The biggest Asus ROG Xbox Ally X flaw is staring you right in the face – and no, it isn’t the price
Here's why I won't be buying an Asus ROG Xbox Ally X
👎 The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X has reviewed well, but its 7-inch LCD display is a major flaw, especially for a $1,000 device
🆚 Rival handhelds like the Steam Deck OLED, Nintendo Switch 2, Lenovo Legion Go S, and MSI Claw offer larger and often better displays
🙌 A bigger screen significantly enhances immersion and readability, making 8-inch displays the new standard for handhelds
🥲 Also, Windows on handhelds, even with the new Xbox Full Screen Experience, still lacks the seamlessness of a dedicated console operating system or SteamOS
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is now available, and it’s been surprisingly well-received by critics even though Microsoft’s Xbox handheld – which can’t actually play all the Xbox games you already own – costs $1,000. Heck, it doesn’t even ship with a protective case.
That didn’t stop us from giving the handheld an Editor’s Choice award in our Asus ROG Xbox Ally X review, praising the system’s excellent performance, comfortable ergonomics, and impressive battery life. The new Xbox Full Screen Experience is also a much-needed improvement for Windows on handhelds, giving users a more console-like experience.
However, one flaw that we highlighted was the handheld’s meager 7-inch LCD display. And it’s the main reason I won’t be picking up an Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, even if it became dramatically cheaper.
It’s just too damn small.
Teeny tiny makes me whiny
In 2025, a 7-inch display simply doesn’t cut it for gaming – especially not on a $1,000 device. To put the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X’s modest screen size into perspective, the Steam Deck OLED has a 7.4-inch display and was released in 2023. The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch screen, with the same modern-day display features as the ROG Xbox Ally: 120Hz, VRR, 1080p resolution. It also has HDR, even if it is a rather subpar implementation.
The PlayStation Portal, which I wouldn’t classify as a proper handheld considering it’s just a remote play/cloud streaming device, also leaves the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X in the dust with its 8-inch panel.
Remember: the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is one of the most expensive PC handhelds on the market
Rival PC handhelds also leave the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X’s display looking outdated. The Lenovo Legion Go S and new MSI Claw have an 8-inch screen, and the Lenovo Legion Go S 2 has a massive 8.8-inch OLED panel. Lenovo’s handhelds also boast a higher 1200p resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X’s thick bezels along with the limits of LCD technology for black levels and contrast could be forgiven. But remember: the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is one of the most expensive PC handhelds on the market, only beaten by the Lenovo Legion Go S 2, which has a best-in-class display. It’s hard to look past that fact.
Bigger is better
I’ve been testing the Lenovo Legion Go S for the past few days, and it’s only reinforced how those extra millimeters make a world of difference in immersing you in a game. Even though it’s just a hair bigger than the Nintendo Switch 2’s 7.9-inch display, I love how games look on the Lenovo Legion Go S. It’s solidified the feeling that 8-inch screens are the new standard for handhelds which, let’s be honest, traded power for portability a long time ago.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X may deliver higher frame rates than the competition, but what’s the point when it’s confined to a display that’s only 0.1-inches bigger than an iPhone 16 Pro Max?
It also makes text in many PC games – which aren’t exactly optimized for smaller screens – far easier to read. The last thing older players want to do, which I’d argue is primarily the target market of expensive PC handhelds, is to be squinting at a game’s UI or text.
Ideally, we’d also have more OLED panels to choose from, but if I’m giving up perfect blacks and infinite contrast ratios, the screen needs to make up for it in other ways. The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X may deliver higher frame rates than the competition, but what’s the point when it’s confined to a display that’s only 0.1-inches bigger than an iPhone 16 Pro Max? It just feels like such a waste.
Other concerns
Of course, I’m being slightly dramatic when I say the screen is the only thing that’s putting me off the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X. This is still a Windows handheld, and that’s something I can’t abide after using SteamOS for so long.
It’s about time that Microsoft finally addressed how Windows works on handheld devices, but the Xbox Full Screen Experience still feels like a half-way step to me. It doesn’t remotely offer the same seamlessness you get when you boot up a console, and the arduous setup process alone when you turn on the Xbox Ally X for the first time is only testament to that.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X isn’t the Xbox handheld I was looking for, then, but it has made me appreciate what I need as a gamer approaching their fourth decade on Earth. And yeah, it isn’t a 7-inch LCD display for $1,000.
Up next: Nintendo Switch 2 made me commit the ultimate display sin when choosing a screen protector
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.