Xboxannounced two new handheld consoles during Summer Game Fest weekend, which will inevitably have to compete with the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2 in the handheld market. The new consoles, called the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, respectively, wereannounced during the Xbox Games Showcase, and are being produced through a collaboration between Microsoft and Asus. You’ll be able to access a library of games from the Xbox store, including those accessible throughXbox Play Anywhere’s cloud streaming capabilities.
The ROG Xbox Ally line represents a pretty significant upgrade from the original ROG Ally, and finally puts to rest a series of long-standing rumors regarding Xbox’s entry into the handheld market. However,it has a fair bit of competition: the Nintendo Switch 2 is now in its first week of release, and Valve’s handheld, the Steam Deck, is still going strong. Each console has its benefits and drawbacks, and, depending on the games you like best, one may be better for you than the others. Here’s how the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X compare to some of the most popular handheld consoles on the market today.
How ROG Xbox Ally Hardware Compares To Switch 2 & Steam Deck
CPU, Memory, Storage, & More
There’s still a fair bit we don’t know about the Xbox Ally, butXbox has identified a few of its key components, including CPU, RAM, and storage. The new handheld series uses a pair of brand-new AMD CPU chips: the AMD Ryzen Z2 A in the regular Ally, and the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme in the Ally X. The following table outlines their specs as per AMD.
GPU cores
16 GPU cores
8 GPU cores
CPU cores
8 CPU cores, 16 threads
4 CPU cores, 8 threads
Memory speed
50 AI TOPS
N/A
These specs make the Xbox Ally closer to the Switch 2, which has a similar eight-core architecture and memory speed. However,the Ally X blows both the Switch 2 and the Steam Deck out of the waterwith its 16 cores. The Ally X’s CPU seems to have a special focus on AI, which I imagine will be used here for upscaling in games that support it. That may help render certain games in higher definition than would ordinarily be possible with the Ally’s GPU.
It’s also known that the regular Ally has 16 GB of RAM, while the Ally X has 24. The Steam Deck and Switch 2 also both have 16 GB of RAM, which putsthe Xbox Ally X ahead when it comes to memory.
On the outside,the Xbox Ally is a pretty nice-looking console- it has controller-style grips, which look decidedly more ergonomic than the Switch 2’s flat back. The screen is angled for easier viewing at 720p on the regular ally, and 900 to 1080p viewing - in that regard, the Ally X is roughly equivalent to the Switch 2, while the regular Ally has a lower-resolution screen than even the Steam Deck (although only by a little bit). It also boasts impulse triggers, which respond dynamically to your game to create a more immersive experience akin to the DualSense’s haptic feedback.
Xbox Software & Library Vs. Switch 2 & Steam Deck
A Matter Of Taste
Interestingly, though perhaps not unexpectedly,the Xbox Ally handhelds run Windows, which could give them a significant amount of flexibility. Although the console normally boots directly into the Xbox PC app by default, if players can actually start up the full version of Windows, they can access a wide variety of different games, apps, and more not normally accessible through the Xbox store. However, the Ally’s full Windows capability remains to be seen.
Which handheld console has the best library comes down to a matter of preference.
Truly, which handheld console has the best library comes down to a matter of preference. The Xbox Ally’s looks to be pretty expansive -besides the obvious Xbox and PC games, you’ll also be able to access Battle.net and games from “other leading storefronts”(viaThe Verge) - presumably Steam and Epic - on the handheld. That makes its library roughly equivalent to the Steam Deck’s, as you’re able to play most games - even Xbox and Epic exclusives - with a little finagling in the Steam Deck’s desktop mode.
Of course, the Switch 2 has a unique advantage in that it’s the only console on the marketthat can run Nintendo games. That said, at the time of writing,there aren’t many Switch 2 exclusivesto speak of. Barring remakes, remasters, ports, and director’s cuts, really your only options on the console at this point areMario Kart WorldandNintendo Switch Welcome Tour. That’ll likely change over the next year or so, but until then, I wouldn’t say the Switch 2’s library is its greatest strength.
It’s difficult to point to one of these three handhelds as the definitive best. The Xbox Ally has some pretty strong hardware on paper, but we’ll have to see how game performance compares to its rivals once it’s out. As far as libraries go, it’s roughly on par with the Steam Deck, although its more powerful specs could mean it’s capable of playing certain games that the Steam Deck can’t ordinarily handle. And, while the Switch 2’s library of exclusives will eventually make it a competitor, it’s not quite there just as of yet. Only time will tell how theXboxhandheld performs against its biggest competitors.
