Unfortunately, despite my attempts, Xbox PR representatives were strict about not letting me browse the device’s storefronts or play the eagerly awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong. Therefore, in this quick hands-on review, I’ll discuss the game I did get a chance to play — Gears of War: Reloaded.

My experience with the Ally X (the only available model since the less powerful white Xbox Ally was not accessible) can be summed up concisely: I need one. The Ally X had a weight similar to that of a Steam Deck. However, its ergonomic hand grips, designed to mimic the shape of an Xbox controller, offered a surprisingly comfortable gaming experience.

I’ve struggled with my Steam Deck for a long time because it’s not comfortable to hold. After extended gaming sessions, my hands stiffen into claws that take a moment to regain their flexibility and normal use. While I wasn’t able to spend hours playing the Ally X to test my hands’ endurance, I could already notice the difference in my fingers within moments of picking it up. It felt good to hold, both in weight and form factor.

As for playing Gears, it was a seamless experience. Microsoft had the remaster of the seminal Xbox shooter (its second remaster in the game’s 25-year history) set up across the different platforms that the game supports. I played on a regular Ally at first, then I moved over to the Ally X, and the differences were subtle but noticeable. The device’s weight felt comparable to a Steam Deck. I performed better on the Ally X, which could be a component of having already warmed up, but my shooting was tighter and more accurate.

Visually, between the Ally and the Ally X, I didn’t notice a difference, but I really wasn’t looking for one. I was so enamored with how comfortable it felt in my hands that any graphical differences seemed less important in comparison. I wish I could have seen more of the home UI to judge the ease of loading in games or jumping from Steam games to Xbox games or judge Xbox Play Anywhere games versus those streamed from an Xbox or over the cloud. But like I said, the eagle-eyed PR folks kept this to a Gears demonstration only.

I love the portability of my Steam Deck, Switch, and PS Portal. Those three are my preferred ways to play over my desktop and consoles. While there are still a lot of question marks around the Ally X, particularly with its interface and how it holds up over long sessions, that little bit of comfort has gone a long way to selling me on a portable Xbox.