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Recommended reading Handheld Gaming PCs 'This is an Xbox' says Microsoft of its new handheld but, let's be honest, it's a PC Handheld Gaming PCs Xbox is headed to handhelds but its gaming-first UI will also land on existing ROG Ally and ROG Ally X and 'other Windows handhelds starting next year' Handheld Gaming PCs The ROG Xbox Ally will reportedly launch in October, but I'm still not convinced there's a good enough reason to buy it yet Handheld Gaming PCs The most convenient handheld gaming PC I've ever used is getting upgraded with an OLED screen, Ryzen HX 370, and a repositioned mouse nub (that's the best bit) Handheld Gaming PCs Better grips, OLED screen, and more memory: Our first actual look at the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is everything I wanted in the original Handheld Gaming PCs We just got our first proper look at GPD's battery-optional Strix Halo handheld gaming PC and I'm still unconvinced Handheld Gaming PCs Leaked pricing suggests the ROG Xbox Ally X might be the most expensive Xbox console yet, which probably isn't the award Microsoft is aiming for Handheld Gaming PCs I just got my hands on the ROG Xbox Ally and can confirm the sheer comfort is worth that peculiar grip design 20 August 2025 And the whole Windows lite thing seems alright, too. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Future) I wasn't sure what I was expecting when queueing up to get my greasy mitts on the upcoming Asus-Microsoft handheld collab, the ROG Xbox Ally. But it certainly wasn't the sheer amount of comfort I ended up feeling when I held it. Asus had it on show at Gamescom earlier, and so I took a gander and was pleasantly surprised. My previous thoughts on the handheld, back when images were leaked back in May, were that "if the grips are very comfortable then I'd probably consider using such a strange-looking handheld anyway." Well, past-me, present-me has some good news: The grips on this thing are comfy. Image 1 of 7 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) I've been relishing the ergonomics of my fave handheld, the Lenovo Legion Go S, for a while now, and although I won't stake my claim to this having only tested the ROG Xbox Ally for about 15 minutes, I can hesitantly say that I think it might be better on the comfort front. Related Articles 'This is an Xbox' says Microsoft of its new handheld but, let's be honest, it's a PC Xbox is headed to handhelds but its gaming-first UI will also land on existing ROG Ally and ROG Ally X and 'other Windows handhelds starting next year' The ROG Xbox Ally will reportedly launch in October, but I'm still not convinced there's a good enough reason to buy it yet I expressed to the Asus rep next to me that it seems quite light, and they replied that it's not, really, it's just the ergonomics that make it feel that way. And I'll be damned, because the handheld isn't actually any lighter than the original. It's all in those grips, which feel amazing. It makes sense, really; controllers have been doing it for decades, so why stick to the now-standard tablet-esque and Steam Deck-esque formula? I was also pleasantly surprised by my experience using the new bespoke Windows OS that's being used for the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X. You can switch between the lightweight gaming mode and fully-fledged Windows 11 with a simple long button press. And the simple—and presumably more efficient—mode seems pretty intuitive, too, with Asus Armoury Crate integration and lots of Deck-like easy access functions. (Image credit: Future) The only real question remaining is pricing, which we should hear about soon, plus how that fits in with the internal hardware. The ROG Xbox Ally sports a Ryzen Z2 A processor, which isn't the most powerful chip on the market, but the ROG Xbox Ally X sports a Ryzen Z2 Extreme, which is more powerful than the Z1 Extreme in the ROG Ally and Ally X. Oh, and if you're wondering when you can get your hands on it, it's planned to launch in a bunch of countries on October 16. Not long to wait, then. The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Best handheld PC 2025All our current recommendations 👉Check out our full guide👈 1. Best overall: Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS ed. 2. Best budget: 3. Best Windows: MSI Claw 8 AI+ 4. Best big screen: Lenovo Legion Go 5. Best compact: Ayaneo Flip DS Hardware Writer Jacob got his hands on a gaming PC for the first time when he was about 12 years old. He swiftly realised the local PC repair store had ripped him off with his build and vowed never to let another soul build his rig again. With this vow, Jacob the hardware junkie was born. Since then, Jacob's led a double-life as part-hardware geek, part-philosophy nerd, first working as a Hardware Writer for PCGamesN in 2020, then working towards a PhD in Philosophy for a few years while freelancing on the side for sites such as TechRadar, Pocket-lint, and yours truly, PC Gamer. Eventually, he gave up the ruthless mercenary life to join the world's #1 PC Gaming site full-time. It's definitely not an ego thing, he assures us. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. 'This is an Xbox' says Microsoft of its new handheld but, let's be honest, it's a PC Xbox is headed to handhelds but its gaming-first UI will also land on existing ROG Ally and ROG Ally X and 'other Windows handhelds starting next year' The ROG Xbox Ally will reportedly launch in October, but I'm still not convinced there's a good enough reason to buy it yet The most convenient handheld gaming PC I've ever used is getting upgraded with an OLED screen, Ryzen HX 370, and a repositioned mouse nub (that's the best bit) Better grips, OLED screen, and more memory: Our first actual look at the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is everything I wanted in the original We just got our first proper look at GPD's battery-optional Strix Halo handheld gaming PC and I'm still unconvinced Latest in Handheld Gaming PCs Dreaming of an Nvidia Steam Deck? This modder converted an RTX 4090 laptop GPU into 4K 'portable' handheld gaming PC The ROG Xbox Ally will reportedly launch in October, but I'm still not convinced there's a good enough reason to buy it yet Modders are trying their hardest to add an NVMe SSD to the Switch 2, which is both impressive and something I'm not going to do A gaming benchmark face-off between AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme and Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V is surprisingly close, proving once more that Lunar Lake is the best chip Intel has made in years We just got our first proper look at GPD's battery-optional Strix Halo handheld gaming PC and I'm still unconvinced The first gaming benchmarks for AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme show memory bandwidth is hobbling the full potential the new handheld chip Latest in News Announcing The PC Gamer Streamer Showdown, broadcasting Sept 9-12 Asus heard you like screens, so it put a curved '3D effect' OLED screen on your CPU water cooler From gaming keyboards to graphics cards, these are the five UK-only deals I'd recommend this Amazon Gaming Week Playstack, not content with obliterating my free time via Balatro, is publishing another roguelike about coin pusher machines Asus announces the Raikiri II controller with anti-drift TMR joysticks and 1000 Hz wireless polling, which should make the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro look up from its breakfast Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice anime studio Qzil.la lands in the hotseat after suspected AI usage—though whether it's generative or not is still up in the air HARDWARE BUYING GUIDES LATEST GAME REVIEWS Best PCIe 5.0 SSD for gaming in 2025: the only Gen 5 drives I will allow in my PC Best graphics cards in 2025: I've tested pretty much every AMD and Nvidia GPU of the past 20 years and these are today's top cards Best gaming laptop in 2025: I've put the best of this new generation head-to-head and we have a winner Best gaming chair in 2025: I've tested a ton of gaming chairs and these are the seats I'd suggest for any PC gamer Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads Asus ROG Falcata Alienware 18 Area-51 (2025) review LG Ultragear 45GX950A review Sword of the Sea review—Atmospheric sand-surfing with somewhat samey puzzles Emeet Pixy review PC Gamer is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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