Xbox Ally X Excels With Indie Titles

Last week, Microsoft finally confirmed what many had anticipated: a handheld Xbox device. While the ROG Xbox Ally X might not be the dedicated "Xbox handheld" some fans dreamed of, it could potentially bring handheld PC gaming to a wider audience like nothing has since the Steam Deck launched in 2022.

If Microsoft and Asus get the details right—especially concerning the operating system and pricing—the Xbox Ally could offer a first look at Microsoft's next wave of gaming hardware. However, there's a key consideration: handheld gaming PCs are inherently about compromise. Microsoft claimed that every major game from its summer showcase would be "playable" on the Ally X, but the reality is a bit more nuanced.

There's no question the Xbox Ally X, equipped with its Z2 Extreme SoC (system on a chip), will have the horsepower to launch AAA titles. But the true appeal may lie in the less demanding indie games quietly added to Game Pass each month—and that might be the whole point.

Potential for Power Limitations?

The AMD Z2 Extreme was announced at CES 2025. Yet, six months later, no commercially available handheld uses this chip. Furthermore, the upcoming Xbox Ally X isn't just using the standard Z2 Extreme—it's equipped with the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme. This version is fundamentally similar but includes a 50 TOPS NPU. Still, its actual gaming performance remains a question, though it should be faster than the Z1 Extreme.

Even with a performance boost, it's wise to manage expectations, particularly for AAA games with intensive graphics. The most powerful handheld I've tested, the Lenovo Legion Go S with a Z1 Extreme and SteamOS, still has difficulty running a nearly five-year-old title like Cyberpunk 2077 at high settings on its native resolution.

Cyberpunk is somewhat exceptional, as it can challenge even high-end desktop GPUs. However, as top-tier games become more demanding, system requirements will only rise. So, while the Xbox Ally X will technically run upcoming AAA Xbox games, it will likely do so at lower graphical settings and frame rates.

That shouldn't be a deal-breaker. After two years of deep immersion in handheld PCs, I can say that very little of my hundreds of hours played involved titles like God of War or Cyberpunk. Instead, my time has been dominated by indie games such as Hades 2.

The Allure of Indie Games

When the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, I initially thought flagship titles like Breath of the Wild were the main draw—and perhaps they were. But as I grew tired of performance issues in ambitious AAA ports, my Switch settled into its role as a secondary platform for purchasing indie favorites to play in bed or on the go. Then, the Steam Deck arrived.

To be clear, handheld gaming PCs existed before the Steam Deck, but they were niche, often fiddly devices, especially without a keyboard. In our post-Deck era, manufacturers like Lenovo and Asus have refined handheld PCs into genuinely excellent products. And I don't have to re-purchase my indie games to play them.

Now, if I want to play Hades 2, I simply log into Steam and continue right where I left off, with cloud saves intact. The advantage of Windows-based handhelds is this universal compatibility across PC storefronts, whether I'm playing from Game Pass or the Epic Games Store.

This has led to a tiered gaming setup for me. I still experience visually stunning AAA games like Doom: The Dark Ages on my desktop at max settings and high frame rates. I no longer even attempt to install such games on my handhelds. Instead, they provide a perfect venue for diving into games like Rift of the Necrodancer or Slay the Spire. Before handheld PCs became popular, I’d sample these types of games for a few hours before inevitably returning to World of Warcraft.

I'm not alone in this approach. A recent poll of my colleagues at IGN revealed that most aren't using their handhelds for blockbuster titles. Instead, they primarily play indie games and JRPGs, the latter often being enjoyable without requiring high frame rates.

The inherent compatibility of Windows-based handheld PCs makes it easier to incorporate more indie games into your routine. However, to access that broader library (meaning games outside of Steam), users typically must tinker with Linux on a Steam Deck or navigate the sometimes cumbersome Windows interface on a small screen. This is precisely why a handheld-optimized version of Windows 11 is so promising.

By reducing the friction of launching games from third-party stores on a handheld, while ideally retaining the streamlined, gaming-focused experience of a dedicated OS, the ROG Xbox Ally X could offer the best of both worlds. Asus already markets its Ally line with the tag "#Play*All*yourgames." With this collaboration, that promise might finally be realized without the touchscreen frustrations common on current Windows handhelds.