We checked whether the portable gaming PCs 'ROG Xbox Ally X' and 'ROG Xbox Ally' can play games smoothly
The Xbox-branded portable gaming PCs ' ROG Xbox Ally X ' and ' ROG Xbox Ally ' will be released on October 16, 2025. Both models arrived at the GIGAZINE editorial department ahead of time, so after
ROG Xbox Ally X / ROG Xbox Ally | Portable gaming console | ROG Japan
https://rog.asus.com/jp/content/rog-xbox-ally/
ROG Xbox Ally X & ROG Xbox Ally – Launching October 16, 2025 | Xbox
https://www.xbox.com/ja-JP/handhelds/rog-xbox-ally
The ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally are both Xbox-branded portable gaming PCs, but there's a big difference in performance between them due to the difference in the processors they use. In the article below, we run multiple benchmark tests to compare the performance of both devices.
I checked the performance difference between the portable gaming PC 'ROG Xbox Ally X' and 'ROG Xbox Ally' in a benchmark test. Review - GIGAZINE
This time, I'll actually try playing a game with the ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally. The ROG Xbox Ally X screen immediately after startup is shown below. The ROG Xbox Ally X comes pre-installed with Windows 11 Home, but it's pre-customized for gaming, and the Xbox app is displayed full-screen immediately after startup.
The Xbox app allows you to view a list of games installed on your PC. In the example below, Xbox games and Steam games are listed in order of most recently played.
You can open the Game Bar at any time by pressing the Xbox button on the left side of the console, and it will also display games you've acquired on other platforms.
If you subscribe to any of the Xbox Game Pass plans, you can play games included in each plan with ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally, and use cloud gaming services. It is also compatible with PC Game Pass, a PC-only plan.
Each game's individual page has a 'Handheld Compatibility' section, which lets you check whether the game is compatible with portable gaming PCs. For example, '
When I actually tried playing Minecraft for Windows, it was a breeze to play.
Meanwhile, the
The ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally also have a menu screen called the 'Command Center,' which allows you to change the operating power and resolution. This time, we'll be playing various games on battery power in Turbo mode, which operates at 20W. We also use the 'Real-time Monitor' feature to display the frame rate (FPS) in the upper right corner of the screen, allowing us to roughly check the FPS.
So, I'll try playing the Xbox version of '
Compatibility information will be displayed when you first start the program.
In the case of the ROG Xbox Ally X, it said, 'Delivers excellent performance.'
I set the image quality to 'Automatic' and was able to play at around 65 FPS. The action was very smooth and there was absolutely no stuttering. The speakers are high quality for a small device, and I was able to tell the direction of sounds, such as 'a rival car is approaching from the rear right.' Additionally, a feature called 'Impulse Trigger' vibrates the trigger in accordance with the movement of the car, allowing me to enjoy a realistic racing experience.
I also tried the Steam version of ' Elden Ring .' It didn't work well at full HD, so I lowered the output resolution to 1280x720 pixels and played with the quality setting set to 'Medium.' I was able to play at around 30-40 FPS.
Playing 'ELDEN RING' on the portable gaming PC 'ROG Xbox Ally X' - YouTube
However, there were cases where the game would crash when performing operations such as 'opening the settings screen' or 'using a blessing (recovery spot).'
When I was playing 'ELDEN RING' on the portable gaming PC 'ROG Xbox Ally X', I got an error and it crashed - YouTube
Below are the results of playing the Steam version of ' SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE ' at 1280x720 pixels with the quality setting set to 'Medium.' I was able to play at around 60 FPS, and I was able to play for about 30 minutes without encountering any errors.
Playing 'SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE' on the portable gaming PC 'ROG Xbox Ally X' - YouTube
Then play your games with ROG Xbox Ally.
Play in 'Turbo mode with 20W operating power' while on battery power.
When I tried to play DIRT 5, I got a warning that said, 'After comparing the performance of this game on your device to similar devices, we estimate that this game may run at less than 30 FPS.'
With the image quality set to 'Automatic,' I was able to play at around 35 FPS. The speakers, like the ROG Xbox Ally X, have good sound directionality. However, unlike the ROG Xbox Ally X, they do not have impulse triggers, so the immersion is a little less.
I played the Steam version of ELDEN RING at 1280x720 pixels with the quality setting set to 'Medium' and was able to play at a frame rate of no less than 30 FPS.
Playing 'ELDEN RING' on the portable gaming PC 'ROG Xbox Ally' - YouTube
I also played the Steam version of SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE at 1280x720 pixels and medium quality settings, and it ran at 50-60 FPS.
Playing 'SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE' on the portable gaming PC 'ROG Xbox Ally' - YouTube
The estimated retail price for the ROG Xbox Ally X is 139,800 yen (tax included), while the ROG Xbox Ally is 89,800 yen (tax included). While there's a 50,000 yen price difference between the ROG Xbox Ally X and the ROG Xbox Ally, the ROG Xbox Ally X records roughly twice the benchmark scores and offers high-quality vibration feedback, so if you want to play heavy games, the ROG Xbox Ally X is recommended. On the other hand, the ROG Xbox Ally can also maintain 60 FPS for lighter games like ' Slay the Spire ,' so if you want to play light indie games while lying down, the ROG Xbox Ally will be more than satisfactory.
Related Posts:
in Video, Hardware, Smartphone, Review, Game, Posted by log1o_hf