If I were to pinpoint improvements for the Xbox Ally X handheld—aside from addressing Windows issues—I would highlight two primary areas for enhancement.
Firstly, I would advocate for a larger and more advanced screen. Even a slight increase in size could make a significant difference, reducing the cramped feeling of gameplay and minimizing the unsightly bezel. Secondly, I would suggest eliminating the “Library” button. It’s frustrating when an unintended press disrupts gameplay and redirects to the Xbox library, with no straightforward way to return.
With the recent unveiling of the ROG Xbox Ally X20, Asus has tackled both of these concerns—and more. The new model boasts a sleek, translucent design, featuring drift-resistant GuliKit TMR joysticks. It introduces a versatile D-pad that transitions from 8-way to 4-way by adjusting its corners with a simple rotation. Additionally, the device includes refined button configurations, enhanced haptic feedback, improved fan performance, and arguably, the best screen available on a handheld device.
Image: Asus
The Xbox Ally X20 doesn’t just upgrade from a 7-inch IPS display; it now features a 7.4-inch 120Hz OLED screen, maintaining a gamer-friendly 1080p resolution. The display specifications are impressive, with a 600-nit SDR panel and HDR peaks reaching 1400 nits, surpassing the Lenovo Legion Go 2. Both devices hold the VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 1000 certification. Furthermore, the screen is compatible with Dolby Vision, enhancing the visual experience.
Image: Asus
Like the Legion Go 2, it’s also got an improved variable refresh rate (VRR) that goes down to 30Hz instead of the 48Hz on the original Ally, which could make games feel smoother when the AMD Z2 Extreme chip can’t quite make a game hit 48fps to begin with. It’s the same chips here as in the original Xbox Ally X, by the way: AMD Z2 Extreme, with 24GB of 8000MT/sec RAM and 1TB of storage.
The handheld is slightly bigger to help accommodate the changes: 9mm wider, half a millimeter thicker, and 41 grams heavier.
Not only is that “Library” button gone, it’s been replaced with a new “Action” button that sounds genuinely useful: It’ll take a screenshot with a single press or a recording with a long press, like today’s console controllers typically do.
The ABXY buttons now sit flush against the casing when you press them down, the bumper switches are relocated and have a longer, quieter throw for better feedback, and the fans have been slightly redesigned to channel more fresh air through the chassis for lower touchscreen temps, Asus spokesperson Anthony Spence tells me.
Plus, the Xbox button now lights up green, which just sounds cool — and it has a far faster microSD Express card slot, like the Nintendo Switch 2.
Image: Asus
What’s not so cool, and frankly doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, is that Asus won’t let you buy it alone. This holiday, it’ll exclusively come as part of a bundle with a pair of Asus and Xreal’s pricey R1 glasses, which (at $849) cost almost as much as a $1,000 Xbox Ally X all by themselves.
Asus isn’t pricing the bundle yet, but I suspect the bundle is more to help cushion the high price of the handheld — at a time every other handheld is getting pricier — rather than to help sell glasses at a discount.
Image: Asus
Image: Asus
Image: Asus
I actually think a set of Xreal glasses are a good way to improve on smaller, more claustrophobic handheld screens, but if I’m buying a new Ally to get a better screen, do I really need the glasses too?
I guess I’ll dream on. For what it’s worth, Spence says he still hasn’t heard of any plans to increase the price of the original Xbox Ally X. It’s still at $1,000 for now. I’ve asked whether Asus will offer a way to remap the original handheld’s Library button, too.
