Along with these new features – which also includes improvements to the FPS Limiter option and a host of bug fixes – the update also brings with it new versions of the BIOS firmware, power delivery firmware and AMD GPU drivers to help improve performance and consistency of the devices. For more details about these updates to the three devices, check out the patch notes below

Also check out our review of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X for more details about the handheld gaming PC.

Full Asus ROG Allly series November 18, 2025 update patch notes:

On ROG Ally (RC71), ROG Ally X (RC72), ROG Xbox Ally (RC73YA), and ROG Xbox Ally X (RC73XA)

ACSE 2.1.15.0 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE

New features and improvements:

• Added CPU P-core / E-core options under Performance → More Settings page (ROG Xbox Ally X RC73XA only).
• Added an option to Enter or Exit the full screen experience using key bindings under Keymap → Action.
• Added an Update Notification feature in Command Center.
• Integrated AMD Radeon Chill behavior into the FPS Limiter function.
• Adjusted FPS Limiter option from 45 → 40 FPS to better align with the device’s 120hz panel refresh rate.
• Changed the bottom bar button color to a gray color design.
• Added Windows Power Mode options to the Manual Operating Mode page.
• Improved gyro aiming algorithm to enhance precision with the gyro sensor.

Bug fixes:

• Enhanced the online update process.
• AMD RSR is now set to Off by default for RC73 models.
• Added support for Wi-Fi captive portals.
• Changed the default sleep time from Never to 5 minutes.

On ROG Xbox Ally (RC73YA)

MCU 322 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Added a debug interface.

BIOS 315 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Improved power consumption in Modern Standby.
• Optimized BIOS update flow with a refined mechanism for adapter plug-in detection.
• Fixed a bug where Cloud Recovery may hang on reboot.

Power delivery firmware V10.1.2.27 on 11/19 through Windows Update

• Improved power consumption in Modern standby.

AMD GPU driver V25.10.25.27 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Improves overall gaming performance and fixes an audio issue related to Auto Super Resolution.

On ROG Xbox Ally X (RC73XA)

MCU 321 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Improved haptics for Impulse Triggers.

BIOS 312 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Optimized BIOS update flow with a refined mechanism for adapter plug-in detection.
• Improved Cloud Recovery user experience.

Touch panel firmware V09 on 11/19 through Windows Update

• Overall stability improvement.

Power delivery firmware V10.1.2.15 on 11/19 through Windows Update

• Improve firmware stability.

AMD GPU driver V25.10.25.27 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Improves overall gaming performance and fixes an audio issue related to Auto Super Resolution.

AMD Chipset driver V7.03.26.2151 on 11/18 through Armoury Crate SE & ASUS official website

• Overall system performance improvement.

To enable it on supported Claw units, Insiders can head to Settings, then Gaming and Full Screen Experience, set Xbox as the Home app, and choose to enter it at startup. Microsoft reiterates that the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X have it already, and that additional OEMs will receive support “in the coming months.” This MSI rollout is a part of this staged preview, following its debut on Asus hardware.

Bottom line: If Microsoft keeps tightening boot flow and input handling, the Xbox Full Screen Experience could turn Windows handhelds like the Claw into “pick-up-and-play” machines. They would feel less like desktops and more like consoles with better mainstream appeal.

How It Stacks up to Competitors

First, I found it helpful to think of the Xbox ROG Ally X as an Xbox themed expansion pack to last year’s ROG Ally X. It’s a substantial expansion, but it’s not quite a new sequel altogether. Considering the sheer power of yesteryear’s Ally X, that’s nothing to laugh about; in fact, it marks it as the most powerful handheld console on the market. With AMD’s latest Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip, faster 24GB memory, and an AI-ready NPU, it delivers up to 30% better performance while running cooler and longer on the same battery as last year’s model. It’s also generally more efficient and powerful than the Steam Deck OLED and Legion Go. Though, display buffs will no doubt enjoy the larger refined screen the Legion Go provides over the Xbox Ally X’s 7 inch FHD one. The 1080p 120Hz display is kept remarkable glare-free throughout my entire time with it, which I appreciate.

It’s the ergonomics and … Xboxiness of it that provide that special sauce for me. The impulse triggers, enhanced haptics, and textured grips are some of the most enjoyable and durable I’ve felt. I’m reminded of the old Duke controller, that’s how darn good this feels. You can’t get that with the Steam Deck or Legion Go. On the software side, it boots into a console-inspired Xbox interface while retaining full Windows 11 flexibility.

Ergonomics

Enough about comparisons though, once you get your hands on the joysticks of this thing, you can’t help but want to game for hours. There’s some high quality rubber with some tough textured grip around the sides of the sticks, giving it a premium feel. Gliding the sticks feels silky smooth and clicking them in feels like second-nature if you’re an Xbox player.

Regarding the grip and contour, I occasionally get some palm fatigue from the wide handle-grasping after long sessions. But overall, the lightweight design and smooth contours make it easy to hold for hours. The upside to the large handles is the grip. The texture and contour of the handles securely locks the console in place, and I never had the thought that it might slip or drop. For such a bulky looking device, it sure is light and secure in the hands.

Build quality is strong with this Xbox-branded Ally X. The rugged, high-grade plastics give it a tough, durable feel that inspires confidence. It’s great not needing to be overly protective when handling the thing. It may be the most expensive handheld on the market, but at least it feels like it can withstand some abuse.

That said, dust does tend to gather around the screen edges and the base of the thumbsticks. And since the joysticks aren’t Hall Effect, there’s no guarantee they’ll remain drift-free over a long stretch of time.

Oh, and you’ll be smearing dust on it quite often considering the display doubles as a touch screen. The d-pad is so close to the screen that it’s incredibly easy to accidentally tap or swipe it, causing interface and control swapping to occur. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve miss-clicked or interrupted navigation because of the low d-pad proximity with the screen.

Another small thing to note are the sound of the clicks and presses. The face buttons on this are noticeably louder than on PlayStation or Nintendo controllers, with the D-pad producing a crunchy click that’ll grab attention in quiet environments. The triggers, however, are the opposite, responding with soft clicks and dead silent presses from the shoulder buttons. In short, this is the latest in the line of Xbox controllers. It’s got that nostalgic Xbox feel and contour with a premium touch.

Setup and Onboarding

It’s also got some of the classic Xbox flair with its presentation. I was greeted with a sleek activation animation when booting it up, and I admit that I smiled when the RGB lighting illuminated both thumbsticks (easily customizable, by the way). Since I’m not much of a QR code instructions reader, I just winged it and jumped in without much tutorializing. If it’s your first time using a hybrid Windows gaming handheld, you’ll be met with some confusion, especially since the onboarding process is very light.

All your updates and controller mappings are handled through Windows 11 or Armoury Crate, ASUS’s built-in interface for all things ROG Ally. It’s easy to jump between apps and game launchers — just press the Xbox button or use the cursor to minimize like you would on any PC. The hybrid Windows/Xbox setup makes control customization simple, with both console and desktop modes fully mappable through Armoury Crate.

That said, I wish switching between the two modes could be done with a single button instead of diving into the game bar overlay each time. Still, you can set one of the sticks to act as a mouse or use the touchscreen to navigate Windows, then flip back to console mode when you’re ready to game.

The on-screen keyboard is large enough for most hands, but an external keyboard is definitely better if you plan to do a lot of typing. For casual users or kids, the fundamental controls are pretty straightforward: the Xbox menu button alone can handle most app swapping. But for some, the hybrid control scheme might feel confusing and unintuitive.

Performance With Game Tests

I stress tested the Xbox Rog with six beefy games. Forza Motorsport, Microsoft Flight Sim 24, Gears Reloaded, GTA 5, Resident Evil 2 Remake, and the oft-maligned Ghost Recon Breakpoint were my guinea pigs and they suited the task admirably. Among all six, Forza Motorsport struggled the most to both look and feel spectacular, but none of them failed to perform well. During my time testing Forza Motorsport, I was able to push the framerate to 60 and beyond, but only by sacrificing visual elements like detailed window reflections, track fidelity, or car detail. Running it on a balanced high setting delivers smooth performance as long as the Ally X is set to Performance or Turbo mode. If you prefer a quieter, fanless experience, you’ll have to give up the kind of visual fidelity and framerate that makes these racing sims pop. That trade-off applies to most games I tested, but it was most noticeable in Forza.

Resident Evil 2 and GTA 5, on the other hand, are so well optimized that I rarely saw frame dips or stutter, even on very high settings. And unlike racing titles, the occasional inconsistency in detail doesn’t stand out as much — after all, ultra-detailed cars racing across flat, textureless tracks is far more jarring than a zombie missing some extra pores and cuts.

Naturally, cranking everything to max will increase loading a bit, but the Xbox ROG isn’t meant for ultra settings anyway. The $1000 machine contains the most powerful handheld GPU available right now. Even so, the Xbox ROG can handle most modern games smoothly at high settings without major compromises.

Fan noise stays manageable most of the time. You’ll really only notice it in Turbo Mode, where it ramps up under heavy load; not quite helicopter levels, but definitely small leaf-blower levels. I didn’t feel confident running my test games in Silent Mode unless I was okay with lower graphics or fluctuating framerates. For indie or lighter titles, though, Silent Mode is pretty dang ideal.

Battery Life & Heat

The real big drawback playing any handheld device game on high settings is battery life. Even with the top-of-class 80wh battery, you’ll need to charge often when engaged in high performance gameplay. I’ve had the charge go from 90% to 10% in just an hour of Forza Motorsport on high-ish settings. And this with the Turbo setting on in the Armoury Crate, by the way, so the fans are at full capacity.

Thankfully, though, it doesn’t take an unreasonable amount of time to top up a charge. Roughly 50 minutes or so from empty to full, so not bad. But you can easily sneak in 2 hours of of your favorite games with a 30 minute charge so long as you’re playing on medium graphics settings. In everyday use, the Ally X’s endurance depends heavily on what you’re doing. You can expect around 6 hours and 30 minutes of battery life when running light apps or indie games and roughly 2 hours for well-optimized AAA titles.

I’m pleased to say the heat from Ryzen’s new chip is very livable. Even when throttling the system on ultra graphics, the vent areas never got blisteringly hot. Oh, it gets hot, yes, but not uncomfortably so. Silent mode dissipates no heat whatsoever, so if you’re in an already warm climate, that’s the comfortable option for sure. All told, the Xbox ROG is the most quiet, and coolest, gaming device I have besides my Switch 2 and 3DS, and I have a lot of devices.

User Interface

Speaking of graphics modes and cooling fans, all of that and much more is controlled through the device’s dedicated hub named the Armoury Crate. Switching between performance modes is easy breezy: just pull up the Command Center and tap one of the four presets. Users can get as personal as they want with the extensive customization options inside Armoury Crate. Want fan #1 running at 90% speed once the system hits 70°C? No problem — that’s fully adjustable, along with a wide range of other performance and thermal parameters. You also have full control mapping customization across two distinct modes: Gamepad and Desktop.

The system’s hybrid nature between Windows and Xbox interfaces makes this handheld unique, but it’s also where things can get messy. During my time recording footage for this review, I experienced noticeable lag when switching between desktop and console modes. At times, the UI simply wouldn’t recognize the Windows cursor, forcing me to fiddle back and forth until it responded. To be fair, that was mostly while capturing footage, which puts extra strain on the system, but even in normal use, transitions between desktop cursor mode and console mode can occasionally misbehave.

Armoury Crate itself doesn’t support cursor control, which makes its anti-desktop design especially odd — particularly since it’s the very app used to switch control modes. The Xbox button’s quick menu also can’t be navigated with the cursor, which feels unnecessarily restrictive. In short, the hybrid setup works, but it could be a lot smoother and more seamless — especially if you’re multitasking or running other programs.

The in-built recording features are another mixed bag. The built-in recorder doesn’t function properly inside the Armoury Crate app. Recordings and screenshots only function in-game or through the Xbox app. It also refuses to record the home menu, blocking capture entirely.

Speaking of not functioning, I strongly recommend avoiding running two games at once. It completely eats up system resources and occasionally even registers inputs in both games simultaneously. At one point, I accidentally changed the language in Resident Evil 2 while enthusiastically crashing my Civic Type R in Forza. Lesson learned.

A final note on the UI. Both the Xbox and Armoury Crate UIs can be a bit sluggish when waking the system from sleep or booting up, but the lag disappears after about ten seconds. Though, don’t be too suprised if switching between apps lags out input for a tiny bit; it’s happened to me several times.

As for Game Pass, sign-in and game management are fairly straightforward, though offline play can occasionally throw up small quirks or “can’t verify license” pop-ups which override other apps.

I did have a brief moment of terror where I thought the system had completely bricked. It wouldn’t power on, the indicator light was off, and charging did nothing. After some research, I found out this is a known quirk with the high-powered Ryzen chips used in the Rog Ally X, and apparently the enhanced z2 chip inside this $1000 beast does the same. The solution is a series of force restarts that I won’t get into here, but it’s worth addressing that when all the lights go out and nothing works, look up some fixes and you’ll find solutions (unless yours really is bricked).

Controls, Haptics & Audio

I’m getting painful flashbacks of the $1000 handheld not turning on now, so let’s turn to the wonderful world of Xbox controllers, shall we? The Xbox-ified analog sticks offer a generous dead zone range, giving me precise control whether I’m carving corners in Forza or lining up destroying locusts in Gears of War.

The impulse triggers feature integrated haptic motors. They’re not as dynamic or powerful as the DualSense haptics on the PlayStation 5, but they do a perfectly serviceable job of adding tactile feedback that keeps gameplay immersive. If the rumble feels a little too faint out of the box, you can easily tweak the intensity in Armoury Crate. Each controller side even has separate top and bottom vibration zones, though I did notice the right-side vibration is slightly weaker than the left.

But the real standout here is the audio. The built-in speakers are simply phenomenal. The volume range on the Xbox ROG is nothing short of spectacular — easily the most dynamic stereo setup I own, even compared to my smart TV, laptop, and Switch 2. It’s not just about loudness either; there’s real clarity and punch here. The system delivers clean highs, deep lows, and a remarkably high peak threshold for a handheld device.

If you want to play more quietly, there’s a standard headphone jack that outputs equally crisp sound, and Bluetooth pairing with wireless headphones is also supported for those who prefer a cable-free setup. Whether you’re blasting music or playing in bed with headphones, Xbox ROG’s sound profile impresses.

Console Storage

If you’re as much of an audiophile as myself, you’re probably wondering how many video game soundtracks you can install on here. Oh who am I kidding, that storage will just be filled with AAA games. Well, that’s where the Ally X upcharge establishes its value—that beefy 1 terabyte storage. After updating the system and installing Armoury Crate, the Xbox app, and other built-in tools, I had around 830GB of usable space left. With the massive file sizes of modern games, expect room for roughly six to eight AAA titles plus a handful of smaller indie games before space starts running thin.

Thankfully, microSD expansion is simple and painless, though swapping out the internal SSD is a much more involved process that requires a guide and some mechanical confidence.

What’s Included and What’s Not

It’s worth noting that a docking station isn’t included in the box. You’ll need to purchase one separately, preferably through Asus for full compatibility. The good news is that the USB-C and USB4 ports fully support video output, so TV or external monitor setup is doable for those wanting a traditional setup.

So what do you get besides the machine itself? Well, about what you’d expect. The most notable thing is three months free of Game Pass premium, giving newcomers to Xbox’s ecosystem lots to play right away. There’s also a dedicated charger and cardboard stand. Yeah, cardboard. It’s probably the cheapest handheld stand I’ve ever seen and it’s not any more stable than it looks. The charging cable, on the other hand, is solid: durable, thick, and a decent length. Just be aware that the power brick gets quite hot while charging. For $1000 you’re not getting any other accessories like a dock or adaptor, just the charger and the stand, but it’s the thought that matters, right?

Who’s This For Anyway?

But those eyeing this top-of-the-line handheld aren’t demanding a diamond stand. This is for the gamers wanting the best handheld experience on the market today. Game-Pass subscribers who are always on the go have everything they could want with the Xbox Rog Ally X. And Windows PC users also get a level of portability with the precise feel of a console all in one.

I’m not convinced tech infants or younger children will find the hybrid nature all that intuitive, but at such an exorbitant price point, it’s clearly aimed at a more dedicated audience anyway.

Final Value Assessment

The Xbox ROG Ally X delivers top-tier performance with dynamic hybrid portability. It’s like a portable Windows PC and Xbox Series S all in one. It’s not absolute perfection, but the functional execution of such a hybrid concept outweighs the confusing layouts and occasional bugs. Even without the inclusion of accessories for docked play and the like, this all-in-one handheld hybrid console exudes performance and power. For hardcore gamers seeking a portable machine that can handle all the modern AAA titles with the versatility of a Windows PC, the Xbox ROG Ally X stands out as a premium choice worth the investment.

Despite the presence of some truly versatile devices, the new handhelds are poised to make their presence felt, coming with a lot of nifty features that could make them quite appealing to both Xbox loyalists and newcomers alike. But are they going to be worth your money? We’re here with a list of things you should know if you’re planning to invest in one yourself.

Let’s get started!

1. A Familiar OS With a Familiar Twist

The Ally and Ally X may not be the first handhelds that operate on Windows 11. But they’re going to be much better to navigate thanks to an Xbox-styled overlay that many early previews of the two devices have been praising – and with good reason.

Windows 11-based handhelds in the past have suffered from performance issues thanks to the OS eating up a lot of RAM, while touch-based controls have often made their UI quite unintuitive. Having a familiar Xbox overlay that mimics Microsoft’s iconic consoles solves both those problems, making them easy to use while freeing up memory that can then be used by what the devices are meant to run: their games!

2. A Design That’s Appealing and Functional

One of the areas which Xbox has had an edge over other gaming platforms in the past has been in its controllers. While its rivals have since caught up and come up with solid designs on their own, the Xbox controller continues to be quite an appealing option.

It’s a good thing, then, that the two devices are modelled around bringing the Xbox controller’s iconic layout to their designs, alongside a build quality that has kept them feeling sturdy yet light in their players’ hands. That’s great news considering that portability is part of the appeal of a handheld gaming device, and having one that can withstand a bit of wear and tear while remaining easy to use is definitely a plus.

3. Build A Library of Games

While bringing over your library of Xbox games could be among the most appealing facets of the ROG Ally and Ally X, the fact they they run on Windows 11 means that you also have access to your game libraries on other storefronts, with Steam, Epic Store, and Battle.net being among the options that previews of the two devices have revealed.

This gives you a lot of freedom to play on your terms, and is a welcome addition that makes these handhelds quite versatile indeed.

4. Performance Profiles

We already know that the Xbox ROG Ally X is the beefier of the two devices, but new information shows that it brings a very significant upgrade to the table. That’s because of its Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip and an XDA NPU that could make it quite future-proof, with the ability to use AI and upscale titles that are compatible with it.

While the standard Xbox Ally is certainly capable in its own right, the Ally X is designed for hardcore users who might wish to dock it to external 4K monitors and run games at their highest settings, all while Discord or other applications are open in the background. You might want to consider which one suits your needs before you fork over your cash.

Another thoughtful addition is that games will now be clearly labeled to show how well they perform on the handheld, a small but meaningful detail that’s easy to appreciate.

5. A Glaring Omission

Many previews of the two devices lamented the lack of an OLED display, despite the LCD on both devices being quite capable of handling the job of making your games immersive and running at smooth framerates for the most part. Considering the price of these two handhelds, an OLED might be a major factor in influencing purchasing decisions for a few very discerning players.

But for most of us, the displays on board are going to be more than enough to get the job done, and perhaps even help keep the prices down.

6. Boost Your Performance With ROG Accessories

If you’ve got the luxury of spending a little extra on your purchase, you could consider pairing the Xbox ROG Ally X with the ROG XG Mobile 25, essentially giving it a boost in processing power roughly equivalent to that of an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU. That’s sure to make resource-intensive games run like a dream either on the device or on a compatible monitor.

That could make your Ally X a very versatile gaming device indeed. Sadly, Ally’s lack of a USB4 port isn’t going to let it take advantage of this boost. It is what it is.

7. Memory and Storage

While the two devices’ specs have been known for quite a while at this point, we still think it’s a good idea to discuss a few crucial differences between them. Aside from the lack of a USB4 port, the Ally comes with only 16GB of memory and a 512GB M.2 2280 SSD, which you can upgrade with a 2280-size SSD or a UHS-II microSD card.

The Ally X once again gets the upper hand over its sibling, bringing 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD that’s upgradeable with a 2280-size SSD. It’s quite a gap and justifies the differences in their prices, which we’re going to be talking about a little later down the line.

8. Your Devices, Your Setup

An advantage that both devices share is the ability to rig them up with external monitors, keyboards, and mouse setups, and Xbox controllers. That could make them perfect for those of you who like more options while you game at home, while continuing to retain the joy of gaming on the go. It’s a great way to have the best of both worlds at your fingertips, all the time.

9. Xbox Game Bar Integration

If you’re somebody who makes use of Xbox Game Bar, know that it comes integrated with the UI on both the Ally and Ally X. It’s a nifty little addition that could bring its users a lot of value, allowing easy screen grabs, performance monitoring, social features, and a variety of widgets that you can customize to your liking.

It’s a great way to make your shiny new devices feel uniquely yours while offering very useful features that could make your gaming experience on either device feel just like it does on a PC or console.

10. Xbox Cloud Integration

While we knew that Xbox Cloud integration was making its way to both the Xbox Ally and Ally X, you might be interested to know that you’ll need an active Game Pass subscription if you want to stream your games on the go.

That could be a downer if you disapprove of the new price hikes on Xbox’s subscription service, but on the bright side, you could just stick to your own library of games across storefronts.

11. Playing Things Cool

Previews suggest that while temperature management is quite efficient at keeping your device cool enough in your hands, the onboard fans do get quite loud. If that’s something you’re likely to find off-putting, perhaps investing in a nice pair of earphones alongside your new handheld could help offset that particular disadvantage.

In the long run, it’s still a good thing to have a device less prone to overheating, and we’d say that the loud fans on these bad boys are a worthy trade-off.

12. A Weight on Your Wallets

All of the great features we’ve listed above don’t come cheap! The ROG Xbox Ally comes with a $599.99 USD price tag, while the Ally X carries a hefty $999.99 USD! Preorders have been available for a while now, so go ahead and get one if you’ve been keen on owning either one of these solid handhelds.

13. Watch Out for Play Anywhere

If you’re primarily picking up either the Ally or Ally X to play your library of Xbox games on the go, you’re going to want to check up on how many of them are actually playable on your new handheld. That’s because only games that are compatible with the Xbox Play Anywhere service, which lets developers release games for both Xbox and PCs with a unified store listing, can actually run on the new handhelds.

For all their Xbox branding, they are still Windows 11-based PCs at their core. A relatively simple workaround for new releases not compatible with the service would be to simply purchase their PC versions of either Steam or the Epic Store, though.

14. Watch out for Crashes

A few previews pointed out the potential for crashes on the new handhelds, but also iterated that those issues could very well be ironed out closer to the final release. It could simply be that the preview devices carried software versions that are going to be further optimized ahead of the devices’ final release.

15. Asus Armory Crate Launcher Built-In

For you ROG fans out there, the Xbox Ally and Ally X come with an Asus Armory Crate built in, giving you a suite of tools to further fine-tune your gaming experience on either device. It’s an extensive suite of tools that can bring you a lot of options to customize things exactly to your liking, and it is a welcome addition to this collaboration between Xbox and Asus.

And that’s a wrap on everything you need to know before you decide to splurge on either the Xbox Ally or Ally X! Are you going to be grabbing one on release, or perhaps wait for a sale? Let us know in the comment

The ROG Xbox Ally features an AMD Ryzen Z2 A CPU, 16 GB RAM and 512 GB storage alongside a 60Wh battery. If the price didn’t give it away, the Ally X is significantly stronger, thanks to an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme CPU, 24 GB RAM and 1 TB of storage space, with an 80Wh battery. It also includes haptic vibrations in its Impulse Triggers and upgradeable storage. Learn more about their specifications here.

Of course, the main appeal of these devices is accessing one’s PC library across multiple storefronts on the go. Alongside downloading games from Ubisoft Connect, the EA App, Epic Games Store and Steam, you can stream titles from Game Pass via the cloud. There’s also the Xbox Fullscreen Experience – head here for more details.

While most of the tour revolves around the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, with both Bond and Ledbetter showcasing the device to the host along with showing off parts of the building with facilities for 3D printing for quick prototyping, there is also one part of the building that isn’t really showcased.

“This is where the team is actually designing, prototyping and testing for the next generation of Xbox,” said Bond about that part of the building. “It is top secret. So we very, very rarely take people in here,” she continued.

The testing room should come as no surprise, however, since quite a few rumours have been going around about the company’s next-generation console. A recent report, for instance, indicated that Microsoft has been in discussions with its various partners for the launch of the next-generation Xbox, eyeing a 2027 launch window.

Along with this, reports have also indicated that the next console will be quite powerful thanks to the AMD chip – codenamed Magnus – powering it under the hood. The Magnus APU (accelerated processing unit) is reportedly comprised of two separate chips – an SoC (system on a chip) to handle CPU duties, and a GPU chip that is based on the company’s Radeon desktop graphics cards.

The CPU in the next-gen Xbox is expected to feature 3 Zen 6 cores along with 8 Zen 6c cores, between which a 12 MB L3 cache will be shared for quick data processing. The GPU, meanwhile, will run on 68 RDNA5 compute units with 4 shader engines. As a whole, the chip is said to feature 24 MB of L2 cache memory, which is around five times what we see on the current-gen Xbox Series X.

Memory will be handled thanks to a 192-bit bus, and while there is no confirmation yet on how much RAM the console will have, the reports have stated that the chip allows for three configurations – 24 GB, 36 GB and 48 GB. Along with this, the next Xbox is also expedcted to feature a neural processing unit (NPU) that is capable of 110 TOPS (trillion operations per second), and can go as low as 46 TOPS for low-power mode. All of this is expected to have a power draw of between 250 to 350 watts.

Interestingly, the reported power draw for Sony’s next-generation console is said to be quite lower, with the Xbox’s chip taking up 70 percent more power. In exchange for this, the Magnus APU is also stated to be more powerful by around 30 to 35 percent when compared to the PS6’s Orion APU.

Interestingly, Microsoft and Asus were allegedly looking to subsidize pricing, according to XboxEra’s Jon Clarke during Gamescom last month (which is why prices weren’t announced alongside the release date). Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson corroborated that this was reportedly the plan “at the time,” but “they obviously couldn’t do it for whatever reason.”

It’s yet another black mark against Microsoft, which recently increased prices for all Xbox Series X/S models in the United States (head here for more details). Whether this impacts the long-term success of the handheld remains to be seen, but for now, the sales response is positive.

The ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X launch on October 16th in 38 countries, with more to be added later. Stay tuned in the meantime for updates.

“The hype is real! ROG Xbox Ally X preorders are sold out on the Xbox Store worldwide,” announced Microsoft through the official social media account for Xbox.

Pre-orders for both of the handhelds had just gone live earlier today. The ROG Xbox Ally has been priced at $599.99, while the more powerful Xbox Ally X is priced at $999.99. Pre-orders have been made available in 38 countries so far. For more details, check out our coverage.

The almost immediate success of the handheld gaming systems would certainly explain why VP of Xbox gaming devices and ecosystem, Jason Ronald, had spoken about being excited for this partnership between Microsoft and Asus last month. In an interview, Ronald spoke about the two companies being able to combine their strengths in the development of the handheld systems.

“We’re just really excited about the partnership with Asus, we’ve found an ideal partner to bring their strengths with our strengths, and for us we’re really focused on just growing the category overall,” said Ronald.

He also went on to talk about the Handheld Compatibility Program that Microsoft had originally unveiled at Gamescom would be made available to any handheld gaming system maker running on Windows, since the program is launching for Windows as a whole alongside the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X.

“So even just with the Handheld Compatibility Program, it’s going to launch alongside the Xbox Ally but it’ll apply to all devices in the category,” he said. “Y’know, who knows what the future entails, but we’re just really excited about the partnership right here.”

While pre-orders might have been successful, the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X will be hitting store shelves worldwide on October 16. The handheld system marks a major turning point for Microsoft and Windows as a whole since it will be the first time we get to see a full-fledged desktop-tier version of the operating system that has been optimised to be also usable with a controller, and without a mouse or keyboard.

Microsoft had also confirmed that a number of enhancements had been made to Windows 11 for the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X that would make the operating system even better for running games. Among these enhancements is the Xbox Fullscreen Experience, which doesn’t load any processes that aren’t required for gaming, saving more than 2 GB of RAM in the process which can instead be allocated to more demanding games.

For more details about the ROG Xbox Ally handheld gaming systems, check out our primer on everything you might have missed from its original announcement. Also check out how Microsoft Gaming boss Phil Spencer believes that the Xbox Ally’s development led to the “tightest collaboration” so far between the gaming and Windows teams.

Pre-orders are available in 38 countries overall, including the United Kingdom, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, France, Germany, New Zealand and many more (with Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, and others recently added). You can pick one up through local retailers, Xbox and the Microsoft Store in the United States. The handhelds will be available in additional countries, such as China, Brazil, Luxembourg, the Philippines, and more, at an unknown date.

Launching on October 16th, the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X have been developed in partnership with Asus, offering native PC gaming experiences on the go. Utilizing Windows 11, it provides access to Xbox titles, Game Pass, Battle.net and “other leading PC stores.” Each handheld includes a three-month membership to Game Pass. For more details on their specifications, head here.

“We’re just really excited about the partnership with Asus, we’ve found an ideal partner to bring their strengths with our strengths, and for us we’re really focused on just growing the category overall,” said Ronald. He also went on to confirm that the Handheld Compatibility Program that Microsoft had announced at Gamescom will also be available for other Windows-based handheld gaming systems in the future, noting that the program itself will be launching alongside the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X.

“So even just with the Handheld Compatibility Program, it’s going to launch alongside the Xbox Ally but it’ll apply to all devices in the category,” he said. “Y’know, who knows what the future entails, but we’re just really excited about the partnership right here.”

The ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, set to hit store shelves worldwide on October 16, will bring with it improvements to the core UI and UX of Windows. In order to make the operating system more usable without a mouse and keyboard, the handheld systems will feature the Xbox Fullscreen Experience, which starts up right at boot. Through this, users can navigate through the UI, and even access games from different launchers, be it Steam or Battle.net. The developers of the devices have also noted that the Xbox Fullscreen Experience doesn’t load any processes that aren’t required for gaming, touting a savings of over 2 GB of RAM which can then be used for games.

The Xbox Game Bar is also getting a touch-up with the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, especially with it being the home of the Command Center. Through this, users of the handheld device can tweak various settings, as well as access different performance mode depending on whether they want to conserve battery life and reduce fan noise, or want full horsepower to run more demanding games.

As for the Handheld Compatibility Program, Microsoft has stated that there are a number of factors that go into games being approved for it. Among these factors is the game being automatically able to pull out an on-screen keyboard whenever keyboard input is required. This can often be the case for titles like RPGs that ask players to name their characters. The Compatibility Program will also take into account other accessibility-oriented aspects, such as font size and the general UX to ensure that players on smaller screens can still enjoy the title. All of this will be taken into account alongside overall compatibility of the game with the hardware powering the handheld system.

The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X we re originally unveiled back in June. Check out our coverage for more details.