- Microsoft is bringing a large replace to its Xbox Home windows 11 app for its new ROG Xbox Ally handheld
- The brand new “full-screen expertise” will assist streamline gaming for handheld customers with a portable-friendly person interface
- It is going to come to different Home windows 11 handhelds in 2026
Microsoft has been trying into methods to enhance the gaming expertise for handheld customers, after the latest reception and excessive reward that Valve’s SteamOS has acquired for its efficiency leaps over Home windows 11 – and it appears like Microsoft has taken its first main leap in doing so.
As reported by The Verge, the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X will characteristic a brand new “Xbox full-screen expertise” offering a streamlined handheld-friendly gaming person interface, which will even make its strategy to different Home windows 11 handhelds in 2026. All video games from different shops and purposes similar to Discord, Battle.web, Steam, and different recreation launchers can be accessible by way of the up to date Xbox app.
It has been a very long time coming, since handheld customers have longed for an improved moveable model of Home windows 11 for gaming, akin to Valve’s SteamOS; the thought is to create a easy start-up-and-play expertise, with out navigating to different launchers to seek out video games. Primarily, this creates an all-in-one hub for gaming and removes lots of the frequent Home windows pop-ups and notifications.
Maybe the most important query is the affect it’ll have on efficiency, and whether or not this can match up with SteamOS or surpass it. Moreover Home windows 11’s drawbacks in ease of use, efficiency is presently the opposite robust enchantment of SteamOS for handheld customers.
Fortunately, Xbox’s software program engineering lead, Brianna Potvin, claimed that 2GB of reminiscence goes again into video games whereas within the new full-screen mode – and it is anticipated we’ll see additional enhancements by the point it is obtainable for the ROG Xbox Ally.
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Evaluation: Handheld gaming in 2026 and past is trying brilliant
With the MSI Claw A8 utilizing AMD‘s Ryzen Z2 Excessive and the ROG Xbox Ally utilizing the Ryzen AI Z2 Excessive, each slated to launch this yr, it is a robust indication that 2026 and past might be nice for handheld avid gamers.
MSI has already left a powerful impression with its Claw 8 AI+, showcasing effectivity with superb gaming efficiency outcomes at a 17W TDP – and it is all attainable due to Intel‘s Core Extremely 7 258V processor. Crew Pink’s Z2 Excessive processors (particularly the AI model) are anticipated to problem the Lunar Lake SoC, all whereas we anticipate Panther Lake and Medusa Level coming from Intel and AMD, respectively, to push issues additional.
Each the ROG Xbox Ally and the Claw A8 will not be the one Z2 Excessive-based handhelds both, as we’re nonetheless awaiting the Lenovo Legion Go 2.
The extra handhelds there are, the higher, and I am excited to see simply how these cellular processors can go at offering high-level gaming efficiency.
