Asus ROG Xbox Ally X update adds a long-awaited graphics mode

Lots of handy quality of life improvements

(Credit: Kevin Lee/The Shortcut)

• 🙌 Microsoft has added lots of new quality of life improvements for the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X

• 👍 For instance, a new Auto Super Resolution feature has been added to improve docked gameplay – a featured that was teased when the console was announced

• 📺 There have also been new features, such as automatic controller recognition when the handheld is docked, and automatic implementation of TV game modes

• 👏 You can now also easily add different games and custom apps from different launchers into a redesigned Xbox app

Microsoft has made some large changes to its shiny Asus ROG Xbox Ally handhelds in a hefty update for the product, some six months after its launch.

In a new Xbox Wire post, Microsoft says the updates aim to bring “an improved experience, especially when your device is docked to external TVs and monitors”, and true to its word, there are plenty of optimizations when playing your ROG Xbox Ally on a big screen.

For instance, when docking the handheld, it’ll default to the TV display now, and if applicable, you’ll get the optimizations afforded with modern gaming TVs, such as Auto Low Latency Mode and similar game-mode enhancements alongside options such as HDR and VRR support if the handheld is used with compatible Asus docks.

In addition, Microsoft has added a feature that if you’ve got a controller paired to the Xbox Ally and you use the handheld docked, then the controller will act as the means of using the handheld. If you’ve got more than one paired, then this’ll work for multiplayer and co-op titles.

Microsoft had previously touted Auto Super Resolution would be coming to the ROG Xbox Ally X and has finally brought it in preview for Xbox Insiders. The idea is that when the console is docked, it’ll deliver “1440p-like detail alongside smooth framerates on larger screens”, and there is Game Bar integration to give players the choice of how it’s implemented in titles.

There have also been other incremental updates, such as expanding the support for super wideband audio to the Xbox Ally with compatible headsets that support Bluetooth LE audio, and enhanced rumble and haptics for more detailed feedback.

Up next: Xbox Mode is now available on Windows 11, giving you a more console-like experience

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.