Key Takeaways
1. The Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X launch on October 16, 2025, in the U.S., offering a new Windows handheld gaming experience.
2. A key feature is the task switcher, allowing users to toggle between gaming and the Windows desktop easily.
3. The system prioritizes gaming performance by not loading the Windows desktop at startup, but switching to it can require a restart for optimal performance.
4. Users can customize the home app to launch directly into preferred platforms like Steam or Epic Games.
5. The consoles are priced at $549.99 and $899.99, which may deter some buyers, but discounts may be available during sales events.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally and the Xbox Ally X are set to launch on October 16, 2025, in the United States. These portable consoles aim to introduce a fresh Windows handheld gaming experience that Microsoft claims offers significant enhancements. A recent video from Windows Central showcases a hands-on look at the ROG Xbox Ally on YouTube (link at the end), highlighting some of these advancements. The video features the new Xbox handheld gaming interface in action and addresses several key inquiries.
Notable Features
While the entire video is worth watching for its demonstration of the new handheld interface, the task switcher and settings menu stood out to us. The task switcher allows users to easily toggle between the immersive gaming view and the classic Windows desktop. Additionally, it lets you designate a home app.
To access the task switcher, you just need to press and hold the Xbox button located at the upper left. This feature lets you swiftly navigate between various applications and games. More intriguingly, the task switcher includes an option for displaying the traditional Windows desktop.
Performance Insights
Typically, when starting up the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X, the system does not load processes like the Windows desktop to save resources. This means that more resources are dedicated to gaming, enhancing performance and efficiency.
However, once you access the Windows desktop through the task switcher, resources are allocated to that process. While switching back to games can be done smoothly, the desktop doesn’t fully unload. This leads to the system prompting for a complete restart for “optimizations” to achieve peak performance.
Customization Options
It’s true that you likely won’t need to access the Windows desktop while gaming on the ROG Xbox Ally/Ally X, but having to restart just to regain maximum performance can be frustrating. This could be particularly puzzling for users who enjoy installing and experimenting with emulators, as it seems that these apps will require entering the Windows desktop mode.
In terms of home app customization, Windows Central indicates that players can select which home applications the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X will launch into. In theory, you could set Steam, Epic, or other launchers as the default home app, allowing the console to boot directly into that launcher without needing any input from the user.
All things considered, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X are proving to be very intriguing, especially the latter. Admittedly, with price tags of $549.99 and $899.99, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X are on the expensive side. Nevertheless, if these handhelds meet expectations, they could become quite appealing, particularly with potential discounts during events like Black Friday sales.
Source:
Link
Leave a Reply