Asus ROG Xbox Ally X just got better thanks to game-specific profiles that optimize performance
More features are also on the way
🆕 Microsoft has released some useful updates for the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds
👍 They include specific profiles for 40 games that are designed to optimize performance
😯 Game-specific profiles are available in beta now, and work with titles including Fortnite, Gears of War: Reloaded, and Hollow Knight Silksong
🔍 Microsoft also added a new search filter for showing how well games will run on Xbox Ally, and improved load times for cloud streaming and game libraries
Microsoft has just released a load of software updates for the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, co-developed with Asus.
These include everything from game-specific profiles to loading time optimizations for the system that seek to improve quality of life, according to a recent Xbox wire post, and come shortly after an update added expanded CPU and power controls.
The game-specific profiles are perhaps the most exciting of the suite, providing performance profiles for specific titles that optimize the overall experience by automatically balancing frame rate and power consumption, saving any unnecessary hassle and tinkering.
The profiles are in a beta starting today, and include 40 of the more popular games on the platform, including the likes of Fortnite, Gears of War: Reloaded, and Hollow Knight Silksong (which has already received optimizations for Nintendo Switch 2).
Microsoft has said that using the default profile while playing Silksong will yield an extra hour of battery life from the Ally – the profiles are only available while using the handheld on battery power.
Alongside game profiles, Microsoft has also added a new search filter that lists games by how well they perform on the device, in a similar vein to Valve’s own system for the Steam Deck.
The update has also improved the responsiveness of the gamepad, made the cloud gaming page load a lot quicker, and notes that game libraries will load quicker. According to Microsoft, those “players with large game libraries” will find the difference in load time rather noticeable.
In our Asus ROG Xbox Ally X review, we called it “the future of PC gaming”, remarking on the power of its Ryzen Z2 Extreme SoC, plus the convenience of the Xbox Full Screen Experience over the old Windows desktop and how comfortable the new grips are.
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.