97
IGNTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“The Xbox Full Screen Experience alone would probably be enough for me to recommend the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X to anyone looking for a new handheld gaming PC.”
By Jacqueline Thomas · Rated 9/10Full review
Image: ASUS
Console
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X
Asus · From $999
Release date Oct 16, 2025
79
Recommended
Based on 12 Critic Reviews
10 with a published score, 2 scored from text · How it works
Latest review Mar 16, 2026
5 Rave3 Positive2 Favorable1 Mixed1 Negative
Critics' Take
Reviewers call the ROG Xbox Ally X the best Windows handheld available, with controller-style grips, strong Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme performance and an Xbox full screen mode that makes Windows far easier to use. The $999 price is the near-universal complaint, along with average battery life and a software layer that still lags and crashes at times. Most say owners of the older ROG Ally X have little reason to upgrade.
What critics loved
- Comfortable, controller-style grips
- Xbox full screen experience on Windows
- Fast Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip with 24GB RAM
- Bright 7-inch 1080p 120Hz screen
Common gripes
- $999 price
- Average battery life
- Windows software still lags and crashes at times
- Small gain over the ROG Ally X
- Bulky and heavy at about 715g
Critic Scorecard
12 reviewsSort:
Weighted by outlet tier:Tier 1 outlet, weighted 100%100%Tier 2 outlet, weighted 75%75%Tier 3 outlet, weighted 40%40%Tier 4 outlet, weighted 20%20%
95
Trusted ReviewsTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Jan 23, 2026
“The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is the definitive Windows handheld to buy right now.”
By Reece Bithrey · Rated 4.5/5Full review
95
Xbox TavernTier 4 outlet, weighted 20%Mar 16, 2026
“It's a hefty bit of kit, and certainly not cheap, but I genuinely do not regret my purchase one bit.”
By Jamie Collyer · Rated 9/10Full review
93
GamesRadar+Tier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“The ROG Xbox Ally X is an upsettingly expensive handheld that offers an exceptional portable PC experience paired with console-level comfort.”
By Phil Hayton · Rated 4.5/5Full review
87
NotebookcheckTier 3 outlet, weighted 40%Oct 16, 2025
“The new version of the ROG Xbox Ally X is an upgrade in pretty much every respect.”
By Andreas Osthoff · Rated 86%Full review
84
Tom's HardwareTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X has excellent ergonomics thanks to controller-style grips, and Microsoft's handheld-focused Xbox experience is far better than using the Windows 11 desktop.”
By Andrew E. Freedman · Rated 4/5Full review
Show 6 more reviews ▾Show fewer ▴
84
Tom's GuideTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“The ROG Xbox Ally X takes the crown as the best PC gaming handheld you can buy, and it rightly should given that gargantuan $999 price tag.”
By Jason England · Rated 4/5Full review
75
PC GamerTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 17, 2025
“Though it is, altogether, the best handheld I've ever used, but at a price I find hard to recommend to most people.”
By Dave James · Rated 84/100Full review
73
Pocket TacticsTier 4 outlet, weighted 20%Oct 15, 2025
“The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is a comfortable, powerful piece of kit that will serve you well if this is your first handheld PC.”
By Sam Comrie · Rated 7/10Full review
72
WccftechTier 3 outlet, weighted 40%Oct 15, 2025
“The price of this handheld is exorbitant; there's no other way to put it.”
By David Carcasole · Rated 7.5/10Full review
55
PolygonTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“Windows still sucks as a gaming platform, and the "Xbox full screen experience" does not manage to mitigate or disguise this glaring issue anything like as well as it needs to.”
By Oli Welsh · Unrated, scored from textFull review
45
Rock Paper ShotgunTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“Windows 11 just isn't that good as a handheld OS.”
By James Archer · Unrated, scored from textFull review
95
Xbox TavernTier 4 outlet, weighted 20%Mar 16, 2026
“It's a hefty bit of kit, and certainly not cheap, but I genuinely do not regret my purchase one bit.”
By Jamie Collyer · Rated 9/10Full review
95
Trusted ReviewsTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Jan 23, 2026
“The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is the definitive Windows handheld to buy right now.”
By Reece Bithrey · Rated 4.5/5Full review
75
PC GamerTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 17, 2025
“Though it is, altogether, the best handheld I've ever used, but at a price I find hard to recommend to most people.”
By Dave James · Rated 84/100Full review
87
NotebookcheckTier 3 outlet, weighted 40%Oct 16, 2025
“The new version of the ROG Xbox Ally X is an upgrade in pretty much every respect.”
By Andreas Osthoff · Rated 86%Full review
97
IGNTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“The Xbox Full Screen Experience alone would probably be enough for me to recommend the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X to anyone looking for a new handheld gaming PC.”
By Jacqueline Thomas · Rated 9/10Full review
93
GamesRadar+Tier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“The ROG Xbox Ally X is an upsettingly expensive handheld that offers an exceptional portable PC experience paired with console-level comfort.”
By Phil Hayton · Rated 4.5/5Full review
Show 6 more reviews ▾Show fewer ▴
84
Tom's HardwareTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X has excellent ergonomics thanks to controller-style grips, and Microsoft's handheld-focused Xbox experience is far better than using the Windows 11 desktop.”
By Andrew E. Freedman · Rated 4/5Full review
84
Tom's GuideTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“The ROG Xbox Ally X takes the crown as the best PC gaming handheld you can buy, and it rightly should given that gargantuan $999 price tag.”
By Jason England · Rated 4/5Full review
73
Pocket TacticsTier 4 outlet, weighted 20%Oct 15, 2025
“The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is a comfortable, powerful piece of kit that will serve you well if this is your first handheld PC.”
By Sam Comrie · Rated 7/10Full review
72
WccftechTier 3 outlet, weighted 40%Oct 15, 2025
“The price of this handheld is exorbitant; there's no other way to put it.”
By David Carcasole · Rated 7.5/10Full review
55
PolygonTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“Windows still sucks as a gaming platform, and the "Xbox full screen experience" does not manage to mitigate or disguise this glaring issue anything like as well as it needs to.”
By Oli Welsh · Unrated, scored from textFull review
45
Rock Paper ShotgunTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 15, 2025
“Windows 11 just isn't that good as a handheld OS.”
By James Archer · Unrated, scored from textFull review
Quick Facts
- Display
- 7-inch 1080p IPS, 120Hz, VRR
- Chip
- AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme
- Memory
- 24GB LPDDR5X
- Storage
- 1TB PCIe SSD, microSD slot
- Battery
- 80Wh
- Weight
- About 715g
- Software
- Windows 11 with Xbox full screen experience
- Price
- $999
