ROG Xbox Ally review: disappointing handheld is no match for its rivals

Microsoft has, according to a press release, spent years investigating how to “make it easier [for you] to enjoy the games you love – wherever you are.” The product of all their research? The ROG Xbox Ally, a handheld console that sits squarely between the pick-up-and-play mass appeal of Nintendo’s Switch 2 and the diehard gamer’s portable gadget of choice, the Steam Deck. A shrewd move in theory but the ROG Ally doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. It’s just a slightly worse version of what’s already on offer.

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While less demanding games like the fiendishly addictive puzzler Ball x Pit or the ace Hollow Knight: Silksong run like a dream on the ROG Xbox Ally, it starts to struggle when you boot up the gorgeous Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and the mammoth Borderlands 4, both of which have major graphics and performance issues. Typically sleek Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 multiplayer matches feel sluggish – and that’s after you’ve navigated the busy interface of the Ally, which is basically a computer desktop in miniature. Annoying adverts pushing you towards upgrading your Xbox Game Pass subscription or taking out a membership to Microsoft 365 don’t help either.

See, the Ally is a handheld PC. You can download Netflix, stream podcasts and even play around with spreadsheets – basically everything your phone can do but on a slightly bigger screen. As well as Xbox’s own store and Game Pass, the handheld allows players access to titles from other digital libraries such as Steam. It’s supposed to offer gamers a refreshing degree of flexibility that means you don’t need to purchase yet another copy of Stardew Valley. In reality, it’s another potential headache for those who aren’t familiar with desktop gaming.

In another bizarre decision for a handheld game console, it can only run PC versions of Xbox titles, meaning a number of classics from your library are inaccessible unless you use ‘Remote Play’, which has your Xbox broadcast to the Ally instead of the TV. Not ideal for a console that’s designed to be played anywhere. Offline play also requires a convoluted step-by-step guide to set it up.

Microsoft’s collab with ASUS isn’t a total disaster though. It’s a nice introduction to a hugely popular gaming eco-system, even if that comes as a bit of a surprise to those blindsided by the Xbox branding. The Ally is a handsome bit of kit that’s easily as comfortable to hold as your standard console controller. The screen is vibrant, the speakers pack a surprising punch and the battery life (between two and 12 hours depending on what you’re doing) is decent enough.

Sadly, decent enough doesn’t quite cut it when the base ROG Xbox Ally costs £499, which is the same as the Series X and isn’t exactly competitive when compared to the Nintendo Switch 2 (£395) or the base Steam Deck (£349) either. The only accessories it comes with are a charger and a stand made out of cardboard.

Less than a week after the ROG Xbox Ally was released, boss Sarah Bond blamed the price on collaborators ASUS in an interview with Variety (“This is their hardware [and] their insight into what people want”) and has already started talking about a proper Xbox handheld made in-house at Microsoft. It doesn’t exactly scream long-term confidence in their shiny new toy. “We want to make sure that people have a choice,” she continued. After a week, it’s tough to see many situations where the ROG Xbox Ally would be the best one.

The ROG Xbox Ally is out now