ROG Xbox Ally games

TThe ROG Xbox Ally The all-black ROG Xbox Ally (The less powerful ROG Xbox Ally, which comes in white, will set you back £499 / €599 / AU$599 / AU$999.) Fortunately, the more affordable option says it’s great in spades.

I’ve been experimenting with the ROG Xbox Ally While the price is certainly shocking (the Steam Deck OLED, a direct competitor, costs £479 / €569 / $549 / AU$899 for its cheapest model), the power packed into this relatively smaller frame (291 x 122 x 51mm) is unlike anything the portable gaming market has seen before.

This power, coupled with its ability to play Xbox games through cloud gaming or the Play Anywhere initiative (where purchases and transactions take place between Xbox and PC platforms), and PC games via different storefronts, makes it incredibly attractive to both Xbox loyalists and mobile gamers alike. Although the ROG Xbox Ally

ROG Xbox Ally X setup

Setting up the ROG Xbox Ally X isn’t easy. Although the device will run in a custom, full-screen Xbox experience that emulates both the Xbox controller and the PC app, it’s still a portable Windows 11 device, and needs to be updated before you can get started. This took a while, and with all the pop-up notifications and standard Windows experience steps, it feels a bit strange for a gaming laptop.

On day one, despite adding my Xbox account right away, the device told me I didn’t have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — the top tier of Microsoft’s game subscription service — and my attempts to relink my account were in vain. The next day, it worked randomly. It also had difficulty connecting to my home wifi after waking from sleep mode – although strangely, this was also corrected after the first 24 hours.

Once I connected my various accounts (since this is a Windows laptop, you can also download PC game launchers like Steam, Epic Games Store, and Blizzard’s Battle.net), the ROG Xbox Ally

And in a user-friendly touch, it launches directly into the familiar Xbox UI, but pulls games from other game launchers, to ensure you can jump right into whatever you’ve just been playing, no matter where it’s hosted.

this He can There may be a problem, however, if you’re playing a Steam game, switch back to the dedicated Xbox launcher and try launching a game through another storefront. The ROG Xbox Ally There were also a few moments where it would freeze and hang in the Xbox interface and not respond to any of my inputs.

There was also a moment where the mobile device was having difficulty downloading a fairly large RPG, resulting in it frequently losing connection whenever it was idle, forcing me to manually resume the process. But after the reboot, the rest of the file download went through without a hitch.

ROG Xbox Ally performance

Hopefully the above issues will be resolved with a simple user interface (UI) update, because when it’s not a bit of a hassle, the ROG Xbox Ally X performs incredibly well. There’s a bit of lag when trying to run at low battery levels (less than 15%), but Supergiant Games’ beloved Roguelike sequel, Hades II, boots up quickly and runs perfectly without noticeable loading times between areas. Meatier games like Avowed and PC mainstays like Backyard Baseball run smooth as butter, with beautiful frame rates and very minimal loading times.

Although the ROG Xbox Ally Games look amazing on its 7-inch, 1080p display. The flashes and sparkles of Hades II’s mostly static characters are a visual feast; She let out a soft gasp as the moon goddess Selene first appeared, her pearly gown sparkling blue-green like sea foam.

Xbox and Asus have smartly directed some system resources towards higher frame rates, and this pays off when playing a visually crowded and punishing game like Hades II – I never feel so overwhelmed by what is happening that I cannot understand the current battle and act accordingly.

The speakers are also great for immersion. At one point in Hades II, I walked past the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, who was sitting in a moonlit glade quietly singing to herself. As I moved, her song was just coming from the left speaker, telling me she was still there behind me, even though I could no longer see her. These kinds of beautiful details really shine.

As for looks, the ROG Xbox Ally

Enjoy playing on the go or on the couch

During my time with the ROG Xbox Ally After 10 minutes of hands-on training this summer, I wasn’t sure if the bulky portable would be comfortable for me during long sessions. But in reality, it is comfortable to hold even after a few hours of play. At 715g, although it’s heavier than the less powerful ROG Xbox Ally (670g) and Steam Deck OLED (640g), the weight difference is minimal, especially since the controller-inspired grips are incredibly comfortable. The only time I felt uncomfortable was after sitting with him elevated above me on the couch with no elbow or wrist support. Then I felt a little pain in my pinky from carrying his weight.

Battery life is great (up to 80Wh, more than 60Wh for the ROG Xbox Ally), considering what’s under the hood. I could play Hades II for two hours straight without any problem, including a 20-minute run at 22%, which brought the battery down to just 10%. Although parts of the laptop did get a little warm during long gaming sessions, it wasn’t overly hot at all.

ROG Xbox Ally X gaming library

As for gaming, the device makes smart use of the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which reflects Microsoft’s recent push for access to its games, including a library of 1,000 Xbox subscription games and Xbox Game Pass purchasable across multiple devices, such as PC, Xbox consoles and now ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, while maintaining Your progress.

As someone who previously owned a Steam Deck, and had Xbox Game Pass for years, the ROG Xbox Ally X is the platonic ideal of a portable console. I prefer the way Xbox controllers feel in my hand, and this device emulates that. I enjoy accessing my Xbox Game Pass library to try out a new game, and this console lets me do that on the go – and if it’s a Play Anywhere title, as most games are, I don’t have to worry about having internet access to enjoy it.

If you have the wherewithal and are in the market for a powerful gaming laptop that can not only play PC games from the digital store of your choice, but also an impressive selection of Xbox games, then the ROG Xbox Ally X would be a good end to the overall splurge.