4 things the Xbox Ally can learn from the ROG Ally

The Asus ROG Ally and ROG Ally X are both fantastic gaming handhelds and managed to hold their own in the industry against giants like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. Now it's Xbox’s turn to enter the market.

Microsoft and ASUS have announced that they are collaborating on a handheld, the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. Although these two tech giants are working together, they are sure to make a great gaming handheld. There are some things that fans are hoping the Xbox Ally can learn from its predecessor and some things it can hopefully do better.

4 Windows but with less bloat

With Xbox OS as an option

One of ROG Ally’s biggest wins is its native Windows operating system. This lets you play games from any of your libraries on Steam, EA, GOG, Epic, Battle.net, and more. Using Windows also gives gamers access to third-party applications, allowing them to add their own personal libraries and even add their own front-ends to the handheld. Since the Xbox Ally is an Xbox handheld, this means full integration of the Xbox app and, even better, full Game Pass access.

The primary issue with using Windows on gaming handhelds is the numerous background processes that consume memory and reduce game performance. This has been a notable problem for many gaming handhelds. So, hopefully, Microsoft will be able to really slim down its OS for its new flagship gaming handheld.

3 Better UI overlay

Xbox already has a clean UI

A big problem with PC gaming handhelds, when compared to branded gaming handhelds, is the user interface. If you use a Steam, PlayStation, or Nintendo-branded handheld, you get a custom user interface that is easy to use and navigate on the handheld. Although having Windows on a gaming handheld is a massive win, the Windows experience is meant for a computer and not a handheld.

This makes navigating through the OS on some Windows-based handhelds feel clunky. Luckily, Xbox already has a ready-to-use UI for its consoles and Windows app. And they have confirmed that there will be a dedicated Xbox UI, but you will be able to boot to a normal Windows desktop if you prefer. The Xbox Ally should continue to optimize the user experience when using Windows on a gaming handheld.

2 Performance modes with added AI

AI could give the Xbox Ally the boost it needs

The ROG Ally X utilizes the Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, equipped with an NPU for AI upscaling and smart power control. The Xbox Ally will be using the new Z2 chip, and the Ally X will use the Z2 Extreme, so it should benefit from similar, hopefully better, AI-driven features, automatic battery-saving modes, and boosted performance like real-time upscaling or AI-generative frames.

While adding AI to tech products has been a hit or miss lately. Adding AI functions to gaming handhelds makes a lot of sense. Upscaling and frame generation offer handhelds with limited battery and power, a major graphical upgrade with very little cost.

1 Improved battery life

Battery life is something that affects every kind of handheld, but gaming handhelds have it the worst. The Asus ROG Ally is able to run under load for about two hours before needing to be recharged. The Ally X has already improved its predecessor’s battery life, giving you an extra hour of gaming, but there’s no guarantee that the battery life of the Xbox Ally will be better.

The Xbox Ally will use the same screen as the ROG Ally X, but it has a newer CPU, which is more power-efficient than the Z1 Extreme. So, if the Xbox Ally had to use a bigger or better battery, there could be a big difference in playtime between the Xbox Ally and the Ally X.

The ROG Ally was great, but the Xbox Ally could be even better

Combining the hardware of the ASUS ROG Ally with the versatility of Windows and sprinkling in a little Xbox flavor. The ROG Xbox Ally is shaping up to be a strong competitor in the gaming handheld market. But for now, fans are eagerly awaiting any new information on the Xbox Ally and wondering when we will finally get our hands on it.