‘This is an Xbox’ says Microsoft of its new handheld, but let’s be honest, it’s a PC

“An Xbox you can hold in your hands.” That’s what Microsoft has just announced, teaming up with Asus to put together a handheld device with Xbox controls, Xbox UI, and Xbox games… well, sort of.

Before we get into all that PC vs Xbox marlarky, let’s talk details.

There are two handhelds on the way: the ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally.

We have some key details about the ‘new’ chips powering these two handhelds.

So, the Z2 Extreme has 16 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores and 8 Zen 5 CPU cores. That’s a wicked combination, no doubt, and genuinely top handheld performance for team green. Er, not that team green, Xbox.

(Image credit: Microsoft | Asus)

Meanwhile the Z2 A has only 8 GPU cores. And they’re old, oh so old, RDNA 2 cores. It also has just 4 CPU cores from the old, oh so old, Zen 2 architecture. You can read more about the new Z2 processors here but it boils down to this: the Z2 A better be dirt cheap. And I mean, less than Steam Deck cheap, because it’s basically the same chip, wrinkles and all.

‘Cause, yeah, like I said, this is really just a PC in disguise as an Xbox. It runs Windows 11. But that’s okay for us PC gamers, as this handheld will have full access to Windows and, of course, all the many game storefronts on the OS. So we’re quids-in on our game collections here—I’m practically making money off my Steam library these days. Practically.

We don’t yet have a price for the two handhelds, but we do have a date: “holiday 2025”.

But all this talk of an Xbox in your hands does raise an interesting question: what does it take to be an Xbox these days? Apparently, just a Windows 11 gaming PC stuffed inside a sort-of Xbox-looking device. If that’s true, does my gaming PC count if I plug in my Xbox controller? Or maybe if I dress it up a bit with pictures of Phil Spencer’s face?

(Image credit: AMD)

The ROG Xbox Ally looks likely to be the only Xbox handheld we see anytime soon, as recent rumours suggest that Microsoft has given up plans to build its own handheld console, though we never really knew how far that project was into development, anyways.

Though some form of Windows game launcher has made it out of development and onto the ROG Xbox Ally X and Ally. It looks pretty good, too. This could be a big win for Windows-powered handheld gaming PCs, as Windows can be a bit clunky to get around on a small device.

Though there is that elephant in the room hanging over all this: SteamOS just launched on the Lenovo Legion Go S and we’ve managed to get Valve’s Linux-based OS running on a laptop too. That’s a truly streamlined OS for gaming on handheld, and it sure feels like Microsoft would like to compete a bit more with it. This new Xbox UI on Windows might well be the start of that.

We’ll hear more in coming months, but in the meantime, start hoping that the ROG Xbox Ally X is a good deal versus the best handheld gaming PCs and the ROG Xbox Ally costs less than a Steam Deck.

I mean, it has to, right?