ROG Ally X: Z1 Extreme, 1 TB storage, 1.5-3 hours battery life, 24GB RAM ($699 at Best Buy).
• ASUS ROG Ally: Z1 Extreme, 512 GB storage, 1-2 hours battery life, 16 GB RAM. ($499 at Best Buy).
• Lenovo Legion Go: Z1 Extreme, 512 GB storage, 1-2 hours battery life, 16 GB RAM. ($499 at Best Buy / $472.99 at Amazon)

If you want boosted battery life and don't mind a smaller screen, the ASUS ROG Ally X might be best for you, but it is significantly more expensive. ASUS released the ROG Ally X over the summer to address battery life concerns. Indeed, the Z1 Extreme handhelds typically boast around 1-2 hours of battery life depending on how hard you push them. The Ally X can get an extra 45-ish minutes in exchange for some added weight. The price also adds some extra RAM and 1 TB storage as standard.

The ASUS ROG Ally has price matched the Lenovo Legion Go at around $499 for Cyber Monday. Both have the same battery life and general gameplay performance, although the screen experience and weight are the main usability differences. If you want a larger display for bigger UI elements, the Lenovo Legion Go will be easier on your eyes generally. If you want something lighter and more ergonomic, the ASUS ROG Ally will be gentler on your hands and arms over longer periods most likely. However, both devices are fantastic in their own ways, you just have to ensure you're buying the right device for you. For me, the Lenovo Legion Go wins out for its versatility, extra USB-C port, larger screen, added trackpad, kickstand, and detachable sticks.

I think the Lenovo Legion Go really does exemplify the "This is an Xbox" experience a bit better than the ASUS ROG Ally owing to its versatility. The ASUS ROG Ally is the "best" handheld arguably, but it's only a handheld. The fact I can use the Lenovo Legion Go as a laptop replacement in essence makes it a much better option for me.

Should you wait for the Lenovo Legion Go "S" or Legion Go "2"?

Yesterday, we exclusively shared the first official images of the Lenovo Legion Go S, ahead of its reveal likely in January 2025 at CES in Las Vegas.

The Legion Go S is expected to be less powerful than the current Lenovo Legion Go, but perhaps more battery efficient. It's going to be part of the new AMD Z2 platform, alongside two other potential models that hit different price points. The current Z1 "Extreme" Lenovo Legion Go is a battery hog, but it's also monstrously powerful, beating devices like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch quite easily, and perhaps even some budget gaming laptop chips too. However, the Z2 is rumored to have a focus on efficiency to boost battery life above all else.

The chip expected to be baked into the Legion Go S is expected to be less powerful, but there's also two other models rumored to be going live with the Go S, including a more powerful Lenovo Legion Go 2. The price cuts on the current Lenovo Legion Go could be as part of a clearance sale to make way for new models, which look similar to the ASUS ROG Ally so far. I don't expect the Lenovo Legion Go S to be significantly cheaper than this deal either, but I do expect the Lenovo Legion Go 2 to be incredibly expensive, especially if its using the new-gen architecture as is the current rumor.

Should you wait and see for the Zen2 range? There's perhaps some merit there, especially given the recency of this leak. However, I also don't expect the experience to be wildly different than the current Lenovo Legion Go, save for perhaps a smaller, lighter weight design, in exchange for ditching some of the versatility and baking in a lower RRP. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is almost certainly going to launch later in the year, and will almost certainly be vastly more expensive, upwards of $699 potentially, or maybe even more. If you bought the Lenovo Legion Go today, you could keep the packaging and device in good condition, it should be good enough to re-sell to put towards a new Lenovo Legion Go 2 or ASUS ROG Ally 2 in the future. But it does look like we'll have new devices across the board either way in 2025.

💽More great Cyber Monday deals💾

• Best Buy: Save up to 50% with Cyber Monday savings
• Walmart: Hurry for huge Cyber Monday savings
• Target: Score new and online-only deals
• Dell: Lowest PC prices of the year during Cyber Monday
• HP: Save up to 75% on selected doorbusters
• Lenovo: Save up to 68% on select doorbusters
• Newegg: Cyber Monday 2024 — It's our time to shine
• Razer: Loot like a legend with Cyber Weekend specials
• Samsung: Holiday deals on laptops, TVs, phones, and more are live
• Amazon: Cyber Monday deals on practically everything

As we scramble to unearth the best Black Friday deals for you this week, I think it's just as important to point out the items that look mighty tempting but are actually not worth the price. When it comes to handheld gaming PCs you might think a 38% discount on this MSI Claw (now $429.99, down from $699.99) is a steal. Spoiler alert: it’s not. Even at nearly half price, this bulky, underperforming device pales in comparison to the ASUS ROG Ally, which offers superior performance, better design, and versatility for just $349.99 this Black Friday (normally $499.99).

Why overpay for mediocrity when the ROG Ally is cheaper, faster, and much more capable? Save yourself the regret and pick the handheld that won’t let you down.

🍁The hottest Black Friday deals🦃

• 💽Zotac RTX 4080 SUPER AMP GPU | $989.99 at Newegg
• 💻Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC | $849.99 at Best Buy
• 💽MSI Ventus 2X E1 OC RTX 4070 GPU | $469.99 at Newegg
• 🎮Razer Wolverine V3 Pro controller | $199 at Amazon
• 💽 AMD Ryzen 5 7600X CPU | $194.99 at Newegg (with free 1TB SSD)
• 🕹️Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightdeck | $299.99 at Amazon
• 💻Microsoft Surface Pro 11 Copilot+ PC | $866 at Amazon

Why is the ROG Ally better than the MSI Claw?

To be fair on the MSI Claw, it isn't completely terrible, it's just that there are much better and cheaper options available, like the ASUS ROG Ally and even the Steam Deck OLED. As such, it’s hard to justify the Claw's price, even at a discount. Right now, the ASUS ROG Ally stands out as the clear winner, thanks to its incredible Black Friday sale price and superior functionality.

We compared the MSI Claw and ROG Ally when they first launched, and even on paper, the ROG Ally offered far better value. To give you a clearer picture, let’s break down the specs of both gaming handhelds and see why the ROG Ally is the smarter choice.

When it comes to choosing a gaming handheld, the ASUS ROG Ally blows the MSI Claw out of the water in nearly every category, especially with Black Friday sale prices making the ROG Ally just $349.99 (down from $499.99), compared to the MSI Claw's $441.15 (down from $749.99).

The ROG Ally consistently trumps the MSI Claw in gaming benchmarks, delivering higher frame rates across a wide range of games. While the Claw’s Intel Core Ultra processor might sound impressive, it struggles with consistent performance, leading to choppy gameplay in many reviews. In contrast, the ROG Ally’s AMD Ryzen Z1 or Z1 Extreme chips are purpose-built for gaming, providing smooth and reliable performance.

Both devices have a 7-inch 1080p IPS display, but the ROG Ally’s screen is a few pinches ahead. With a 120Hz refresh rate, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support, full sRGB coverage, and a peak brightness of 500 nits, the Ally’s display offers vibrant colors and smoother visuals that the MSI Claw simply cannot match.

Battery life is another area where the MSI Claw lets you down. While the ROG Ally averages around 2 hours and 30 minutes of playtime (stretching to 4 hours with less demanding games like Balatro), the MSI Claw delivers an underwhelming 50 minutes to 2 hours at best. For a portable device, that’s a significant drawback.

The ROG Ally has matured significantly since launch, receiving multiple updates that have improved its software and polished the overall user experience. It’s now stable, reliable, and bug-free for most users. The MSI Claw, on the other hand, suffers from persistent software issues, including crashes and inconsistent game launching, which can make for a frustrating experience.

The MSI Claw’s ergonomic grips are one of its few redeeming qualities, providing good comfort during long sessions. However, the ROG Ally more than compensates with its vast ecosystem of accessories available. Options like the Dbrand Killswitch case (also on Black Friday sale) can make a huge difference to the comfort factor of the ROG Ally.

Even with its 41% discount, the MSI Claw simply can’t compete with the ROG Ally, which not only costs less but also outshines it in performance, display quality, battery life, and overall usability. Don’t let the MSI Claw’s discount pull you in—opt for the ROG Ally deal at Best Buy instead.

🍁More great Black Friday deals🦃

• Best Buy: Big savings on video games, accessories, and more
• Walmart: Savings on practically everything
• Target: Live deals on a huge range of products
• Dell: Top deals on laptops, gaming PCs, accessories, and more
• HP: Save big on laptops, desktops, accessories, and more
• Lenovo: Doorbuster deals on all Lenovo PCs, monitors, accessories, and more
• Newegg: Save on PC gaming accessories, components, and more
• Razer: Take advantage of free shipping for a limited time
• Samsung: Holiday deals on laptops, TVs, phones, and more are live
• Amazon: Constantly rotating sales on everything you can imagine

Every smartphone I've ever owned has been used mostly naked, apart from the occasional dbrand skin, and the same holds true for most of my devices. The one exception was with the ASUS ROG Ally, though, as dbrand's Killswitch case was too good to ignore. It let me personalize my ROG Ally handheld, improved its ergonomics, added new features, and protected it from everything I could throw at it. Alas, dbrand has won me over again, despite my vows not to spend any money this Black Friday.

I've upgraded to the more powerful and beefier ASUS ROG Ally gaming handheld, and after hours of back-and-forth I finally gave in to the inevitable and pulled the trigger on a new dbrand Killswitch case, screen protector, and unique skin for it. It turns out, I simply couldn't say no to dbrand's Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts, which score you blanket discounts on all Killswitch products, enhanced savings for special skin designs, and even free skins. For a limited time, you can pick up a dbrand Killswitch case from $49.95 at dbrand; I certainly took advantage, so now I'm passing that tip on to you.

• Check out our LIVE hub for all the best PC gaming handheld Black Friday deals