Microsoft Announces ROG Xbox Ally Software for Windows Handhelds 2026

Key Takeaways

1. The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X feature a special version of Windows called “Xbox Experience for Handheld,” designed to optimize gaming performance and power efficiency.
2. Microsoft will roll out the Xbox full screen experience to older Windows handheld devices, starting with the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X.
3. There is no set timeline for the rollout, but Asus devices will receive the update before other brands like Lenovo and MSI.
4. Future updates will provide similar full-screen Xbox experiences to other Windows handhelds starting next year.
5. The Xbox full experience allows users to enjoy the benefits of both Windows and SteamOS without needing to abandon either system.

The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are the first devices to feature a special version of Windows designed for handhelds. This is called the “Xbox Experience for Handheld” or the “Xbox full screen experience.” Microsoft claims that this is not just a simple launcher for your PC games but a thorough optimization that enhances gaming performance and boosts power efficiency. Excitingly, the Xbox full screen experience will also be available for older Windows handheld devices.

Updates for Older Handhelds

As reported by The Verge, Microsoft has announced that the Xbox full screen experience will be rolled out to previously released Windows handhelds. Roanne Sones, who is the corporate VP of gaming devices and ecosystem at Xbox, stated, “While the Xbox full-screen experience will first come to the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X, our next focus will be updating the in-market ROG Ally and the ROG Ally X.”

Future Rollout Plans

There is no definite timeline for when this new software will launch on the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X, but it looks like Asus’s devices will get it ahead of others like the Lenovo Legion Go, MSI Claw, and even the more recent Legion Go S (which is priced at $649.99 on Amazon). Sones has also mentioned that “Similar full-screen Xbox experiences will be rolling out to other Windows handhelds, starting next year.”

Benefits for Users

The introduction of the Xbox full experience will be a significant advantage for users of Asus and Lenovo’s handhelds, which just got official support for SteamOS. Now, users don’t need to completely abandon Windows, allowing them to enjoy the best features that both systems offer.

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