ASUS ROG XBOX Ally X20 GBAtemp review

XBOX's unconventional handheld gaming saga continues, with ASUS picking up the mantle again. The company's gaming arm, ROG, is releasing the XBOX Ally X20, a handheld that marks the 20th anniversary of ROG (Republic of Gamers). We'll take a look at this device, which is available as of today, in this review.

ROG XBOX Ally X20 contents and specs

ASUS has priced the ROG XBOX Ally X20 at $1,299 and it comes with the following items:

There is also a dedicated $2,499 bundle that comes with the handheld, a pair of XREAL AR glasses, and other accessories.

Specs of the ROG XBOX Ally are as follows:

An unconventional, but ergonomic handheld gaming PC

The first thing that struck me with the ROG XBOX Ally X20 is its form factor. It’s not unlike the original ROG Xbox Ally, but it is striking in person.

The handheld bears the classic horizontal form factor with XBOX buttons layout that has become the norm among such handhelds, but the main difference is the integration of controller-like handgrips. This makes it bear a look that is somewhat between the MSI Claw and the PlayStation Portal. The result is less odd-looking than the latter and the design is much more welcome than I would have expected.

My experience using these full-sized grips has been much more comfortable than using counterparts that don't integrate such features. Think of the Switch, Switch 2 or Steam Deck; using these for extended periods can get the user's hands cramped. This is why a lot of add-ons have been released that mimic controller grips. Having these integrated in the device itself goes a long way towards making a more comfortable handheld gaming experience.

Sure, this makes the device more bulky and less portable than other handhelds with a slimmer design. However, I would argue that for the size of this device, having extra bulk to improve comfort is a fair, if not necessary measure. ROG further added rubberised padding to the back of the grips, supplementing the comfort factor.

Another thing that surprised me was the device's weight. Despite being a 7.4-inch handheld, it weighs only 756g. This is much less than I expected for a device of its size and adds to the comfort of using it.

ASUS's latest handheld's aesthetics needs to be praised. The transparent shell with gold accents adds a nostalgic and premium touch to the device. After a dearth of see-through consoles, I, for one, am glad to see them make a comeback.

The other aspect that surprised me, but much less positively, was the price. This device alone costs $1300, a significant investment. The sturdy build quality and unique design with golden accent, transparent shell and a AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor speak to this pricing (and, not to forget, the ongoing RAMaggedon). However, it is a steep ask that will limit its customer base.

Despite the steep cost, there are limited accessories included in the package. There is no screen protector or hard carry case, which are something of a must-have to provide some peace of mind when carrying such an expensive piece of technology around. The bundle does come with a suite of accessories, but then you are looking at spending $2,500.

The handheld XBOX experience

The ROG XBOX Ally X20 positions itself as a "third-party XBOX handheld". It does run Windows 11 under the hood, but it comes preloaded with the XBOX Mode, making navigation more console-like. The UI allows you to install other storefronts such as Steam and GOG, and it will collate games across storefronts installed on the device.

A lot of its features are not new to the handheld gaming PC scene. AYANEO has had such features for years now. What makes this handheld stand apart is the official XBOX support which makes it functions much closer to a console. The device itself boots in XBOX mode, which has a satisfyingly console-like experience, with quick access to your games library, Game Pass and Cloud Gaming that can be navigated with the controller buttons. There is also a handy screenshot button to immortalise your in-game moments.

However, when you need to use the device for anything outside of launching/downloading game from the interface, the illusion wears off. You will have to operate the machine via the touchscreen or by plugging in a mouse/keyboard, as you would with a regular PC. It's something that I wish XBOX or ASUS had given more thought about.

That said, the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor on this device endows the Ally X20 with the brawns to become your go-to portable device for gaming and work alike. However, as a handheld, you will get the corresponding performance, and not that of a full desktop PC. You can play AAA games at 1080p with graphical settings at low-medium settings. On average, Control Resonant plays at 35 fps, Halo: Campaign Evolved runs at 30fps, while Resonance: A Plague Tale runs at 30 fps. All of these games play without any audiovisual issues nor performance drops. 2D or retro games benefit from the ROG XBOX Ally X20’s dual D-pad which can switch between eight-way and four-way. If you need more buttons, the two rear macro buttons are at your disposal.

You can get better performance by tweaking graphical settings or even toggling the wattage via the handy, physical Command Centre Button. The latter allows you to quickly adjust other features such as resolution and performance monitoring (features that a home XBOX console would benefit from). That said, I found that 17W (which the above performance relates to) to be a good compromise for performance and battery. This can result in about 2-3 hours of battery life, depending on the games and brightness settings.

Games also benefit from the device's OLED panel, an uncommon feature on such handhelds. Visuals are really where the ROG XBOX Ally X20 shines. With perfect black and vibrant colours with 1400-nit highlights, the images really pop while staying smooth with VRR support of 30-120Hz. The crisp visuals, along with the excellent ergonomics, make the price tag almost fade into the background.

With Windows 11 under the hood and its contemporary specs, you can also use this device as a productivity/general computing device. It supports microSD cards and has an upgradeable internal M.2 2280 NVMe SSD to store your game and work items on the same device. However, such use cases would be better experienced by plugging the device to an external monitor and a keyboard/mouse setup.

That said, the ROG XBOX Ally X20 is primarily a handheld gaming device. At that, it works very well with a dedicated, console-like launcher, custom boot screen and incredible visuals. The hardware feels unique and is very comfortable to use. Nevertheless, I wish it had gone the extra mile by making the whole PC experience, beyond gaming, more controller-friendly. As an XBOX handheld in all but name, the console's Quick Resume feature feels missing here and would have made for a more attractive offering.

As it stands, the ROG XBOX Ally X20 is a powerful handheld gaming PC with great ergonomics and beautiful display, coupled with a few bells and whistles that make it console-like. It will appeal to XBOX fans but its unique features, especially its price point, don't necessarily make it a must-have. It has convinced me of the benefit of a crisp OLED panel and full grips on a handheld gaming PC, but these do come at a steep cost.

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