What if I told you, that there is an Xbox handheld console out there but it wasn’t made by Microsoft? Meet the ASUS ROG Ally, the Windows-based portable gaming system that is the closest we will ever get to an Xbox handheld console. The Steam Deck showed us that a handheld outside of Nintendo’s closed ecosystem has great potential and the ROG Ally is the closest one to try and capture this space.

What Makes the ASUS ROG Ally Special?

Simply put, the ROG Ally is a handheld gaming PC that runs on Microsoft’s Windows 11. It is an official third-party licensed Xbox handheld console that is capable of running AAA titles from a number of gaming libraries. Many have been calling the ROG Ally an Xbox Portable thanks to the support for the Xbox PC Game Pass alone. So, it’s more of an obvious statement than a hot take about this being an Xbox handheld.

Asus

But while the Xbox console lineup has been struggling these past few years, the ROG Ally has already started to carve out its own presence in the gaming market. With RGB lighting, Dolby Atmos speakers, and a robust cooling mechanism, it is also quite close to a gaming laptop. But the Xbox controller-style gamepad is probably its biggest giveaway.

An Xbox Console and Windows Gaming PC in One

The ASUS ROG Ally isn’t just an Xbox handheld console because of the official licensing. The Taiwanese tech giant’s new gadget brings a highly requested Xbox-exclusive feature that isn’t found in any Windows PC (Laptops & Desktops), which is called Quick Resume. This simple feature has been available on the latest generation of gaming consoles from Microsoft, namely Xbox Series X and Series S for some time now.

It basically lets you jump in and out of games, putting the ones you left on hold. When returning, you start from exactly where you left off, even if you have the console in rest mode. This eliminates any of the pesky loading time or intro screens and gets you right back into the fun zone. Unlike Valve’s Steam Deck, which is limited to the Steam library, the ROG Ally arrives with support for multiple stores like Epic Games, Steam, and the Game Pass.

Microsoft

So your existing accounts on these platforms are instantly accessible and all the games you own can be launched from this portable platform. With gamers now having to contend with so many game launchers, this is one of the devices that actually supports them just like a Windows PC. Since ASUS ROG Ally runs on the Windows operating system, the compact gaming console is a full-fledged PC as well. It brings a true Windows 11 experience, thanks to its desktop interface that includes a taskbar and Start Menu.

But is Xbox Portable worth the buy?

For those shifting from console gaming to PC gaming, this acts as the perfect middle ground to ease into the vast options that will be presented to them. One can easily be overwhelmed by these options. The ROG Ally is one of the most powerful handheld consoles in the market and outperforms the likes of Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. In other words, you can have a smooth AAA gaming experience on the go without relying on any game streaming services.

Having a Windows PC in such a small form factor sounds quite handy, but there are some caveats. The challenge ASUS faces by using Windows is that the operating system was never really designed for a portable console, so there are still some annoying issues that you might face like permissions popping up. These are also difficult to deal with on such a small display. The platform always had a UI that focused on cursor first, and touch second.

Putting all these nitpicks aside, the ROG Ally is definitely a great option to consider if you’re in the market for a handheld gaming console in 2023.

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