ROG Xbox Ally X FULL REVIEW ｜ You Might Want Legion Go 2 Instead...

It's finally here. I have the ROG Xbox Ally X, and no doubt this is one of the most exciting gaming handheld consoles we've had on this channel this year. The ROG Xbox Ally X fixes pretty much everything I've complained about when it comes to Windows handhelds. We're talking better design, better performance, better battery life, but at $999, it is a price way to play your PC games on the go. So in this episode of Buyer Skip, I'm breaking down the pros and cons for my ROG Xbox Ally review, including how it compares to Legion Go 2. I've seen you guys asking for comparisons in the comments. Don't worry, I got you. Let's get into it. Let's start with the ROG Xbox Ally design, because I know there were some mixed reactions when we shared the hands-on video a while back on the channel. I find the new controller grips to be way more ergonomic. While everyone was worried that it might be too thick, I think it's actually a good thing. The grips feel more like a full-size Xbox controller, just split in half. It also helps with weight distribution, a problem most PC gaming handhelds have. Compared to other handhelds I've tried, including the Legion Go 2, longer gaming sessions on Xbox Ally X are more comfortable. The only thing that would make it better is if it had a kickstand. But even then, I think there's a better designed blueprint to follow. But let me know if you have a different perspective. You've heard me complain about this in almost all our gaming handheld videos. Windows 11 sucks for handhelds. So it goes without saying, I'm hyped about the Xbox UI, also known as the Xbox full-screen experience. You can basically ignore Windows 11, at least after setting up the handheld, and jump straight into your games. It feels very SteamOS inspired, which you probably know is my favorite system for all handhelds. But I think Microsoft is really giving Steam a run for its money with this leaner version of Windows 11. The interface is better optimized for touch and controller inputs, and it also gives you quick access to system settings if you need to tweak anything, or you wanna check out the performance monitoring tools. But on top of that, this Xbox UI has another big advantage, better optimization for games. One look at task manager, and you'll see the desktop isn't even running. There's less Windows 11 bloat running in the background. This gives even better battery life and gaming performance. Speaking of performance, let's talk about the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme. I'm gonna skip the whole AI part because honestly, no games are actually using the NPU for performance yet. What does matter is efficiency. The chip nails the balance between performance and power use, especially compared to the Ryzen Z1 Extreme. Sure, at full power at 35 Watts while plugged in, the games are small, but drop it to 17 Watts performance mode, and that's where things get really interesting. AMD has clearly figured out how to squeeze even more out of every Watt. We've also tested the chip in the Legion Go 2, and the results were a little bit mixed. Performance varied depending on settings, so I definitely recommend playing around with all the different settings because you're probably not gonna get the same gaming performance you're looking for out of the box. And if you wanna nerd out a little and see exactly how that translates to frame rates and benchmarks, check out the full performance breakdown in the link in the description. Another big win for the ROG Xbox Ally X, it's its solid battery life. In testing, it lasted about eight hours on the web surfing battery life, and roughly three hours on the gaming battery test with PC Mark 10. That means it could easily handle a medium length commute or a long gaming session on the go, with only occasional recharges needed for longer trips. For comparison, the Legion Go 2 hit around 11 hours on web surfing, but only two hours on gaming, showing that the Ally X's efficiency under load is more impressive. That's definitely a selling point if you ask me. Before I move on to things that aren't selling points, I'd appreciate if you hit that like button and subscribe if you're enjoying this video so far. So now here's where I'm a bit disappointed with the ROG Xbox Ally X. First, it uses the same 120 Hertz, seven inch LCD panel we've seen on Asus' other handhelds for the past few years. Don't get me wrong, it still has good color and sharpness, but given that this costs $1,000, I really was expecting an OLED for those inky blacks and deeper contrast. It's one of the reasons I recommend the new Legion Go 2, which I talk a lot about in that episode of Buyer Skip, so make sure you go check it out on this channel if you haven't already. And speaking more in particular about that price, it's a hard one to justify to anyone other than a hardcore gaming crowd or those who are serious about taking AAA experiences on the go. There are gaming laptops that can give you better performance for the same costs. Now, what I haven't mentioned so far is the lower spec ROG Xbox Ally. The regular Ally costs $600, which obviously sounds like a huge savings, whether it's in the context of the Ally X or other handhelds like the Legion Go 2. My pal Jason checked out the Xbox Ally and he felt like it didn't deliver the kind of value we were hoping for. He thinks $400 would have been a fairer selling price for those specs, and I agree with him. Go ahead and let me know if you'd like to see a full comparison of the ROG Xbox Ally versus Ally X here on our channel. Either way, definitely do your research. I don't want you regretting your purchase. Here's something else that's super important to know before you get too excited about the Xbox Ally X. This is still a gaming PC at the end of the day, and it does not automatically mean that all your Xbox games will be supported here. Despite what Microsoft claims, this is not an Xbox. One of the selling points here is that the Xbox Ally X is part of the Xbox Play Anywhere Microsoft program that lets you play eligible Xbox games on both console and PC at no extra cost. In theory, this makes the Ally X the perfect handheld for your existing Xbox library. Most of you probably won't run into any issues, especially if you lean heavily on Xbox Game Pass, but here's where things get a bit confusing. Many older backward-compatible titles like Gears of War 2 and 3 and Fable II are still exclusive to the Xbox console and haven't been ported to PC. Yikes. Yes, they can be played with Xbox Cloud Gaming, which streams the games over the internet, but the experience won't be as good since you're not playing it locally on the device. But even with games that are supported on both Xbox and PC, there are some recent games like Battlefield 6 and Final Fantasy 16 that are not included with Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning if you bought them for your Xbox, you will still need to buy another PC copy to play it on your ROG Xbox Ally. Hopefully, this aspect will improve over time as more developers opt in, but for now, some key titles just won't work, and that's a bummer for anyone expecting full compatibility. Both the Xbox ROG Ally X and the Legion Go 2 are awesome next-gen handhelds, but they really shine in different ways. The ROG Xbox Ally X is the more affordable pick. It's comfortable to hold, and if you're deep in the Xbox ecosystem, it just makes sense. It's fast, the battery's solid, and it gets the job done whether you're commuting or chilling on the couch. Legion Go 2, on the other hand, is the more versatile option if you're cool with paying a little bit more. That OLED screen, gorgeous. The kickstand plus the touchable controllers gives you more ways to play than the Ally X. If you want a solid traditional handheld that performs well and gives you plenty of customization, go with the ROG Xbox Ally X. Want a versatile premium handheld that wows every time you pick it up? Legion Go 2 is the way to go. I know we went over a lot in this video, so let me recap. If you want one of the best ways to play your games on the go, the ROG Xbox Ally X offers a great mix of hardware, ergonomics, and UI. It may not live up to all the hype that led up to the launch, and there are other consoles like the Legion Go 2 that are pretty great, but overall, I say this is successful. Now, look, gaming handhelds are getting more expensive, so the $999 price here probably isn't as wild as it sounds, but if you're on a tighter budget, there are still other great devices that have come out in the past couple of years that are worth considering. So make sure you check out our handheld showdown series to learn more about those awesome consoles. For me, though, the ROG Xbox Ally X is definitely on my short list for best gaming handhelds right now, but I wanna hear from you. Which way are you leaning? And if this video helped you out, give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more buyer scoop reviews just like this one. I'm Tony Polanco, and I'll see you in the next one. Later. Ooh, the fanboys are gonna get mad with that one. Ha, ha, ha.