Windows Central Insider
Now, this is really aimed at anyone using a handheld gaming PC or those who want a more console-like experience on PC with a controller.
Winhanced acts as an almost complete replacement for your PC library, bringing together your Xbox, Steam, Epic, and GOG libraries into a single app. It delivers a fairly friendly, console-style experience that feels much more cohesive than juggling multiple launchers.
So with that in mind, let’s take a full look at Winhanced and why I like it so much, but more importantly, why I think everyone should make the switch.
Not only that, but the app does more than just launch your games. The team behind Winhanced has also added a feature that automatically adjusts your TDP to help get the best performance possible in your games, which is a nice-to-have.
Now, before I glaze Winhanced too much, I should point out that I am part of its early access. That means my experience is based on features currently locked behind its Patreon.
That said, I do suggest supporting the team; you can find their Patreon here. It's a project built in their spare time, and they are very responsive to feedback.
It's also fair to say this is an early access experience. You will run into bugs and quirks that can take you out of that console-like feel.
Still, I run into similar issues with the Xbox app, and it's easier to overlook them here. This is a small team putting in the work, not a trillion-dollar company reporting record earnings.
Some of the issues I have encountered include graphical glitches, problems closing games (I believe this has been resolved), and occasional download hiccups. In my experience, though, reporting them leads to fairly quick fixes.
The team is also actively working on new features. A friends list is on the way and currently in testing, which merges your friends across Steam, Discord, and Xbox.
Speaking to one of the developers, Floop, on looking ahead, the developer had a clear vision for where Winhanced is heading. He states:
“A year from now if I could have the world I would see Winhanced talked about in the same vein as something like Bazzite or Playnite online, as a main staple app that people go to for their Windows controller first experiences.”
It’s certainly a bold vision, and honestly, based on my experience with Winhanced, I can see it happening if the developers continue refining the experience. And in many ways, they already have, and aside from the issues I've mentioned, I do already prefer it to Xbox’s own app, which just doesn't feel as console-like in its current state.
There are a few ideas I would love to see added. The ability to browse storefronts like Steam or Xbox directly within the app would be great, though I am not sure how realistic that is, and more customization options to mirror an Xbox-style dashboard would also be appreciated.
An installer-style screen showing game updates, currently installing, and recently installed items would also be a nice touch. It’s something Xbox already does well, and it would help round out the overall experience here.
As I feel like I've said a million times already, the team is incredibly responsive, and the reason I want more from Winhanced is that I can see just how much potential it has. Like the developer I spoke to, I can see it being talked about in the same vein as something like Playnite within a year.
The app is not even at version 1.0 yet, but the legwork is well underway to get it there, and whilst there is still plenty of work to be done, the team is clearly hard at work. Even so, what is already here feels like the foundation of something genuinely special, and it is absolutely worth checking out if you are getting tired of the Xbox app like I was.
If I’ve sold you on Winhanced or even just got you curious, be sure to join their Discord and let the team know, and of course, be sure to support the developers over on their Patreon.
👉 If you wish to install Winhanced, you can do so by clicking here.
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