90
Jacqueline Thomas
IGN
“the Asus ROG Ally X is easily the best Windows 11-based handheld gaming PC you can buy right now.”
Critical Assessment
What Critics Praise
- Comfortable grips
- Larger battery
- Premium aluminum chassis
- Large high‑resolution OLED display
- Ergonomic full‑size controller
- Unmatched handheld performance
Points of Contention
- Very expensive
- Hard to justify compared to similarly priced laptops
- Xbox Fullscreen Experience is not the Windows 11 reinvention I'd hoped for
- Touchscreen Issues
- Pricey at $999
- Screen and speakers
Professional Reviews
12 reviews from 11 critics88
Sam Rutherford
Engadget
The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X delivers console-grade performance and premium build quality in a handheld form factor, making it a strong choice for dedicated Xbox fans. Its high price and modest battery life are notable drawbacks, but the device remains a worthwhile investment for serious gamers.
80
Matt Hanson
TechRadar
“don't think this is a portable version of the Xbox console – it's a Windows 11‑powered gaming handheld PC, and despite some innovative hardware and software choices, it still offers a lot of the pros and cons previous, sometimes much cheaper, gaming PC handhelds come with.”
80
Zackery Cuevas
PCMag
“The whole package feels like a portable Xbox with maximized performance for handheld play.”
80 Kyle Barr 2 reviews · avg Gizmodo The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X delivers strong performance, comfortable ergonomics, and improved Windows support, making it one of the best handheld PCs available. Its high price, mediocre screen and speakers, and minor software quirks are notable drawbacks but do not outweigh its overall strengths.
Kyle Barr 2 reviews · avg
Gizmodo
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X delivers strong performance, comfortable ergonomics, and improved Windows support, making it one of the best handheld PCs available. Its high price, mediocre screen and speakers, and minor software quirks are notable drawbacks but do not outweigh its overall strengths.
All 2 Kyle Barr reviews, aggregated above
80
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X delivers strong performance, comfortable ergonomics, and improved Windows support, making it one of the best handheld PCs available. Its high price, mediocre screen and speakers, and minor software quirks are notable drawbacks but do not outweigh its overall strengths.
80
The ROG Ally X’s Bigger Battery Is Its Best Chance to Topple the Steam Deck
“However, in my short time with it, I’ve already put it in the running for best Windows gaming handheld and a clear, expensive competitor to Valve’s Steam Deck OLED.”
80
Jacob Roach
Digital Trends
“The Asus ROG Ally X improves on nearly every aspect of the original.”
80
Mattias Inghe
PCWorld
“It’s not the purely handheld Xbox that many had hoped for, but something better.”
80
Andrew E. Freedman
Tom's Hardware
“The AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme delivers improved performance, but it may not be worth upgrading if you have an existing Ally.”
80
Matthew Buzzi
PCMag
“The best Steam Deck alternative just got better.”
72
George Yang
Mashable
“However, the overall experience is let down by software issues, such as interface lag, bugs, and Windows-related errors.”
60
Eric Ravenscraft
Wired
“But if you want a handheld that can play all your games—not just the ones on Steam—then the ROG Ally X is one of the best options you can get.”
